Everything to know about the landline switch off

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Purple background with graphic of a landline phone and a hand pick up the receiver

Have you heard? A major change in telecoms is coming – landline phones are to be switched off by 2025 in favour of digital networks more fit for the modern era. Eventually all home and business phones will need to be replaced. So if you’re still relying on traditional phone equipment, start exploring your options now with everything you need to know about the landline switch off in this guide. 

 

Switching to digital phone solutions early will be especially important for small businesses, freelancers and startups. These entities can’t afford downtimes without communications. So if you leave the planning too late, you could find yourself overpaying for unsuitable options  in order to meet the deadline. 

 

However, the approaching switch off presents a great opportunity for smaller sized firms to upgrade to technologies which previously may have only been practical or affordable for larger companies. Markedly offering the chance to level up communications and allow competition on an equal basis.

 

Undoubtedly the communications landscape will change so how will this unfold and how can you navigate it? 

 

How will the landline switch off happen by 2025?

 

BT Openreach are responsible for building and maintaining the UK phone network. They have already slowly begun switching off the ‘Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)’ in some areas. Meaning existing hardware relying on this network will no longer work in those regions. 

 

Additionally, the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) is also being switched off despite data being transmitted digitally through the ISDN. This is because phone systems using an ISDN connection also rely on landline cables. Furthermore, Openreach is no longer accepting new orders for PSTN systems.

 

Why is there a big landline switch off?

 

Mainly because this older analogue technology isn’t as reliable as newer digital networks. Calls made via landline technology are often dropped and audio quality is poor which particularly affects businesses. It also requires huge hardware maintenance costs and PSTN/ISDN cannot support the speed and scalability we need for our communications today. 

 

Who and what services will be affected?

 

In addition to calls, a range of other services relying on analogue phone lines like CCTV cameras, door entry systems and payment terminals will also be affected. Therefore both home and business users will need to switch over to digital networks for these services.

 

Notably, 2.4 million businesses in the UK still use traditional phone services [1] and the majority of these are small to medium sized businesses. To minimise disruption to phone based services, businesses should make plans to migrate their services over to digital networks as soon as possible. 

 

What happens next?

 

The technology will be replaced by Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). This technology converts audio to digital data which is then sent over an internet connection instead of through wires like traditional landlines. Resulting in higher quality calls, better reliability and increased speed of connection. 

 

VoIP technology works for a variety of devices including mobile, computer and desk phones so depending on your needs, you won’t necessarily need to switch to mobile devices. However, using VoIP on mobile handsets has greater advantages for businesses.

 

How does VoIP on mobile work?

 

A VoIP phone system for business can be set up on your existing mobile phone. These services are delivered through an app allowing your employees to have an additional business number on their existing phone. 

 

Benefits of VoIP on mobile for business

 

There are 4 key benefits of switching to VoIP for your business communications.

  1. Low setup and maintenance costs. Relying on a WiFi/data connection as opposed to traditional phone lines makes set up simple and won’t require engineers. Moreover there is less hardware to maintain and breakdowns are reduced.
  2. Better scalability. You can quickly add or remove numbers from a VoIP phone system making it easy to scale up or down. When doing this, the downtimes are effectively zero meaning little to no disruption to your business services.
  3. Access to advanced calling features such as call forwarding, auto attendant, call groups. These are particularly helpful to levelling up communications with customers and improving your customer support.
  4. Supports hybrid/remote working. Using VoIP on mobile handsets means employees can work from anywhere as long as they have a mobile phone with access to WiFi or a data connection.

 

How to make the switch

 

Migrating your business’ phone services to a digital network is simple. Start by choosing a VoIP provider. We recommend finding one that designs their phone system for teams. For instance Devyce offers a ‘Teams Plan’ which provides access to a Teams Management Portal where you can access key call metrics and stay on top of employee call activity, listen to voicemails and much more. 

 

Signing up is then a breezy process as you’ll only need to subscribe to the plan, download the app and log in. Then you’re good to go! What’s great about Devyce’s plans is that there is no minimum term contract. So you’re welcome to stay as long as you’d like with us. 

 

You may also wish to keep your business’ associated phone number so that long term customers can still contact you via the number they know and maintain continuity. Here at Devyce we make that process quick and easy, getting it done for you in under 24 hours once you have your PAC code. Simply visit our porting page and follow the steps if you wish to keep your number when switching to Devyce. 

