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The blog for Global Call Forwarding has articles on the latest customer service trends, telecommunications technologies, and business news.
cart-hands
10th April 2020 blog, Call Management

Drive Up Sales for Your E-Commerce Business with Outbound Calling

virtual call center software
10th April 2020 blog, Call Center

On-Premise vs. Virtual Call Center Software: How to Choose

what is call tracking
8th April 2020 blog, Call Management

What is Call Tracking?

voicemail greeting tips
3rd April 2020 blog, Customer Service

Voicemail Greeting Tips

ivr systems medical answering service
1st April 2020 blog, Cloud Telephony

How to Create the Perfect IVR System for Your Medical Answering Service

1800 numbers hotels resorts
1st April 2020 blog, Business Insights

1800 Numbers for Hotels, Resorts, and Timeshare Properties

IT business success customer
30th March 2020 blog, Business Insights

Push Your IT Business Towards Success with Good Customer Relations

how to find right toll free provider
26th March 2020 blog, Business Phone Numbers

How to Find the Right Toll Free Number Provider?

coronavirus communicating during isolation
24th March 2020 blog, Business Insights

Coronavirus: How to Keep Communicating During Isolation

Drive Up Sales for Your E-Commerce Business with Outbound Calling

10th April 2020 blog, Call Management

Maintaining the sales growth rates can be overwhelming as businesses of different kinds go through high and low periods. But as an owner, you must ensure that your e-commerce business has the right tools to keep the rate steady, if not growing. Outbound calling is one such communication service that can help you reach and maintain the standards you set for the business.

Why Your E-Commerce Business Should Consider Outbound Calling

Outbound calling service is a virtual communication service offered by Global Call Forwarding. This service works to boost your outgoing call rate and supports your sales strategy. It enables you to call potential, recent, and recurring customers to offer customer support. Therefore, businesses that already have a large outgoing call volume or want to increase their outbound calling rate should consider this service.

If you get outbound calling alongside your virtual phone number plan from a cloud-based communications provider like Global Call Forwarding, then you will be able to route calls over the internet instead of traditional phone lines. This lets you expand your e-commerce business’ reach and connect with neighboring cities, states, and countries without having to worry about long-distance calling rates. You can interact with international customers without having to relocate.

Customize Your Caller ID

Global Call Forwarding offers this service with a customizable caller ID option. This means that you can display matching caller IDs of areas you are calling. For example, say you want to expand your business to Dubai, Mumbai, and London. If you purchase local or toll free numbers for these cities, then you can display their specific caller IDs when calling them. And so, when individuals receive your call, they will recognize a local or toll free number instead of a random international or “unknown” number.

Prospects are more likely to answer calls from numbers and calling codes they recognize. Additionally, they won’t hesitate to call back because they won’t be charged extra for calling a local number. And, they won’t be charged at all for calling a toll free one. This is how outbound calling can help you connect with new target groups, pitch your product, and generate more sales.

What Can You Achieve with this Service?

Besides merely selling to new prospects, you also want to satisfy your existing customers. Believe it or not, these are the customers that have the potential to form a fanbase for your service and recommend it to others. And, they can become recurring customers who use your service time and again because of good customer service and credibility. So, what are some ways your e-commerce business can use outbound calling to provide customer support?

  • Increase brand awareness
  • Welcome new customers
  • Generate leads through warm and cold calling
  • Verify customers and sales
  • Follow-up on purchases or inquires
  • Offer membership programs
  • Offer specials and promotions
  • Follow-up on abandoned carts or failed orders
  • Send out reminders for renewals and payments
  • Collect surveys and feedback

Get Outbound Calling

Getting outbound calling for your e-commerce business is simple. Find a provider that offers the service for a price that matches your budget. Watch for any additional features or tools that they provide as well. Global Call Forwarding offers outbound calling with call recording with each of our plans for a small additional fee.

To get the service, simply sign up for a new business number or port your existing number on our homepage. From the optional features, choose “Outbound Calling” and add it to your plan. Finalize your purchase and you can activate the service in less than a day. To learn more about our outbound calling service, call us at 1 (888) 908 6171.

On-Premise vs. Virtual Call Center Software: How to Choose

10th April 2020 blog, Call Center

Want to know if your business can benefit from an on-premise or virtual call center? Here we will run through a comparison between these two call center software types so that you can determine what is best for your needs.

