Voice is one of the oldest modes of communication, dating back to the invention of the telephone in 1875.
Prior to that, long-distance communication would have to be done via snail mail or perhaps telegraph, but the emergence of voice telephone calls changed the communication landscape forever. Voice communication preserves emotional nuances and tones that are lost in written text and is still arguably the fastest form of communication in terms of response time.
There is no denying that technology has advanced and newer modes of communication have their own array of advantages and benefits. Here at Bicom Systems we recently released a new omnichannel contact center solution and readily promote the advantages of instant messaging, SMS, Fax over IP, and other non-spoken forms of communication. Yet voice remains a vital part of any telephony offering.
Let’s find out why voice is so indispensable and how to keep your voice solution relevant today and into the future.
Is this the end of voice?
As omnichannel solutions, smart phones, and emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) continue to permeate the market, could this be the end of voice communications?
Instant messaging is just so quick and convenient, customers are often looking for easier ways to reach businesses such as through social media, and Artificial Intelligence is making such rapid strides that it almost leads us to think that voice communication could soon become antiquated. Almost.
But the truth is that voice communication will never truly go the way of the rolodex or the fax machine. The inflections and nuances of the human voice can never be completely replaced and messaging is simply not as efficient for long or important conversations. Voice communication conveys emotion, builds trust, and is vital to resolving more complex issues efficiently.
Voice is here to stay. So our job as communications providers is to keep our voice solutions relevant and effective in a rapidly changing industry where new technologies emerge every day.
This does not mean we need to keep voice relevant despite new technology, rather we need to find ways to integrate voice into new trends to reach new levels of the communication experience.
The importance of the cloud
The first step to updating your voice communications solution – and one that should have already been taken years ago – is to move into the cloud. The advantages of cloud communications are numerous and undeniable.
The United Kingdom has embraced this fact to such an extent that the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) will be turned off in December 2025, with all phone lines moved to the cloud. Other countries are sure to follow suit.
Moving voice communications into the cloud increases scalability, flexibility, and reliability while lowering operational costs and increasing profit margins.
Cloud-based voice is not only easier to use, but it allows users to prioritize security, privacy, and continuity. Clearly the cloud is the best choice for hosting voice communications. Learn more about the advantages of cloud telephony in Cloud PBX Solutions: Modernizing Business Communications.
Perhaps most important of all is that cloud solutions are much more adaptable and able to integrate new trends and technologies as they emerge. As things like omnichannel or Artificial Intelligence (AI) become increasingly prominent, cloud-based solutions are poised to incorporate these new technologies into ever-increasingly efficient solutions.
Integrating voice with emerging technologies
Armed with a cloud-enabled voice communications solution, your next step to maintaining its relevance is developing integrations with emerging technologies. The goal is to create a synergized ecosystem with voice so intricately embedded that voice communication can seamlessly occur at any time from any app or interface without disruption.
Mobility
The first key area to focus your integrations on is mobility.
This means incorporating the ability to make and answer voice calls into not only mobile apps, but other types of devices as well. Wearable devices, for example, are increasing in popularity and have huge potential to support professionals with time sensitive communication needs outside of traditional office settings. Healthcare providers, for example.
Voicebots
Another area to prioritize is the realm of Voice Assistants and Voicebots.
As Artificial Intelligence becomes more and more, well, intelligent, these technologies will become more capable of handling incoming voice queries and assisting busy professionals. No matter how far the technology advances – even as we picture Star Wars style holographs – voice remains at the center of these communications. Focus on offering an agile voice solution that can integrate into new technologies.
Other areas to keep a pulse on as you grow and expand your voice offering is the Internet of Things, 5G capabilities, and Machine Learning. Partnering with a seasoned voice provider is the perfect way to gain insight into emerging technologies and gain the latest solutions before your competition. The Bicom Systems team has years of experience in the industry and is constantly researching and developing new solutions to stay ahead of the market trends.
A focus on customer experience
We have discussed the importance of customer experience (CX) many times already and it will continue to be highly relevant in 2024 and into the future. In our post-pandemic, customer-centric market, customer experience is of vital importance to any company or organization with customers.
Voice communication is one of the keys to unlocking superior experiences. While the flexibility of omnichannel and contact center solutions is still important, voice conversations remain one of the most personal modes of communication.
By integrating voice with CRM (Customer Relationship Management) applications, users can view all pertinent information related to a given customer at the moment contact is made.
As technologies continue to improve and become smarter, this technology will proffer even more information, like the best time of day to make contact, for example. These advances will empower businesses to anticipate customer needs and provide more proactive support for a better customer experience.
In short, voice is an integral piece of the customer experience puzzle. Ensure that your communications solution offers a wide range of communications options and an agile, reliable voice component at its center.
Prioritizing security & privacy
In the same way, security, privacy, and compliance will continue to increase in importance in the coming months and years. In addition to evolving and increasing cyber threats, governments are taking a closer look at communications solutions and demanding compliance with a variety of regulations and restrictions.
The easiest way to protect your business, solution, and customers, is by partnering with a seasoned vendor that has built a solid foundation around security and compliance.
Vendors like Bicom Systems that have been in the industry for over 20 years know exactly that safeguards are needed and, perhaps more importantly, how to react swiftly when ruptures inevitably occur. Leave it to your provider to do the research and development in ensuring compliance and privacy for your data and that of your customers.
Voice will remain at the center of business communication as long as humans do business. There is simply no replacement for that raw, human voice-to-voice communication that conveys so much, so quickly.
By all means, adopt the new technologies, the omnichannel solutions; these will play a huge part in the future as well, but do not forget to keep voice at the forefront of it all.
If you would like help updating and future-proofing your voice solution, please contact us today to get started.