 

What to do with old landline equipment

 

We recommend speaking to your previous business phone provider for advice as they may want to take back the hardware. Alternatively you can recycle all your old desk phones by visiting your local council’s website to check where your local technology recycling bank is and what they accept. 

 

The landline switch off is a significant development that businesses must prepare for. While it may seem daunting, making the switch to VoIP provides numerous benefits, including cost savings, greater flexibility, and increased efficiency. By switching to Devyce you can ensure a smooth transition. So don’t wait until the last minute to make the switch. Start the process today and position your business for success in the digital age.

 

References:

[1] https://www.business-reporter.co.uk/technology/small-businesses-will-be-the-big-winners-of-the-uks-seismic-digital-transition

 

How to use WhatsApp Business with multiple users

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Looking for a way to add multiple users to your WhatsApp Business account? Or wondering what solutions there are to facilitate a growing customer support team? We’ve got all the answers for you. In this article we’ll explain how your team can share a WhatsApp Business account and solutions to scale your technology to your business growth.

Multiple Users Feature

WhatsApp Business was designed with small businesses in mind. It’s the perfect tool to leverage a popular communication app for customer service. So if you haven’t already set up WhatsApp Business for your company, you are missing out.

Particularly because WhatsApp Business provides the ability to link up to 5 devices with one business number. Previously, you could only access your account via one phone and one desktop app. However, following a 2022 update, you can link WhatsApp Business with 1 phone and up to 4 PCs. Great news for growing small businesses!

Benefits of adding multiple users

Having one WhatsApp Business account your team can share access to allows employees to pick up where colleagues left off. This is important for creating a seamless customer support experience as each team member can access chat histories. They can then get the most up to date information on support tickets and reply in seconds.

Adding multiple users doesn’t require additional business numbers and won’t affect the phone number associated with your WhatsApp Business account. This means your customer support team can be reached on one number, anywhere your employees are working. As multiple people can log on, this is great for businesses operating on a hybrid/remote working model!

How to add multiple users

To link another device, follow these simple steps:

  1. Go to your WhatsApp Business App
  2. (Android) Tap the 3 vertical dots at the top right corner to open the more options drop down (Apple) Go to WhatsApp Settings on the bottom right corner of the app
  3. Click ‘Linked Devices’
  4. Click ‘Link a device’
  5. Scan the QR code with the device you’d like to link

It’s only a temporary solution…

Although this feature is great for small businesses in the early stages, what can you do when you’re starting to grow and need more capacity for your team?

These are the challenges you may face:

  • Uncertainty as to who has sent or replied to messages
  • Not being able to track each employee’s performance or workload
  • Inability to ensure all contacts receive a response

Devyce can help… 

Our phone system offers your support team the same abilities WhatsApp Business provides and more…

As your business grows, you’ll find more customers may want to reach out via a phone call. So you may want to consider using Devyce – a VoIP business phone system offering ‘call group’ functionality, to handle calls from there on. Call grouping ensures multiple team members can answer inbound calls to one number. This means your customer support agents can simultaneously answer calls ensuring no customer has to wait in line.

Additonally, you can use Devyce integrated with a CRM system to ensure you can track who’s handling which query to avoid confusion. This also allows your team to monitor the progress of support tickets and ensure all tickets are resolved.

So depending on your current needs, WhatsApp Business with multiple users linked is a great way to manage your customer queries and we’ll be here to help when you start to scale up 😉

Why Investing in a VoIP Phone System is Crucial to Standing Out in the Recruitment Space

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Image of an ipad with a business phone dashboard and an iphone with the contacts page of a virtual business phone system on a purple background

Finding and retaining talent is a process recruiters know requires going beyond dissecting a CV. It’s essential that recruiters connect with candidates to discover their personality, passions and goals in order to create success stories.

Personalised and regular communication with candidates is the best way to learn more about them. This is especially important in the initial screening stages and phone calls are still the best way to do this.

Furthermore, creating high quality matches between candidates and employers requires a high degree of efficiency and effective management of communications between the two. This is where VoIP phone systems become crucial.

