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The blog for Global Call Forwarding has articles on the latest customer service trends, telecommunications technologies, and business news.
5G is coming
20th March 2020 blog, Cloud Telephony

5G is Coming – What does that mean for you?

Work from Home with These Virtual Business Options
18th March 2020 blog, Business Insights

Work from Home with These Virtual Business Options

avoid coronavirus
17th March 2020 blog, Business Insights

Avoid Coronavirus: Practical and Useful Information

communication solutions healthcare services
11th March 2020 blog, Cloud Telephony

Extremely Useful Communication Solutions for Healthcare Services

inbound vs outbound sales
11th March 2020 blog, Call Management

Inbound Sales vs Outbound Sales: What Does Your Business Need?

ivr system financial company
11th March 2020 blog, Call Management

Set up the Perfect IVR System for Your Finance Company

Mobile vs Local Phone Numbers
11th March 2020 blog, Business Phone Numbers

Mobile vs Local Phone Numbers

Call-queuing
8th March 2020 blog, Call Management

Why Every Call Center Needs Call Queuing

Marketing Team Customer Success
5th March 2020 blog, Customer Service

Improve Customer Success and Retention for Your Online Marketing Service with Outbound Calling

5G is Coming – What does that mean for you?

20th March 2020 blog, Cloud Telephony

4th Generation technology (4G) is what we’ve all become most familiar with as we use our cell phones to send text messages, download information, and search the web. 5G (5th Generation) technology will take 4G to a new level. The infrastructure of 5G is modeled around software, which limits the interruptions that tend to affect 4G connectivity, such as dead zones and wifi interruptions. This is good news for business owners who prefer mobility to a traditional office space. As the number of virtual businesses continues to increase, working on-the-go is becoming the new normal, which means an interruption in mobile connection can negatively impact companies and professional relationships.

Technology excites us because it’s constantly evolving and introducing us to new concepts. Looking back over the past five years, technologies now exist that we would have never thought possible. These innovative systems are changing the way we work and live on a daily basis. 5G is one of those technologies that will make the unimaginable tangible and easily accessible.

So, 5G is coming, what does that mean for you? Most of us are working with mobile technologies as we run businesses and hire team members within our company. We know what 5G can do for the general consumer, but 5G will also change the world of business. With 5G, workers can get more done. 5G will also serve as a competitive tool that increases productivity and opens the door for new employment and business opportunities.

What 5G means for your business

Almost everyone has a cell phone to make phone calls, handle work-related tasks, and also download apps, games, and music. As mobile technology continues to improve and connect more networks, our devices are already operating at a speed that may have seemed impossible in the past.

5g coming soon
Source: Stockphoto.com O#23559 – ID#100196235700

Here are some points to consider:

If you download a movie or large files, how long does it take? For many people, the answer to this would be a few minutes or maybe even an hour. 5G technology is 10 times faster than 4G, meaning that data transfers in seconds instead of minutes. With 5G, large downloads could take about 5 seconds.

Unlike 4G technology, 5G has been built around the concept of software instead of hardware. Therefore, 5G is less expensive to use and update. 5G technology pairs perfectly with virtual phone systems because virtual phone numbers are also based on software and online connectivity, instead of hardware that has to be replaced every time changes occur within the system or upgrades are needed.

5G is Coming. What does that mean for your customers?

Consider the fact that we are all consumers living in a world where we are constantly introduced to more technology. These technologies are smart and the response times continue to get shorter. As a business owner, you can’t remain competitive if you don’t offer immediate solutions and customer service.

If you are an entrepreneur using a virtual phone number to provide customer service, the amount of time it takes you or your team members to assist customers will have a direct impact on your number of sales and loyal customers. The amount of time modern consumers are willing to wait continues to shorten, but the instant transfer of information with 5G means information will be available at our fingertips almost instantly.

5G is Coming – What does that mean for your employees?

You can expect customers to call your virtual phone number in need of assistance. To properly assist them, you will need to have their information and product guides readily available when needed. Today, pulling up information during a call means sifting through multiple files and online databases. With the introduction of 5G, software connections will be far more advanced.

