10 Things to Consider When Buying Communication Systems solution

Customer communication management software has the power to transform your operations by improving the guest experience while making life easier for employees and other stakeholders.

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Without the right tools in place, bad things can happen. On one end of the spectrum, poor communication makes it difficult for employees to stay on top of tasks to the point that they may become disengaged. On the other end, bad communication can result in increased liabilities, hurting your reputation and putting a huge dent in your bottom line.

For this reason, smart facility managers are increasingly investing in modern communications architectures. As a result they enjoy a number of benefits, including empowered guests, inspired employees, and reduced liabilities. Leading solutions are intuitive, enabling employees and guests to message each other just like they would on their own smartphones. With the right customer communication management platform, it becomes that much easier to personalize interactions, improve customer experiences, and drive more revenue. 

Despite these benefits, you can’t simply decide to invest in a customer communication management solution and expect great results. Not all solutions are the same, after all. 

As you begin narrowing down your options, here are some questions that should help you zero in on the right solution.

1. What are your organization’s customer communication needs?

First, you need to access your organization’s requirements to determine what the ideal customer communication management software needs to have. Chances are you’ll need a real-time messaging solution that’s easy to use, flexible, and accessible across devices.

2. What type of customer communication management software is right for your organization?

In addition to basic UI designs, you’ll also want to consider the level of capabilities the ideal solution will have. Some features to consider include conversation thread histories, the ability to schedule conversations ahead of time, and streamlined incident reporting.

3. How will you know if the customer communication management software is working?

After you roll out a new solution, you’ll be able to tell that it’s working because your guests and employees will be happier. You’ll also be able to respond to and resolve incidents more rapidly.

4. Do you have the internal resources to support a customer communication management initiative?

If you have a large IT team, you might be interested in a solution you can self-host on your own servers. If you’re looking to save money on IT, look for a platform that’s delivered through the cloud as a software as a service (SaaS) solution.

5. Is your organization ready for a customer communication management software implementation?

Prior to rolling out a solution, you need to ensure your employees understand why you’re investing in new software, how it will make their lives easier, and the impact it will have on your operations.

6. What are the risks and challenges associated with customer communication management software?

Roll out the wrong solution and you can frustrate your team and your guests while burning cash that’s better spent elsewhere. This is why it’s so important to do your due diligence and research all options thoroughly before you sign a contract.

7. What are the costs of customer communication management software?

In addition to any subscription fees you might be on the hook for, you also need to consider whether you’re incurring any hidden costs—such as IT, training, and implementation expenses. By partnering with a SaaS vendor that offers a library full of helpful resources, you can eliminate some of these costs while reducing the rest.

8. How will you measure the success of your customer communication management software implementation?

An easy way to determine whether your investment in customer communication management software is returning dividends is by surveying your employees and guests, getting their feedback, and seeing what’s working and what isn’t. Using that data, you can adjust your approach accordingly.

9. What are the long-term benefits of customer communication management software?

Having a hard time convincing someone to buy into communication software? Sell them on the benefits. From faster incident response and increased team alignment to cost savings and stronger guest experiences, there’s a lot to like. 

10. What are the potential pitfalls of customer communication management software?

When you roll out any new piece of technology, there are always risks. You need to do everything within your power to ensure the solution you pick will be well-received by the people who are going to use it. Otherwise, you might find out the hard way that you made the wrong decision and get sent back to square one.

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Looking to take your organization to the next level by optimizing customer communication management? The 24/7 Software team is standing by ready to help.

To learn more about why today’s leading facilities rely on our software to power their operations, request a demo today.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in May and has been updated in February for comprehensiveness and freshness.