Making the switch from time consuming and costly traditional recruitment management strategies to digital solutions will streamline the recruitment cycle and save you money. Let’s dive into 3 key reasons why VoIP is important to stand out in the competitive recruitment market…

Shorter recruitment cycles

One of the most time consuming processes in recruitment is the initial screening. Manually analysing individual CVs and cover letters in detail is not an optimal process whereas a quick phone call with candidates helps to identify whether they’re the right fit for the role instantly. VoIP phone systems make this so much easier to keep track of as you can integrate your phone system with your CRM software. This allows you to automatically generate tickets, contact cards and keep track of candidate progress after each call. This simplifies the process of monitoring the status of job applications and keeping track of open positions, saving your team time.

 

Keeping a full talent pipeline

CRM integrations with your VoIP phone system also ensures you keep a full talent pipeline. Efficient recruitment teams need to ensure they have a steady flow of candidates through their recruitment process to proactively match candidates to new opportunities. Effective management of the talent pool is crucial to achieving this. Recruiters often neglect candidates in their contacts within the initial screening to interview stage due to inefficient tracking of the progress made by each candidate. Organising your database and keeping up communication with candidates in your contacts with personalised phone calls ensures your talent pool doesn’t lie stagnant.

 

Eliminate cognitive bias

Using VoIP phone systems integrated with talent management software provides recruiters with a comprehensive breakdown of candidate and employer analytic data. This helps to create better matches between candidates and employers as decisions made based on data eliminates cognitive bias. In the long term, this improves talent retention as matching the right candidates and employers improves satisfaction from both ends – addressing a key pain point for recruiters.

Build trustworthy relationships

Being the bridge between the talent pool and employers, recruiters need to effectively manage these relationships. A key part to successful recruitment is building trust with candidates and employers which comes from thoughtful communications. This can often be hindered by outdated phone technology resulting in missed calls, dropped connections and poor call quality.

VoIP phone systems operate using Wi-Fi or data connections which allows for crisp call quality and high reliability so you don’t have to worry about dropped connections. The technology is also designed to ensure you never miss calls with added features such as auto attendant and call forwarding. This makes sure candidates and employers can rely on your services and foster long term relationships.

We can help you to achieve all of this – Devyce is the modern business phone system designed for your recruitment team. You can integrate key CRM software such as Hubspot with Devyce and get access to a Teams Management Portal where you can view key call data metrics to measure your team’s performance. We also support set up of call features like call forwarding to ensure a smooth experience for your clients and candidates.

There’s no question that the digital age has definitely impacted the world of recruiting. By using Devyce in combination with effective CRM software, you can tailor a set of features and benefits to suit your team’s needs, improving your recruitment journey whilst making an impact in the recruitment space.

WhatsApp Business Number: How To Get A Virtual Number For WhatsApp Business

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WhatsApp is one of the most widely used instant messaging apps with over 2 billion users worldwide [1]. 68% of these users report that WhatsApp Business is the easiest way to contact a company [2]. This means your current and potential customers’ primary messaging channel is likely WhatsApp and therefore WhatsApp Business provides a great opportunity to enhance your customer experience. 

Launched in 2018, it has increasingly gained popularity amongst SMEs as a simple and cost effective customer communications channel. The ability for businesses to quickly connect with their consumers in a more personal and engaging way is what sets WhatsApp Business apart from traditional customer service channels such as email. 

In this article, we’ll break down everything you’ll need to set up WhatsApp Business and get started on elevating your customer service experience.

How it works:

WhatsApp Business is a free to download app which looks and works the same as WhatsApp Messenger except with added business features such as: business profiles, automated responses, quick replies and access to analytic data. Customers can contact a company by messaging the company’s WhatsApp Business account from their personal WhatsApp messenger. 

 

Things to know before set up:

We’d recommend using WhatsApp business with a virtual number. Even though there’s an option to migrate your personal WhatsApp number to the business platform, we don’t recommend doing this to protect your privacy. Opting for this also means you won’t be able to move those chats back to your personal account should you wish to. 

In order to set up WhatsApp Business, you’ll need a working phone number that you can receive calls and texts to. The platform will verify that the number is in operation by sending a one-time-passcode (OTP). Don’t worry, to get a second phone number you don’t need a new sim or additional handset… you can get a virtual phone number!

 

What is a virtual number: 

Virtual numbers are phone numbers that don’t operate via traditional phone lines such as those provided by phone contract providers. Instead, they work by facilitating calls and texts over a wifi/data connection meaning virtual numbers can be used on any device capable of connecting to the internet. This will allow you to have an additional working number on your phone without needing a different sim card.