5G will allow needed information to be shown instantaneously without the usual delays. This upgrade will help customer service representatives better assist callers because they will be able to diagnose and work on the issue quickly.

Working quickly brings more business because agents can handle more calls. Simultaneously, customers will feel that you are more reliable. With such a powerful increase in speed and reliability, your company can accommodate more sales and incoming calls. As agents work faster, there will also be more time for them to take breaks and handle other important tasks.

5G is Coming – What does that mean for your metrics?

Sharing current information with everyone at the call center is one of the best ways to analyze strategies and create new approaches. One of the main details to track is the reason why callers are exiting phone calls. Were they on hold too long? Did they find the answers they needed?

While some companies receive customer reports and other key metrics on a weekly basis, 5G will allow companies to generate and update reports in real time. This high level of transparency will naturally motivate everyone to do their best. With 5G, you can expect higher levels of productivity and healthy competition as a result.

Work from Home with These Virtual Business Options

18th March 2020 blog, Business Insights

Fears of the coronavirus (COVID-19) have put cities and countries on lockdown and forced businesses to shut down. Fortunately, most businesses and job positions have the opportunity and ability to use virtual business tools and ask employees to work from home. And this is made easy with the advancements in technology. So, what are some options your business can adopt during these uncertain times?

Virtual Business Tools

Whether you’re a small business or a large company, you may choose to allow your employees to work from home. At least, for the next few weeks as everyone keeps an eye on the growth and spread of the coronavirus. Virtual business tools can help your business stay on track even as employees work from home. These tools include virtual numbers with call forwarding abilities, management systems, chat tools, video conferencing, and more. The following article will include some options to consider:

Get a Virtual Phone Number

You can easily get a virtual number from a service provider like Global Call Forwarding or port your existing number to us today. Doing this will allow you to take advantage of other virtual communication tools that can help immediately. You can use call forwarding, call transfer, outbound calling, customized greetings, and more. This will help your business maintain communication with its customers and clients.

Getting or porting your number with us is quick and easy. You can have the number ready to use in a few minutes. And you can then have business calls forwarded to your home office or personal line, or have it directed to your customer support team members’ phone lines. In fact, our Simultaneous Ringing feature enables you to have all incoming calls ring on multiple phone lines. This could be your number, your sales team’s home or personal lines, and so on. This ensures that someone will answer the phone and business can still continue. And so, sales and customer support teams can continue to serve existing customers thereby not degrading the quality and standard of your service.

You can set up interactive voice response (IVR), an automated system, to answer calls and greet customers by offering them company updates revolving around the coronavirus. Or, simply add a custom greeting that lets callers know your business is still running and you can still provide them the service they need. Additionally, you can transfer calls to other team members or have calls forwarded to them during specific times of the day. There are many cloud communication tools available, but which ones your business needs depends on what services you want to offer.

Video Conferencing and Chat Tools

Video chatting and conferencing is another virtual business tool that can be used for remote working. You can stay connected with your employees and track their progress or conduct online meetings with video conferencing apps such as Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts, and so on. You can schedule meetings, share screens to demonstrate the material, share important files, and documents, and more.

Online Content and Project Management Systems

Take your tasks online. Use online project management systems or apps to remain connected with employees as well as track tasks and projects that need to be completed. You can have different team members work and collaborate on a task and watch its progress. Set deadlines, due dates, and log time for important and prioritized projects. Some popular systems are Teamwork, Slack, Monday, Trello, etc.

Be Productive and Efficient Even When Working Remotely

Most businesses worry that remote working will decrease productivity and slow down the overall success rate. This can be countered with virtual options which ensure that employees can stay on task even outside the office location. For more information on how our cloud communication tools can support your work-from-home days, call us at 1 (888) 908 6171 to talk to an expert.

Avoid Coronavirus: Practical and Useful Information

17th March 2020 blog, Business Insights

It’s no secret, everyone has the coronavirus on their mind. And while a global pandemic can be overwhelming and terrifying, it is important to focus on the things that we can control. So, what are some things you and your family can do to avoid the coronavirus?

How to Avoid Coronavirus?

