Google helps small retailers handle large call volumes
Google’s Area 120 internal incubator is scaling phone-based customer service for small retailers.
Area 120 is releasing CallJoy, a cloud-based phone agent designed to streamline and increase the transparency of customer interactions small retailers conduct over the phone. For a flat monthly fee of $39, CallJoy provides small retailers with a phone number with a local area code, an intelligent virtual voice agent and custom greetings, unlimited call recording and conversation transcripts, textback functionality, spam-blocking technology, and integration with the Google My Business interactive profile platform.
After setting up and receiving a local phone number. CallJoy will immediately begin blocking a user’s unwanted spam calls. When the phone rings, the automated CallJoy agent answers, greets callers with a custom message and provides basic business information, like hours of operation.
If the customer calling would like to complete a task which can be done online, like place a to-go order or book an appointment, CallJoy’s virtual agent will send the customer an SMS text message containing a URL. Whether the customer speaks with the manager or owner, talks to an employee, or interacts directly with the CallJoy agent, the call will be recorded and transcribed for quality purposes.
Users can tag and search each conversation based on topic. CallJoy compiles data in an online dashboard and emails a daily update, including metrics like subjects of calls, call volume, popular call times, and new versus returning callers.
For example, San Francisco-based, independent, single-store specialty retailer Cliff’s Variety, which often receives more than 50 calls per day, was a beta user of CallJoy. Once Cliff’s set up CallJoy’s transcripts and insights, they found that over 60% of incoming calls were customers asking about product inventory. Now, Cliff’s tracks popular product inquiries in order to stock its shelves to meet demand, resulting in stronger sales.
Area 120 research indicates the average US small retailer receives 13 calls per day from customers seeking to perform activities such as placing to-go orders, booking appointments, checking open hours or inquiring about inventory. Area 120 found that nearly half of these calls go unanswered because owners are too busy or assume the caller is a spammer.
“The telephone continues to be a small business’ lifeline. But, this volume can easily overwhelm any small business when coupled with other factors such as peak call times and the ever-increasing monsoon of spam callers,” said Bob Summers, founder of CallJoy. “We created CallJoy to help business owners turn the burden of calls into an efficient, delightful experience for their customers that can also give them actionable insights to improve their business.”
Area 120 is releasing CallJoy, a cloud-based phone agent designed to streamline and increase the transparency of customer interactions small retailers conduct over the phone. For a flat monthly fee of $39, CallJoy provides small retailers with a phone number with a local area code, an intelligent virtual voice agent and custom greetings, unlimited call recording and conversation transcripts, textback functionality, spam-blocking technology, and integration with the Google My Business interactive profile platform.
After setting up and receiving a local phone number. CallJoy will immediately begin blocking a user’s unwanted spam calls. When the phone rings, the automated CallJoy agent answers, greets callers with a custom message and provides basic business information, like hours of operation.
If the customer calling would like to complete a task which can be done online, like place a to-go order or book an appointment, CallJoy’s virtual agent will send the customer an SMS text message containing a URL. Whether the customer speaks with the manager or owner, talks to an employee, or interacts directly with the CallJoy agent, the call will be recorded and transcribed for quality purposes.
Users can tag and search each conversation based on topic. CallJoy compiles data in an online dashboard and emails a daily update, including metrics like subjects of calls, call volume, popular call times, and new versus returning callers.
For example, San Francisco-based, independent, single-store specialty retailer Cliff’s Variety, which often receives more than 50 calls per day, was a beta user of CallJoy. Once Cliff’s set up CallJoy’s transcripts and insights, they found that over 60% of incoming calls were customers asking about product inventory. Now, Cliff’s tracks popular product inquiries in order to stock its shelves to meet demand, resulting in stronger sales.
Area 120 research indicates the average US small retailer receives 13 calls per day from customers seeking to perform activities such as placing to-go orders, booking appointments, checking open hours or inquiring about inventory. Area 120 found that nearly half of these calls go unanswered because owners are too busy or assume the caller is a spammer.
“The telephone continues to be a small business’ lifeline. But, this volume can easily overwhelm any small business when coupled with other factors such as peak call times and the ever-increasing monsoon of spam callers,” said Bob Summers, founder of CallJoy. “We created CallJoy to help business owners turn the burden of calls into an efficient, delightful experience for their customers that can also give them actionable insights to improve their business.”