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Simon: ‘Recovering after losing it all in business…’
It’s an exciting and difficult experience to run a business, but things don’t always go according to plan. Listen as Simon tells how he lost a business but came out the other side stronger and more successful than before.
The road to running any business is never smooth.
It requires a significant amount of hard work, determination, and persistence. However, even with all of these attributes, there are still times when the future of a business can be uncertain.
Richard Osbourne, of UK Business Forum, caught up with our MD Simon Pickering, to find out how he nearly lost it all – but had the drive to continue and as he says ‘go again!’
At dbfb, our approach to helping businesses, of all sizes, remains the same – we do what is best for you, helping you to understand all the options available to keep your business communicating, thriving and growing!
Discover more about our communication solutions for SME and Enterprise businesses.
Technology is what we do. People and platforms is how we do it.
How to write the perfect script
It’s an exciting and difficult experience to run a business, but things don’t always go according to plan. Listen as Simon tells how he lost a business but came out the other side stronger and more successful than before.
Customers understand the importance of their call, but how can you make it a memorable experience for them – especially when they have to wait for their called to be answered? We know that your customer is more likely to stay on the line and wait for an agent if you provide them with unique, personalised, and relevant information.
Below, we’ve added some top tips to help you create a positive caller experience; with a unique and personal touch; that can make a real difference to your customers and business.
Determine what information your customers require.
This is the MOST IMPORTANT part of the process – write down as many ideas as possible. This is where brainstorming techniques come in, now keep them safe and update and refresh them on a regular basis.
One script is never enough…
Because businesses and information can change in an instant, why shouldn’t your MOH messages? Find a calendar and go through each month to ensure you haven’t missed any important opportunities, such as a new product launch, special offers, or holiday hours. Then go over it again, cross-referencing with your brainstorming ideas, to develop a strategy for determining what messages you want and when.
Once they’re all written, you can mix and match them with little effort or waste time redrafting.
Keep it simple!
Remember that your customers aren’t reading the message and can’t go back in time. Create short sentences with simple language – it needs to go in one ear and stick! Long words and complicated grammar could alienate your customers, so keep the tone light and your message simple.
Keep everyone in the loop.
Are your team following up on the information that you customers hear while on hold? Do they have any idea how those recordings sound? Maintaining training and encouraging employees to listen to your messages keeps the company focused on current needs, looking professional, and driving results.
Stay upbeat’
Have you got news you’d like to share or reached a significant milestone? Allowing your customers to know about the company’s achievements can help them form an image of professionalism and success before they even speak with you. If you need to make a point with a negative connotation, try to flip the perception. For example, “all of our agents are currently busy…” could be “we’re getting an agent ready for you…” The message is the same, but much more upbeat and personal.
Give information that can be difficult to find.
Is there any information that you don’t have on your website that you think is interesting? For example, an anecdote about how the company got started or an interesting fact that helps contextualise your company’s USP. If you can educate your customers and provide them with a factoid or two that they didn’t know before, their perception of your company will improve, allowing you to maintain a personal connection with them.
Know your competition.
Knowing your competition can help you find new solutions and ideas that you may not have considered previously. How do your competitors’ messages sound? Do you like how they sound, or note anything you’d want to adapt? Listening to other companies messages can be a great source of inspiration; however, always remember to keep your business tone of voice.
Say it once, say it twice…
Is there a specific time of year when you need to get a specific message across? This could be a deadline for a delivery service during a holiday, or a temporary change in business operating hours. By repeating something at the beginning and end of your message, it increases the chances of your caller remembering the information. But remember, having multiple messages comes in handy; to avoid message fatigue and caller frustration from listening to the same message again and again.
Inform your clients about the call.
Depending on your business, letting customers know where they stand in your queue may or may not be a good idea. Typically, the deciding factor is based on your call volume/length and any customer feedback figures you have. If you notice that customers are becoming frustrated due to being on hold for too long, this may help alleviate their frustrations by keeping them informed and allowing them to make their own decision as to whether or not to hang on the line. If you’ve only ever had one or two people on hold and your call lengths are typically long, this may be more detrimental because a caller may expect a quick response. Consider it from your customer’s perspective and ask yourself what you’d prefer.
Make it unforgettable.
We all let out a little sigh when we hear an automated message. So why not try to a little bit of fun or an interesting fact can all be used to ‘flip the script’ on an otherwise negative experience.
Helping businesses thrive and grow
It’s an exciting and difficult experience to run a business, but things don’t always go according to plan. Listen as Simon tells how he lost a business but came out the other side stronger and more successful than before.
Can we help drive your business into the next chapter?
Where we stand today is a result of system failures. Energy crisis, economy issues, crypto platform liquidation, healthcare privatization, homelessness, logistics and supply chain, inflation, and war. To name a few.
There isn’t a single item that broke the back of any of these industries or issues, but a result of unlucky circumstances, a system with inherent and built-in failure triggers and general lack of investment, as well as some really poor decisions. No one looked at the issue prior, or if they did, did not proceed to raise the priority to the top.
