Cloud telephony solution cuts calling costs by at least $262,000 for businesses

Aircall’s subscription-based technology can be integrated into any smart device.

In the past, using traditional telephone systems to speak with business agents could take longer periods of time. Even after finally getting through to someone, the agent on the other end of the line might not be the best person to address the issue. This would result in customers being transferred to multiple agents, having to repeat their requests and problems multiple times, making for an inefficient and frustrating process. 

In Singapore, Forrester’s 2022 Singapore Customer Experience Index found that on average, most of the banking sector posted lower customer experience (CX) scores compared to the previous year.

With the introduction of new technological solutions, companies can now optimise manual processes, such as tracking customer interactions and manual logging, allowing agents to focus on meeting the needs of the customer.

One cloud-based voice solutions software firm, Aircall, is on a mission to improve CX through its cloud-based voice over internet protocol (VoIP) phone system. 

Call centres are an important part of the customer experience, but talking to business agents using traditional phone systems can be a prolonged and frustrating experience. 

By the time a customer finally manages to speak with someone, the assigned agent may not even be the most suitable person to address their needs. This results in the customer being passed from one agent to another and having to repeat their requests and/or problems each time, making for an inefficient and frustrating process.

Aircall’s cloud-based VoIP phone system leverages customer relationship management (CRM) integration to track each customer interaction, removing the need to manually log tasks or put the onus on the customer to repeat themselves. These CRM systems include HubSpot, Salesforce, and Zendesk, enabling teams to streamline and automate the accurate logging of relevant customer information – usually a manual and time-consuming CRM task.

Teams can easily access all necessary customer data at every single touchpoint – even if they are picking up on behalf of another teammate. This enables them to focus on delivering success and providing a more seamless CX experience for clients.

“Not only does cloud telephony free up some time for teams, it makes the entire process more efficient and less stressful for both service providers and customers. This way, companies can focus on what matters: bringing value to the customer on the phone and finding solutions to their problems,” Hugo Mas, Sales Director Asia at Aircall, told Singapore Business Review.

Additionally, Aircall’s cloud-based software requires no hardware and can easily be installed with little to no difficulty. Within minutes, Aircall’s call centre system can be up and running across countries, making call centre services easy to access from anywhere in the world. 

“Let’s say your company is based in Singapore and you’re doing business with clients in the US. With Aircall, it’s very easy to install your hotlines and interact with customers in any country that has internet access on the cloud telephony system,” Mas said.

"It takes every aspect of traditional phone systems—hardware lines and desk phones, for instance—and amplifies customer experience by using VoIP to ensure continuity in the customer journey," added Mas.

Cost-cutting telephony

With traditional telephony systems, CX work is often very inflexible because call access is restricted to specific hardware and connections, requiring high service costs from maintenance, repair, day-to-day reporting, as well as additional time for installation. 

However, VoIP systems such as Aircall can be used on any device, such as mobile phones and laptops, which allows agents to work from home or anywhere else—as long as there is a fast broadband internet connection. A side benefit is that this makes the service provider less vulnerable to downtime from on-site power disruptions.

These traditional hard-phone systems also often incur high service costs—which primarily arise from hardware repair and maintenance, as well as day-to-day reporting—and downtime for installation.

Aircall and other cloud telephony systems are far more cost-effective in comparison, because they eliminate hardware upkeep costs and minimise installation time, as well as having more flexible pricing. Aircall, for instance, offers subscription-based packages that make the service more accessible for small and medium enterprises.    

Forrester Consulting’s May 2022 Total Economic Impact study found that most businesses that used traditional telephony for CX services struggled with expensive service costs and customer satisfaction. After switching telephony systems such as Aircall’s solutions, businesses posted a $287,944 (US$219,300) cut in maintenance costs and calling costs for their phone system in a three-year period and saw savings of at least 20% on the time spent on managing and reporting.

Since VoIP is reliant on a fast broadband internet connection, some businesses using the technology could face problems in the event of a power outage. As such, Mas said that it is important to ensure that businesses have enough bandwidth and a strong enough signal to handle their business calls. While outgoing calls on VoIP systems cannot be made during an internet outage, Aircall’s system would remain operational during an emergency, with incoming calls being re-routed to voicemail.

Another issue with traditional phone systems and networks is the expensive fees incurred when making international calls to business call centres, as well as the costs for licences and phone lines.

To resolve this, Mas said Aircall has also been able to provide cost-saving solutions here; for instance, Aircall’s call bundles have allowed businesses to experience a return on investment (ROI) of 373%.

“It’s not just a matter of cutting costs,” said Mas. “Better customer experiences lead to happier customers, which in turn leads to more long-term customers. Continued positive experiences make those long-term customers trust you more, making them more willing to continue investing in you.”

$1 = US$0.76