However, it’s important to note that WhatsApp often won’t work with a VoIP virtual number. This is because Meta want to prevent WhatsApp Business being used to spam users and are banning the use of VoIP numbers to sign up. So even if your virtual number works now, there’s a chance it won’t in the future. The best approach is to get a virtual number issued by a company providing real operating phone numbers. 

 

How to get a virtual number:

There are currently various virtual number providers on the market offering packages of all shapes and sizes. Choosing your ideal provider may depend on your business needs. We’d recommend getting an affordable, simple and secure service like Devyce Starter when you first set up your WhatsApp Business account. 

Devyce Starter gives you a virtual number through the Devyce app that you can get the OTP for your WhatsApp business account verification sent to. It only costs £3.99 a month (without VAT), and there’s no long-term commitment. Stay as long as you like! Devyce also offers free inbound calling and messaging as well as voicemail. If you wish to, you can also upgrade for outbound calling, which means you can use your number throughout your business.

The best part? Devyce has an exclusive deal with a UK mobile network. The numbers that Devyce issues are real UK mobile phone numbers meaning they’re much less likely to be cut off by WhatsApp in the future. 

To get your Devyce number, first head to our sign up page and purchase the Devyce Starter plan. You’ll then be instantly set up with an account which you can use to sign in on the Devyce app (downloadable from your app store). Once your app is up and running, you’ll be able to use the number to set up WhatsApp Business.

With just a few simple steps, we make it easy for you to start boosting your business’ customer experience. Get your virtual number now with Devyce Starter! 

References: 

[1] https://backlinko.com/whatsapp-users

[2] https://www.tyntec.com/blog/four-advantages-using-whatsapp-business-api#:~:text=Research%20shows%20customers%20prefer%20messaging%20businesses%20via%20WhatsApp,is%20the%20easiest%20method%20for%20contacting%20a%20company

What is BYOD and how small businesses can benefit

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What is a BYOD policy? 

BYOD stands for ‘bring your own device’ whereby employees are permitted to bring/use their own personal devices for work such as phones and laptops. Many businesses are adopting this option for employees due to its countless benefits. A BYOD policy is particularly relevant in the current professional climate as employers continue navigating flexible working. Such policies play a key role in supporting hybrid working due to benefits like cost savings and increased productivity. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the key benefits BYOD offers to small businesses and how you can implement them.

 

Cost savings

The biggest benefit of a BYOD policy is cost savings which is especially important for growing small businesses. It’s estimated UK SMEs spend upwards of £2000 per year to purchase business phones for employees [1]. This doesn’t include the additional costs to maintain, replace or upgrade devices for employees. For a growing business, it’s important to evaluate your spending and ensure your budgets are optimised to accommodate developing areas. Opting for a BYOD policy can save you a great deal in the long term as most employees have their own devices that can be used for work.

 

Increased productivity

Another perk of employees bringing their own devices is that they’re already familiar with the device. This can increase efficiency and productivity as it eliminates the need for training and time spent looking up how to do specific tasks using those devices.

 

Increased mobility

It can be a hassle to carry around two phones and remember to charge both so allowing employees to use their own helps to facilitate flexible/hybrid working policies. Since the devices are the employees’ own, they’re able to freely work from anywhere whether it be at home, remotely or even going into the office.

However, there are also concerns to implementing a BYOD policy that should be taken into account. Perhaps the biggest concern for businesses is privacy and security of company data. As employees are using their own phones which go with them everywhere, it can increase the risk of loss/sensitive company data being accessed by someone outside of the organisation. 

Additionally, employees are unlikely to have the same level of anti-malware software as that of business devices which increases the risk of data breaches. To overcome this, businesses should invest in cloud technologies which facilitate secure remote storage of data over a network of servers that operate using the internet. This means that if anything happens to the device, the data remains untouched as you’re able to ensure robust security on the cloud servers you use. Employers can also include training for employees on safe usage. As employees may be working from anywhere, it’s important to make sure they are educated on the risks of accessing work programs and data in public spaces where wifi connections aren’t secure. 

 

Employees may also struggle with work life balance if using their own devices for work as it opens them up to receiving/seeing work notifications after hours. It can be tempting for employees to give the email or message they received a ‘quick look’ when it pops up but this can lead to a cycle of letting work bleed through into personal lives and lead to an overall lower productivity level during work hours and possibly even a burnout.

