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2nd October 2020 blog, Call Management

Call Monitoring: What Is It and How Does It Work?

2nd October 2020 blog, Business Phone Numbers

The Chinese Telephone Code Plan Explained

29th September 2020 blog, Cloud Telephony

What is Fax Over IP and 4 Benefits of Using FoIP

28th September 2020 blog, Sales Management

4 Ways Your Distributed Team Can Benefit From Call Forwarding

How to win back post-pandemic customers.

25th September 2020 blog, Business Insights

5 Ways to Win Back Your Post-Pandemic Customers

24th September 2020 blog, Call Management

5 Ways to Improve Phone System Automation with Call Forwarding

Reasons why a softphone is essential for your remote team.

21st September 2020 blog, Cloud Telephony

6 Reasons Why a Softphone Is Essential For Any Remote Team

16th September 2020 blog, Customer Service

Global Customer Support: 8 Strategies to Get More Global Customers

9th September 2020 blog, Business Phone Numbers

How Much Does an International Toll Free Number Cost? [2026]

Call Monitoring: What Is It and How Does It Work?

Miguel Isabal 2nd October 2020 blog, Call Management

Call monitoring is a call center feature that can be used by businesses of every type and size to improve their customer service and build strong customer relationships. Learn how this feature works and the best ways to use it.

Call Monitoring Explained

Call monitoring software or call listening is a call center feature that allows managers or supervisors to listen in on a call. This feature is commonly used to improve quality assurance and customer service. Some other terms for call monitoring include call logging, agent monitoring, and quality monitoring.

Call listening enables calls to be monitored with or without the agent or employee’s knowledge. Some providers may even give you the option to record and store such calls for future use.

Need a call monitoring scoresheet to evaluate your agents’ performance? Scroll below for call monitoring scorecard templates!

Who Uses Call Monitoring Software?

Any business trying to improve or maintain its customer service standards may use call monitoring to do so. Callers will hear the message: “This call may be monitored for quality assurance.”

And so, call monitoring is a common feature used in call centers, sales, and customer service companies. This feature can be used to:

Train new agents (used by managers and supervisors)
Conduct performance analysis (used by managers and supervisors)
Gather customer insights (used by marketing departments)
Determine the quality of leads (used by marketing departments)
Improve sales calls and lead generation (used by the sales department)

Key Features of Call Monitoring

Monitoring calls is more effective when done in conjunction with call monitoring features that let users participate, observe, record, and analyze calls and interactions. Some of the top features that support call monitoring software include:

Call monitoring dashboard — Included as part of a call center software; used to track certain metrics and study call logs
Detail records — detailed logs and reports of incoming and outgoing calls to study caller preferences.
Call whispering — informs agents about where a call is coming from (which advertising campaign or channel) before they answer it.
Call barging — enables managers and supervisors to join a call between a customer and agent to aid the agent in resolving the call.
Hosted call recording — records inbound and outbound calls and stores them for future reference.

Benefits of Call Monitoring

Like any advanced phone system feature, being able to monitor business calls comes with a variety of benefits. Call monitoring lets you not only listen in on calls but also to take the necessary steps to improve your business’ overall customer service efforts. Here are the top benefits of using this feature:

Improved quality assurance
Fewer training sessions for new employees
Remote agent management
Reduced number of escalated calls with upset or angry customers
Higher first call resolution rates
Gathering customer insights and feedback, etc.

5 Call Monitoring Best Practices

To get the best out of this call center feature, you need to implement these call monitoring best practices:

1. Set Clear Objectives

As with any other business decision, set clear goals and objectives. Determine why you will be monitoring calls, make a list of the KPIs to measure, and prepare a scorecard for evaluations.

2. Provide Useful Scripts

A well-written script can go a long way in ensuring customers feel valued and heard. And by giving your agents and employees useful scripts, you give them the tools they need to offer assistance, troubleshoot, and provide solutions for common issues. This can help improve first call resolution rates.

3. Learn from Bad Calls

Treat bad calls as a treasure-trove of info. These calls can help you identify what went wrong and how to not repeat those interactions with other customers. Additionally, these calls make valuable training materials for new agents.

4. Study Metrics

Measure and analyze the KPIs and metrics you have been tracking. Find out which areas are working well and which need improvement. Brainstorm with your team to find ways to implement changes that align with your company’s standards and customers’ expectations.

5. Be in Compliance

Features like call monitoring and call recording have laws that differ across different countries. And so, depending on where your business is located and where your customers call from, you will have different federal and state laws to abide by.

Does Your Business Need to Monitor Calls?

