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Entrepreneur
14-07-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
How to Bring Phone Systems into the Age of Personalization
AI phone agents are revolutionizing customer service by replacing outdated, impersonal phone systems with intelligent, personalized and efficient conversations that boost satisfaction and business success. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. For over 50 years, automated phone systems have been a mainstay of customer interaction. Early Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems freed employees from repetitive tasks, yet left customers navigating frustrating menus with impersonal, robotic responses. In an era where personalization drives customer satisfaction and loyalty, these outdated systems are no longer enough. While well-designed IVR systems today achieve a first call resolution rate between 70-75%, the cold and impersonal experience remains, constantly testing callers' patience with the labyrinth of keypad-navigated menus and limited options. This is particularly evident in industries like healthcare, insurance and local services, where every call carries weight and customers often face the frustrating prospect of repeating their details over and over to an automated voice or navigating endless, irrelevant options. Phone systems remain a significant touchpoint between businesses and customers, but have yet to evolve to meet the demands of the personalization era. This potential is already being realized through AI phone agents, which are turning this vision into reality. Unlike legacy systems, these agents use advanced voice recognition and adaptive AI to engage customers in dynamic, human-like conversations. They remember previous interactions, answer with localized nuance and respond to inquiries with warmth and intelligence. This capability makes it possible to deliver personalized experiences that strengthen customer relationships while maintaining operational efficiency. For example, imagine if your phone system could recall past conversations: When John calls again, it could ask how his daughter's birthday party went, adding a personalized touch that deepens the connection. These subtle, tailored gestures could shift customer perceptions from purely transactional to genuinely relational, setting your brand apart in a competitive marketplace. It's no surprise that businesses embracing AI for personalization are projected to reach $2 trillion in revenue over the next five years, underscoring the transformative potential of these technologies. AI agents can even be fine-tuned to reflect brand tone and values, whether that's efficiency, empathy or a sense of humor. Voice agents are designed to resolve issues and help customers feel heard and understood, delivering a more natural and 'human' experience than traditional phone systems ever could. Related: Stop Losing $500+ a Month — The Mistake Starts With a Missed Call More than personalization: Elevating customer service AI phone agents do more than personalize interactions; they redefine what phone systems can achieve. From scheduling appointments and processing orders to troubleshooting technical issues and qualifying inbound sales leads, AI agents extend far beyond the limited scope of traditional IVRs. They can provide instant answers to frequently asked questions, guide users through complex product setups and even process secure payments, effectively transforming a basic phone system into a streamlined customer service center. This functionality results in higher first-call resolution rates and a seamless experience for customers. Moreover, AI agents can dynamically scale to handle call surges, eliminating hold times and ensuring 24/7 availability. Businesses can now offer consistent, high-quality service after hours, avoiding the cultural and language barriers often encountered with outsourced support. For a small business, this means no more missed sales opportunities because a call came in after 6 PM, or frustrated customers waiting until morning for a simple answer. By replacing outdated systems, AI agents reduce costs while delivering a superior customer experience. Related: 2 Major Career Companies Are Laying Off 1,300 Employees: 'AI Is Changing the World' Integrating AI agents into your workflow Adopting AI phone agents doesn't have to be a full-scale transformation. Businesses should start small by assigning these agents to handle routine inquiries. As their capabilities grow, they can take on more complex tasks. Key steps for successful integration include: Starting with small, well-defined tasks such as appointment scheduling or taking notes. This allows businesses to quickly see the value of AI without overwhelming their existing operations. Training employees to collaborate with AI agents as part of the team. Successful AI implementation is about augmentation, not replacement. Human oversight and collaboration are key to refining the AI's performance and ensuring a cohesive customer journey. Measuring AI agent performance against human agents. Quantifying key metrics like resolution rates, customer satisfaction scores and time savings helps demonstrate ROI and identifies areas for further optimization. Continuously identifying new tasks AI can automate Ensuring seamless CRM and other system integrations. Integrating AI with existing tools ensures data flows smoothly, providing the AI with necessary context and updating records in real-time, making it truly intelligent and valuable. Defining escalation protocols. Knowing when to pass calls from AI to human agents is also important and ensures a safety net for complex issues. AI phone agents represent a profound leap forward for customer service, leaving behind the outdated era of keypad navigation and rudimentary voice prompts. By leveraging these tools, businesses can not only create deeper, more personalized connections with customers but also transform phone systems from impersonal necessities into strategic assets, positioning themselves for success in a rapidly evolving environment.