News outlets are flooded with information (and misinformation) about the virus, its spread, and how one can avoid contracting it. In such a time, where there is an abundance of information and data available, it becomes necessary to go to the right sources. Governmental websites and global health websites are the best places to get news about the virus on a local and global level. You can track COVID-19’s movement globally and locally with data provided by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) here. Make sure you have the right information and do as recommended by health professionals.

Keep a Watch on Symptoms

First and foremost, keep an eye on possible symptoms. According to the CDC, the main symptoms relating to COVID-19 are:

  • Fever,
  • Cough,
  • and Shortness of breath.

Emergency symptoms include:

  • Difficulty breathing,
  • Pain or pressure in the chest,
  • Disorientation, and
  • Bluish lips or face.

At the first sign of these symptoms, you must contact your healthcare provider for advice and next steps.

Work from Home and Setting Up Virtual Communications

Thanks to advancements in technology, it is quite possible to switch to virtual business mode and work from outside of your office. You can set up virtual communications for your business by buying or porting your virtual business number to a virtual phone service provider like Global Call Forwarding and forward incoming calls to your and your employees’ personal or home phones temporarily. Right now, you can get $5 off our Value, Power, Premium, and Enterprise plans with the COVID19 promo code so you can maintain important communications even during this time. You can quickly purchase and set up a toll free number and forward incoming calls to our personal or home phone. This way, customers in need of your service can still contact you free of cost and no matter where you work.

Additionally, you will want to set up video conferencing and chat opportunities to schedule and conduct online meetings and discussions. Video conferencing apps and software like Zoom or Skype can enable video conversations. Furthermore, your teams can also use online content management tools like G Suite, Microsoft Projects, etc. These systems help keep track of important tasks and projects and ensure that work continues on.

As with the threat of any disease or illness, the recommendation is to always use preventative measures. The same goes for the coronavirus. Part of social distancing includes staying and working from home. This will reduce the risk of being exposed to others who may have the virus at your workplace or ride-shares, and so on.

Social Distancing, Self Isolation, and Quarantine

You’ll notice the overuse of terms such as “social distancing,” “self-isolation,” “quarantine,” and “flattening the curve” in the media regarding COVID-19. But what do these terms mean and how do you know what needs to be done? John Hopkins Medicine defines these terms for us.

Social Distancing: Means to avoid large crowds such as social events, sporting events, festivals, concerts, and more. The general recommendation is to avoid places and groups with more than 50 people. Social distancing means deliberately increasing physical space between you and other people. Maintain at least six feet of distance. Cancel plans, switch to video meetings, work from home, and so on.

Quarantine: Individuals who may have been exposed to COVID-19 will be asked to self-quarantine. The recommendation for this quarantine is to stay at home for at least 14 days to ensure you do not have the virus and do not spread it to others. If you have recently returned from traveling to a place where the virus is currently active or have been in close contact with someone who has the virus, then self-quarantine is the next step for you.

Self Isolation: People who have confirmed they have Covid-19 will be asked to self-isolate, which basically means keeping those infected away from those who are not. You can self isolate at home or the hospital or at a care facility. Protective equipment may be used to keep the germs at bay.

Flattening the Curve: Refers to using protective measures to slow the rate of the virus’ spread. The motive behind these measures is to ensure that doctors, hospitals, and clinics have rooms and supplies for infected individuals and patients.

Be Aware and Stay Safe

Coronavirus is a fast-spreading virus affecting individuals, businesses, and economies across the world. It has been a hard few months and it may continue for a few more. Do what you need to do, to keep yourself and your family members safe.

Keep in mind, you can get $5 off our Value, Power, Premium, and Enterprise plans right now with our COVID19 promo code. So, if your business is looking to transition to entirely virtual/ working from home, there is no better time to get a virtual number. For more information about cloud communication tools offered by Global Call Forwarding, call us at 1 (888) 908 6171.

Extremely Useful Communication Solutions for Healthcare Services

11th March 2020 blog, Cloud Telephony

Maintaining strong internal and external communication is important for businesses of every kind. Whether to schedule appointments, answer queries, or collaborate between different departments, having a strong communication system is essential to the successful running of healthcare services. Global Call Forwarding offers resourceful communication solutions that can help increase sales and enhance customer relations.