Monitoring calls can give you insight into the current state of your company’s customer service and sales. And you can use that valuable information to improve your services and build better customer relationships. To learn more, speak or chat with one of our telecom experts today!

Downloadable Call Monitoring Scoresheet Templates

Ready to get started? Then, grab our call monitoring scoresheet or evaluation templates below, share them with your managers, and start evaluating your call center’s performance! We have scoresheet templates for Outbound Sales calls, Inbound Sales calls, Customer and Technical Support calls, and Chat support.

Download Your Free Call Center Scorecard Templates

CC Scorecard download

The Chinese Telephone Code Plan Explained

Beny Mouen 2nd October 2020 blog, Business Phone Numbers

Want to learn more about the Chinese telephone code plan? Find out which Chinese phone number type is the best fit for your business. Also, we outline common China VoIP issues and what telecom companies are doing to provide better virtual communication in the country.

Understanding the Chinese Telephone Code Plan

Chinese phone numbers are organized and assigned by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. According to their plan, there are different formats for landlines, mobile numbers, and toll free numbers. The Chinese country code is (+86).

We will delve into the finer details of the Chinese telephone code plan so you can find the right business phone number for your company.

1. Chinese Local Numbers

In major Chinese cities, landlines or local numbers have a 2-digit area code followed by an 8-digit subscriber number. Some cities have a 3-digit area code with a 7- or 8-digit subscriber number. When a local landline number is called from another number within the same area, the area code does not need to be dialed. Local Chinese numbers with area codes include:

- Beijing (10)
- Guangzhou (20)
- Tianjin (22)
- Shanghai (21)
- Zhengzhou (371)
- Xiantao, Tianmen, Qianjiang (728)

The format for Chinese local numbers is:
(area code) + xxxx-xxxx

As a business, in or outside of the telecom industry in China, having a local number lets local customers call you by paying regular local calling charges. And so, even if your business is not located in the country, customers do not have to pay high international calling charges to get support.

2. Chinese Toll Free Numbers

China toll free numbers are business numbers that give local Chinese callers a free calling option. This is because toll free service providers charge the business using the toll free number instead of the caller. By doing so, you give interested and potential customers a way to contact your business for free.

An international business located outside of China can use these numbers to gain more Chinese customers or build local networks. Incoming calls can be forwarded to your office, wherever it is located.

The format for Chinese toll free numbers is:
(010) + (800) + xxx-xxxx

3. Chinese 400 Numbers

China 400 numbers are also a part of the Chinese telephone code plan. As their name indicates, 400 numbers start with the prefix (400). These numbers are reachable from anywhere in the country, making them a good business phone number option.

The format for Chinese national numbers is:
(400) + xxx-xxxx

4. Chinese International Codes

China has four international call prefixes that residents, businesses, and foreign callers can use. These international codes include:

- Mainland China (+86)
- Hong Kong (+852)
- Macau (+853)
- Taiwan (+886)

How to Call China from the US

To dial a China phone number from the US, you will need to dial the US exit code (011) and China country code (86) before the subscriber number. Follow this China phone number dialing format:

Calling a China local number: 011 – 86 – Area code – xxxx-xxxx

Example: 011 – 86 – 20 – 3333-3333

Calling a China toll free number: 011 – 86 – Toll free code – xxxx-xxxx

Example: 011 – 86 – 800 – 3333-3333

Calling a China mobile number: 011 – 86 – 1 Mobile code – xxxx-xxxx

Example: 011 – 86 – 122 – 3333-3333

Common Problems with China Virtual Numbers

Demand for China virtual phone numbers has grown substantially in recent years. However many businesses have gotten frustrated while trying to find a reliable phone number to use in China. Since there are so many amazing opportunities in China, businesses want to continue their presence and therefore a reliable service needs to be available. At Global Call Forwarding, we are working hard to solve these issues. So, what are the common problems with Chinese virtual phone numbers and how do we solve them?

1. Mobile access

Toll free numbers in China are not accessible from mobile phones. If a business uses an 800 number for their company, their customers can call them through landlines only. Customers dialing from a mobile phone won’t be able to reach this business. Secondly, there are two 800 numbers in China; one for southern China and one for Northern China. This means, to be accessible to customers in all of China, a business will need two toll free numbers. To combat this issue and because of the lack of mobile access for 800 numbers, 400 numbers were created. 400 numbers can be reached from mobile phones and you don’t need different numbers for north and south China. The only difference is that customers pay a regular, local cost.

2. Long setup times

China requires that you have documentation of your business or a passport before getting virtual phone numbers. Conversely, you do not need a physical address in China to get a local phone number. Either way, waiting for the approval of these documents can take a long time. In order to bypass these wait times, you need to choose a provider with a good relationship with Chinese providers.

