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The blog for Global Call Forwarding has articles on the latest customer service trends, telecommunications technologies, and business news.
customer friendly IVR system
26th May 2020 blog, Call Management

8 Tips to Design a Customer-Friendly IVR System

3 common IVR mistakes how to avoid them
26th May 2020 blog, Call Management

3 Common IVR System Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

855 phone numbers
24th May 2020 blog

Is 855 toll free?

An image showing international phone calls being made from your web browser.
12th May 2020 blog, Business Phone Numbers

3 Ways to Make International Calls from your Browser

call center dialer
11th May 2020 blog, Cloud Telephony

What is a Call Center Dialer?

improve call center CSAT scores
7th May 2020 blog, Call Center

5 Surefire Ways to Improve Call Center CSAT Scores

consider 1 800 numbers
6th May 2020 blog, Business Phone Numbers

5 Things You Need to Consider Before Getting a 1800 number

Australia-1800 vs 1300 numbers
17th April 2020 blog, Business Phone Numbers

1800 Australia Toll Free Numbers vs 1300 Australia Phone Numbers

how to measure customer satisfaction
12th April 2020 blog, Customer Service

How to Measure Customer Satisfaction

8 Tips to Design a Customer-Friendly IVR System

26th May 2020 blog, Call Management

Want to improve caller experience and customer satisfaction? Start by fixing your IVR system and making it more user-friendly. Here are 8 helpful tips to help you redesign your automated system and improve customer interaction.

Designing a Customer-Focused IVR System

IVR technology, or an interactive voice response system is an automated voice system used by businesses. This system interacts with callers before an employee does. It provides company information, identifies the purpose of the call, assists callers with possible solutions, and transfers calls to agents when needed. And by doing these tasks, it helps create a more organized and well-functioning communication system.

1. Offer 24/7 Customer Support

Your IVR system should always be open for business. That is to say, aim to provide 24/7 customer service with a well-executed IVR. Use prerecorded messages to provide support, instructions, and troubleshooting help. Offer basic information and answers to simple inquiries such as:

  • Company information (store hours, location, directory)
  • Product descriptions
  • Account balances
  • Shipping information, and so on

This way, even during off-hours and on the weekends, callers can get help for simple, basic concerns.

2. Use Voicemail and Callback Features

Part of providing 24/7 customer service is offering a callback option in the event callers are unable to resolve their call. This is helpful during heavy traffic situations, after-hours, and over the weekends. Create personalized voicemail messages for these types of situations and have the IVR system forward the call to voicemail. This way, they can leave a voicemail and wait for a call back from your business.

3. Avoid Providing Too Many Options

Too many options and overly-detailed prompts may lead to confusion and more misplaced calls. If there is too much to choose from, callers may not know what to choose and may select the wrong option. This leads to frustration and an unresolved call. Provide only the necessary options and details. Additionally, keep the language and easy-to-understand; avoid overuse of technical terminology and jargon.

4. Simplify Categories

Keep your IVR system structure simple. When you map out your IVR strategy, consider the main categories you want to provide help and information for. Under each category, try to stick to 4-5 options. Add a “Press # to hear these options again” button so that callers can hear the options again.
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5. Use Human Voices

Callers connecting with a business are generally doing so to get a problem resolved. And they typically want to talk to a human representative immediately. Interacting heavily with a robotic automated voice may create some frustration in the mind of the caller, especially if they cannot find the right menu option or solution.

Most IVR service providers will allow you to upload voice recordings of your choice. Here is an opportunity to add a more human touch to your IVR system. It may not be possible to implement this at every step of the IVR, but try to do so whenever you can.

6. Pay Attention to Customer Concerns

An IVR system that provides irrelevant options or information is not useful to a caller looking for specific help. For this reason, it is important to be able to predict customer concerns and what they would be calling about. Watch what your competitors are doing. Conduct market research. Collect feedback from current customers. All of this will help you identify common issues and questions that you can include and target in your IVR system.

