Invest in the Right Communication API Tools

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Why is the order delayed? When will it arrive? Can the order be cancelled if it is too late? Hello?

While this is just one scenario out of countless communications across industries, it demonstrates the need for a seamless communication network across the company and the brand. With new communication technologies, social media platforms and mobile applications popping up, businesses must turn to less traditional channels and employ Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).

While digital brand strategies are needed for a seamless, omnichannel experience and service, experts believe communication API can help business developers add a new communication channel to their application or website with relative ease. Brands can even mix and match tools to meet business and customer demands. The catch: Choosing the right set of communication APIs. 

eCommerce 

For frictionless and multichannel shopping experiences, communication APIs can drive better customer acquisition, engagement, and loyalty. While voice and chat APIs are two of the most common forms that are leveraged by companies worldwide, many claim that they are not sufficient. According to a Vonage survey report, although mobile phone calls are the most common way to connect with businesses, 70 per cent of consumers prefer other channels. Being omnichannel friendly is important, and the best communication API suitable for the eCommerce industry is conversation API. Consumers try to get in touch with the brand on different platforms, and consumers get frustrated when they have to repeat themselves to different agents. Conversation API offers customer insights including the customer history, past conversations, and their channel preferences. This paves the way for smoother communication and stronger customer relationships.

Also Read: How Can Businesses Secure Digital Communications?

Retail

Pandemic, or no pandemic, the retail industry turning into a hybrid business model was inevitable. The offline and in-store brick and mortar experience of retail brands have raised the need for better communication APIs. According to multiple research studies, WhatsApp is becoming one of the most common mediums for business. While voice and messaging APIs are commonly picked, a two-way SMS or a video API is probably a better choice for both promotional marketing strategies and customer service. While the two-way SMS API can allow brands to broadcast messages in regional languages, ensuring messages are delivered on intelligent primary routes and leveraging live Home, Location, Register (HLR) lookup, video API can increase trust and brand evaluation among customers. Verify API is another beneficial medium. Many consumers easily trust online stores but may be more hesitant to trust retail stores that predominantly flourished as a brick and mortar store. To build trust and demonstrate efficiency, experts recommend Verify API that can help the brand protect against fraud, build trust, and also increase conversion across channels. 

Logistics

Businesses expect the logistics industry to be streamlined and transparent. A World Economic Forum report stated that the prize from the industrial digital transformation could reach $100 trillion over the next decade. It’s not surprising that the industry has started to focus on advanced communication API software to establish quick and efficient communication and data flow. With embedded AI, programmable voice, two-way message support technology, leveraging, SIP Trunking, Number Discovery, and WebRTC APIs can strengthen the logistics contact centres. SIP Trunking is a virtual phone line that enables businesses to connect with customers worldwide. With high performance, this communication API can help record calls, allocation-based call routing. Retaining customer conversations with simple application programming interfaces, WebRTC API can eliminate the need for phone and PBX system configurations. Other common communication APIs like voice, messaging, and dispatch are also beneficial. 

Also Read: Why Is Unified Communications Becoming Critical?

Healthcare

Healthcare professionals offering video and voice consultations have increased in the last couple of years, and it will continue to grow. Although it helps patients avoid hospital visits, patients still have a hard time receiving prescriptions and important notifications. Cloud-based communication APIs are the best option for the healthcare industry. Integrating it into mobile and web healthcare applications and offering one-stop solutions to patients can ease their stress. The underappreciated two-way SMS API has immense potential in appointment scheduling software and organisations can add automated responses triggered by a predefined set of keywords. Meanwhile, a ReportLinker study stated that the global market for wearable devices will reach $61.4 billion by 2025, and health monitoring devices will be the next big thing in the industry. Enabling communication API — from voice, messaging, video to emergency calling — will increase patient engagement, streamline operations, and deliver the best care possible.

Organisations across industries are realising the urgent need for communication API in the customer-centric business environment. But solely depending on voice communication isn’t enough. Organisations must invest in the right mix of APIs suitable to their business model. While there was a time when setting up communication took weeks, eating up funds, modern APIs are easily available as a pre-built API reference code. From two-way messaging and MMS, to SIP Trunking, Number Discovery, WebRTC, and RCS, API software tools integration can simplify customer support and experience to a great extent.