3. VoIP regulations

China VoIP regulations are different compared to other countries. Over time, several VoIP services have been banned in China with only certain VoIP providers allowed to operate. These providers are usually allowed only when China owns a majority of the company. Therefore, adding new VoIP providers becomes very difficult. Chinese VoIP providers have seen an improvement in the country’s willingness to partner with outside countries. The easiest place to gain a phone number is in Beijing, but outside of the country’s capital, it is still a struggle. The 400 numbers have the most common services available from VoIP providers. With 400 numbers, there is better consistency in call quality. As more companies take their business to China, the service will continue to improve.

4. Number porting

Number porting is not as advanced in China as you may find in other countries. Changing service providers in China will mean a few extra steps, involving canceling your number and buying a new phone number from your new provider. This issue has not been fixed, but if you choose a reputable VoIP provider that allows you to test their service before signing a long-term contract, you won’t waste any money on advertising a new number.

5. Number availability and limitations

Local numbers are difficult to set up in China due to their many restrictions. As China’s economy grows and more businesses choose to expand their global reach, the difficulty has lessened. However, complaints about call quality are common. Many providers only provide access to Beijing or Shanghai. At Global Call Forwarding, we offer local numbers in Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Tongchuan, and Hong Kong, with a reliable connection.

The future of China and the VoIP industry shows promise for growth. Although it is difficult at the present time, VoIP providers and China have been working hard to establish better connections and they continue to get better.

Getting Chinese Phone Numbers

Global Call Forwarding offers a variety of Chinese virtual phone numbers that work within the Chinese telephone code plan. You can use these numbers to start a new business in the country or expand your business to China. Call us today to learn more!

What is Fax Over IP and 4 Benefits of Using FoIP

Nadine Sampson 29th September 2020 blog, Cloud Telephony

As businesses transition to the cloud and internet services, your faxes should not be left behind. Fax over IP or a FoIP service is an IP telephony service that enables fax transmission via the internet, which makes sending and receiving business documents easier and safer.

What is FoIP? Fax Over IP Explained

Fax over IP — also known as FoIP service or eFaxing — is an telephony feature that sends fax documents using internet protocols instead of the PSTN. Public switched telephone network (PSTN) has dominated the fax transmission game for years. However, internet protocols have paved way for services such as fax over IP to become possible. All that is required is a reliable internet connection and bandwidth to carry the faxes.

How Does Fax Over IP Work?

A FoIP service works similarly to voice over IP; that is, files are converted into digital packets and then transferred from one endpoint to the next. With eFaxing, your fax document is converted into a packet, encapsulated in a transport protocol, and transmitted to the destination. Both endpoints are usually fax machines that work with a FoIP gateway or adapter to enable the sending and receiving of faxes.

In some cases, your business can even get a fax forwarding service that forwards incoming faxes directly to your email. In other words, when your fax machine receives a fax, it can reroute the fax to a predetermined destination such as a business email ID.

4 Benefits of Using a FoIP Service

So, why should your business consider getting FoIP? Here are the top 4 benefits of using a fax over IP service:

1. Unified communications
You can easily fit or integrate FoIP into your existing business communication tools. This means that you do not need a separate or additional analog network to use the service. You can access important communication tools from the same network.

2. Content management
By transmitting fax over an IP network, you can manage important business and customer documents by digitizing, archiving, emailing, and storing them on the cloud.

3. Lower costs
Faxing over IP is often less expensive than using a traditional fax machine. For instance, the per-message rate is lesser than PSTN. Additionally, by unifying network connectivity, you are paying for one less network. This can result in definitive cost-savings.

4. Remote access and usage
Lastly, you can access the faxes from any device; even in areas where physical fax lines cannot be installed. This is an advantage for businesses with remote workers and distributed teams using their own devices.

Is Fax Over IP Right for Your Business?

There is only one way to find out: give a FoIP service a try. If your business deals with faxes on a daily basis and you want a reliable means to handle important documents, then FoIP may be the right solution. Call our experts today to learn more!

4 Ways Your Distributed Team Can Benefit From Call Forwarding

Miguel Isabal 28th September 2020 blog, Sales Management

Advances in technology have made it possible for businesses and their employees to work from different locations with ease. For most companies, being present in the office and using office equipment is no longer the only option. With voice over IP, BYOD, quick and easy video and audio conferencing, and more, it is easier than ever to manage distributed teams. In this post, we will look specifically at how a business call forwarding service can benefit remote or distributed teams.

What are the Challenges of a Distributed Team?

“Distributed teams” refers to business teams that work from home, different locations, remotely, etc. These teams are “distributed” across different locations and do not necessarily work out of the main office.