7. Cater to Your Audience

Depending on the type of business you run and the demographic you cover, you may want to consider a multilingual IVR. This will help with the different markets you want to target as you are providing a way for them to connect with your business. Make sure you have agents who speak those languages on the team as well so that your callers are fully satisfied.

8. Ask for Feedback

Finally, get feedback on your IVR system. After building and updating the system, you need to know how it is working. Ask your callers if they’d be willing to take a quick IVR survey. This could be a phone survey or a followup email or text message that they can complete on their own time. The point is to study how customers are interacting with the IVR and if improvements need to be made.

Get IVR Technology with Us

Global Call Forwarding offers a highly-customizable IVR system along with virtual phone number plans. Sign up today or call us at 1 (888) 908 6171 to learn more!

3 Common IVR System Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

26th May 2020 blog, Call Management

An IVR system, when created right, can positively influence office productivity and efficiency. You can improve caller experience while distributing calls effectively and evenly with an automated system. However, there are some common mistakes often made when designing an IVR system and we’ll highlight them in this post.

Designing an IVR System

An IVR system or interactive voice response system is meant to ease the burden on the caller and the receiver. This is especially useful for companies that have large incoming call volumes. The interactive voice system, if executed properly, can reduce wait times, assist callers in completing tasks themselves, and also transfer the call to the right agent or department.

Thanks to growth in telecommunications, IVR technology has advanced to the point that it can be fully automated and operate without an agent needing to interfere. It will answer calls by using prerecorded messages and prompts to help callers navigate and find a resolution, to help them help themselves. And yet, there are some areas where you may fail when designing the system. Let’s look at the top 3 along with some other common mistakes.

1. Making the Prompts Too Complicated

When callers contact your business, it is usually to make an inquiry or have an issue resolved. And so in such cases, the sooner they can get assistance, the better. If your prompts are too complicated or too vague, callers may have trouble navigating the automated IVR system. It may prove hard for them to find the right answer for their concern. Additionally, if your prompts are too detailed and long, chances are, they may forget the options due to zoning out or not paying enough attention. This will result in misplaced calls and generate more frustration.

Solution: Provide only necessary information, keeping it simple.

Consider the value of each statement and see if you can redo it to provide basic information in less than two sentences. Remember: less is more. And reducing wait times is important as well.

2. Providing Too Many (Irrelevant) Menu Options

When designing your IVR system, keep in mind that while you want to provide as many options as you can, you do not want to overwhelm your callers. Confused callers will select the wrong option and end up in the wrong department which defeats the purpose of having an automated system.

Solution: Arrange menu options in easy-to-follow categories.

Consider the most common issues or concerns that arise and create menu options accordingly. This way, callers won’t get confused and will find what they are looking for quickly. Check out our article about IVR strategies for ideas on how to map out your system.
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3. No Satisfaction Survey

It is important to know how your IVR system is doing and how callers are interacting with it. The whole point of such a system is to improve caller experience and increase customer satisfaction. Therefore, it is essential to study if your callers are satisfied with your customer service efforts.

Solution: Include a customer satisfaction survey.

You may choose to include an automated survey at the end of the call or send followup email or text messages. Remember to first ask your caller if they’d be interested in providing feedback before sending them IVR survey material.

Some Other IVR System Mistakes to Consider

  • Recordings that are unclear or of poor quality
  • Not enough language preferences
  • Poorly organized information
  • Long wait times or no approximate wait times
  • Jarring hold music or voice volumes
  • No call-back options
  • Hard to reach live representatives (in the case of fully automated IVR systems)
  • Outdated information

Create Your Ideal IVR System

Testing and feedback are two important aspects to take into account when setting up your IVR system. You want to make sure that it creates an easy-to-follow and comfortable experience for your caller. To learn more about IVR and how you can get the service, call us at 1 (888) 908 6171.

Is 855 toll free?

24th May 2020 blog

Perhaps you’ve noticed a newer trend among businesses that offer ways to reach them by phone: 855 numbers. You may be familiar with 800 numbers, which are typically toll-free, but you may wonder: is 855 toll free in the same way that 800 numbers are? In this article, we’ll answer these questions and more about 855 numbers.

Toll Free Numbers: Is 855 Toll Free?

