While a hosted cloud phone system is significantly — and in many cases dramatically — less costly to operate than a conventional landline phone system, the benefits of switching are not solely about the bottom line. Employees also gain access to a wide range of enterprise-grade features, such as mobile calling, voicemail-to-email, auto attendant, and more.
However, there is one key feature that some employees may not be familiar with, but once it becomes part of their routine, they can’t imagine how they manage without it — especially if they work in a sales capacity: live call transfer.
The Old Days
Why is live call transfer such a game-changer? To find out, let’s examine how things (don’t) work with a traditional landline phone system. We will learn why many sales professionals place it at the top of their “most loved features” list.
Meet Bill. He’s a sales professional who understands the importance of being responsive and ensuring that customers enjoy a gap-free “omnichannel” experience. The scenario is one in which customers feel they’re the most important person in Bill’s life. To them, nothing else matters but their happiness and success. He also knows that more than 50% of customers ultimately choose the seller who responds to them first.
At 2:20 pm, Bill answers a call from a qualified lead who was referred by a very satisfied customer. There’s just one problem, and it’s a significant one: Bill has to deliver an on-site sales presentation at 3:00 pm, and to arrive on time, he must be on the road by 2:30 pm.
What can he do? Unfortunately, Bill is stuck with a conventional landline phone system. Bill has limited options. So, he does what sales professionals have been forced to do for decades: he asks the customer to reschedule the call for a more mutually convenient time. Although Bill communicates this politely, he knows the customer isn’t pleased. He also recognizes that there’s a considerable chance the customer will lose interest and turn to a more responsive competitor.
Of course, it’s not Bill’s fault he has to cut the call short. He doesn’t have a crystal ball and isn’t psychic. There was no way he could have anticipated receiving a potentially lucrative sales call at 2:20 pm. It’s just one of those things that happen in life.
Unfortunately, Bill’s worst fears are realized. The customer agrees (albeit not enthusiastically) to reschedule the call for the next morning — but that never occurs. What’s more, Bill’s follow-up calls go unanswered. The engagement is over, and instead of racing down an open field to score the winning touchdown, Bill is forced out of bounds by a teammate: a.k.a. his outdated phone system.
Life After Hosted Cloud
A week ago, Bill’s employer installed a hosted cloud phone system. Here’s what his new reality looks like.
It’s 2:20 pm, and Bill receives a call from a motivated and potentially lucrative customer. He still needs to get on the road for a 3:00 pm on-site presentation, but now instead of cutting the call short — and potentially jeopardizing the engagement — he simply activates the hosted cloud phone system’s live call transfer feature and seamlessly pushes the call to his cell phone. The customer doesn’t notice any change and continues the conversation while Bill makes his way out of the office and into the parking lot.
Then, when Bill gets into his car, he effortlessly transfers the call to his Bluetooth system. Again, the customer is unaware of any difference — for all he knows, Bill is still in his office rather than on the road.
Thanks to live call transfer, Bill impresses the customer with his availability and responsiveness. And, after a 15-minute conversation, the customer agrees to schedule an in-person meeting. Advancing a qualified lead further along the buyer’s journey thrills Bill. Now, making the sale isn’t just possible; it’s highly likely.
This is the difference that live call transfer makes — and for Bill, it’s a game changer that translates into more customers, more sales, higher numbers, and greater success for both himself and his organization as a whole. Everyone wins!