 

The ideal solution is to invest in cloud business phone systems. A great one to check out is Devyce – designed for SMEs. Devyce brings simplicity and security to your business phone experience while also providing you a perfect balance between work and personal at the switch of a ‘Do Not Disturb’ button. This means you can set your business hours and ensure you don’t receive notifications outside of those hours, solving the problem of impaired work life balance resulting from BYOD policies. 

Get started building your BYOD policy with the Devyce virtual business phone system over on: https://devyce.com/teams-plan/

 

References: 

[1]

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2019/08/uk-sme-businesses-spend-2052-a-year-on-telecom-services.html

5 Common Customer Service Horror Stories and How to Avoid Them

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How much is poor customer service costing your business each year? UK businesses lose up to £37 billion a year [1] as a result of inefficient customer service yet it isn’t always a high priority improvement area for businesses. 

Contact centres are still the go to channel for consumer queries despite the rise in emergence of other consumer communication channels with businesses such as chatbots, forums and email. This is due to the desire of consumers for quick resolutions of their problem. 

The reality for many contact centres is the opposite due to poor organisation of procedures and use of outdated business phone technology. So how can investing in the right technology improve your customer service experience? We’ve gathered 5 of the most common customer service hurdles faced by consumers when contacting businesses and evaluated how tech can make the process less painful for both your team and customers. 

 

           1. Call transfer loops

We’ve all been there – you have a query, you call customer service and the agent you speak to is unable to help so you are transferred to another who should be better equipped to help. After a long wait and finally getting through, you need to repeat yourself to this new agent who seemingly has no information about your query. Then you’re met with another dreaded transfer as they’re unfortunately also unable to help you – the nightmare of a call transfer loop. 

Being shuttled between service departments is the biggest frustration faced by customers. The root of the problem is inefficient call routing to relevant departments. Without proper routing technology, customers end up being bounced from agent to agent as your team looks for the right person to help. 

Business phone systems like Devyce allow you to set up an auto attendant which automates the routing process to ensure your customer calls are being directed to the right person/department so they are able to promptly get assistance. 

 

           2. Slow responses and lengthy wait times

Since the pandemic, 48% of customers say their expectations for customer service standards have risen [2], with focus on it being quick and efficient. No one likes to be kept waiting on hold or worse, calling customer service and not being able to get through with no one following up on their call. 

To decrease customer wait times and avoid missing their calls, ensure your business phone system allows call forwarding so that at any point if a member of the team is unavailable to pick up, the call can be directed to a line that is free.

 

           3. Repeating information to different support staff 

Often customers may reach out across multiple platforms so it’s important to ensure consistency of information across all channels. It not only provides a more seamless customer experience, it saves both parties time as it decreases wait time while support agents look for the relevant information. 

CRM platforms integrated with your business phone system helps to achieve this so you can assign support tickets to customer contact details. This is also great for providing a great omnichannel customer service experience as any member of the support team can quickly access the support thread of a specific customer across different platforms. 

 

           4. Unfriendly customer service

85% of customers have reported they will avoid repurchasing with companies where they’ve experienced poor customer service [3]. Customers who have bad experiences are also likely to leave negative reviews and a reputation for bad customer service will impact acquisition. 9 out of 10 consumers read reviews before making a purchase which greatly affects the buyer’s decision.

 

With features like recorded calls and call listening allowing other team members to listen in on your customer calls, Devyce can help you regularly improve the customer experience by analysing and utilising previous calls to train your team. You can also utilise CRM integrations to collect feedback such as sending out quick surveys which will help with optimisation of your customer service operations. 

 

           5. None to little after sales follow up 

The customer journey doesn’t end after a sale is made. The aftercare customers receive greatly impacts customer retention. Increasing retention rates by 5% can increase profits by between 25-95% [4]! Often a simple follow up email or call following a customer support request can make a great difference to the overall customer experience rating and lead to formation of long term consumer relationships which increase customer lifetime value.

By making the switch to a modern business phone system, you can build a better tech stack to help you better structure your customer service team and operations. 54% of customers feel that customer service is only an after thought for companies [2] and improving customer service often costs a company less than acquisition therefore companies shouldn’t neglect investing in tech for customer service teams. 

Start streamlining your customer service operations and improving customer experience today by checking out our Teams plan!

Are you curious to find out more and like the idea of a discount to get you started? Drop us your email here!