If you’re curious and questioning, is 855 toll free?, the answer is yes. These numbers are toll free to callers and they work the same way that 800 numbers do. Instead of the caller being charged for the number, the subscriber is charged to allow its customers to avoid having to pay for time spent on the phone — something that many customers may balk at when faced with other types of communication. 855 numbers work in exactly the same way all 800 numbers do while being protected by the same porting rules as all other toll free numbers. The only difference is two digits!

800 toll free numbers

Why Use 855 Toll Free Numbers?

Because 855 phone numbers are toll free in the same sense that 1-800 phone numbers are, you may be wondering why an 855 number is used at all.

First, considering that there have been lots of 800 numbers used by businesses throughout the years, the ability to find a number that hasn’t been used has dwindled. In fact, if you do the math, there are only 7.8 million possible combinations of numbers — and there have been plenty more businesses since the inception of 800 toll free numbers in the past. This can be a very important factor when a business entity uses the phone number as part of its branding campaign (1 800 MATTRESS, for example), with 855 being a new way to open up new letter combinations. With common letter combinations like CAT and BAT using the same numbers, businesses have had to settle for toll free numbers that may not have the same marketing and advertising impact that branded numbers have. With the relatively new 855 prefix, savvy businesses can finally get a piece of the action that older businesses have only previously had access to.

Another unexpected side effect of 800 toll free numbers being used since the 1960s is that many numbers have been used by multiple business, being, in effect, recycled. While this might not seem like such a big problem for the consumer, your business is on the hook when it comes to these misdirected and erroneous calls. Telemarketers are notorious for targeting businesses in hopes to scam employees and levy unfounded complaints for mislabeled phone numbers. 855 toll free phone numbers offer a less used selection of numbers that prevents this waste of your money and resources.

Thirdly, 855 toll free numbers give your business the same type of nationwide presence and similar credibility as 800 numbers, used widely by both Fortune 500 companies and small businesses that want a professional image. Customers do not want to be responsible for calling costs and it is very much expected that the companies they do business with to foot the bill. For businesses, using 800 and 855 toll free numbers can establish a professional rapport that local-based numbers lack. And according to research, customers automatically view your business enterprise in a different way if you have a toll free number, as opposed to just using local numbers.

855 Numbers and Beyond

Is 855 toll free? Yes they are, and there are actually many other variations to the standard 800 number.

In terms of availability, there are more phone numbers with the 855 prefix available than 800, thanks to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) efforts to make more toll free phone numbers available for business communication. Since their release in 2010, 855 toll free numbers have seen a skyrocketing demand among businesses that have jumped on the opportunity. Additionally, other prefixes have become popular due to the FCC’s release of new prefixes, with 844 toll free numbers and 833 toll free numbers also in high demand among businesses looking to separate themselves from the pack. These prefixes are all part of the North American Numbering Plan, which allows the U.S., Canada, and other territories (i.e. the Dominican Republic) to communicate toll free. Other toll free numbers have been in existence, which includes the prefixes 833, 866, 877, and 888. In the future, you can expect to see the toll free prefix 822 become more widely used, followed by 887 and 889.

Getting an 855 Toll Free Number from Global Call Forwarding

For those questioning, is 855 toll free? The answer is yes. If so, then subscribing with Global Call Forwarding can make the process seamless and easy. Simply visit www.globalcallforwarding.com and select the prefix 855 from the dropdown menu. You’ll see a list of available numbers or have the ability to select a vanity number for a nominal fee. Pick the toll free 855 number you want and specify the destination number or numbers, depending on where you wish to route your call. Then, select a plan and plan options to finalize the process. Once selected, your 855 number will be available for use by the following business day.

3 Ways to Make International Calls from your Browser

12th May 2020 blog, Business Phone Numbers

With advancements in cloud communications, connecting with international business contacts and customers is easier than ever. You can now initiate and answer international calls from your computer set-up anywhere in the world using only a reliable internet connection. Here, we will discuss how you can make international calls from your web browser.