The Call Center You Need: On-Premise or Virtual?

Deciding which software to use depends on the requirements, budget, and goals of your business. Let’s look at what each software type does and how each can be beneficial.

On-Premise Call Centers

On-premise call center software is run and controlled by the business itself. The hardware, software, and other infrastructure is held in-house. This means that the business is responsible for its maintenance, upgrades, and expenses. It also means that you have control over it and how it functions, which is a benefit for some companies. But others may not want to deal with hiring an IT team and the added costs.

Virtual Call Center Software

A virtual call center software is hosted by the server but runs on the cloud. This cloud call center handles customer support and success communications. The benefit of such a virtual call center is that all interaction between the business and its customers remains accessible from anywhere, via the internet. This includes inbound and outbound calls, email, instant messages, etc. Since customers are using digital channels to connect with businesses — such as email, instant messaging, etc — companies are switching to modern virtual call centers.

On-Premise vs Virtual Call Center Software

So, while both types of call center software have their advantages and disadvantages, how do you decide which is right for your business? It all depends on what you need and what you prioritize. Would you like full control of your inbound and outbound calling? Do you need to cut down costs? Determining what you want to get out of a call center software will help you identify which will work better for you.

Costs: An on-premise call center will require set-up costs. For example, you will need equipment, hardware, licenses, servers, and full-time agents. Additionally, you will have to spend on installations, upgrades, and maintenance.

On the other hand, using a virtual call center software will mean that you can build a virtual call center or virtual office and hire remote agents instead of needing on-site agents. Additionally, you won’t need to spend money on equipment or a physical office space. All of this helps increase savings.

Scalability and Reliability: Virtual call center software offers the same functionality and benefits of an on-premise solution. However, the former is far more scalable, reliable, and flexible. Changes to certain lines or numbers can be made quickly by the account manager or by contacting the provider.

Mobility: An on-premise call center will need an in-house team to run and maintain the system. This may even require you to be present on-site to ensure everything works according to the plan. If you desire a centralized, physical location, then an on-premise call center software will be more appropriate.

On the other hand, if you have employees working remotely or spread across the world, then a virtual call center will prove more beneficial, as everything can be monitored and tracked through the online account management system and your softphone. All you will need is a strong and reliable internet connection.

Advanced Features: An on-premise call center software can give you basic, traditional call center features such as call transfer, extensions, hold, voicemail, call logging, etc. However, a virtual call center will give you access to premium services such as advanced IVR, click-to-call, call recording and forwarding, and more.

Virtual Call Center Software with Global Call Forwarding

You can get the necessary tools to set up a virtual call center from a cloud-based phone service provider such as Global Call Forwarding. We offer local, international, and toll free numbers. Additionally, you can get advanced features such as Call Recording, Interactive Voice Response (IVR), Outbound Calling, Call Reports, and more. All of these services can support your virtual call center. To learn more about virtual call center software or to start setting one up for your business, call us at 1 (888) 908 6171 to talk to an expert.

What is Call Tracking?

8th April 2020 blog, Call Management

Want to get insights into customer preferences and behaviors? Call tracking can help you determine the best ways to reach your target audience and sell to them. Learn how virtual numbers can improve your call tracking process.

Call Tracking: The Basics

Call tracking is the process to identify where and how customers and prospects are interacting with your business and brand. As such, it helps you understand how your marketing efforts are performing, which can lead to more accurate forecasting. Marketing and sales teams use call tracking to determine the success of promotional campaigns and return on investment (ROI). This data and information can then help your teams strategize how to proceed with their efforts, what areas need improvement, and how.

Virtual Phone Numbers with Call Analytics

You can track incoming calls in different ways, either manually or with tracking software. The point is to find a process that suits your budget and is easy for your employees to use. You can choose to track calls manually where your reps conduct quick surveys at the end of the call. A question such as “How did you find our service?” may be enough. Or, you can use call tracking software or a tool that provides more data without taking time away from employees.

Tracking calls with a virtual phone number is one of the most inexpensive ways to get this data. A virtual phone service provider like Global Call Forwarding offers multiple virtual phone number types such as toll free, international, and local numbers. Additionally, they offer call log and activity reports that record the number of calls being made and how each call is faring.