Communication Solutions: Why Healthcare Services Must Pay Attention to Their Communication System

Callers—patients, users, doctors, nurse practitioners, and more—often connect with a healthcare service for a variety of reasons. Healthcare services such as clinics, hospitals, therapy and rehabilitation, online and virtual patient care, medical insurance businesses, and pharmaceutical companies need a well-built communication system to:

  • Handle and store patient information
  • Schedule appointments
  • Maintain communication between doctors, patients, and pharmacies
  • Provide caller switch drug information to users and medical professionals
  • Screen for clinical trial
  • Fill and refill prescriptions
  • Register complaints and concerns
  • Provide recall hotlines
  • File insurance claims
  • Collect feedback, and more.

Let’s have a look at four core communication solutions—toll free numbers, call recording software, outbound calling, and IVR—that can reinvent how your healthcare service communicates.

1) Toll Free Business Numbers

Toll free business numbers are one of the most popular communication solutions available. They help further solidify a reliable means of communication and support incoming call volumes. Calls made to such numbers are free for the caller as they charge the receiver instead. This makes it easy and free for callers to quickly get in touch with your business and not have to worry about paying high long-distance fees.

Furthermore, you can use extensions to demonstrate professionalism. Callers can then instantly connect with the right department or professional for their needs. You can have extensions for different activities such as scheduling appointments, drug information, complaints and suggestions, prescriptions renewal requests, etc.

2) Call Recording Software

A call recording software, offered by virtual phone service providers, enables you to record and review calls. You can choose to record all incoming and outgoing calls or only certain types of calls. In fact, businesses offering phone therapy prefer recording calls for documentation purposes.

Call recording for healthcare services ensures your service is HIPPA and MIPPA compliant while also keeping records of important transactions and payments. Additionally, it lets you collect customer data quickly and with fewer errors, as opposed to manual note-taking. This data can then be used to review patient files, clinical trial screening, and collection of feedback. Another reason why a call recording software is beneficial to healthcare service is that it helps reduce liabilities based on false claims and misunderstandings by acting as evidence.

An additional benefit is that you can review recorded calls for quality assurance purposes and to study consumer behavior and preferences. This can give you insights into better ways to serve your customers.

3) Outbound Calling

An outbound calling service is generally used by sales and customer support teams. This service encourages and supports outbound sales and enhances customer support efforts. Your healthcare service can use outbound calling to connect with customers regarding recent visits, renewal and payment reminders, recalls, or to inform them of company updates and promotions.

What outbound calling does best is it gives you a means to building strong relationships with callers by letting you follow up with them and increase satisfaction. Such interaction can go a long way in increasing confidence and trust in your business.

Global Call Forwarding also offers outbound call recording software that lets you review and study outgoing calls to identify areas of strength and weakness.

4) Interactive Voice Response (IVR)

An interactive voice response (IVR) is an automated response that answers incoming calls and presents callers with a set of menus. A common example of IVR is a prerecorded voice asking callers to “Press 1 for [insert language preference], 2 for [insert language preference].” The next level can target more specific categories or departments. For example, “to make an appointment, Press 1. For billing and payments, Press 2. To renew your prescription, Press 3,” and so on.

Having an IVR system integrated within your communication system can help your employees handle incoming call volumes by distributing them. Callers are able to complete simple tasks by interacting with the automated voice and prerecorded messages. And if their case or concern is too complex, they can be transferred to an employee or agent. Having your system set up this way only strengthens the image of your service as an established one that takes customer care seriously. Learn more about how to create a perfect IVR system for your business.

Consider Investing in These Communication Solutions

The best way to know what works for you and your business is to research and give the service or product a chance to work. You can get these communication solutions from the world’s most trusted provider, Global Call Forwarding for a reasonable price. Sign up or call us at 1 (888) 908 6171 to learn more.

Inbound Sales vs Outbound Sales: What Does Your Business Need?