BBC News
07-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Opinion divided on permission for 144 new Jersey homes
Two planning applications which will lead to the creation of 144 affordable homes on two former green zone sites have been approved, despite the concerns of a public meeting on Thursday, planning committee members agreed 128 new homes could be built on fields in St Peter's also approved an application for 16 properties on land off La Grande Route de St Jean, but proposals for sheltered housing next to a St Helier care home were approved plans for fields P558, P559 and P632 in St Peter, which were rezoned for affordable housing in the bridging island plan in 2022, include 13 four-bed and 95 three-bed homes. Permission was also granted for eight two-bedroom bungalows, four two-bedroom apartments and eight one-bedroom said 45% of the new homes would be made available for social rental, while 55% would be released for discounted application also includes a shared open space, bike parking, and changes to the road layout - including making part of La Verte Rue easier for people to walk on. The proposals have been under development for some time, and were the subject of a parish assembly vote last some residents who wrote letters of objection claimed consultation had been raised concerns about the increased pressure 128 new homes might place on local services."The schools are packed as they are," said Trent Weber, who lives nearby."Traffic is a nightmare even before we start doing these works so basically how are we going to get in, how are we going to get out, what's the plan?". Former planning minister John Young spearheaded the development of the bridging island plan before leaving politics in said the document - which dictates planning rules - sought to make provision for more than 4,000 new homes, needed at the time due to increases in the island's Mr Young, who was speaking as new figures highlighted the island's falling birth rate, said data showed circumstances had changed."Originally I wanted to see a smaller extension of the village area," he said, "and so I do query why we needed to do such a very large development at St Peter."He questioned the impact on the Beaumont junction."I would have personally, if I'd been in office, wanted to see those number of homes kept down to a smaller number," he said. In their planning application, developers Forge Developments and Godel Architects said the site's location would "support a reduction in the demand for travel by the private car, although it was "perhaps inevitable" traffic congestion would occur at peak said there had been "repeated public consultation" and they were "confident that the level of consultation" had satisfied planning policies and regulations."The result is a first-class scheme on a rezoned site - unanimously approved by all seven members of the planning committee," they added. 16 new homes at Sion - approved Forge Developments is also behind approved plans for 16 new, affordable homes on field T1404 in Trinity, which was also rezoned for housing in the 2022 island scheme includes three two-bedroom houses, 11 three-bedroom houses and two four-bedroom with the development in St Peter, 45% of the new homes will be made available for social rental, while 55% will be released for discounted initial application for homes on the site was rejected by the planning committee earlier this year. Some nearby residents raised concerns about access, traffic and impact on local services.A separate development of 37 new properties is currently being built on the other side of La Grande Route de St Jean, next to Sion Methodist Country Garden borders the site of the 16 new Alan Bonny said he was concerned the development would overshadow his business. "The main worry is that it's going to put a lot of shade over the tunnel where we grow. You can't grow without light," he continued: "You can't build a second St Helier up in Sion. We have to spread the load a little bit."Apart from that there will be noise from the tunnels. We have to keep fans on to keep the air moving. People won't like that, they'll complain." In comments to the planning committee, Forge Developments and Morris Architects said plans for a hedge, due to be planted on the site boundary, had been "reduced in height and form" since initial proposals were rejected in January said a technical assessment demonstrated "extremely small overshadowing impacts" and they also had a "noise mitigation strategy".They added the proposals had been developed in consultation with the government's transport team, and the level of traffic expected would be "entirely manageable".The application was approved on condition noise testing was conducted before residents moved in. 42 sheltered housing units - rejected While its members reached unanimous decisions on the other two proposals, Jersey's planning committee was split over plans for 42 units of sheltered housing on land next to St Joseph's Care Home in St applicants, Aedifica JE (St Josephs) Limited, sought permission for 38 one-bed properties and four two-bed homes. The