Virtual numbers are cheaper than traditional phone lines because they route calls over the internet. Therefore, you can make and answer calls from anywhere, locally and internationally, and through any device. All you pay for is the virtual service provider’s subscription fee.

Location-Focused Tracking

You can initiate call tracking with virtual numbers by purchasing multiple numbers based on your needs and spreading them across different marketing and advertising platforms. For example, say you want to target different cities within the country or want to get the right marketing data on how different states are responding to your product. You can get local numbers for the cities you want to study and advertise those numbers in those specific areas. Then, when calls come in, you can calculate which cities your product is doing well in and which need help.

Campaign-Focused Tracking

Additionally, you could also spread virtual numbers or a range of consecutive phone numbers across different advertising platforms. You can have a different number for each marketing campaign. For example, use a toll free number for posts on social platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, etc., You can also have local numbers in local directories, print media, etc. And you can use a different one along with your emails. This way, when calls come in, you will know where your callers are finding your product and interacting with it. Then, you can target those areas further or identify areas that need improvement and work on those.

Who Should Use This Service?

Companies in practically any industry — marketing, e-commerce, travel, etc. — can use call tracking to understand where their customers come from. Any business focusing on marketing efforts and testing out various campaigns can track calls to study where they are getting their leads from. Whether you’re a small business just starting out or a large established one with connections spread across the world, tracking your calls will give you insights into your audience’s preferences and behaviors.

Understand Your Customers Better

Call tracking helps you understand your target audience’s preferences and behaviors better. You will know where they look for products like yours, what is the best way to appeal to them and how to connect with them.

For more information on how virtual numbers can help your marketing efforts, call us at 1 (888) 908 6171.

Voicemail Greeting Tips

3rd April 2020 blog, Customer Service

One of the most important factors of marketing a business successfully is your voicemail greeting, yet all too often, this is overlooked. It’s crucial that you present yourself professionally on the phone. Here are some voicemail greeting tips to help you maximize the value of your voicemail service.

Eliminate Background Noise

Top of the voicemail greeting tips is to make sure you record your voicemail greeting in the right place, where there is no background noise such as noisy children, animals, or honking traffic. If your callers can hear background noise, it will not only impair your professional image, but it will also make your callers feel slighted. It will only take 5-10 minutes to record your message, so do it at home or in your office when you have some quiet time.

Show Your Brand’s Individuality

Your brand is unique, and your voicemail message should reflect that. Avoid using generic greetings like, “I can’t get to my phone right now, please leave a message.” Your voicemail gives you an opportunity to make your business stand out and stick in your callers’ minds. You can incorporate a fact or two about your business or something related to your mission statement. For example, “hi there, you’ve reached Brewster Farms. We provide the finest quality organic mushrooms for restaurants and domestic kitchens. Leave a message so we can help you stock up your larder.”

Keep Your Callers Engaged

Despite the brevity, a business voicemail has a lot in common with a business conversation. Imagine you are creating a dialogue between yourself and a potential customer. That will give you a much more upbeat tone, and your message will be engaging. They will leave the call with a good impression. A good way to encourage engagement is to ask callers to do something. For example, “we’ll get back to you ASAP if you include the name of your favorite movie in your message.” You may not realize it but when you smile, the tone of your voice completely changes. It will make your greeting sound much friendlier.

Write it Down and Practice

Not many people can pull off an unscripted voicemail message. So, unless you’re an experienced public speaker, you’re better off writing it down and rehearsing to avoid those awkward “ums” and “erms.” You’ll also sound clearer and more confident.

Update Your Greeting on a Regular Basis

By updating your greeting frequently, you can keep it fresh. You can easily do this by adding new information such as your latest special offer, or the newest inventory item. You can also mention who to contact while you are unavailable. Just make sure that all your greetings are time-sensitive.

Keep it Concise

Don’t ramble on during your voicemail greeting. Provide just the amount of information that’s needed. If you make your greeting too long, your callers will just hang up without bothering to listen to it, and that means you may be losing another customer. Your greeting certainly shouldn’t be so long that a caller has to call back to listen to it again because they didn’t catch all the information the first time. The optimal time length for your greeting is 20-25 seconds.

