Here in the Digital Age we have numerous channels to communicate with each other, and for customers and partners and vendors to communicate with businesses: email, Facebook, Instagram, online webforms, SMS, WhatsApp…the list of channels continues to grow, particularly with the increasing prevalence of AI and chatbots. But what about voice? Have people given up on telephone calls? 

The Importance of Voice for Consumers

The CMO Council, in partnership with Precisely, recently surveyed more than 2000 English-speaking consumers worldwide about which communication channels they prefer. The survey included specific questions about the most important channels of choice for these consumers, regardless of the reason for communicating with a company (engagement, exploration, service and/or support). The results? “Regardless of age, gender or regional location, one universal truth quickly came into view: Omnichannel IS the critical channel of choice.” 

Customers want multiple ways to reach brands, but the importance of voice in this mix is interesting, perhaps even surprising. It seems the good old telephone call is still the preferred means of reaching a company for many survey participants: 59 percent of customers expect a business to be available via telephone, and 50 percent want to speak with a live person who can assist them when they need help. And according to a study in the Journal of Experimental Psychology, “It’s Surprisingly Nice to Hear You,” phone, video chat and voice chat exchanges create stronger social bonds than email and texting. They also build stronger connections to brands.

The Critical Channels of Choice survey found voice is second only to email among the top five expected channels of communication with a company. And when participants were asked which channel they couldn’t live without, it was the telephone! One of the main reasons? Voice builds trust. 

Voice is usually the first choice for customers when they have a particular problem or question. Checking a bank account balance or verifying an address or office hours - even scheduling an appointment - can be done via an automated system. But when specific concerns and questions arise, customers want to speak to an actual person. 

This is the power of voice, as compared to SMS and social media: it’s immediate, both in terms of time and in terms of human connection. SMS and social media are only immediate when the recipient is checking his or her texts or social accounts. Even via voicemail, there’s often no better way to explain oneself than by voice. Voice is more satisfying emotionally and often more expedient than any other channel. It’s a connection. It’s human contact. And it might be the best way to provide the best in customer service: The Critical Channels of Choice survey found: 

“Consumers expect to have phone service agents at the ready with details about their history with the brand and armed with the right information to quickly solve problems. Consumers expect to ‘see themselves’ in communication with brands they have done business with…”

Voice is also the foundation of video communication, which goes even further to connect people. On a video call, you can convey concern, emotion, a sense of humor…this is how relationships are built. Social media can’t do this, nor can AI. Which brings us to voice in the workplace. 

The Importance of Voice in the Office 

Since the Covid-19 pandemic began, we’ve gotten used to dispersed workforces. The pandemic is over, but not everyone is back in the office and it might remain this way indefinitely. What’s the next best thing? You guessed it - voice and video calls. Are video and voice sufficient for interpersonal communication in a professional setting? In many instances yes, and for many teams they support true collaboration amongst team members who are most likely not in the same place at the same time. Voice is essential for building an environment wherein staff can work together, no matter how far apart they are. In a new work paradigm, voice reintroduces connection to the workplace; it reintroduces enjoyment, humanity and spontaneity. It resolves the disconnect and bridges the distance between on-site and remote work. Again, It builds trust.

Whether your business is entirely on-site, hybrid or entirely work from home, your telephony is the foundation of your communications, both with your customers and between employees. It is the cornerstone of your communication system. 

The Vodia cloud phone system is the perfect choice for any SMB or enterprise in any industry. Our feature-rich, robust telephony platform gives you voice. It’s hyper-scalable, inexpensive to install and simple to use, and we give you an extensive range of value-added call handling and management capabilities deployed via simple web interfaces. 

We’re the first choice for online retailers and for healthcare providers, thanks to our HIPAA compliance, both of which depend on voice to meet customer and patient expectations, respectively. And when it comes to cruise lines and hotels, no other cloud phone system comes close. We’re also the best phone system for call centers. And we protect your data.

What more do you need? Want to find out what our cloud phone system can do for your voice communications? Let’s talk. +1 (617) 861-3490, sales@vodia.com.