One of the new buzzwords in the world
of high technology is “intelligent communications.”
As a leader in the design and implementation of VoIP solutions, John Curry of
Curry IP Solutions offers unique insights
into utilizing intelligent communications as
an effective road map to cost-effective
telecommunications solutions.
“We must understand that the end result
of intelligent communications is to make
contacting your organization a pleasurable
experience that exceeds your competitor’s,” says Curry. “This contact may be via
telephone, cell phone, Blackberry, instant
message or e-mail, into your voice mail or
call center. It is now possible to manage all
of these various methods, improve your
efficiencies and lower your expenses.”
Smart Business spoke to Curry to get
more details about intelligent communications.
How and when should this type of strategy be
considered and implemented?
It’s not a question of should. All businesses must work toward intelligent communications or they will be left behind.
Your effectiveness depends on how
responsive you are to resolving your customers’ needs within your job function.
Getting customers to the right sales or support personnel has never been easier.
Databases can direct calls by ZIP code or
telephone number, product or service.
Voice mails can now be e-mailed, streamlining delegation of tasks. If you use push-to-talk, you will enjoy the IM capabilities of
the Blackberry that will keep your team
informed with an audit trail. No longer
should you put a customer though voice
mail hell, making 20 selections before
being placed in a queue.
Is this type of strategy scalable?
Most certainly. There are new phone systems that are scaleable for 20,200 or 2,000
fewer stations — with awesome features
and functionality that the old phone systems just can’t provide.
You may have only looked at your company handling a regional or limited geographical area. That is the way it used to be.
Now you can expand your sales force
nationally or internationally. With VoIP
remote extensions, the new IP systems provide immediate access to the remote sales
force. Training and coaching can be done
via the Web with online meetings, meet-me
conference bridges and remote phone monitoring for scheduled soft coaching.
Please discuss these issues and their impact
on an intelligent communications plan.
If you are completely lost on how your
organization can benefit by converging all
of your communication methods, call a
consultant. If you want to try to develop
your own intelligent communications, you
need to begin to layout a road map identifying where you are today and where and
when you want to get to your end result.
I would suspect your organization uses
some type of e-mail or IM, along with Web
access to manage your products and services. With the introduction of an IP phone
system, you can immediately begin to
establish a remote sales and tech support
staff. This remote staff can grow without
the need for capital investment on your
behalf for space at your main office location. Monitoring their productivity is no different than your current process, but it is
also enhanced. You can immediately review
the activity of their inbound or outbound IP
phone communications, and listen in to
their conversations to provide soft coaching. This staff is further accessible through
your main auto attendant, which can ring a
home office phone, then roll to the cell. ‘No
answer’ leaves voice mail that is e-mailed in
a .wav file. This file may be passed to a
broadcast for others to immediately attend
or sent to their e-mail account.
Furthermore, you can leverage your
investment if you have multiple sites. For
example, you have 10 offices with 20 stations at each. You can now purchase one
system, have it centrally located and install
only IP phones at each of the 10 offices,
immediately reducing your capital expenses and introducing intelligent communications. If one of your locations relocates,
people there need only plug their IP
phones in at the new location and begin
working without any disruption.
Migration from old phone services to
newer technology can be slow and
methodical, reducing any possibility of
service disruption.
What about capabilities?
Capabilities are endless, but it is up to
you how much you are willing to embrace
intelligent communications. This is something you should outline in your road map
with a timeline.
How can customized consulting services
assist with intelligent communications?
There are so many choices and decisions
to be made in the technology arena, as well
as gray areas of responsibility. Look for a
VoIP service provider that also is a system
integrator who understands the capabilities of both.
JOHN CURRY is founder and president of Curry IP Solutions.
He has been providing telecommunications expertise to businesses and individuals for more than 30 years. Reach him at
(412) 307-3600, ext. 9007 or [email protected].