How to Make a Phone Call from Your Web Browser

The best way to make a phone call from your browser is with international VoIP. This is a technology that converts your voice into a digital signal that travels over the internet. Most VoIP services will enable you to call anyone who has a phone number – even local, mobile, and long-distance international destinations.

The three most common solutions are Voice over IP software, a web phone, browser extensions, and international callback.

1. Voice Over IP Software

Voice over IP is the most commonly used communication technology to make international calls over the internet. This is because it is much more cost-effective than using a landline. Furthermore, some providers offer virtual features and services that are not available with traditional landlines.

To use VoIP effectively, a broadband (high-speed) internet connection is required, either through a cable modem or other high-speed services such as DSL. The strength of your internet connection will determine the effectiveness of this solution.

In addition, you will need Voice over IP software and an inexpensive microphone. VoIP software usually costs around $25 to $50 per month, depending on the provider. With good and reliable software, it’s easy to make international calls.

Calls can be made through the VoIP service directly, or the service can be integrated to make and receive calls through a CRM or help desk software.

Learn how to make international phone calls from a web browser.

2. Web Phone Dialer or Softphone

A web dialer enables users to make international calls over the internet. It operates largely like a traditional telephone on your computer, where you enter a phone number on a dial pad to initiate a call.

To make browser calls from a web phone dialer, log in to the service provider’s website with your username/PIN and password. After logging in, you have access to a dialer interface. This enables you to make international calls directly from your browser.

Similarly, a Softphone will enable international calling from a computer. Users will need to download an application on their computer and enter their credentials. Upon successful registration, they’ll be able to start making calls. However, you can consider Softphones to be native applications while web dialers work over web browsers.

Web dialers and Softphones will often offer features such as call transfer, call history, and other functionality to improve your international calling experience.

3. Browser Extensions

Some providers offer international calling through click-to-call Chrome extensions that enable you to dial a number from any webpage just by clicking on the phone number. In our experience, we highly recommend using click-to-call to make international calls from a web browser. Companies can enhance the online experiences of their agents using browser extensions.

Honorable Mention: International Callback

International callback is our top recommended way to make international calls if you don’t have a stable high-speed internet connection or if you are in one of the countries where VoIP is prohibited. Callback uses third-party countries, like the United States, to enable low-cost international calls.

Make International Calls Online

These solutions make it possible for businesses to make international calls online. Stay connected with your customers and contacts no matter where they are located.

To call internationally from a computer, businesses only need a stable internet connection and Voice over IP software. If you want to make international calls from your browser, follow the tips in this article. For more information, call us at 1 (888) 908 6171 and talk to an expert.

What is a Call Center Dialer?

11th May 2020 blog, Cloud Telephony

Does your business need a call center dialer to support its inbound and outbound calling needs? How do you decide when it’s time to invest in a dialer and what type of dialer should you go for? In this post, we will discuss dialers for call centers and their usefulness.

Call Center Dialers: What are They?

A call center dialer is a dial pad tool designed to help you make outgoing or outbound calls. Even though these dialers are called “call center dialers,” they are not meant for call center use only. Any business that makes a large number of outgoing calls for sales, appointment setting, and customer service can use an outbound dialer. These dialers help improve agent productivity and efficiency. Types of call center dialers include the following:

Manual Dialing and Predictive Dialers

If you are a small- or medium-sized business, then you will most likely start with manual dialing. This is where your sales team manually works through a list of predetermined prospects or leads and contacts them. The benefit of manual dialing is that it offers more control and responsibility to the agents as to who to call and when to call.

Automated or predictive dialers exist as well. However, these dialers use automation to make calls automatically from a set database. There is little control involved, which some sales team managers consider more of a disadvantage. When making a sales call, the salesperson needs to prepare with the right information about the person, their history with the company, demographics, and so on. With predictive dialers, there isn’t always enough time to get acquainted with the necessary information before the call goes through. Manual dialing gives you the time you need to prepare.

Inbound/Outbound Web Dialer

An inbound/outbound web dialer for call centers enables you to make outbound calls and receive inbound calls through a dialer that works over the internet, accessed over a webpage such as Google Chrome. You can access an inbound/outbound web dialer through a URL and a virtual phone service account.