References:

[1] https://www.smart-pa.com/uk/blog/how-much-does-bad-customer-service-cost-your-business

[2] https://cx-trends-report-2022.zendesk.com/challenges

[3] https://www.revechat.com/blog/customer-service-problems/

[4] https://media.bain.com/Images/BB_Prescription_cutting_costs.pdf

Why you should use more emojis at work

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Emojis are an underrated communication tool. 

Everyone loves using emojis – we can’t be the only ones that go through all of them l whenever there’s an update, right? They’re fun, engaging and add emotion to the messages you send. 

Although most would use emojis in personal communications, it was commonly agreed that emoji use at work is ‘unprofessional’. However, with the landscape of work shifting towards hybrid/remote working models, digital communication tools like Slack popularised by the pandemic are likely to stay. As such, the use of emojis at work has become more common.

So, if you don’t already use emojis at work, here are the reasons why they’re actually beneficial to use: 

 

1. Improves connection to colleagues

Emojis adds *extra spice* to the message you’re trying to convey.  

‘Text tone’ can be hard to decipher and can often lead to misunderstandings between colleagues. Using an emoji helps to convey what comes so naturally to us during in person conversations – vocal intonation, hand gestures, facial expressions etc. This helps us to stay connected and improve workplace relationships. 

 

 

2. Communicate faster

Sometimes we just don’t have time to type it all out and some common workplace responses can be better communicated with just an emoji. It can also allow for communication of more nuanced feelings in fewer words, increasing efficiency. Here are some universally understood emoji responses in the workplace:

 

3. They’re fun 

If the above wasn’t enough to convince you about the pros of using emojis at work, then just the fact that they’re fun to use might convince you. Just look at them – how can anyone not have fun using them? 🤭 Using emojis can set the mood of conversations whether that be to lighten it or to encourage productivity. 

Although there are some that can be misinterpreted in the workplace you may want to avoid… 

 

While they might not be for everyone, the use of emojis has now become just as integral to workplace communications/relationships as they have in our personal lives. Learning how to smartly utilise them for efficiency and inclusion is essential to improving workplace communication. 

5 Emerging tech trends for 2023

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The tech industry grows exponentially every year and 2022 was no different. This year we’ve seen exciting tech trends like cloud computing and decision intelligence grow. 

So as the year draws to a close, we thought it’d be interesting to take a look at some of the emerging tech trends for 2023. 

  

1. Industry Cloud Platforms 

Cloud computing has definitely boomed with the huge emergence of SaaS and is set to continue developing as the demand for cloud computing increases. 

So what are industry cloud platforms? 

They are essentially an all inclusive platform with various cloud applications that users within a business are able to adapt to specific industry needs [1]. While cloud applications usually provide a few business solutions, an industry cloud platform encompasses all cloud applications that are useful to a business. 

This emerging trend is beneficial for businesses as the adaptable nature of the cloud platform accelerates the adoption of cloud technology. While 94% of enterprises already use cloud computing [2], implementing their use is still slow. This is due to various reasons including: too much choice/information to sift through when deciding between offerings, large variations in price points and hard to use applications. 

That’s why at Devyce, we’ve made our solution super simple for you! We provide the hybrid business phone system for the future of work so you can have two numbers on your phone – all on one handy app. Signing up only takes seconds! Don’t believe us? See for yourself over on Devyce 😏

 

2. Super apps

Much like industry cloud platforms, super apps are “like Swiss army knives with many tools that serve a purpose” [3]. These are apps with multiple “mini apps” within that can be added or removed per the user’s needs.

Super apps are developing to encompass commonly used app services such as messaging and financing apps all in one place, allowing individual users to tailor their user experience. They will also have applications in business as the technology develops to include enterprise mobile and desktop experiences [3]. 

The technology is still fairly new but is expected to grow in 2023 so we are excited to see where it will take us and businesses! 

 

3. Adaptive AI

Traditional AI technologies have been widely applied to industries to automate decision making by utilising advanced analysis and logic based techniques [4]. However traditional AI systems need to be programmed to update their processes when there are new insights and developments to its application. Adaptive AI eliminates this as it absorbs learning as it’s being built [4]. 

The pandemic had highlighted to many that flexibility and fast adaptability are crucial to businesses. Adaptive AI technology aims to provide this flexibility to companies as it is constantly learning and updating their models therefore making companies more resilient to unexpected changes in industry. 

Implementation of adaptive AI technologies is set to increase in 2023 as the technology develops and will greatly improve responses to real world changes as well as broaden decision making processes. 

