Needing an App for shared customer support contact, on the go

[Stuart_91]

I run a rental company, and I'm looking for a way of doing out-of-hours customer support, splitting the workload between different staff. Guessing I'll need some kind of app or online service to do what we're after.

The hope is that we'd have a normal (UK) phone number that can be given out to punters. Rather than connecting to a single phone in somebody's pocket, messages or calls would land in an app. Ideally we'd have multiple staff with the app on their phones, and whoever's available can respond.

This seems like an easier solution than passing a "duty mobile" between people.

I've tried WhatsApp business, but it seems to be set up for a "one man band", there are limits on the number of people accessing the account, and users can't sign in without scanning a QR code on the "master" phone.

Other suggestions I've seen are for things like Zendesk, and Trello. But they seem to be overkill for what we need, as I'm not needing to implement a complete Helpdesk system or anything like, it's just messaging for customers who can't get their equipment working.

Hoping that someone on here has encountered and tackled a similar challenge?

 

[transcom]

I run a rental company, and I'm looking for a way of doing out-of-hours customer support, splitting the workload between different staff. Guessing I'll need some kind of app or online service to do what we're after.

The hope is that we'd have a normal (UK) phone number that can be given out to punters. Rather than connecting to a single phone in somebody's pocket, messages or calls would land in an app. Ideally we'd have multiple staff with the app on their phones, and whoever's available can respond.

This seems like an easier solution than passing a "duty mobile" between people.

I've tried WhatsApp business, but it seems to be set up for a "one man band", there are limits on the number of people accessing the account, and users can't sign in without scanning a QR code on the "master" phone.

Other suggestions I've seen are for things like Zendesk, and Trello. But they seem to be overkill for what we need, as I'm not needing to implement a complete Helpdesk system or anything like, it's just messaging for customers who can't get their equipment working.

Hoping that someone on here has encountered and tackled a similar challenge?

try tawk.to , its chat and ticket support, and its free..

 

[cjd]

The hope is that we'd have a normal (UK) phone number that can be given out to punters. Rather than connecting to a single phone in somebody's pocket, messages or calls would land in an app. Ideally we'd have multiple staff with the app on their phones, and whoever's available can respond.

That sounds pretty straight forward if I'm understanding it correctly.

Get one phone number - £3pm
Take an extension for each user using your service - £1.50pm

After that there's various ways to handle the calls. One way would be to get our free app and calls would go to that. That uses WiFi/data. Alternatively set diverts and calls are sent using the mobile network and becomes a chargeable call.

You call make all the phones ring simultaneously or set individual phones as and when.

Probably best to give us a call and discuss if this sounds something like you need. 0345 868 5555

The kind of thing you're talking about are 'groups' In our case we prefer simultaneous ring to hunt groups - see below.

Hunt Groups

Hunt Groups are a feature often provided on PBX systems, where a call comes in and your extensions ring in turn until someone answers.

www.voipfone.co.uk

 

[fisicx]

Hunt groups are fun. If it goes badly you end up with the cleaner. Or sometimes the retired bloke manning the carpark barrier.

 

[PaulSmt]

RingCentral is ok. UK number (local or 0800) with an app for calls, texts, and team chat. Multiple staff can access the same number, answer calls, or reply to texts from their phones or desktops.

 

[cjd]

Ring Central is an American company. Just sayin'

 

[Stuart_91]

That sounds pretty straight forward if I'm understanding it correctly.

Get one phone number - £3pm
Take an extension for each user using your service - £1.50pm

Thanks, I think we're already using Voipfone for our main landline so this might make sense.

However, does the number act as a landline or mobile? I'm thinking that it would be better if customers could send photos etc. so something that can accept MMS would be best.

 

[cjd]

Thanks, I think we're already using Voipfone for our main landline so this might make sense.

However, does the number act as a landline or mobile? I'm thinking that it would be better if customers could send photos etc. so something that can accept MMS would be best.

it's a landline (geographic or national number) so calls only. If you give our number a call they may have some ideas for you. (There will be a mobile solution this year sometime - but it's stuck in dev atm.)

 

[banabela]

I run a rental company, and I'm looking for a way of doing out-of-hours customer support, splitting the workload between different staff. Guessing I'll need some kind of app or online service to do what we're after.

The hope is that we'd have a normal (UK) phone number that can be given out to punters. Rather than connecting to a single phone in somebody's pocket, messages or calls would land in an app. Ideally we'd have multiple staff with the app on their phones, and whoever's available can respond.

This seems like an easier solution than passing a "duty mobile" between people.

I've tried WhatsApp business, but it seems to be set up for a "one man band", there are limits on the number of people accessing the account, and users can't sign in without scanning a QR code on the "master" phone.

Other suggestions I've seen are for things like Zendesk, and Trello. But they seem to be overkill for what we need, as I'm not needing to implement a complete Helpdesk system or anything like, it's just messaging for customers who can't get their equipment working.

Hoping that someone on here has encountered and tackled a similar challenge?

May we know more about the typical enquiries that your staff need to handle out of hours please? Wouldn't a proper chatbot be able to solve them? Does it have to be a human who responds to the messages and assist your customers?

 

[Stuart_91]

May we know more about the typical enquiries that your staff need to handle out of hours please? Wouldn't a proper chatbot be able to solve them? Does it have to be a human who responds to the messages and assist your customers?

We rent out equipment, so what I'm looking to do is establish an "emergency contact" number that gets given to customers when they take equipment away. Not for general enquiries etc.

A chatbot would probably be able to answer simple questions (like opening hours etc.) but typically the "emergency" calls need troubleshooting by experienced staff. It's very seldom that we have an actual equipment breakdown, more often it's misconfigured or the customer is just completely confused and needs talked through what they're doing.

 

[SSmith]

Hi, I think the way to go would be to take an virtual number (you can get these from 08UK for free) and then you can point this at to your support staffs mobiles, no additional extensions required. The routing can be managed by day/time/percentage/skill set or other options. All routing can be changed and accessed on an online portal.