For example, to use Global Call Forwarding’s web dialer, you will need a virtual phone number plan and you’ll use your login information to log into the web dialer on a webpage. Logging in will lead you to the web or online dialer. This looks similar to a smartphone’s keypad or dial pad. Here, you can access or add contact information and notes, check your voicemail, and make and answer calls. All you need to do is remain connected to a reliable internet connection.

Related: 9 Ways for a Call Center to Use a Web Dialer
download web dialer guide

Getting a Dialer for Your Cloud Call Center

A web dialer can speed up the process of outbound calling for sales or customer support team. No additional equipment or desk phones required. You simply need to enter the URL, log in, and start dialing numbers. You can call customers you have already connected with or contact new prospects. Additionally, you can look up notes, other contact information such as email or address details to customize your sales approach.

Another benefit of an inbound/outbound web dialer is that it works well for businesses that have remote offices or remote employees. Employees can easily connect and start making and answering calls from anywhere in the world as long as they have a stable internet connection. Therefore, your business will have greater cost savings.

Ready for a Call Center Dialer?

Businesses with a large outbound call volume should consider an inbound/outbound dialer to control and handle their business communication. Save tons by managing your calls in-house instead of outsourcing them. And call center dialers can help you do so. Check out Global Call Forwarding’s web dialer. For more information, call us at 1 (888) 908 6171.

5 Surefire Ways to Improve Call Center CSAT Scores

7th May 2020 blog, Call Center

As a virtual call center manager, it is your job to ensure that your center’s CSAT scores are high and continue to remain in good standards. Here we will detail 5 useful ways you and your agents can improve call center customer satisfaction (CSAT) scores.

What are CSAT Scores?

CSAT scores are the measure of customer satisfaction your call center generates. That is, after interacting with your service, how happy are your customers and how likely are they to recommend your service to others. CSAT scores are essential for collecting customer feedback and making much-needed improvements to your product or service. Common questions you’ll see on a customer satisfaction survey include “How would you rate your experience/stay with us?” or “How likely are you to recommend our service to others?” And customers can rate the service on a scale of 1-10 or Good-Bad or Very Likely-Not Likely At All.

How to Calculate CSAT Scores?

To calculate Customer Satisfaction (CSAT), divide positive responses by the total number of responses. Then multiply that number by 100. This gives you a CSAT percent.

CSAT score formula: (#) positive responses / (#) total responses X 100 = CSAT (%)

Why are Call Center CSAT Scores Important?

Satisfied customers can easily convert into returning customers and will be the ones that bring new customers to your business. For this reason, improving and maintaining high CSAT scores becomes essential. To succeed, your cloud call center should implement the following methods.

1. Increase Personal Interaction

More recently, a lot of technology has been developed to automate cloud call center processes in an attempt to increase productivity and efficiency. While these are positive influences, it may lead to a decrease in personal interaction between your call center and its customers. Personal interaction is important in order to thoroughly resolve issues.

Many times, customers call a business or call center to get an immediate response. Being bounced around a complicated IVR system or interacting only with the automated system can increase frustration, especially if their issue is rare and complex.

Try to ensure that there is some personal interaction that takes place during a call, as often as possible. Your IVR system is built to make your virtual call center run smoothly, but it does not need to overtake all calls and interactions. Even if it is at the end of the call, have an agent connect to ask: “Is there anything else we can help you with?” Keep in mind that more positive personal interaction equates to more resolutions which, in turn, leads to higher CSAT scores.

2. Increase Quality Assurance

Maintaining quality assurance (QA) is another important factor in improving virtual call center CSAT scores. Call center QA focuses on providing high-quality customer service that matches the business’ standards. And so, QA pays attention to the customer, their issues and needs, and how to improve caller experience. All of these lead to better customer interaction and higher CSAT scores.

Some essential call center QA strategies include training your agents to understand and maintain business standards and goals. For example:

  • Are agents following the necessary scripts?
  • Do they ask questions about the customer’s needs, history, and experience to better understand the issue?
  • Are they following protocol?
  • Is there any misunderstanding or miscommunication?