11th March 2020 blog, Call Management

One of the early choices a new start-up or small business needs to make is whether to adopt an inbound sales or outbound sales model. And in order to make the right decision, business owners need to understand what the difference is between the two sales approaches.

Inbound Sales vs Outbound Sales

Businesses vary in the type of products and services they offer as well as how they make sales. Some rely on interested prospects or website visitors who reach out to the company to make a purchase. While others rely on reaching out to potential target customers to sell the product to them. This, essentially, is the key difference between inbound sales and outbound sales.

Inbound sales and outbound sales—or inbound and outbound calling—differ based on the origination of the lead. Inbound sales refer to sales made when interested customers take the first step. On the other hand, outbound sales refer to selling attempts made by the company where they reach out to potential customers.

Inbound Sales

Often referred to as “warm leads,” inbound sales occur when an interested party initiates the selling process. That is, they’ve come across your product or service through ads or your website, and have now contacted you to make an inquiry or a purchase. Sales representatives have an advantage with inbound sales because they have a general idea of the customer’s need as well as their interest. And so, inbound sales have a better conversion rate.

At the same time, it should not be assumed that every inquiry or call will convert immediately. Interested individuals want more information or are in the market to research and compare products, and may not move forward in the buying process. The way to increase inbound sales is by making it easier and convenient for interested customers to call you. Toll free business numbers give callers a free way to call while click-to-call widgets on websites let callers connect with you with fewer steps.

Outbound Sales

Inhouse and outsourced sales teams use outbound sales to reach out to a predetermined list of individuals, in an attempt to sell your product to them. This list is usually created based on market research and in collaboration with marketing and sales teams. Individuals included in the list represent the ideal customer or buyer persona for your product. And so, it prevents your employees from connecting with weak leads.

Outbound sales take longer. Reps have to engage with clients over and over again, educate them about your services and present your business as the solution they need. Outbound sales are much harder to achieve than inbound sales and so are often underrated. Outbound sales do, however, help your business and sales teams expand their network and tap into new markets. Most businesses use an outbound calling solution to boost their sales calls. Outbound calling is a cloud-based communication service that lets an organization call local and international contacts in an inexpensive way.

Which is More Suitable for Your Business?

While one may seem better than the other, the general consensus is that having both inbound and outbound sales proves more beneficial. But which do you need and when do you need to implement it? The structure of your sales approach depends on your business’ growth stage. Have you promoted your business enough? Do customers know it exists and can easily understand the products and services offered? Could they use a guiding hand?

It helps to have a variety of communication channels that support both inbound and outbound sales. To encourage inbound sales, use social media, content and email marketing, and paid ads to attract viewer attention. For outbound sales, purchase local numbers in the cities and states you plan to target. Individuals are more likely to answer calls from numbers that are familiar, as opposed to unknown, random numbers.

Communication Features with Global Call Forwarding

Boost your business’ communications with business numbers and advanced features like Outbound Calling, Call Recording, IVR, and more. For more information and to learn more about what we offer, contact us at 1 (888) 908 6171.

Set up the Perfect IVR System for Your Finance Company

11th March 2020 blog, Call Management

Improve sales, manage call volume, help customers self-assist by integrating an interactive voice response or IVR system within your office communication system. Enhance customer relations by choosing the right tools and services for your finance company.

Interactive Voice Response (IVR): A Financial Communication Solution

First, what is an IVR system? Interactive Voice Response is an automated response system that answers incoming calls and directs callers. It does so by presenting callers with pre-recorded menus and options to assist them in completing a task or reaching the right employee.

Most businesses incorporate IVR into their office phone system to maintain a professional image and they use automation to manage call volumes. Customers are always calling businesses to access information or resolve concerns. (Read about important facts regarding business phone calls here.) If used effectively and creatively, this service may fulfill most of the simple and mundane tasks callers may present. This allows agents and employees to focus on more complex calls and interactions.

Cloud-based phone service providers, like Global Call Forwarding, offer this service along with other virtual communication tools like call forwarding, call recording, unlimited extensions, outbound calling, etc. And so, you can easily integrate IVR into your business phone service by choosing a reliable provider.