Set expectations

Always remember to let your callers know when they should expect you to return their call. And try to keep the wait time to a minimum. For example, let them know you will be available to return their call in two hours, or between 2 and 4 PM. Whatever the window you state in your greeting, remember to stick to your word. Customers will not be impressed if you don’t call them back when you promised to. If you forget to call them back or you are late calling them, it’s unlikely they will deal with your company again.

Check your greeting: Once you’ve completed your outgoing voicemail message, listen to it once or twice to make sure you said what you meant to say and be sure that it matched the professional expectations of your company. If you really want to see how effective it is, dial in from outside as a customer would and make sure the transition to voicemail is seamless.

A Simple Example

Here’s an example of a professional sounding greeting.

“Hello, this is Rebecca at Ambiguous Media. I will be in a meeting this morning, but I will be able to return calls between 1-3 PM Eastern Standard Time. If you need immediate assistance, please press 1, and your call will be transferred to our customer service manager. You can also reach me at rebecca@ambiguousmedia.com. I will be responding throughout the afternoon. Thanks for calling!”

Using these tips will keep you on track when you need to create or update your voicemail greeting. You will always sound professional, and your customers will never feel let down when they call, even when you are unable to answer.

How to Create the Perfect IVR System for Your Medical Answering Service

1st April 2020 blog, Cloud Telephony

As a business owner, it is your job to provide good and quality customer service to callers investing in your business. Whether it is hiring highly skilled agents or using advanced communication tools, you need to take the right steps to present your business as professional and valuable. Getting an IVR system for your medical answering service is one such step in the right direction.

IVR System: A Business Phone Solution

An Interactive Voice Response or IVR system is an automated voice response that answers calls before an agent connects. The system interacts with the caller, identifies the purpose of the call, and assists them by redirecting them to the appropriate department or by presenting more menu options. The IVR system uses pre-recorded messages and predetermined rules to do so.

Call centers and answering services generally have a large incoming call volume. Using an IVR system can help them organize and distribute calls so that customers are better served. This system can complete simple tasks and free up agents to focus on more complex duties. In some advanced cases, the caller may not even need to speak with an agent to get their query resolved.

IVR is one of the premium business phone solutions available to businesses in different industries. Virtual phone service providers, like Global Call Forwarding, offer a customizable IVR system along with their phone service plans. You can use this feature alongside call forwarding, call recording, extensions, etc.

Designing the IVR System

So, what is the best way to set up an IVR system for your medical answering service? Designing this system depends on what you want your callers to be able to do when they call your business. Before you create the system, map out the different options that callers will have and what actions you want them to complete without interacting with an agent. Consider these questions:

  • What departments will callers have access to?
  • How many levels do you want your IVR to have?
  • What actions can callers complete through automation?
  • Why should the caller be directed to an agent?
  • Would you like to distribute calls based on geographic location or language preferences?

If you have multiple office locations or want to cater to different language preferences, you can start by distributing calls based on geographic location and language. Then, you can move on to sort out new patients and existing patients:

  • If you are a new patient, press 1.
  • If you are a recurring patient, press 2.

The next level can then provide more specific options:

  • To make an appointment, press 1.
  • To request a prescription refill, press 2.
  • For our office hours, press 3.
  • To review our directory, press 4.
  • For queries regarding insurance, press 5.
  • For customer service, press 6.

Based on caller input, you can either have pre-recorded messages that provide the necessary information or direct calls to specific individuals specialized in providing the required help.

Why Does Your Medical Answering Service Need an IVR System?

Medical businesses use IVR for a variety of reasons, whether they are clinics, hospitals, pharmacies, clinical research labs, etc. It can be used to collect or provide information, process renewals and payments, and more. Your medical answering service can use such automation to:

  • Schedule appointments
  • Collect new patient information
  • Provide drug information
  • Offer company updates
  • Process payments
  • Record prescription refill requests
  • Perform basic clinical trial screenings
  • Register complaints and issues
  • Provide recall information
  • Collect feedback, and more

Organize, Manage, Serve

Global Call Forwarding offers IVR with every one of our plans. And this is because we know how essential such a system can be for the efficient running of a business. Our IVR system is customizable and can help you organize your medical answering service’s communications better. Sign up for a new business number, or port your existing number, and take advantage of the many virtual communications tools and services available. Call us at 1 (888) 908 6171 for more information.