Virtual call center managers can listen in on calls or review recordings of calls to study and analyze different factors or aspects of agent/customer interactions. They can then provide more training, highlight strengths and weaknesses, strategies that work or that need improvement, and so on. All with the same goal: improving caller experience and increasing customer satisfaction.

3. Pay Attention to Customer Issues

This goes in line with quality assurance. It is important to understand what issues the customer is facing in order to better help and serve them. Here, as a virtual call center manager, you may consider market research to provide data about certain products and services and their most common issues and concerns. This way, your agents are better equipped to help or resolve upcoming issues.

The aim should be to provide solutions and resolve the issue on the first call itself. This is called first call resolution. Call centers or businesses with a higher first call resolution rate have more satisfied customers and higher CSAT scores.

4. Purchase the Necessary Virtual Call Center Technology

It is imperative to invest in the right tools. As with any project, to do a good job, you need the right tools and support. The same goes for a virtual call center. Consider investing in call center software from a provider like Global Call Forwarding where you can customize your options, features, and services to create an ideal phone system.

Most virtual phone service providers offer tools that can support remote and virtual call centers. These include:

  • Call forwarding and routing options
  • Call recording to record incoming and outgoing calls
  • IVR system to manage and distribute incoming calls
  • Outbound calling to make local and international calls with customizable caller ID
  • Local, toll free, international, and vanity numbers that route calls via the internet, and more

5. Track Call Center KPIs

Another way to improve your CSAT scores is by tracking and monitoring important metrics such as:

  • Call answered
  • Calls abandoned
  • Average hold time
  • First call resolution rate
  • Number of calls answered by each agent
  • Time taken to answer a call, etc

These key performance indicators (KPIs) can give you insights into areas of strength and improvement. And they can help you understand your center’s customer service levels and even its current quality. This information will lead you to your next step in improving the service you provide.

Improve Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) at your Call Center

Increase your CSAT scores by improving the way your call center interacts with its callers. Provide better customer service, pay attention to your callers, and watch your customer satisfaction and retention scores increase. For more information about virtual call center software from Global Call Forwarding, call us at 1 (888) 908 6171.

5 Things You Need to Consider Before Getting a 1800 number

6th May 2020 blog, Business Phone Numbers

Getting 1800 numbers for your business is a big decision. One that needs to be deliberated over, researched, and thoroughly understood. Here we will go over some important factors to consider before getting a 1800 number for your business.

Which is the Best 1800 Number Service?

Finding the right toll free number provider can be a difficult task, especially when you do not know what to look for. The ideal provider offers you the perfect feature set with a budget that fits your pocket. This feature set should include services and tools needed to make your business communications better. This could include anything ranging from IVR, call recording, outbound calling tools such as a web dialer, etc.

While these are the most common aspects to consider, the following article will discuss the five main factors to keep in mind before getting a 1800 number service.

1. Number Prefix

The 1800 number prefix is a common and popular toll free number prefix. This means that it may not always be easy to purchase. Before settling on a provider, check with their customer support to ensure they have 1800 numbers available for your needs.

1800 are popular because they are the original toll free numbers. Prefixes such as 833, 844, 855, 866, 877, and 888 followed once 800 numbers became exhausted. Callers generally associated 1800 numbers with large and professional corporations and therefore these numbers are in high demand as business numbers. They can add credibility and professionalism to a business’s image.

2. Amount of Call Traffic

1800 toll free numbers do not the callers anything; they don’t get charged for the calls. Instead, the receiver (that is, the business) incurs the charges. This helps your business build and manage high call traffic. Whether it is for customer service or to make a purchase/appointment, interested and returning customers can quickly connect with your business for free.

1800 numbers are known to increase call traffic by creating a free channel of communication for interested callers. Giving this opportunity to your customers shows them that you are determined to make caller experience better. And by extension, that you care about and value their business.

3. Destination / Number of Operators

Where do you want your calls to be forwarded to? And how many operators will these calls be directed to? Calls made to virtual 1800 numbers can be forwarded to select predetermined destination numbers. This way, when calls come in, they will go where you want them to; to your head office or a remote call center.