Setting Up Your Company’s IVR System?

Setting up your IVR system depends on what you want to provide your callers and what your cloud-based phone service provider offers. You can either have a one-level or multi-level IVR system, depending on the different tasks you want your callers to be able to complete. For example, do you want to provide self-service options such as complete payments, review active accounts or credit/debit cards, purchase histories, etc.? Additionally, international finance banks may want to distribute calls based on geographic location.

You can start by distributing calls based on language preferences where the IVR system asks callers to input 1 for English and 2 for Spanish, and so on. Then, you can set up other activities, based on the categories. For example, to:

  • Learn more about our products and services, press 1.
  • To get information about your account (payment history, account balances), press 2.
  • To verify and activate a new account or card, press 3.
  • To register a concern or complaint, press 4.
  • If your call doesn’t fall under any of the previously-mentioned reasons and you want to speak with a representative, press 5.

Then, once callers move to the next level, you can offer more specific options. For instance, if a caller presses 2, then they may encounter a menu as the following:

  • Verify your account by entering the last 5 digits of your account number.
  • Thank you for that information. Now, for account balance information, press 1, for payment history, press 2, etc.

This way, customers move along a map of menus to complete the tasks they called for. And, for the most part, they are able to complete such simple tasks like this without the help of an agent or representative. This frees your employees to take calls that present as more complicated. And furthermore, they provide your clients with refined customer service.

Why Your Finance Company Needs an IVR System

So, what are some different ways you can use IVR for financial services? Your finance company can use such a system to:

  • Greet callers and assist them while an employee is busy
  • Transfer callers to the appropriate department
  • Provide basic information about products and services
  • Help them make payments
  • Verify/authenticate account information
  • Get account balance information
  • Check payment history
  • Activate accounts
  • Allow logging of complaints
  • Offer customer service, etc.

Besides the benefits of automating certain processes and handling call volumes, an IVR system can also boost your finance company’s professional image. It helps establish your company as one that cares about its customers and offers different ways for callers to resolve their concerns or issues.

 Get IVR with Global Call Forwarding

Global Call Forwarding offers IVR with each of its plans. And so, whether you are a small business or an established finance company, you can enjoy the benefits of having an IVR system. To get this service, simply sign up for a plan on our website, globalcallforwarding.com. To learn more, feel free to call us at 1 (888) 908 6171.

Mobile vs Local Phone Numbers

11th March 2020 blog, Business Phone Numbers

So, you’re in the market for a new business number and your service provider is throwing terms like “local access number,” “SMS-enabled mobile number” and whatnot at you. How do you decide what is the best option for your company when you do not even understand the different options available? Let us help. Here we will look at the differences between mobile and local phone numbers, in words you will understand.

Mobile vs Local Phone Numbers

So, what is being referred to when virtual phone service providers mention mobile or local phone numbers? Providers offer a variety of phone number types that can be used by different businesses, based on what they need. For example, a local business that just wants to connect with clients and customers within their immediate area can use a regular phone number. On the other hand, companies that want to give their callers a free way to connect with them may choose to buy a toll free phone number. Furthermore, an enterprise with customers all over the world will find that having multiple local numbers for different regions is ideal.

So, what exactly is the difference between local phone numbers and mobile numbers?

Local Phone Numbers: Target Locally and Geographically

Local phone numbers correspond to a particular city or state in a country of your choosing. Local virtual numbers work similarly to regular local numbers and have an area code at the beginning. These numbers are most popular because they are reachable from anywhere in the world and from most mobile networks as well. For example, say, you want to connect with clients in specific cities or states such as New York in the United States, Sydney in Australia, and Dublin in Ireland. All you need to do is purchase local numbers for these areas which come with local area codes.

Global Call Forwarding offers local numbers for many different countries across the world. Corporations that have offices or clients spread across different cities and states prefer buying multiple local phone numbers. This way, they always have a quick method of connecting with business contacts and clients, when needed.

Additionally, customers connecting with these businesses do not need to pay high international charges for their calls. Instead, they pay the regular, local calling charges because the call is going to a local number. That call then gets routed through a forwarding service to reach your business, no matter where it is located.

