The connection of telephones and computers has created some exciting – and powerful – ways to improve customer service. Many are quite expensive for small and medium-sized businesses, but one powerful option is surprisingly inexpensive: linking your customer database, the phone company’s caller ID, and your telephone.

Imagine this: you receive a call, and before you can pick up the phone the caller’s record of business with you is on your computer screen. You can see any current data such as recent purchases, past due invoices, credit holds, as well as the names of the customer’s spouse and children, special interests, etc. Any new information entered by your staff is instantly available to you while you talk with your customer. What you see is only limited by the kind of data you collect on your customers. This is not leading edge, it’s in use now, and is within reach of the smallest company.

The cost of such power? From a few hundred dollars to a few thousand, depending on your phone system and the additional features you want. Of course if you make this a part of replacing your entire phone system the cost is primarily driven by the hardware, but many existing systems today can accommodate the software that will connect your current database easily.

To know more about the cost and options available to your business, contact a computer or telephone systems consultant. We checked our information with Martin Thorpe of Information Systems Strategies, Van Nuys, CA (818) 785-3299.