How Business Applications Can Give Your Company an Efficiency Makeover

It's probably fair to say that at some point or another, just about everyone has wished for a little more time in the day. Call it evolution, progress, or just plain stupidity, but people have somehow managed to cram as much "business" into each day as humanly possible. In fact, people have now resorted to non-human methods of achieving superhuman productivity by leveraging automated business applications. The madness!

Okay, so you have more to do and less time to do it, but the cloud has provided a unique set of tools to make it all possible. The question, then, becomes how? Here are a few examples to show you how some are squeezing more efficiency into their busy days:

Virtual Is the New Reality

By now, you've likely become accustomed to virtual assistants catering to your every whim. While the Siris and Alexas of the world may not seem like tools for office productivity, they represent the inherent utility of cloud-based communication.

Virtual receptionists for phone systems are the business counterparts to Apple and Amazon's respective consumer assistants. In the same way Siri or Alexa let you navigate technology through digital representatives, virtual receptionists give your customers a human guide to your organization without actually involving a human body.

This boosts efficiency in two ways. First (and no offense to human operators), a virtual receptionist is simply more consistent. Assuming proper setup, these customized services get users where they need to be quicker and with more accuracy. Second, their automated nature scales far more easily, giving your customers the same great experience no matter how busy your call center may be.

When Our Powers Combine

You know, Captain Planet was a pretty sterling example of a given product being more than the sum of its parts. While you may not be fighting global corruption and pollution, with a little power combining of your own, you can also experience newfound efficiency.

Let's demonstrate. In one corner, you have the wonderful innovation that is the cloud-based CRM platform, which is purpose-built technology that helps you organize the mess that is client information. In the other corner is a cloud-based phone system that takes voice communication and adds a heaping helping of cloud efficiency. When their powers combine, it becomes even easier to connect with customers.

For example, when a customer calls in with questions on the latest shipment, your cloud-based phone system would automatically integrate CRM information — think customer name, address and shipment notes — in an onscreen popup. You're no longer forced to tediously bring up applicable data every time a new call comes in. The Planeteers would undoubtedly be proud.

Going Mobile

Speaking of integration, one of the greatest conveniences provided by the cloud is the ability to abstract the hardware variable from your daily workflow. In other words, you can access the same data and be just as productive whether you're using your smartphone on an airplane or planted firmly in front of your desktop at the office.

This kind of mobility brings some pretty great efficiency to business applications by letting you do more with just one device. On the road and need to call a customer? No need to pull out your laptop just to find the number in your CRM of choice. Simply tap into the power of the cloud and call straight from the data synced to your smartphone.

Truth be told, the days aren't getting any longer, yet people are somehow trying to squeeze in more stuff. If necessity is the mother of invention, it's easy to see why business applications have quickly taken to the cloud. Between integrating complementary tools such as a CRM and your phone system or simply taking advantage of new technology such as a virtual receptionist, you're surrounded with opportunity to improve efficiency.

So, the next time you find yourself trying to find more time in the day, take a minute to reexamine how the cloud could instead make your processes less time-consuming.

Contact Vonage Business to learn more about you can work smarter with cloud-based communication tools.