1800 Numbers for Hotels, Resorts, and Timeshare Properties

1st April 2020 blog, Business Insights

More and more businesses in the travel industry are using 1800 numbers as their contact numbers to offer callers a free way to call. Learn how getting a 1800 number can boost your company’s incoming call rate and help customers build trust in it.

Toll Free Numbers for the Travel and Tourism Industry

First, what are 1800 numbers? These numbers are toll free numbers provided by cloud-based phone service providers. They are a preferred communication solution because instead of charging callers, calls are charged to the business using the number. So, 1800 numbers or toll free numbers for travel agencies ensure that they remain accessible to customers traveling to or using their service. With 1800 numbers, you can:

  • Provide uninterrupted customer service and care
  • Encourage customers to call whenever they need
  • Connect with travelers from different parts of the world
  • Increase and diversify your customer base

1800 Numbers: Why They Work?

When you purchase 1800 numbers from a cloud-based phone service provider like Global Call Forwarding, you have access to toll free numbers for different countries across the globe, no matter where your hotel, resort, or timeshare is physically located. This means that you can get 1800 numbers for countries that you want to target or where you get more of your customers from. This gives travelers in these areas a free and reliable way to connect with your business. Furthermore, they can contact you even as they travel to different locations, in case there is an issue.

For instance, you can purchase 1800 numbers for the United States, Canada, Australia, or Mexico, to name a few locations. Now, travelers contacting your hotel, resort, or timeshare from these countries don’t have to think twice to call you. This makes it more likely that they will contact your business over your competitors. And, it increases your chances of converting those calls into sales.

1800 Numbers: Making International Communication Easy

The reason why travel and hospitality companies are getting 1800 numbers is because these numbers encourage people to call. Additionally, most individuals associate such toll free numbers with large and established companies, placing your business among their ranks.

Additionally, you can provide 24/7 service by having inbound calls routed to different numbers and lines during specific times of the day or based on location. This is especially helpful for travel companies that have offices in multiple locations. During your office’s off-hours, forward incoming calls to your office in a different time zone. Or, direct calls to the nearest location based on where the call is coming from. Organizing and distributing calls this way can ensure callers get the assistance and care they need in a language and culture they are familiar with.

Using Toll Free Numbers for Marketing Purposes

Most businesses are unaware of the fact that 1800 numbers can boost their marketing efforts and provide valuable insights. When you purchase multiple numbers for different locations, you can track incoming calls to understand which markets are more successful than others. In fact, you can even run different marketing campaigns and use call tracking to determine which campaign has more ROI.

Should Your Business Get 1800 Numbers

Yes, travel and hospitality businesses like hotels, resorts, and timeshares often deal with travelers from different parts of the world. It is, therefore, essential to build convenient communication channels so that these travelers can count on your business to make their experience worthwhile. Want to know more about 1800 numbers? Call us at 1 (561) 908-6171

Push Your IT Business Towards Success with Good Customer Relations

30th March 2020 blog, Business Insights

The most important part of running a business is maintaining good customer relations. Whether this relates to selling new products or offering troubleshooting services, your IT business must focus on how it interacts with its customers so that you can serve them better. This, in turn, will lead to greater customer satisfaction and retention.

Build Stronger Customer Relations

What are some ways you can create better customer relations and have them return for more?
Developing a useful and high-quality product and marketing it well must be the first step. It is, therefore, necessary to present your product as a solution or one that your target audience needs. Think from your customers’ perspective, what can you do to draw them closer to your service?

1. Make it Easier for Customers to Contact You

Not all customers are going to interact with your business in-person. They may come across your brand or product over the internet or through ads. But how do you convert the interest to sales? Give them a reason to call you. Most customers know what they are looking for and if your business provides that, they will make a purchase. But there are individuals who need more information. And so, calling your company with queries can ensure they understand your product and follow through to making the purchase.

