Let’s take a look at what you can do in 2023 for your business productivity strategies. Taking an honest look at where you are now, your website, sales communications and internal systems such as your telephone answering service.
The customer always comes first. What does that look like in 2023?
We’ll look at:
- Benchmarking the current business position
- Creating a strategy and marketing plan
- Automation of internal processes
- The customer always comes first
- Which business productivity trends to take advantage of in 2023
- Technical aspects of business in 2023
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Benchmarking Your Business
You’ll have a lot of data, sales, website visits, phone call stats, marketing expenses. Where do you start and why? Data is only of use if it leads to action. An action that either produces revenue or saves you expenses. What are the key stats, or as some would call them ‘Key Performance Indicators?’ Put these and other selected stats relevant to your business together in one place, a spreadsheet will do. Do you see any patterns you can take action from?
More importantly, what does this benchmarking not show? For instance, can you work out how much revenue you are losing if business phone calls are not answered promptly?
How much does a complaint cost your business? Would a dedicated and trained customer care team take care of that loss? Answering the phone is a basic requirement for any business. What are your current call-answering stats? How much is each call worth to the business, in terms of a sale, but also terms of brand awareness and engagement?
Professionally Answered Phone Calls
The more engagement you build with a professionally answered phone call, the more likely you are to give a great experience for your customer and build that ‘holy grail’ of marketing – word-of-mouth.
Creating a Strategy and Marketing Plan
What is the overriding reason your business is in existence, what does it offer that is different and can you prove it? Now you have the basis of a strategy, a one-line summation of who and what you are, for example ‘to be the number one destination, in Hertfordshire for an accountant?’
A marketing plan is a skeleton, it will always be subject to change as the market changes so quickly, especially online. The classic marketing plan model is SOSTAC.
Situation: where your business is currently?
Objectives: where you want your business to be (this year, by quarter)?
Strategy: the focus for the business, what makes you different?
Tactics: the details of the strategy, i.e. the how of getting there, marketing channels like search marketing or email, or superb customer care?
Actions: what you have to do and who does it, to put the strategy and tactics in place?
Control: the people, the budget, assets and systems. Plus, reporting on what is working (starting with your benchmarking)?
Put a SOSTAC plan together and along with your benchmarks, you’ll have the basis for moving your business forward to greater success.
Automation of Internal Processes
What can you automate? What should you automate? What will only be dealt with by real human beings?
Classic automation would be a ‘nurture engine’, that is someone signs up to your email and get a sequence of automated emails. Another may be using a chatbot. Now, some are quite advanced, witness the set-up on Facebook automated messages. But chatbots can cause more problems than they solve. It’s simple, there is no human element. A real person maintaining your live chat is a very different experience for a visitor to your website. An experience that is more likely to convert them into a lead, sale or subscription.
Professional Telephone Answering
Customer Care should not be automated. A dedicated support team will pay for itself. You can outsource your telephone answering for a very reasonable price, you’ll get stats and you can turn the service on and turn it off, depending on your business needs and seasonality. But most of all your potential and existing customers will respond positively. Be sure to go for a telephone answering service that gives a personal service to your customers and not a robotic person.
A telephone answering or virtual receptionist offers more than just a process, they offer the human element that will make your business different, respected and more likely to gain repeat customers.
The Customer Always Comes First
People are fickle, sometimes they don’t know what they want, they may not even know exactly what the problem is and they are also short of time. So, you may have created some top-class video content and an extensive FAQ section for your website. The only thing is the customer wants an answer now. They want a human voice on the end of the phone and they want that person to be professional, knowledgeable and solve their problem.
If you talk to a customer, you’ll encourage loyalty. You’ll have the ability to upsell or cross-sell them to other services or products. What if you have a complaining customer on the phone? You have an opportunity. You have an opportunity to solve their problem and that will increase your word-of-mouth marketing. They’ll talk about positive experiences with a telephone answering team to friends, family and colleagues.
Which business productivity trends to take advantage of in 2023?
The big tech companies will spout on about Augmented Reality, Artificial Intelligence and the Metaverse. These are trends, but trends that detract from everyday reality. People buy from people; people want a quick and accurate response to a question.
Technical aspects of business in 2023
Do you need any new technology for your business in 2023? The question should be if I invest in this technical aspect what is the return for my business?
Technology allows us to increase profit and reduce costs. Integration is the most vital term to ponder. What can I integrate into my core business that will make a difference, reduce costs and increase my brand awareness? We’re biased, we know we can integrate our services, diary management for example, with your business to reduce your costs and increase your profits.
We have a lot more up our sleeves for helping your business productivity strategies for 2023 and beyond. Please feel free to give us a call on 01582 540540 and talk to a real human being.
Ready for your FREE two-week trial?
During your free trial, we will learn about your business your staff and its culture. You can even give us specific training and instructions if you like. Our fully trained PAs will answer your calls for you as though they are based in your office.
