Bringing 20th Century Communication Into the Digital Age

In many ways, running a business in 2016 is very different from running a business back in, say, the 80s. The Internet and smartphones provide new channels through which marketers can reach consumers, while simultaneously streamlining communication—literally. What’s more, it’s also easier for consumers to tune out marketing appeals by getting on Do Not Call lists, unsubscribing from promotional emails or simply blocking advertisements on their browsers.

Yes, it’s clear that businesses of all sizes need to constantly explore new ways of reaching customers through the latest technology. Failing to do so could mean losing a competitive edge and a good portion of the market.

But although technology has certainly changed the way businesses communicate with customers, the guiding principles of running an efficient, prosperous business remain the same. One of the most important things you can do as a business owner is provide exceptional customer service. Having a great rapport with customers helps you build a reputation for your brand, helps you retain current customers and helps you attract potential customers.

It all circles back around to knowing which communication channels to use in order to best connect with your target audience. If you need a little help getting your business marketing and communication into the 21st century, here are some ideas, tips and tools to get you off on the right foot.

Call Management

Thanks to the Internet, it’s possible for many people to work from home or, in general, away from a centralized office. In many ways this is very appealing, but it does make it difficult to reroute phone calls to the right department or employee.

If all of your employees sit at their own workstations and have their own work phones with extension numbers, it’s easy to move a client or customer between different departments while keeping them on the line.

Without such a set-up, handling customer service or sales over the phone can be quite a quandary. But services such as Zintel make call management work for remote teams, connecting a network of smartphones to make it easy for you to reroute a phone call to one of your colleagues. Sophisticated call management helps give the impression that your company is top-tier, even if you know you’re not quite there yet.

Internet Fax

Let’s face it, fax machines aren’t used very often these days. Unless your business is in an industry that frequently faxes documents to partners and clients, you probably need a fax machine once in a blue moon.

You could make a trip to the nearest self-service fax machine, but chances are you don’t have much time for that. Wouldn’t it be great if you could send an email but have it appear on the recipient’s fax machine? That would be the ultimate win-win, as it lets you send the document in a way that is convenient to you, while also letting the recipient receive it in a way that is convenient to him or her.

Well, you can stop wishing and start getting things done. Such services already exist, such as eFax. You can send faxes via a mobile app or on any Internet browser, providing a straightforward solution to a once-inconvenient dilemma.

Digital Coupons

Many consumers do their shopping online now, and print coupons are becoming increasingly scarce. However, providing coupons is still a viable way to capture the attention of consumers and to encourage them to make purchases.

You could collect the mailing addresses of your customers and send printed coupons, but in all likelihood it would be a waste of resources, since they’d most likely end up in the trash. And if your company sells products almost exclusively online, then it definitely doesn’t make much sense to have a selection of printed coupons.

Instead, take advantage of coupon software such as Coupon Paq to provide customers with easily accessible savings. You can have a section of your website dedicated to coupons, allowing users to “clip” coupons and automatically apply them to their accounts. At checkout, the coupons can be put into effect, whether the buyer is purchasing online or at a physical location. It’s the perfect way to streamline the coupon process and is an appealing solution for people who habitually forget to bring their coupons with them when they shop.

Online Bill Pay

Secure online transactions are a must for any digital storefront. But if your service is something that you regularly bill for, such as lawn service or garbage and recycling pick-up, you can make it more convenient for clients to pay you and manage their accounts by providing an online system. Ditching paper invoices also means that payments typically show up in your bank account faster, since you don’t have to wait to receive a check in the mail. Once the payment is made, it is typically processed quickly.

Cloud accounting systems like FreshBooks make it easy for small business owners to send and manage invoices. Clients also have a login portal where they can make payments and track their spending. It doesn’t have to be any more complicated than that, but for a very cutting-edge look, you can use a system that integrates directly with your website.

There was once a time when file cabinets were the norm in every office, but they’ve been replaced by digital files. The shift away from paper has changed the way businesses connect with clients and consumers.

The good news is that there is an app, program or platform for virtually every business need. Your office no longer has to have a desk cluttered with paperwork and rows of file cabinets taking up space. Your office can literally be contained in a laptop or tablet. If you’re struggling to transition your business into the digital age, you now know of a few tools that can help simplify the process.