Toll free numbers for IT companies provide a free way for interested individuals to call your employees. Whether it is a new customer or a returning one, being able to reach your company easily lets them know that you care about their business. Furthermore, high first call resolution rates, where callers are able to resolve issues on the first call, leads to higher customer satisfaction rates. And an IVR system for IT companies can help achieve this by directing callers to the right department. And in some cases, you can even set up the IVR to assist callers in completing tasks without the help of an agent or rep.

2. Track Quality Assurance

Besides making your business available and accessible, you want to ensure that employees are doing their best when interacting with customers. Here’s where quality assurance becomes significant. Do you need employees to be informative and educational? Should they follow a certain script or can they customize interactions based on who they speak with? Are they following up with callers, as promised?

Monitor quality assurance with call recording for IT companies. Use recordings to study employee interaction and customer behavior. Which tactics are more successful than others? Additionally, you can reward good customer service, further incentivizing employees to do well. You can also use recordings as training material to teach new employees what they should and should not do. Better training leads to better customer service which vastly improves customer relations.

Connect with New Customers

Another way to improve customer relations is to use outbound calling for IT companies and be in touch with potential and existing customers. You can use this service to call local and international audiences for a reasonable price and by evading high long-distance fees. With outbound calling, you can:

  • Welcome new customers
  • Help new customers with setting up products and services
  • Generate new leads
  • Collect feedback
  • Conduct market research
  • Follow up with clients
  • Offer company updates or information about new products
  • Reward customer success efforts, and more

Global Call Forwarding’s Outbound Calling service gives you the opportunity to connect with potential customers across the world. If you purchase multiple local and toll free numbers, you can override the caller ID to display specific numbers when calling certain areas or regions. For example, you can display a Dallas local number or a Mauritius toll free number when you call those regions.

Customer Satisfaction = Better Customer Relations = Closer to Success

Connect with target individuals and serve them better with these communication tools. Improve customer relations and watch your sales increase. For more information on how Global Call Forwarding’s services can help, call us at 1 (888) 908 6171.

How to Find the Right Toll Free Number Provider?

26th March 2020 blog, Business Phone Numbers

Choosing the right toll-free number provider can be a daunting task. Learn what toll-free numbers are, how businesses can use them, and how to find the right provider for your needs here.

Toll-Free Numbers: How to Choose the Right Provider?

Toll-free numbers offered by phone service providers make for an easy and free way for individuals to call a business. This is because calls made to these numbers charge the receiver instead of the caller. Large corporations and established companies will have a toll-free business number as their contact number to encourage interested and recurring customers to connect with them and, by extension, promote sales. You can get a toll-free number for the country you reside in. Calls made to this number from within the country will be toll-free.

Virtual Toll-Free Numbers

Virtual phone number providers, on the other hand, have more toll-free number options. Such cloud-based providers offer numbers with an international toll-free forwarding service. This enables your business to get a toll-free number for different countries spread across the world. Calls made to these numbers then get forwarded through the international forwarding service over the internet and are routed to a number of your choice.

Global Call Forwarding, for instance, offers virtual toll-free numbers for more than 160 countries across the world. For example, your business enterprise is based in London but you have clients and customers in India, Mexico, Canada, the U.S., and the U.A.E. You can get toll-free numbers for these countries, making it free for callers to call your enterprise. Calls are then forwarded to your London office for a cheaper rate than international calls usually charge.

Find the Ideal Feature Set

When thinking about which provider to go ahead with, consider the additional features and tools they offer. For example, do you have multiple offices working in different time zones? Then, you may take advantage of a time-related call forwarding service. Additionally, can your business benefit from tracking incoming calls to study where they are coming from, etc? Then, call logs and activity reports would be helpful. Furthermore, would you like to record business calls to see how employees are doing or to maintain compliance with regulations? And so on.

Global Call Forwarding offers the following features along with each plan:

  • Advanced IVR: automated voice response
  • Black and White Lists: to organize blocked numbers and accepted numbers
  • Call Transfer: manual transferring of calls between different departments
  • Customer Greeting: personalized greetings with company information
  • Dedicated Account Manager: account support to ensure smooth functioning
  • Failover Forwarding: forwarding calls to a set number of lines to ensure no call goes unanswered
  • Fax to Email: receive faxes in email format
  • Local Ringback Tones: plays the signal tone of the destination the phone is ringing in
  • Simultaneous Calling: calls multiple lines and numbers at a time to ensure no call is missed
  • Time of Day Routing: routes calls to different locations or numbers during certain times of the day
  • Voicemail to Email: receive voicemails as MP3 files in your inbox
  • 24/7 Customer Support: to provide support and customer care