application received 166 public comments. Many raised concerns residents of the existing care home might be adversely affected by construction of the new properties, a lack of parking spaces, and that trees would be removed."There's such a large variety of mature trees there," said environmental campaigner Sheena Brockie."It's on the outskirts of town and it would be alive with lots of different biodiversity, lots of wildlife using that space. "But it's also the community value for the people in the care home. "They're in a room, perhaps not as mobile as they used to be, and actually they're right in the midst of nature - so why take all that away and clear the land?" In planning documents, the applicants said: "Trees have been central to the design process from the start and have clearly had a substantial influence to the design and layout. "The submitted plans show the retention of the majority of trees, including the best trees on site as well as large areas of green space".They added: "Whilst it is fully understood that any construction work within a care home setting will be undesirable, with careful consideration the impacts can be understood and managed."Two members of the planning committee backed the application, but four refused it.
BBC News
03-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Darwen Town Hall reopens after £350,000 refurbishment
A Victorian town hall in Lancashire has reopened after a £350,000 Town Hall closed in May for the renovation, which includes making improvements to facilitate the relocation of the joint council and NHS services from Darwen Resource have returned to the 1882 neo-classical building although the front reception desk services will continue in the market hall until with Darwen Council has apologised for any inconvenience and thanked people for their patience during the revamp. The works included internal alterations and improvements to nearly all areas of the town hall, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said It follows a decision made by the council to designate Darwen Resource Centre as surplus to operational requirements, allowing for alternative commercial use with Darwen Town Hall identified as a suitable replacement location for its for Darwen West ward, Dave Smith, said: "The work will help secure the future of one of the most important buildings in Darwen."Hopefully the planning application for the major work on Darwen Market Hall financed by the town deal will be submitted shortly."Blackburn with Darwen Council allocated an additional £200,000 to the original £150,000 budget to improve flexibility of workspaces, allow additional areas to be included and address the maintenance backlog affecting the areas, bringing the total funding for the project to £350,000. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
BBC News
12-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Council tax expected to rise by 5% a year
Council tax is expected to rise by 5% a year to pay for local services including policing, documents in the Spending Review authorities have the power to raise the tax by up to 5% every year, without central government approval, although some choose lower Wednesday's Spending Review assumes councils will raise it to the maximum forms part of the government's calculations that there will be an average increase in "police spending power" of 2.3% a year in real terms. Council tax includes a so-called police precept, which helps fund services such as regular community budgets are made up of funding from both central government and local government and the increase assumes a rise in the police council tax precept, Treasury documents suggest."This includes projected spending from additional income, including estimated funding from the police council tax precept," the documents leaders have already called for greater funding, with some arguing extra money provided in the Spending Review would quickly go on covering officers' pay. Councils' choice On whether councils would have to raise council tax by 5% to cover any shortfall in police officers, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said nothing had been changed in terms of the 5% council tax cap, which was brought in by the previous government. "It is a cap, councils don't have to increase council tax by 5%," she told BBC Breakfast."That's to invest in things like social care, but also as is normal to put money into policing."The Spending Review revealed the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government would see a 1.4% real-terms cut in its day-to-day the government said councils' "core spending power" would still go up, if they increased council tax by the maximum services ranging from social care and libraries to bin collection and street cleaning are funded through council tax.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
State proposal to make it harder to pass property tax levies worries Stark County leaders