There isn’t a single item that can solve a problem, there are usually a few layers that must be worked through, checked again and continue to be checked on a regular basis to ensure the outcomes, firstly, are intended, secondarily, they continue to meet the vision of the objective.
There is however, one decision that needs to be made to start the process of action:
- “We must fix the problem”
- “This needs some thought”
- “How do we get this resolved?”
The saying “we’ve always done it this way” is not because someone isn’t trying, someone doesn’t want to change, or a business is operating in the dark ages, it can often be that the priority of the issue never reaches the top. Well, that is until something breaks. At that point, the difficulty level rises, cost to fix increases and the speed at which it needs fixing does not allow for the correct planning, thought, and training at all levels, without, potentially, costly assistance.
It may even require new people, platforms, services, or solutions to deliver the change required to ensure your entity operates effectively and efficiently, but at this stage, it will be on your terms, proactive, not reactive.
We are a communications provider and our mission is to provide connectivity, IT and telephony solutions that help our customers thrive and grow.
We offer the best combination of next generation technology and support, in a solution that’s designed just for you. Our business is built on our people, but alongside people, we invest heavily in reporting to understand all the metrics associated with ourselves, our customers, what the past has told us and what the future may look like. We want our customers to benefit from this approach so that they can utilize the facts in their decisions, whether it be what their new employee may look like, what their business needs for the next stage in growth, how to survive bumps in the road, and how to get to what their “good” looks like.
A change in mindset, an alternative opinion, a look from the outside-in may be all it takes to unlock that next big decision and drive your business into the next chapter.
This is where change needs to happen, how do we have those conversations, increasing the priority of a “thing” until it is actioned, how do we give the problem the kudos it needs, and how do we work through an effective plan and strategy for it to change, improve or be replaced? How do we trust the advice we have in front of us and how do we ensure that all finer details have been considered from every angle?
Business, technical, financial, people, access, compliance, regulation, delivery, response, action……the list can go on.
By collaborating with a partner that cares about all those things, because they matter to you.
- By delivering to your PEOPLE, to ensure they have the best so they can deliver the best
- To have a PLATFORM that simplifies and engages your people in the correct way.
- To have and provide a SERVICE that delivers when you need it so that you can deliver in turn.
- To find SOLUTIONS to your problems so you can solve your customer problems.
We’re the chosen provider for many companies, both large and small, because:
- We listen to you and treat your requirements as unique
- We give you objective advice, since we’re entirely impartial
- We offer flexible solutions that can scale up or down to suit your budget
- We give you all the support you need, when and how you need it
- We never use jargon, unless we absolutely have to
If you’re ever unsure as to whether you are moving on your right path, ask yourself these questions;
- Are the people you have outstanding? What can you do to help them further develop and grow?
- Are the platforms you have delivering what you need? What can you develop and change to align your vision to your actions?
- Are the services you have giving you what your business needs? What more do you need from them, what does it look like?
- Are the solutions you use allowing you to make proactive decisions? Do you always feel like you are catching up and reacting to your business rather than leading it?
Why it’s time to get on board with cloud telephony
It’s an exciting and difficult experience to run a business, but things don’t always go according to plan. Listen as Simon tells how he lost a business but came out the other side stronger and more successful than before.
Switch on before you’re switched off.
You may be wondering why increasing numbers of UK businesses are moving to cloud telephony solutions (also known as VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)? The answer is simple…the ‘BIG SWITCH OFF’ is coming!
What’s changing?
In 2017, BT Openreach announced it intention to switch off traditional landlines by 2025. This is commonly referred to as the Public Switch Telephone Network switch off (PSTN switch off) and the Integrated Services Digital Network switch off (ISDN switch off).
From 2023 businesses won’t be able to order new PSTN or ISDN services at all and by 2025 every phone line in the UK will be digital. This means all calls will be routed over the internet, leaving your existing telephony solution obsolete.
What’s the alternative?
Businesses all over the UK are transitioning to VoIP solutions, which use your internet connection to transmit voice calls. This is a much better alternative to traditional landlines and it will be the industry standard for years to come.
While there are many benefits of moving from an analogue phone system to a new VoIP solution, the main benefit is enabling business continuity with a fully integrated communications system – working not in silo but with your other business systems.
Why is VoIP better than traditional landlines?
VoIP solutions offer a range of advantages over traditional landlines, including:
- Scalable – it grows with your business and adjusts to your needs.
- Flexible – it doesn’t tie you to a physical location.
- Cost effective – there are no initial and ongoing maintenance costs.
- Futureproof – it won’t become obsolete for a long time.
As a communications company specialising in telephony, connectivity and IT solutions we want to help your businesses make the move to VoIP, easily and for less!
We can also manage your switch end-to-end, taking the hassle out of the move. Our technology specialists take the time to understand your business and recommend solutions that will work for you. We don’t believe in one solution fits all and will design a bespoke solutions that is with you for the long-term.