 

4. Wireless Value Realisation 

This trend is all about integration of various wireless technologies to create a more reliable and cost efficient tech foundation for businesses [5]. Gartner expects that by 2025, 50% of enterprises will be using networking services that provide value further than communications [6]. 

The development of 5G is transforming how technologies work together to solve problems and improve existing models as it increases speed of connectivity and access to data in real time. As we continue into 2023, it’s expected that the use of wireless technology will go beyond connectivity and offer wider innovative value. 

 

5. Sustainability 

Green technology has risen to the top of priority lists for many enterprises and many look to develop more sustainable tech frameworks within the business [6]. Consumers are becoming increasingly interested in a company’s environmental and social governance as it becomes a leading factor in consumer decision making. This is pushing companies to revise their energy and material efficiency of IT services. 

 

Businesses have been using technologies such as AI, automation, advanced analytics and cloud services to reduce their environmental impact as well as provide consumers with the tools to track their efforts towards their sustainability goals. This trend will continue to grow and by 2025, Gartner predicts that 50% of CIOs will have performance metrics tied to their IT sustainability within the organisation [6]. 

 

If you’re looking for ways to improve your company’s sustainability efforts, have you considered the impact of what having a work phone does for your carbon emissions? 

Devyce can help you to reduce your carbon footprint from phones by providing you two phone numbers on your personal phone so you can eliminate the work phone! Find out more about how Devyce works here. 

So that rounds up some of the emerging trends in the tech industry for the coming year! Are you as excited as we are for the growth and development of these trends? Head over to our socials to share your thoughts! 

 

Reference articles: 

[1] https://www.gartner.com/en/articles/what-are-industry-cloud-platforms

[2] https://webtribunal.net/blog/cloud-adoption-statistics/#gref

[3] https://www.gartner.co.uk/en/articles/what-is-a-superapp

[4] https://www.gartner.com/en/topics/artificial-intelligence

[5] https://shapeitrecruitment.co.uk/gartners-top-strategic-tech-trends-for-2023/

[6] https://www.forbes.com/sites/peterhigh/2022/10/19/gartners-top-10-strategic-tech-trends-for-2023/?sh=105420514cb4

How you can leverage technology to reduce pressure on customer support teams

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The demand for customer support has increased greatly over the years, putting pressure on companies to meet consumer demands. However, many businesses struggle to keep up due to lack of resources and evolving landscapes for customer support teams. 

In a survey carried out by Intercom [1], it was found that the top challenges faced by customer support teams are:

  1. Poor workflow efficiency
  2. Attracting and retaining quality staff
  3. Inefficient handling of customer queries

Support teams can leverage technological advances to optimise their way of working in order to adapt to growing demands. Here are a few ways you could utilise tech to alleviate the pressures your customer support teams face:

 

        1. Use a phone system that supports remote work 

Customer support teams have reduced in size due to the pandemic resulting in increased pressure on staff. Team leads have also faced difficulties attracting and retaining staff due to large scale burnout. 

To overcome this and adapt to the changing landscapes of work, support team leads should look into investing in phone systems that support remote working like Devyce. 

With the Teams Plan on Devyce, you can provide your employees with two numbers on their phones allowing them to work from anywhere meaning employees can prioritise their wellbeing. This will also enable hiring of talent remotely – an attraction point in hiring which could lead to increased retention of staff. 

 

        2. Use a phone system that facilitates call groups and forwarding

Customer expectations have grown and only 24% of support teams surveyed stated they were confident they could meet them [1]. Often customer queries can’t be answered by the first person they get in contact with. The biggest challenge here is transferring calls to the right person on the team in a timely manner.  

To improve the efficiency of your customer support service, look out for phone systems with features to aid your customer’s journey. For example, on Devyce’s Teams Plan you are able to set up an auto attendant which filters inbound calls to the relevant call groups, streamlining the workflow and minimising wait and transfer times. 

        3. Utilise CRM and analytic software with your phone system

Poor workflow management is a key reason for staff burn out. To optimise, team leads need to regularly revise operations by setting up and tracking call metrics. This is hard to do on traditional phone systems so companies should explore newer phone systems. At Devyce, we offer a Teams Management Portal – a platform to view call analytics, allowing optimisation of workflow to meet goals. 