Distributed teams or remote working teams are a growing trend in 2022 year amidst the “great resignation.” However, not many businesses were equipped to comfortably switch to a work-from-home process. But for companies using an advanced or virtual phone system, this move was easy. And one reason for that is the call forwarding feature.

What is Call Forwarding?

Call forwarding is a small business phone service feature that lets you forward incoming calls to any location, number, or device. This way, you can easily route calls to specific agents and employees no matter where they are. So, who can benefit from call forwarding?

Distributed teams
Remote working teams
International teams
Traveling employees

4 Ways Call Forwarding Can Benefit Your Distributed Team

Call forwarding keeps you connected even outside the main office. All you need to do is connect your device to the internet and your VoIP service. And then, you can easily turn this device into a business powerhouse. Here are the top benefits of using call forwarding for your remote team:

1. Forward Calls Geographically

Calls can be forwarded to any geographic location. And so, you can have calls routed to local employees as well as international employees that are providing customer support to your international clientele in their own time zones. This means that users and remote employees have flexibility and are not limited to one location.

2. Forward Calls to Any Device

A call forwarding service will let you route calls to any device such as a computer, laptop, smartphone, tablet, VoIP phone, etc. This means that if one device fails or is stolen, employees can quickly use their own device to continue doing their job. It also means that users and employees are not limited to one device in the main office.

3. Set Up Forwarding Rules That Will Benefit Your Distributed Team

Call forwarding from a virtual phone service provider comes with useful routing rules and strategies. The most common routing and forwarding strategies include:

Time of day routing – Forward calls based on time. You can have calls forwarded to remote locations during off-hours to match the location’s time zone. You can also have calls forwarded to specific locations and devices over the weekends.
Select country routing – Forward calls from different countries to specific locations.
Voicemail to email – Send voicemails to your email as a recording.
Fax to email – Send important faxes to email.

4. Change Forwarding Strategies Anytime

The best part of such a service is that you can change the forwarding settings as and when needed. Forward calls to the main office when everyone is present. Or, forward calls to remote teams when remote working is applicable. Either way, you can change these rules as and when needed to make a system that works best for your business.

Get Call Forwarding for Your Small Business Today

A call forwarding service can help your business maintain connectivity and productivity even when teams are distributed and working remotely. Getting call forwarding is easy. You can sign up on our website and start forwarding calls to locations and devices as needed. Call us or chat with our experts to learn more about this service today!

5 Ways to Win Back Your Post-Pandemic Customers

Nadine Sampson 25th September 2020 blog, Business Insights

It’s true that the COVID-19 pandemic put a wrench in our plans to grow this year. Yet, instead of being disheartened about the current state of your business and future prospects, now is the time to see how you can reinvent your company and keep your customers.

This means: developing a post-pandemic customer support strategy.

In this post, we will look at creative and successful ways to bring your post-pandemic customers back to your business.

How to Provide Excellent Post-Pandemic Customer Support

To ensure that your customer relationships outlast the coronavirus pandemic, it is important to have a customer-first strategy. This includes understanding what your customers need from you and how you can offer that in a safe and secure way. Take time to devise a post-pandemic customer support strategy in a way that elevates your customers and your customer support team. Let’s look at these 5 ways to win back post-pandemic customers.

1. Gather New Customer Insights & Preferences

The first step to implementing a customer-first strategy for your post-pandemic customers is focusing on what they need. Gather information about customer insights and preferences by asking them, conducting social media polls, and getting your marketing team on task. Brainstorm ways in which you can surprise your customers or make them feel valued. Thank you notes or emails, complimentary presents for using your service, etc., are some ways to get their attention and make them feel welcomed.

2. Demonstrate What You Are Doing to Stay Safe

Since individual and collective safety is of utmost importance at this time, you will need to show your customers what your business is doing to stay safe. Social media posts and an email detailing your safety plan can go a long way in gaining their trust. Some ways to display good and safe practices include:

Mandating face masks when in your store
Maintaining social distancing
Ensuring the availability of hand sanitizers
Offering flexible return to business policies
Keeping your website and online transactions secure from hackers
Highlighting employee safety regulations; what employees are doing to stay safe and healthy

All of this information not only educates your customers about the virus and how your business is dealing with it but also helps them trust you and your employees enough to make a purchase.

3. Offer Multichannel Communication & Support

Another key element to include in your post-pandemic customer support strategy is to make your business available via multiple channels. Besides offering phone and email support, you may even consider other channels of communication. For example, instant messaging, social media engagement, live chat, and video conferencing. Video conferencing can go a long way in interacting with a potential customer, doing product demonstrations, and securing their purchases.