You can also have calls routed based on where a call is coming from or based on time. For example, off- or after-hours calls can be directed to an office in a different timezone. You can also have multiple destination lines so that incoming calls ring on multiple numbers or phones. This way, no call goes unanswered or missed. Before you purchase your 1800 number, consider and map out how you want your calls forwarded.

4. Length of Contract

Another important aspect to note is whether you want a contract with your provider. Some virtual toll free number providers offer one- or two-year-long contracts that are not easy to get out of. Part of signing up for their service is agreeing to use it for a set amount of time. If you are certain of this provider’s credibility and reliability, then this may be a safe choice.

However, it is also a good idea to sign up with a provider that has no contracts or long-term commitments, in case you want to change or cancel your plan. Global Call Forwarding, for example, has no contracts or long-term commitments. We hope that our high-quality service keeps our customers coming back for more.

5. Reliability of Provider

Finally, it is important to determine the provider’s reliability and credibility. How long have they been doing business? What are their customers or clients saying about the service? What features and services are they offering and are these up to date? The longer a provider has been in this business, the better they understand a company’s communication needs and will serve you better.

Purchasing 1800 Numbers

Feeling more confident about buying 1800 numbers for your business? Start by researching various toll free number providers. Global Call Forwarding offers virtual business numbers for more than 160 countries across the world. We offer local, international, and toll free numbers. Get your 1800 number with Global Call Forwarding today. For more information, call us at 1 (888) 908 6171 to speak with an expert.

1800 Australia Toll Free Numbers vs 1300 Australia Phone Numbers

17th April 2020 blog, Business Phone Numbers

What’s the difference between 1300 Australia phone numbers and 1800 Australia toll free numbers? When considering an Australian business number, it is important that you select the right one for your business. Here we will look at 1300 vs 1800 Australia numbers so that you can make an informed decision.

Australian Business Phone Numbers

Both 1800 and 1300 are Australia business numbers that businesses can use to connect with Australian customers and business contacts. These virtual numbers come with the same features and functions to support a business’ communication requirements. They are portable, making them usable nationwide. That is, they are not restricted to any specific geographical area within the country.

The main difference that separates these two Australian number types is in the call costs, for the caller and the receiver. In other words, the charges of the call for the caller (the customer) and the receiver (the business).

1300 Australia Phone Numbers

1300 Australia numbers are also called Local Rate or local numbers. Callers calling a 1300 number incur the cost of a local call. Furthermore, if called from a mobile or smartphone, then the calling charges may be even more, depending on the mobile and carrier companies.

The receiver, the business, or the 1300 number account holder, also incurs charges for these calls. That charge is based on where the call originates from. However, because the caller pays for these calls as well, the charges are lower for the receiver.

1800 Australia Toll Free Numbers

Calling 1800 Australia toll free numbers, on the other hand, is free for callers, irrespective of whether they are calling from a landline or mobile phone. These numbers also go by the name Free Call or Toll Free numbers.

Similar to the 1300 numbers, the receiver of the 1800 Australia toll free numbers incurs charges for these calls. This charge, similarly, depends on where the call is being made from. However, since the caller pays nothing for these calls, all of the charges fall on the receiver.

Which is More in Demand?

There has been significant competition between the two types of Australian phone numbers due to availability and cost. However, Australia toll free numbers were not as preferred because they were more expensive. Fortunately, with the rise of cloud communication and virtual phone service providers like Global Call Forwarding, 1800 numbers have become more affordable. This means that businesses can provide their Australian clients a free way to connect with them without having to pay exorbitant fees.

Furthermore, if you get Australia toll free numbers from a virtual service provider that routes calls using an international toll free service, then you will be saving more money. This is because using this service means routing calls over the internet instead of traditional phone lines. This means that you can forward incoming calls to any number of your choice, anywhere in the world, as long as it is connected to a reliable internet connection. And so, businesses outside of Australia can also connect with and sell to Australian customers and clients through their toll free number.