The Teams Plan also offers integrations with CRM softwares like Hubspot so you can manage your customer’s journeys. Creating an integrated tech stack improves workflow efficiency as it reduces the need for switching between softwares and ensures all team members can quickly access relevant data to handle customer queries. 

 

Leveraging tech to optimise your support service strategy is the key difference between companies that exceed customer expectations and those that fall behind due to not having the infrastructure to handle the growing demands. Help your team flourish today by embracing innovative advances in technology with Devyce. 

 

References:

[1] https://www.intercom.com/resources/books/customer-support-trends-emea-2022

 

Impact of rising living costs on SMEs

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SME business owners are going through it this year. 

They’ve been hit with various economic factors fueled by the pandemic and the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. This is leaving a steady trail of small businesses closing down as the pressures they face become insurmountable. 

So exactly what pressures are businesses facing and how can they stay afloat throughout a storm that appears to have no end in sight? We’ve pulled together a few tips for SMEs:

 

Rise of living costs:

Inflation is forecasted to peak at 13% in Q4 2022 and was at its highest rate since 1982 this July at 10.1% [1]. The soar in living costs has various impacts on SMEs:

  • Decrease in consumption, especially of non-essential products/services 
  • Raises in price of products/services heightens competition possibly leading to lowered customer retention 
  • Overhead expenses to be cut eg. lowered budgets for marketing etc
  • Pressure for increasing employee salaries 

SMEs will need to internally audit and re-calculate their operations and budgets to tackle this. You’d be surprised how many unexpected costs could be cut down with simple solutions. An example of this is telecommunications costs. 

Many businesses still operate their customer support via traditional landline phone systems requiring contracts with carriers. As these contracts come to an end and with inflation at an all-time high, SMEs are faced with big telecommunications bills for the coming years. To cut down on these costs, switching to a VoIP phone system like Devyce will be beneficial.

Devyce is a hybrid phone system that provides two numbers on your phone. This means businesses won’t need to invest in physical landlines or providing handsets to employees while still operating with a reliable phone system. 

 

Energy crisis:

The price cap of energy costs is set to increase to 80% in October 2022 resulting in an increase of roughly £1600 per year for “typical” consumption levels of energy per household [2]. What does this mean for SMEs?

  • Providers are removing lower cost tariffs 
  • Pressure to reduce essential costs to accommodate which have negative long term effects 
  • Closures of physical locations 

Ways to overcome the spike in energy costs is to invest in sustainability and adopt greener practices. For example, with an abundance of reliable communications tools available such as Devyce, many businesses could look into adopting remote working models to cut down on use of office space. This saves businesses money, reduces impact on the environment due to reduced commuting of employees and use of energy at offices. 

For more sustainable solutions that could save your business on massive energy costs, check out our blog post:

Five unexpected ways businesses can be more sustainable 

Supply chain issues:

The supply chain problem is a cycle of poor management of logistics both internally and externally for businesses. The challenges with supply chain logistics are partly due to less staff resulting from the pandemic and is expected to continue into 2023 [3].

 

This has resulted in:

  • 79% of SMEs facing increased prices from suppliers over the past 6 months [4]
  • Major delays in exporting of goods leading to long wait times for customers to receive goods, affecting customer experience
  • Exacerbation of inflation leading to increased competition between businesses

What SMEs could do to minimise the effect is firstly to internally audit their processes eg. stock intake and maintenance etc. By optimising these processes, SMEs can mitigate the supply chain challenge by ensuring they can plan well for stock replenishment. Business owners could also look into working with more local suppliers which are more likely to be able to deliver with minimal disruptions. 

The past couple of years have undoubtedly been tough on small businesses. The differences between businesses that are able to continue trading and those that are forced to close are flexible businesses making necessary adaptations to face the piling challenges. Make a smart business decision and find out more about how Devyce could help you cut costs and tackle these challenges here:

References:

[1] https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9428/

[2] https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9491/#:~:text=The%20energy%20price%20cap%20increased,consumption%20paid%20by%20direct%20debit.

[3] https://www.resilinc.com/in-the-news/supply-chain-delays-will-spread-well-into-2022-and-possibly-2023/#:~:text=Supply%20Chain%20Delays%20Will%20Spread%20Well%20Into%202022%20and%20Possibly%202023,-Sep%2002%2C%202021&text=According%20to%20an%20analysis%20by,the%20overstrain%20in%20transportation%20systems.

[4]https://startups.co.uk/news/supply-chain-inflation-uk-smes/

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