4. Prepare for Antsy and Worried Customers

Now this one is important. There is general anxiety all over the world right now. And so, your customers may be angry, worried, or antsy. But be mindful and respectful of this. Treat them with kindness. Be prepared with solutions to their issues and concerns. And you will gain global customers for the long-run.

5. Make it Easy for Customers to Come Back to Your Business

Encourage your post-pandemic customers to come back. It is not going to be easy, which is why your business must attempt to make it convenient for them to return. Shower them with deals and promotions, membership programs, let them know how much you miss them. These actions will reap results in the future when everything opens up again.

Prepare For When the Pandemic is Over

Take time to improve your business’ post-pandemic customer support. Remember that even if customers do not immediately start purchasing from your business, they will remember the above initiatives when the pandemic is over. They will know that your business did everything it could to ensure safety and customer satisfaction, and that will also influence them to come back. Work now so that when COVID-19 is gone, your business is the first thing customers think about!

5 Ways to Improve Phone System Automation with Call Forwarding

Beny Mouen 24th September 2020 blog, Call Management

One of the most important parts of any business is to offer reliable customer support. This means that when a customer calls your business, you are always reachable and can provide quick and effective service. Offering such a support channel can prove difficult at times, especially when your team does not have the right business phone system tools. Fortunately, advanced services such as call forwarding and phone system automation can support your call volume.

Use Call Forwarding to Implement Phone System Automation

Call forwarding and phone system automation can work hand-in-hand to help callers get the assistance they need. This means transferring calls automatically or through an automated response system to the right agent, voicemail, or pre-recorded messages. Doing so can help your business offer quick and accurate customer support. Here are 5 ways to use call forwarding and phone system automation to improve your call flow management.

1. Interactive Voice Response

A cloud-hosted IVR system or interactive voice response is an automated phone system that answers incoming calls, identifies the purpose of the call, and proceeds to assist the caller. Your IVR system can present options to the caller through a series of menus such as “Press 1 for sales, Press 2 for customer support, Press 5 to make a payment, Press 4 for voicemail, and so on.” This way, callers can input the service they need.

2. Name or Company Directory

This feature is part of your automated phone system where you create a name or company directory so that callers can navigate by themselves to the department they want such as “Press 1 for marketing.” Having the automated system present customers with options means that they don’t have to know the department’s number or dial an extension themselves. You can list specific departments or even specific employees with an automated phone system. This also reduces the amount of transferring a caller has to go through before they reach the right department or employee.

3. Advanced Routing Strategies

An automated phone system will give you the opportunity to use various call forwarding and routing strategies for maximum productivity. For example, calls made during off-hours or weekends can be routed to remote employees who have an evening or weekend shift. This is called time-based routing. You may even forward those calls to your own smartphone or home office.

Or, you can have certain calls forwarded to remote employees or international offices located in different parts of the world with location-based routing. This type of automation is especially useful for companies with international reach and clientele. Lastly, you can have incoming calls ring on multiple devices at the same time. This ensures that the call is answered quickly and no call goes missed.

4. Multichannel Communication Options

Offering support only through phone conversations may be a disadvantage. Especially considering most customers look for emails, chat, or social media contact methods. This is why your business should consider using human collaboration with phone system automation. For instance, chatbots can help resolve issues through pre-recorded messages and rules. Automated responses inform customers that your business has received their message and will respond within a few days.

By executing multichannel support, your business caters to customers who do not prefer phone conversations. Thereby, increasing your customer base.

5. Voicemail

Your automated phone system can even forward the call to voicemail when the caller simply wants to leave a message and receive a call back. This is useful when the caller is not sure which department to speak with or if all employees are busy and the caller does not want to wait in line.

Get Phone System Automation with Global Call Forwarding

Here at Global Call Forwarding, we specialize in bringing advanced communication tools to businesses of all sizes and in all industries. You can use our call forwarding service to help automate customer service and build stronger relationships. Want to learn more? Call us at 1 (888) 908 6171 or chat online with one of our experts today!

6 Reasons Why a Softphone Is Essential For Any Remote Team

Beny Mouen 21st September 2020 blog, Cloud Telephony

Managing remote or distributed teams can be a hassle. Ensuring that employees stay connected and are able to contact customers and answer customer service calls is important. However, not everyone has access to the tools needed to make such a system work. Here is where a softphone can benefit your remote team.

How Can a Softphone Benefit Your Remote Team?

First, what is a softphone? It is a software that transforms any device (computer, laptop, smartphone, IP phone, tablet, etc.) into a phone. You can then use this device to make and receive calls over the internet instead of a cellular or traditional phone line.