Stark County leaders say a state proposal to make it more difficult to pass local property tax levies could hurt essential services. The legislation by Reps. David Thomas, R-Jefferson, and Angie King, R-Celina, would raise the threshold for passing levies for schools, libraries, parks and other services to 60% rather than a simple majority. Some lawmakers say it would ensure levies have the full support of the community at a time when many homeowners are being hit with big property tax increases. The Canton Repository examined election results from November 2022 through May 2025 in Stark County. The newspaper found there were a total of 117 tax issues on the ballot, with 93 of those passing with a simple majority. But 35 of the 93 issues would have failed if a 60% majority were required. When the Stark Library levy passed in 2019, it was approved with just over 51% approval. "If that provision had been effect in 2019 when we were on the ballot, it would not have passed," said Mary Ellen Icaza, Stark Library CEO and executive director. "We would not be able to provide the services that we are now providing to our community, and there would be significant, significant impacts." The eight-year levy is still active and represents 58% of the library system's funding. Icaza said property tax levies are the most lucrative way for the library system to raise funds. "The proposal, as it stands with the 60% required passage, I think it undermines the principle of majority rule in Ohio," she said. "It certainly would make it more difficult to pass any library levies." The Perry Township Fire Department passed a 4.9-mill replacement levy in November. According to official election results, the levy had 50.15% approval and passed by just 43 votes. Perry Township Fire Chief Larry Sedlock said the department relies on the property tax levy for the vast majority of operations. "We are a township; we rely heavily on property taxes," he said. While the idea of granting property tax relief sounds appealing, Sedlock said he does not see how the department could operate without those funds. "The money has got to come from someplace," he said. "I'm sure property owners such as myself would enjoy that relief, but I'm just not sure how they're going to go about it." Kevin Tobin, retiring superintendent of Lake Local Schools, said the proposal to raise the threshold is the latest in a series of attacks on public education in Ohio. "The simple majority rules today, and I don't understand why they want to go away from that," he said. "We're already under siege. It's just another weaponization against public education." 'Roller coaster': Stark County school districts facing uncertainty about state funding Public schools are dependent on property tax revenue. Tobin said it's put the burden on homeowners. "It is disheartening to know that we continue to just strap the backs of our property owners," he said. "The funding model is broken." But right now, there aren't any sufficient alternatives to levies, Tobin said. "Every district's got booster clubs, every district has academic boosters, every district is trying to raise money," he said. "Everybody's looking for alternative revenue streams to enhance our student experiences, because our income that we're getting from the state is not enough to do the things we do." Lake Local Schools passed a five-year, 9.5-mill levy in March 2024 after two previous attempts failed. It had 54% approval. "It took us three times to pass a levy that literally does not generate enough funds to do all that we would like to do for our children," Tobin said, "and that's frustrating." Tobin has been through the difficult process of constantly asking voters for new levies. Increasing the threshold would just make it harder, he said. "It is very difficult to go through a levy cycle and keep everybody positive and moving in the right direction," he said. "It is one of the more difficult things that you are asked to do as an educational leader." In the most recent election on May 6, all of the tax issues that were approved in Stark County passed with over 60% of the vote. The tax issues included a countywide replacement levy for Stark County Children Services, which passed with 62% approval and a Louisville Library District renewal levy, which passed with just over 60% of the vote. That was not the case for the Nov. 5 general election. There was a mixed bag of outcomes for tax issues in that election. Ten issues passed with under 60% approval, including a Lawrence Township police levy, which passed with over 56% approval, and the Perry Township fire levy. Here's how many issues would've been impacted from the last three years if the threshold to pass was 60%: May 2025 election: Two issues that were approved would have failed. November 2024: Ten approved issues wouldn't have passed. March 2024: Four approved issues wouldn't have passed. November 2023: Twelve approved issues wouldn't have passed. May 2023: Four approved issues wouldn't have passed. November 2022: Three approved issues wouldn't have passed. Reach Grace at 330-580-8364 or gspringer@ Follow her on X @GraceSpringer16. This article originally appeared on The Repository: Stark leaders weigh in on proposed property tax levy changes
