Stay Top of Business Communications

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Whether it's within the company or with consumers, communication plays a key role in the success of every small business, regardless of industry. Given the tight margins most burgeoning enterprises operate under, business owners should take every opportunity to optimize their communications infrastructure. Here are three inexpensive ways to do just that.

 

Improve productivity with digital communication tools

Thanks to recent technological advances, small business owners can now greatly improve their productivity by using various digital communication tools. For example, video conferencing software can be very effective at reducing project completion time. One survey found that 92 percent of respondents saw a meaningful increase in productivity once they began using video conferencing apps. Moreover, collaboration software that allows for sharing documents, web pages and other applications can have the effect of increasing productivity by as much as 90 percent. It’s highly recommended that small business owners invest in secure cloud-based software that offers robust collaboration tools, such as Cisco’s Web Ex Meeting Center. Doing so can have a game-changing effect on a company’s workflow, employee engagement and profitability.

 

Enhance incoming call reception

When it comes to customer-facing communication, enhancing incoming call reception is something small business owners should prioritize. According to a recent study, 83 percent of consumers will never do business with a company again if they struggle to navigate its automated phone system. To address this problem, founders should employ a business phone system that offers features allowing for more seamless customer interactions. For example, Comcast Business offers phone packages with unlimited nationwide calling, automatically landline to mobile call routing, hunt groups forwarding, and automatic redial of inbound calls.

 

Upgrade internet service to bolster marketing efforts

According to a recent Adweek report, 81 percent of consumers perform online research before making a purchase. Consequently, small businesses that want to attract consumers’ attention need a robust online presence to stand out. To do that, a company will have to ensure that their website has enough bandwidth to accommodate hundreds of thousands of hits without crashing. It’s also important that their site is protected from online attacks, such as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.

Additionally, it’s mission-critical that brands use online marketing channels to communicate their message to consumers. To get the best results, they should use automated tools like rich media email blasts and social media posts. Messaging, timing and consumer profile data can be refined quickly to ensure the highest possible return on investment. To properly harness the power of online marketing, a company needs a powerful high-speed internet service to handle all the incoming and outgoing traffic.

 

To learn more about the many services offered by Comcast Business, go to business.comcast.com.

Comcast Business has the largest IP network in the nation, serving the needs of small business through large enterprise customers. Technology solutions range from fast, reliable Ethernet and Internet connectivity to voice, video, and Managed Solutions. Comcast Business is powered by an advanced Gig-ready network and 24/7 technical support. Learn more at business.comcast.com/minneapolis.

For more tips, inspiration, and Minnesota small business stories, visit smallbusinesspulse.com.​