Implementing a voice mail system is sure to enhance communications in several ways. First, it will solve many of the problems that you have encountered at PulpCo. by providing a system which ensures that every individual (customer, employee, management) has the ability to contact the appropriate PulpCo. employee. A well-running voice mail system guarantees that messages reach individuals, and in addition, keeps people accountable (they cannot claim that they did not get the message or the information). With such a system in place, your organization can also avoid nuisances such as telephone tag, missed messages, and time zone delays. Having voice mail will also eliminate the need for call-waiting and increase effectives, as there will be no time wasted switching lines and repeating phrases such as, “Let me call you back,” or “I’m on the other line - can you hold on a minute?” This, in turn, will lead to increased productivity, as there will be less time wasted on interruptions or waiting for someone to finish a conversation on the other line.
A voicemail system is also inexpensive to install and will lead to long run savings. According to the materials you sent, such a system requires no initial capital expenditure, minimal start-up and training costs, and it is very easy to use. In addition, voice mail will cut costs, as these types of calls are more business concise, and thus shorter and less expensive. This is likely to minimize the phone call costs of your various departments, especially those who have to make calls to different regions of the country (for instance, when a service representative must return a call from a customer who is located across the country). It will also allow for more efficient credit card calling (only one phone call has to be made to reach a number of different people), which may come in useful for your marketing department, for instance, when it has to notify other departments of its marketing strategy or research efforts. In addition, the need for memos (and their necessary supplies/materials) will be greatly reduced, leading to further decreases in production and mailing costs. These savings can be redirected to your Product Development and marketing departments, to aid to research and development and Marketing efforts. I expect that Payroll will also I am certain that the executives at FatCo. will recognize the long run savings from a voice mail system will greatly exceed the initial start-up costs (which are very small) associated with implementation.
In addition, voice mail has the potential to further PulpCo.’s competitive advantage by enhancing the performance of your departments. It will increase productivity by making people more accessible and making needed information available sooner. Customer service representatives will be able to provide a higher quality of accurately and timely service, Payroll will be able to better calculate compensation for actual productive working time, and Marketing and Product Development will be able to assess and respond to the wants/needs/preferences of its customers faster than your competitors. Customers can place orders or leave requests for information, and it is up your customer service representatives and sales people to assure timely responses to these requests. Voice mail will assist your Payroll department, as using a system that cuts down on unproductive work will provide a greater incentive for your employees to be more efficient if they know that they are being more appropriately/accurately compensated. Your sales people can also assist the marketing department by sharing the information they’ve learned about PulCo’s customers in order for marketing to assess current trends. This information can also help the Product Development department improve upon current designs and form innovative new ideas for future products. Accuracy and expediency of information is especially important to these two departments, as they will want to develop effective ad campaigns and new products ahead of PulpCo.’s competitors. Furthermore, the abundance of information that is gathered can be shared with FatCo.’s other subsidiaries (and we hope that they will return the favor). This sort of inter-department cooperation is sure to put PulpCo. ahead of its rivals who do not utilize voice mail.
One of our goals here at the telecommunications division is to help create a vibrant work place through enhanced communication, and we feel that voice mail has the potential to create a happier, more productive environment for your employees. First, this new system will be very easy and convenient for employees to use, and accessing information will be easier than ever. We believe that well-informed employees are happier and more motivated at their jobs because they feel that they have more of a stake in the company. Second, frustration over getting busy signals when placing phone calls will be virtually eliminated, reducing worker tension and the potential of employee conflict. Next, employees will be able to take advantage of distribution lists, which will eliminate the need to make mundane, repetitive calls regarding the same topic. Finally, a voicemail system will allow employees to keep in touch with one another better, as they can leave messages for each other while on trips or on the weekends. According to the material that you sent, this helped the frequently traveling individuals of a marketing group put together a Spring sales promotion in just two weeks; your marketing department could potentially benefit in the same way.
Despite all of the benefits that voice mail has to offer, I understand that you may have some concerns about the system. Let me put to rest some of the misconceptions about the disadvantages of voice mail. First, you may feel that voice mail will lead to hasty decision-making as a result of faster information gathering and the general conducting of business. Through voicemail, information is gathered faster, but it is also likely to be more accurate, as employees can check and recheck the voice mail recording to make sure that the information they have gathered is correct.
In addition to voice mail, I also suggest that PulpCo. institute a digital receptionist to assist your current receptionist during times of high call volume. (which is likely to induce customer loyalty and drive lonr-run sales) (this will also reduce customer annoyance, as they will not have to hear a busy signal or be placed on hold for extended periods of time).
After reading the information sent to you by corporate and analyzing your current situation, I believe that voice mail and a digital receptionist will greatly benefit PulpCo. by facilitating communication, reducing costs and generating savings, increasing competitive advantage, creating an enhanced work environment for employees, and creating a more pleasing experience for customers. As director of FatCo.’s telecommunications division, effective communication for and between all of FatCo.’s companies is extremely important to me. Your message to me is a perfect example of the importance of communication; without your memo, I would not have come to know of the issues surrounding the new communications system at Pulpco. Informing me of Pulpco’s dilemmas presents us with the perfect opportunity to maximize the efficacy of the current system and improve communications between our divisions as well. I hope that we can work together to tackle the issues that you have been facing and build a solid foundation for superior communications for the future.
Sincerely,
Richard Cephalus
