1300 numbers in the digital age

As a business owner in the 21st century, you may find yourself questioning the relevance of solutions and technologies from the past, and comparing them with their new, innovative counterparts. That makes perfect sense: old technologies are seemingly biting the dust every day, supplanted by nifty new solutions out of Silicon Valley. This is especially true in the world of business.

As a business owner in the 21st century, you may find yourself questioning the relevance of solutions and technologies from the past, and comparing them with their new, innovative counterparts. That makes perfect sense: old technologies are seemingly biting the dust every day, supplanted by nifty new solutions out of Silicon Valley. This is especially true in the world of business.

Continued relevance of 1300 numbers

For a very long time, 1300 numbers have been a tried and true solution for people who want to optimise their businesses. They are simple, cost-effective, and reliable, which is why countless Australian companies make use of them. But do 1300 numbers still provide value to businesses in the age of chatbots and remote call centres?

The answer is yes. And that’s because 1300 numbers do what new digital technologies can’t: offer a direct and personalised customer service experience. In spite of everything, there still is no substitute for having a real conversation with another human being. Anyone who has dealt with a chatbot or automated answering system knows this to be true.

Consistency and reliability

These technologies are great at troubleshooting common issues and are helpful when customers need assistance outside business hours. But they come up short when faced with a complicated problem or question that requires a measured, intelligent response. It’s at this point that customers groan and lament the absence of person-to-person dialogue. In general, as technology improves, customer service gets worse.

With a 1300 number, customers can contact you knowing that their question or issue will be addressed promptly, and that the response will be specific to their needs. This inspires confidence in you and your company, because it shows that you are dedicated to going above and beyond when it comes to customer service.

The question of cost

The other obvious drawback of chatbots and other new service systems is that they are expensive. This poses no hurdle to large multinationals, but for the vast majority of startups and small businesses, employing a chatbot is out of the question: their budgets are simply not big enough.

On the other hand, a 1300 number has always been, and always will be, an affordable option for businesses of any size and budget. Australian telecommunications service providers offer a range of 1300 number plans from the most basic to the most advanced — and you always have the option to upgrade or downgrade as your circumstances change. It’s a lot of bang for your buck.

1300 numbers and mobile phones

Does the dominance of mobile phones damage the argument in favour of 1300 numbers? Not at all. That’s because 1300 numbers allow you to route calls wherever you want: landline, mobile, office phone, anywhere. A 1300 number is fully compatible with your mobile device. Want to take calls after hours? No problem: route calls that come in after a certain time to a device you know you will have access to. Going on holiday next week? Route your calls to an employee’s phone for the duration, or use an answering service.

The sky is the limit when it comes to 1300 numbers. No amount of new technology is going to change that.