Mobile Numbers: To Mobile, or Not to Mobile?

Mobile virtual numbers function similarly to local numbers, that is, they may or may not be bound to a specific geographical location. Calls made to these numbers are not free and depend on where the call is coming from. And these numbers, too, can accept calls from outside the country, making them reachable from anywhere in the world. They begin with a specific number range such as 06 or 07 in France, 07 for the UK, 04 for Australia. The United States, however, does not have a number range.

More importantly, what separates mobile numbers from local phone numbers is that they can be SMS-enabled. For example, Global Call Forwarding offers inbound SMS forwarding. This enables customers to connect with your business through SMS (instant messaging). Your business will receive these incoming texts as emails with the sender’s caller ID. This is yet another easy and convenient way for customers to reach out to a business.

So, Which Does Your Business Need?

Texting and calling are personal and quick ways to connect with a business. As a business that depends highly on customer interaction, you may want to provide as many ways of connecting as possible. SMS, international call routing, callback widgets on your website, live chats, and more can be utilized. The easier you make it for prospects to contact you, the more connections your business will make. Additionally, remaining accessible is key to building confidence and trust in a company. Want to learn more? Call 1 (561) 908-6171

Why Every Call Center Needs Call Queuing

8th March 2020 blog, Call Management

Looking for a service that can improve customer service and caller experience? Call queuing or call queue management is the advanced call center tool you need!

What is Call Queue Management?

Call queue management or call queuing is a call center concept or feature. When a business uses call queue, its callers hear a greeting, followed by an IVR presenting them with menu options. They are then sent into a call queue with “hold music” or “wait music” playing, letting them know what “wait” position they are in. In other words, “You are 2nd in line” or “You are next in line.”

This way, calls are still accepted — that is, no busy tone is heard. And callers are made aware of their position in the call queue so that they can estimate how long it will take for them to receive service.

In call queue management, there are agents consistently connected to the queue. However, during high volume periods, additional agents or remote agents can log in and join the queue, reducing the burden on current agents.

Benefits of Call Queuing for Call Centers

Businesses of all sizes can use call queuing to create a more efficient workplace. Call queue management not only ensures that each caller gets their chance but reduces missed and abandoned call rates. Furthermore, by letting customers know how long it may be before they get service can help reduce frustrated callers. Here are a few benefits of such a feature:

1. Reduced call abandonment rates
Any business that has a high call volume or call traffic periods needs call queuing to manage these calls. By lowering the average time spent in a call queue, you can improve call abandonment rates. After all, nobody likes waiting in line for too long.

2. Improved customer satisfaction
At times, customers wait for a representative for 20-30 minutes to an hour on a call. As you can understand, that can be tremendously frustrating. By letting callers know what their call position is, they are more prepared to wait. Furthermore, you can provide them with the option of leaving a voicemail, if they don’t wish to wait too long.

3. High first call resolution rates
Lastly, you can use this tool to solve customer concerns and queries on the first call itself. Callers are waiting in line with an estimate of how long their call will take. This will encourage them to stay on the call instead of abandoning it and calling again.

9 Must-Have Call Queuing Features

In order to effectively implement call queuing, your teams will need call queuing features that support high call volumes and allow agents to offer uninterrupted service. Here are the top 9 call queue management features to consider:

1. Cloud IVR System

A cloud IVR system will answer calls, route callers to the appropriate department or employees, and may also try to resolve the call itself. IVR systems can be programmed to help callers navigate menu options, troubleshoot, and complete certain actions such as making a payment, activating an account, and so on. This way, callers with common requests can have their concerns resolved without the need for an agent. However, if the issue cannot be resolved, the call can then be transferred to the queue where the caller waits for an available agent.

2. Custom Hold Music

Playing gentle hold or wait music for callers is always a good idea. Silence can be confusing; loud jarring music can be frustrating; a continuous loop advertising your services may also tick the customer off. Choose music that is soothing to hear while they wait on hold or in queue. You can even add custom announcements telling them what position they are in.