All you need to make this work is a headset, a camera (if video calling is needed), and a voice over IP service. Then, employees can connect with co-workers and customers from any location and any device!

Here are 6 reasons to use a softphone for your remote or distributed teams.

1. Save on Communication-Related Costs

Softphones don’t need extra hardware or equipment to make them work effectively. And so, you won’t need to supply your remote teams with equipment. They can simply use their existing devices (laptops, tablets, smartphones) to connect to your VoIP service and make and receive calls.

When you choose a softphone instead of a desk phone, you save hardware, equipment, and IT costs.

2. Never Miss a Call, Stay Reachable

Another reason to use a softphone for business communication is that users can stay connected from any location (thanks for VoIP). And since employees and agents can use any device, they are reachable no matter where they are located. Plus, incoming calls can be forwarded to their number ensuring that they never miss a call. And when calling customers, they can change their outgoing caller ID to represent the company’s phone number instead of their own number. This way, their personal phone number is masked while they continue doing their job.

3. Maintain Productivity

A softphone gives a remote worker the ability to work at their own pace and from the comforts of their own home or local coffee shop. When giving employees the ability to work remotely, you cut down on commuting and transportation woes and give parents the opportunity to take care of their children while still being able to work. Remote working can significantly reduce stressors present in one’s life, helping them focus better on important tasks. Employees that do not feel burdened or stressed and can therefore do their jobs better, thus maintaining productivity.

4. Take Advantage of Advanced Communication Features

Softphones also give users access to advanced business communication features. The variety of features depends on your VoIP service. Most providers will offer the following:

Ability to make and answer calls
Call transfer
Remote call forwarding and routing
Outbound calling (with dynamic caller ID)
Call with a single click or by dialing through the dialpad
Access to voicemail
Ability to make notes about the call and the caller
Contact management

5. Support Your BYOD Policy

A bring your own device policy is a workplace policy that encourages employees to use their own devices. This is an ideal situation for remote workers as well as employers. Employers don’t have to worry about expenses related to equipment such as providing laptops or computers, etc. At the same time, remote workers can use devices and applications they are comfortable with. A softphone can easily fit into your BYOD policy as users can convert any of their devices into business communication tools. This way, they remain productive through devices they are comfortable working with.

6. Make Remote Working a Possibility

Finally, the most important reason to use a softphone is to make transitioning to remote-work is easy. Business VoIP technology and softphones make remote working or managing distributed teams easier. So, now, you can offer employees the option to work from home or hire agents in different time zones to get more global customers.

Need More Reasons to Get a Softphone Today?

Don’t wait any longer; choose the right softphone for your business! Get a softphone to enhance and streamline your business communications. Global Call Forwarding can help!

Sign up for our virtual phone number service and use the GCF softphone for any device to make and answer calls through the internet. Call us at 1 (888) 908 6171 to get started today!

Global Customer Support: 8 Strategies to Get More Global Customers

Beny Mouen 16th September 2020 blog, Customer Service

Supporting a global customer base may seem overwhelming and unattainable. However, with the right tools and business moves, bringing aboard more global customers can be a piece of cake. Here are 8 proven tactics to appeal to an international customer base and offer excellent global customer support.

What is Global Customer Support and Why is it Important?

Global customer support or global customer service is the process of offering excellent service to your customers across all platforms, channels, and markets. It also means developing key strategies and support systems to assist global customers spread around the world. By taking time to execute a strong global customer support system, you can improve brand awareness and customer support on an international scale. As such, multinational and mid-large-sized businesses invest the necessary resources to be available for their international clientele.

How Can You Support International Customers?

In order to support your global customers, you will need a plan or strategy. This involves identifying ways in which your business will provide global support, investing in tools and technology needed, financial planning, and more. The first step is to create a CX and customer support strategy for your global customers. Once you have a plan in mind, you can start taking steps towards building a robust international customer support system.

Global Customer Support Strategies: 8 Surefire Tips

Bringing on new global customers requires a few different strategies working at the same time. For example, you will need to increase business visibility and awareness through advertising and international marketing. Then, you will have to make your business easily accessible to customers in these global markets. More and more companies are adopting a Follow the Sun model to offer global customer support and stay in touch with their international clients. Read on for specific tactics you can use to entice new customers as you expand globally.

1. Hire Locals

Work with local recruiters to bring locals on board who know how to work within these target markets. Hiring locals means you can offer customer support in that area’s time zone and in regional languages. Furthermore, these employees know what the purchasing and buying culture is like within that country, state, or city. And this information can be used to better appeal to customers and vendors.