Australia Toll Free Numbers with Global Call Forwarding

Global Call Forwarding offers Australia toll free numbers to businesses in and outside of Australia. Our Australia virtual number plans come with various virtual communication features and tools to enhance the way your business interacts with its customers:

  • Call recording
  • Call forwarding and routing options
  • Outbound calling (customizable caller ID)
  • Unlimited extensions
  • Interactive voice response (IVR system)
  • Local and toll free numbers, and more.

To learn more about Australia business numbers or to sign up for Australia toll free numbers, contact us at 1 (888) 908 6171.

How to Measure Customer Satisfaction

12th April 2020 blog, Customer Service

You may be surprised to know that 96 percent of dissatisfied customers do not complain. However, 91 percent of those unhappy people will never buy from you again. Your top priority is to keep your customers happy. But how can you tell if your customers are satisfied with your products and services? It’s not as straightforward as it may seem, but there are some very useful methods and metrics available. Here is how to measure customer satisfaction that you can start applying to your business right now.

Customer Satisfaction Surveys

The satisfaction survey is the most popular approach to collecting information about a customer’s experience. The basic survey asks each customer how satisfied they are and usually has a few follow-up questions. You can utilize customer satisfaction surveys in three ways:

  • Email survey: An email survey is a good way to get an in-depth insight into your customer happiness. Although they have a lower response rate than other methods, they allow your customers to answer multiple questions.
  • In-app survey: For this method, you need to integrate a feedback bar on your website. An in-app survey will usually consist of just one or two questions.
  • Service survey: This type of survey focuses on customer service or delivery. The survey is taken immediately after the service was provided and can be done by email or live chat.

The standard customer satisfaction metric is to ask your customers to rate their satisfaction with your service, product, or business on a scale of 1-5 or 1-10. The advantages of this metric are its simplicity and its directness. The disadvantage is that customer satisfaction can be hard to rate, even for the customer.

Net Promoter Score (NPS)

The NPS measures the customers’ probability of referring your company to someone else. This is the most common way to gauge customer loyalty. Each customer is asked how likely he or she is to recommend your business on a scale of 1-10. The NPS is easier to answer than the customer satisfaction survey because it’s about the customer’s intention to refer rather than their emotional satisfaction. This data can easily be gathered using in-app or email surveys.

Customer Effort Score (CES)

This metric analyzes the effort it took to get the customer’s issue resolved. It is typically measured on a scale of 1-7. Market research shows that customers with a high effort score show a reduction in loyalty down the line. You need to aim for as low of a CES as possible.

Pricing Issues

Allowing your customers to express their feelings about pricing will give you useful information, not only about how they feel about the total price of your products or services but also how they feel about their value for the money.

Complaints

It essential that you evaluate complaints thoroughly every time you receive one. You can also broaden your analysis by checking out unsolicited feedback in online reviews and social media. When a customer contacts you with a specific issue, always get back to them and provide a possible solution quickly to restore their happiness.

Social Media Monitoring

The impact that social media has had on the relationship between customers and businesses cannot be overemphasized. This is mainly due to the fact that it enables customer experience to be shared with a much wider circle than ever before. That means it’s the perfect platform for you to find out how your customers feel about your brand. Facebook and Twitter are the obvious platforms but don’t forget the other ones like Yelp, Quora, and TripAdvisor. It’s also worthwhile to sign up for Google Alerts, as this will notify you when your brand is mentioned online. You should also try out Social mention. It’s a free tool that analyzes mentions of your brand in social media. It will give you information on the likelihood of your brand being discussed online and the ratio of positive to negative mentions.

Motivate your Customers to Participate

Once you have your customer satisfaction metrics in place, you need to make sure as many customers as possible are using them. Asking customers for their opinion will make them feel valued, but some people just don’t want to spend the time. This is where it helps to offer incentives. For example, adding a coupon, reward or additional information will often encourage them to participate in an online survey.

This is a valuable checklist of How to Measure Customer Satisfaction, that can help you get started with measuring your customer satisfaction. If you are struggling to come up with a survey that you think is right for your business, you will find many templates and suggestions online. Get started on satisfying your customers right now!