Telecoms for Competitive Advantage

3. Call Management

3.1 Auto attendant systems enable customers to pick the service or department they want, by following simple instructions. For example, 'For sales, press one.'

• There can be savings, as each call is ideally only handled once, by the right person, and no operator is required.
• The system needs to be carefully planned, as most people dislike multi-level menus. Many people object to having to deal with a machine at all.
• Always provide a direct route in for callers - non-customers, perhaps - who do not fit easily into the categories you set up.

3.2 The next step up is interactive voice response (IVR) equipment.

This kind of system 'understands' a limited range of spoken numbers or key words.

• For example, a local garage might ask customers to say whether they want 'new cars', 'service' or 'parts'.
• You can buy inexpensive PC software to provide IVR for a small firm.

3.3 Voicemail offers advanced call answering and handling features, but is usually uneconomical for firms with fewer than ten employees.

• It lets you do everything with a voice message that you could do with an email. You can copy a message or forward it for a colleague to deal with.
• For example, a sales manager could record a briefing once, enter a code and copy it automatically to the whole sales team.

3.4 A call logging system linked to your phone system gives you the ability to log and analyse phone use.

This can lead to reduced costs and improved efficiency.

• In businesses where people are charged for calls they make, logging is essential. For example, in serviced offices where small firms share switchboard facilities.