2. Work with Remote Teams

Hiring employees for global markets does not always mean opening field offices or relocating your current employees. Your chief client officer can easily hire and manage remote workers and teams by using a virtual phone system that allows users to centralize business communications from any location and any device. This lets you hire locals without needing to worry about getting an office space, equipment, etc. This helps you keep communication costs low as well as save on moving or office costs.

3. Plan to Offer Customer Support in Different Time Zones

To reach maximum global customers, it is important to offer support in current time zones. This means making your agents available in the time zone of the region you are targeting. This can be done by hiring locals from the countries or regions where you want to offer global customer support. Then, you can have incoming calls forwarded to those agents and remote workers during certain times of the day through time-based routing or location-based call routing. This way, global customers can get support quickly.

4. Invest in Multilingual Support Tools

A global expansion best practice is being able to reach global customers in languages and terms they understand and appreciate. More than 29% of businesses in a recent survey conducted by Inside Intercom said that they lost customers by not offering multilingual support. This is why it’s essential to use multilingual support tools to make your business more accessible. Consider investing in:

Multilingual agents
Language and location targeting
Localization services
Machine translation features to translate your website
Chatbots that support different languages, etc.

This can help you reach a larger audience and improve brand awareness and visibility giving your business an international reputation.

5. Consider Automation

Automation can help offer global customer support, especially when agents are unavailable. For instance, you can develop a cloud IVR system to answer incoming calls, identify the purpose of the call, and take action accordingly. This automated voice response service will interact with callers, ask pre-determined questions, and present callers with pre-recorded menu options. Then, based on caller input, the system will offer support, transfer the caller to the right agent, or send them to voicemail. The same goes for chatbots.

These automation services can help reduce the burden agents feel by taking care of smaller concerns, giving employees the time needed to work on more complicated issues. Automation also helps provide support during off-hours and the weekend, making your business more reachable to global customers when they need you most.

6. Use Multiple Social Media Platforms

If your business is not on social media platforms, then it is lacking in business awareness. Social media has grown into an important and effective global marketing tool. Use your platforms to demonstrate your business’ (geographical) reach, its values and products, customer reviews, events, and more. Engage with followers, respond to queries and concerns, and adopt a neutral, non-political stance.

7. International SEO

Consider search engine optimization or SEO for international marketing. This usually includes boosting your website and increasing your business’ visibility through country targeting and language targeting. Develop content that is original and relevant and use keywords that will draw local as well as international traffic to your website.

8. Display Quality Testimonials and Reviews

Lastly, highlight reviews and testimonials from your global customers. Social proof goes a long way in showing new prospects how your business values its customers and how your business works. You may even choose to publish case studies on successful clients, detailing how your product or service benefits them, and so on.

Need Communication Tools to Reach Global Customers?

Global Call Forwarding can help you get the right communications tools for global expansion. Call us today at 1 (561) 908 6171 to find out how we can help you improve the customer experience for your global customers. Improve business awareness and make your business a reliable one by offering global customer support.

How Much Does an International Toll Free Number Cost? [2026]

Nadine Sampson 9th September 2020 blog, Business Phone Numbers

International toll free numbers can help you expand your company’s reach by creating communication channels between your company and interested customers in other countries and states. Here we will outline how much an international toll free number costs and what important factors to take into account when getting a new international toll free number.

International Toll Free Number Costs: Factors to Consider

International toll free phone numbers are toll free numbers for different countries across the world. Residents within those countries can call your ITFN for free while incoming calls are forwarded to a location or line in a country of your choice.

This enables your business to offer sales and customer support to international countries. For instance, you can get a UK toll free number and have calls forwarded to your office in Singapore.

How much an international toll free number costs depends on the following factors:

1. How you answer calls
What device you answer calls on can affect the ultimate price you pay for an international toll free number service. For instance, calls answered on a mobile phone may be more expensive than calls answered on a VoIP or SIP phone.

2. Where calls come from
One of the biggest contributors to the international toll free phone number cost is the location of your callers. That is, where your callers are calling from. For instance, calls from China may be more expensive than calls from the UK or Singapore. Furthermore, what device — landline or mobile — is used to call can also affect the cost.

3. Talk time per month
What is your business’ call volume per month? How many calls and how much call time do you expect? This is also important to consider when getting an ITFN service. The more you talk, the more you pay. However, there are plans that reduce cost per minute when your call traffic increases.

4. Additional features and services
What additional features or add-on services do you need? These additional features can increase your overall cost. Important features like outbound calling, IVR, call forwarding, etc., should be easily accessible. If the prices for these services are too high, you may want to consider a different service.

