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We know that modern businesses must embrace an omnichannel approach to succeed.
Gone are the days when phone calls and fax machines ruled the communication world. In many cases, voice has been replaced by email, texting, in-app messaging, social media and more. Customers simply have more choices when interacting with businesses.
Smart marketers use automation to optimize their omnichannel outreach efforts. With sophisticated playbooks that include if/then statements and flow charts, marketers strive to target prospects via the right channel at the right time with the right message.
New Challenges Facing New Channels
While modern communication channels have brought undeniable benefits, they also face new limitations. For example, in the fall of 2023, Google, Yahoo and other email providers unveiled stricter requirements for sending bulk emails. When these requirements aren’t met, emails will be rejected. And, as any marketer knows, failing to reach your customers’ inboxes can prove catastrophic for even the most well-thought-out campaigns.
What about outbound phone calls? Many changes and developments in recent years have hampered the effectiveness of cold calling. It’s often hard to find the best number for contacts, as almost half of the population changes their number every few years. And even if you get the correct number, many phones automatically silence unknown numbers.
These days, there are simply too many issues that come from accepting calls from an unknown source. Did you know that Americans get more than 50 billion spam calls a year? It’s no wonder that 80% of cold calls go straight to voicemail, and 90% go unreturned. When 92% of the population assumes that unidentified callers are trying to scam them, you simply can’t rely on phone calls.
Even social media presents obstacles. Marketers have no control over the visibility of their posts, meaning they don’t know what’s getting through to their followers. In extreme cases, platforms have shut down valid accounts, causing years of hard work to go up in smoke.
Voice Broadcasting: A Time-Tested Solution
Just as ’90s fashion is once again appearing in popular style trends, voice broadcasting, a mass communication technique that broadcasts telephone messages to hundreds or thousands of call recipients at once, is making a comeback in the business world. Why is this older strategy thriving in our digital world? Because when something is proven to work well, there’s no reason to move away from it.
Many businesses are adding voice broadcasting systems because they give them more control of their campaigns and complement the newer communication channels. Voice recording creates a human connection that cannot be replicated by AI or automation.
As you’d expect, older demographics respond particularly well to this approach because they’re more familiar with it. But I’ve seen that customers of all ages appreciate voice broadcasting, thanks to how well it conveys tone, intention and nonverbal communication.
Including voice in an omnichannel campaign helps connect with customers on different levels that your competitors likely don’t address. While most businesses in your industry hammer away with email, phone and LinkedIn, you can take your brand to the next level with a fuller range of communications, including SMS, automated voice broadcasting, campaign-specific inbound call auto attendant and a dedicated phone number.
You’ll establish your brand as a customer-first solution by meeting customers where they are and not forcing them into channels that don’t fit their preferences or needs.
What To Look For In A Voice Broadcasting Service Provider
There are plenty of options when considering voice broadcasting services. A Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system can be popular, as it replaces traditional phone lines with the convenience of an internet connection. But this digital solution may introduce its share of problems, including choppy or delayed audio, voice distortion, dropped calls and voice echoes.
A primary limitation of VoIP is that it only functions with internet connectivity. When that fails, so do all of your communications. So, it’s not a valid option for emergency notifications or other situations where a breakdown would be problematic.
Some of the best voice broadcasting service providers use copper landlines, as they deliver the most exceptional sound quality and are reliable even when your internet connection is struggling. By utilizing direct lines from established carriers, you get a level of accuracy and quality that isn’t possible with VoIP.
Another voice broadcasting feature to look for is answering machine detection (AMD), which can tell the difference between humans and machines. Why does this distinction matter? It allows you to deliver unique messages depending on whether you get live answers or voicemail, and it leaves a crystal-clear message with no key presses. You can even set how many times to retry busy or unanswered calls.
The Advantages Of Efficiency
Modern voice broadcasting systems are designed to improve your team’s efficiency when communicating at scale. For example, let’s say you’re trying to reach hundreds of thousands of contacts with alerts, reminders or polls. You can set up the content and send messages within minutes with a voice broadcasting system.
These nearly instant connections continue paying dividends as people begin answering. With immediate playback, there’s no delay for the recipient. Your team member will be connected after pressing the button to transfer to a live representative. This means your representatives are brought in at the perfect moment instead of waiting for connections. These lightning-fast handoffs are critical at scale, saving you countless hours of wasted time.
Choosing A Partner You Can Trust
Voice broadcasting can have a powerful impact when included in your sales and marketing playbooks. So, the crucial decision is which platform to partner with.
Look for a voice broadcasting service that offers transparent pricing. There should be no setup fees or minimums, and you shouldn’t be charged for unsuccessful, busy or non-answered calls.
It’s also important to be backed up by world-class customer support. Your voice broadcasting service should be a true partner, elevating your team and offering the right resources whenever needed.
Feature Image Credit: getty
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Navid Ashroff is the CTO of TrueDialog, an award-winning SMS marketing platform. He has been coding since 1984. Read Navid Ashroff’s full executive profile here.