And, you can get these additional features:

  • Call Recording Software: record up to 100% of incoming and outgoing calls
  • Rollover Minutes: accumulate unused minutes to be used the next month
  • Inbound SMS Plan: receive texts from customers
  • Outbound Calling: call local and international customers with customizable caller IDs

Research Providers, Reviews Plans

Once you have an idea of what communication features and tools you want from your international toll-free number provider, research different providers and see what they have to offer. Compare prices alongside the quantity and quality of features offered. Most providers have free trials you can use to test the quality of service before you make a commitment. They will also have different plans based on different business types or sizes. This will give you a better understanding of how much time and money you would need to spend on the service per month.

Toll-Free Numbers: Making Communication Easier

Toll-free numbers are often associated with big businesses. Having a toll-free business number will further solidify your company’s professional image. To learn more about toll-free numbers and how Global Call Forwarding can help with your company’s communication system, call us at 1 (888) 908 6171.

Coronavirus: How to Keep Communicating During Isolation

24th March 2020 blog, Business Insights

Coronavirus (COVID-19) has slowed our lives down and has practically brought the entire world to lockdown. In these uncertain times, it is easier than ever to lose contact with important people and connections. So, how do you maintain relations and keep communicating during isolation?

Coronavirus: Communicating During Quarantine

Coronavirus has taken the world by surprise, causing many of us to practice social distancing and work from home, if possible. In such times, communication becomes more important than ever. Whether it is checking in on family and friends or completing business tasks, the right tools can help you stay in contact and take care of business.

Keeping Business Communications going

Most non-essential companies have been ordered to shut down in different cities, states, and countries. However, there are still many companies that can conduct operations virtually or remotely. This involves putting faith in employees while also ensuring daily and weekly tasks or projects are completed. If your business is working remotely, here are some tools you and your team can use to make communication easier:

  • Office chat tools such as Slack, Google Chat, WhatsApp groups, etc.
  • Video conferencing tools such as Skype, Google Meet, Zoom, etc.
  • Virtual numbers with call forwarding to forward incoming business calls to personal or home phone lines.
  • Toll free numbers to make it free for customers and clients to reach you.

Most chat and video conferencing tools are available for free. They work over your internet or WiFi connection and offer good quality calls. This will help you be in quick and constant contact with your remote employees. You can create group chats for different departments as well as collaborate by sharing important files and documents.

You can also get virtual numbers such as toll free numbers from Global Call Forwarding, or port your existing number. Virtual numbers work over the internet and through an online account management system. You can set up incoming customer calls to be forwarded to specific employee numbers. For example, you can have calls made to your customer service line directed to your customer service team working remotely. Or, have them sent to your receptionist who then directs them to the right department.

Presently, to keep things even more convenient and cost-effective, you can get $5 off Global Call Forwarding’s Value, Power, Premium, and Enterprise plans with the COVID19 promo code. This will help you maintain essential communications between your business and its valued customers with call forwarding, even during a pandemic like coronavirus. Purchasing and setting up a virtual number is quick and easy.

Personal Communications

Social distancing is much harder for some people over others. But it does not mean that you need to stop all kinds of interaction. With technological advances, it is possible to stay connected even in uncertain times through communication apps such as:

  • Instant messaging over the internet using iMessage, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, etc.
  • Social media: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, etc.
  • Video chats: Google Hangouts, Skype, Google Duo, WhatsApp, etc.

These apps and tools make it easy to keep in touch with friends and family through texts and video capabilities. You can create and share audio, images, videos, GIFs, etc. In fact, Netflix has an interesting and fun “Netflix Party” feature that even lets you watch shows and movies with your loved ones along with a group chat element. While virtual, this still maintains some degree of social interaction that can be comforting during this time.

Stay Positive and Keep Talking

Everything does not need to come to a halt during the coronavirus pandemic. Thanks to the internet and virtual communication capabilities, you can still stay in touch with the people you care about. Whether it’s grandparents stuck indoors or employees working from home or keeping a sick friend company, stay positive and keep communicating.