Modern Communication Strategies: IVR, SMS, and Video for Growth
Optimizing Small Business Communication with IVR, SMS, and Video Conferencing
Introduction to Modern Communication
IVR Systems
While many people prefer speaking with a live operator, a well-designed Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system can be a valuable asset for businesses. Conversely, a poorly configured IVR can frustrate customers and damage a company's reputation.
Hybrid Approach
A hybrid approach, integrating an IVR with a cloud-based answering service, often provides the most effective solution. Affordable cloud-based answering services are available in various locations, including the Philippines, India, and the United States, and can be easily integrated with CRM applications and website forms.
Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
What is an IVR?
An IVR is an automated telephone menu system that uses the dial pad to identify, segment, and route callers to the appropriate agent. IVR systems can simplify call management, reduce costs, and improve efficiency.
Benefits of an IVR
  • Deters spam calls from telemarketers and robocallers
  • Reduces missed calls by efficiently handling high call volumes
  • Lowers cost per call by decreasing manpower needs
  • Enhances brand image through a professional presentation
  • Provides self-service options for tasks such as account verification, information retrieval, payments, and renewals
IVR Features
  • Customized greetings, messages, and prompts
  • Personalized caller information
  • Automated customer service and problem resolution
  • Call routing to specific teams or departments
  • Automated outbound calls
  • Intelligent, data-driven call routing
SMS Forwarding
What is SMS Forwarding?
Text message (SMS) forwarding enhances accessibility for customers by enabling businesses to view text messages on an alternative device or medium. SMS forwarding allows messages sent to an advertised number to be received on a private number. It also enables forwarding the same SMS message to multiple devices and sending replies from a private number as if they originated from the advertised number.
Benefits of SMS Forwarding
Allows multiple agents to respond to SMS messages, supports international area codes through virtual numbers, converts SMS messages to email for access from any location, enables automated replies based on message content or business hours, eliminates the need to carry multiple cell phones, and maintains separation between personal and business communications.
How it Works
1. Advertise your business phone number. 2. Receive text messages on a personal device or as email. 3. Reply to texts from your mobile phone.
Video Conferencing

What is Video Conferencing?
Live audio-visual meetings between individuals or groups in different locations
Time & Cost Savings
Reduces travel expenses and provides convenience
Enhanced Communication
Enables users to interpret body language
Versatile Applications
Supports routine meetings, negotiations, and job interviews
Video conferencing facilitates live audio-visual meetings between individuals or groups in different locations. Users download an application to their devices, log into a web-based application to join a virtual meeting room, or enter a passcode on an internet-enabled device for audio-visual connection.
Background: Telephony
1828
Earliest form of telephony involved transmitting words over distances using musical notes, developed by French composer Jean-François Sudré.
1664
Robert Hooke conducted early experiments with mechanical telephones using pipes.
1830
Samuel Morse and other inventors developed the telegraph, which revolutionized long-distance communication by transmitting electrical signals over wires.
1876
Alexander Graham Bell patented the first practical telephone and co-founded the American Telephone and Telegraph Company in 1885.
Telephony is the technology used for real-time, two-way communication between people in separate locations via sound, voice, video, fax, or text. The word "telephone" originates from the French "téléphone" (c. 1830), combining "télé-" (far) and "phōnē" (sound, voice), derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*bha-" (to speak, tell, say).
Use Case Scenarios
Replacing Switchboard Operators with IVR
  • Switchboard operators traditionally manage external and internal calls, answering and routing them within a company
  • IVR systems are increasingly replacing operators due to scalability and cost savings
  • IVR systems efficiently manage increased call volumes
  • IVR systems can reduce labor costs associated with switchboard operators
Enhancing Communication with SMS Notifications
  • SMS messages have a higher open rate (up to 98%) compared to email (around 20%), leading to improved marketing ROI
  • SMS appointment reminders are a cost-effective way to reduce no-shows, with studies indicating a potential reduction of up to 40%
  • SMS forwarding improves customer accessibility by enabling businesses to receive SMS messages on their main business line
The Rise of Video Conferencing
  • Video conferencing enables face-to-face meetings between users in different locations without requiring physical travel
  • Benefits include increased productivity, time savings, reduced travel expenses, and improved collaboration
  • Video conferencing facilitates the conveyance of body language, enhancing communication
  • The increased availability of high-speed internet has further driven its adoption
The Future of Communication Technology
Virtual Reality
The integration of Virtual Reality (VR) is expected to further enhance online communication and collaboration, creating more immersive virtual experiences.
Augmented Reality
AR technology will transform how we interact in virtual meetings, adding digital elements to our real-world environment.
Artificial Intelligence
AI will continue to improve communication systems, making them more intuitive and responsive to user needs.
Virtual Events
The virtual events market is experiencing significant growth, allowing large audiences to participate remotely.
The 15th and 16th centuries marked a European Renaissance, and today we are experiencing a similar period of rapid growth and change in human behavior and economics. Technology, from the human mind to modern tools, continues to drive efficiency.