5. Extra fees
Lastly, don’t forget to take into account any additional fees such as set-up or installation fees, cancellation fees, long-term contracts, etc. Look for a provider that doesn’t need set-up or cancellation fees so you can switch providers if needed.

Note: If you want an international toll-free number that supports both inbound and outbound calling, check out our Toll-Free 2-Way Voice service. The price for this will depend on your inbound and outbound phone plan for the desired country.

Global Call Forwarding: ITFN Price Breakdown

Here we breakdown our current international toll free number costs for the most popular countries. We include our basic monthly plan, SIP trunking price, and forwarding rates.

1. US Toll Free Numbers

To buy a US toll free number, you can simply review the below pricing information and sign up on our homepage.

- Cost of a US ITFN: $12.95
- SIP trunk pricing for outbound calls: $25 for 10 channels
- Rate for forwarding to IP: $.02 – $.04 per additional minute

2. Germany Toll Free Numbers

With Germany virtual toll free phone numbers, you can now offer German residents a free way to connect with your business.

- Cost of a Germany ITFN: $17.95
- IP trunk pricing for outbound calls: $25 for 10 channels
- Rate for forwarding to IP: $0.05- $0.07 per additional minute

3. UAE Toll Free Numbers

UAE 800 numbers can help your business offer sales and customer support to individuals and businesses located in UAE.

Cost of a UAE ITFN: $28.95
SIP trunk pricing for outbound calls: $25 for 10 channels
Rate for forwarding to IP: $0.43 – $0.47 per additional minute

4. UK Toll Free Numbers
Use UK freephone numbers to create reliable communication channels between your business and its UK clientele.

Cost of a UK ITFN: $12.95
SIP trunk pricing for outbound calls: $25 for 10 channels
Rate for forwarding to IP: $0.063 – $0.083 per additional minute

5. Singapore Toll Free Numbers
Buy Singapore toll free numbers to create a business in Singapore and add locals to your customer base.

Cost of a Singapore ITFN: $27.95
SIP trunk pricing for outbound calls: $25 for 10 channels
Rate for forwarding to IP: $0.063 – $0.082 per additional minute

6. Japan Toll Free Numbers

Japan toll free numbers will help you enter the Japanese market without increasing the cost of operations.

- Cost of a Japan toll free phone number: $68.95
- SIP trunk pricing for outbound calls: $25 for 10 channels
- Rate for forwarding to IP: $0.33 – $0.37 per additional minute

7. Hong Kong Toll Free Numbers

Use Hong Kong toll free numbers to increase sales and offer customer service to local consumers by making your Hong Kong business accessible and easy to call.

- Cost of a Hong Kong ITFN: $27.95
- SIP trunk pricing for outbound calls: $25 for 10 channels
- Rate for forwarding to IP: $0.063 – $0.082 per additional minute

8. Australia Toll Free Numbers

Want to expand to Australia? Australia virtual numbers can help you test the market and see how your product performs before you open field offices.

- Cost of an Australia toll free number: $13.95
- SIP trunk pricing for outbound calls: $25 for 10 channels
- Rate for forwarding to IP: $0.063 – $0.082 per additional minute

9. China Toll Free Numbers

Use China toll free numbers to sell to local Chinese residents and businesses. Enter the Chinese market and advertise locally.

- Cost of a China ITFN: $44.95
- SIP trunk pricing for outbound calls: $25 for 10 channels
- Rate for forwarding to IP: $0.37 – $0.41 per additional minute

10. India Toll Free Numbers

Doing business in India? Connect to India’s telecommunication network to make global communication easier and less expensive.

- Cost of an India ITFN: $38.95
- SIP trunk pricing for outbound calls: $25 for 10 channels
- Rate for forwarding to IP: $0.25 – $0.35 per additional minute

11. Mexico Toll Free Numbers

Mexico toll free numbers can open your business to include a Mexican customer base.

- Cost of a Mexico ITFN: $12.95
- SIP trunk pricing for outbound calls: $25 for 10 channels
- Rate for forwarding to IP: $0.063 – $0.073 per additional minute

12. Canada Toll Free Numbers

Get Canada toll free numbers today and start selling your product or service in Canada. Improve brand visibility and awareness by advertising locally.

- Cost of a Canada toll free number: $12.95
- SIP trunk pricing for outbound calls: $25 for 10 channels
- Rate for forwarding to IP: $0.02 – $0.04 per additional minute

Choose Your International Toll Free Number Now!

ITFNs make it easy to do global business without incurring exorbitant international calling rates. Get an international toll free number based on the countries and regions you want to target and expand your business to. With these numbers, you can add new customer bases, improve sales, offer global customer support, and become a reputable international brand. Sign up today or call us to learn more!