3. Maximum Hold Time

Call queue management is important when using a call queuing feature. This means that if a caller has been waiting for maximum hold time, they get immediately rerouted to another destination, remote workers, a different queue, voicemail, or another announcement. Therefore, setting a maximum hold time is necessary, and this can be 5, 15, or 30 minutes. Avoid setting a maximum hold time beyond 30 minutes as callers will usually abandon calls that make them wait that long.

4. Time-Based Routing

Time-based routing is a routing strategy that automatically routes or forwards calls to different destinations or numbers based on the time these calls are coming in. This setting is predetermined by the account user. And so, you can forward calls that come during off-hours or over the weekend to remote workers or your home office. Additionally, during high call traffic periods — which can be determined by studying call reports and conducting call analytics — you can have calls routed to additional agents and remote workers.

5. Location-Based Routing

Location-based routing forwards calls to different destinations and numbers based on the location of the caller. This means that a caller from a different region can get customer service in their time zone and language preferences.

6. Skill-Based Routing

This type of routing enables callers to reach the right agent by inputting their preferences such as language or expertise. Then the call is transferred to an agent that has those skills. This can help improve customer satisfaction.

7. Simultaneous Ringing

Simultaneous ringing enables all incoming calls to ring on multiple devices as needed by the account user. This means that while callers wait in queue, there is a higher chance of them receiving service quickly. Since the call rings on multiple devices, the caller can get service as soon as an agent is available.

8. Call Recording

Call recording is a virtual communication feature that lets users record all incoming and outgoing calls to be reviewed in the future. Certain VoIP providers, like Global Call Forwarding will offer customizable options such as the ability to adjust the percent of calls to be recorded or how long to store the recordings (from 30 days up to 6 years). Reviewing these recordings can help sales and marketing teams identify calls that were successful or unsuccessful so that they can do better in the future.

9. Call Analytics & Reporting

Lastly, use call analytics and detailed call reports to learn more about your business communication system and customer trends. For example, find out peak call hours, preferred calling methods, use call tracking to identify which advertising channels are attracting the most customers, and so on.

Build a Better Business Phone System

These virtual communication tools can help you create a safe and efficient communication system for your business. Offer quick and accurate service and convert new customers into regulars. To learn more, call us at 1 (888) 908 6171 or chat with an expert today!

Improve Customer Success and Retention for Your Online Marketing Service with Outbound Calling

5th March 2020 blog, Customer Service

For many businesses, customer success and service can vastly impact how well they succeed and how long they survive. You will find that your online marketing service is no different. And so, you need every tool and feature available that can support your outbound calling needs which, in turn, will increase customer retention rates. Let’s see how all these elements work together.

What is Customer Success and Retention?

Customer success and retention are business functions that focus on providing customers with the necessary tools to succeed and achieve their goals. And, thereby, convert them into a returning customer. Customer success is a proactive approach where employees or reps reach out to customers to work together and find better solutions. Some tactics include suggesting other products, offering upgrades, cross-selling, providing market research and analytics, etc.

To ensure your marketing service is offering customers the best quality of work, customer success enables you to:

  • Develop strong customer relations by understanding their needs and goals
  • Take into account metrics and analytics for improvement
  • Help them reach their long-term goals
  • Present your product or service as the solution.

Customers who find value in your service—and can track their growth and success—will come back for more. These are the customers who will further recommend your marketing service to others.

Cold and Warm Contact with Outbound Calling

Because of these reasons customer support and retention are extremely crucial for the successful running of your company. So, why do we recommend using outbound calling for marketing services? This service offers a way to reach as many customers as you want, anywhere in the world for a reasonable subscription rate.

Outbound calling supports high outgoing call volumes. Whether you are conducting market research for a client or welcoming new clients or want to stay in constant communication with customers to help them achieve their goals, outbound calling will enable steady, reliable, and high call quality.

Reach More Customers by Switching Your Caller ID

More importantly, however, outbound calling gives you the ability to reach customers, clients, and markets across the world through your phone. How can you do this? First, you buy multiple local and toll free business numbers for areas and markets you want to target. Then, through our outbound calling feature, you can override your caller ID to display one from the list of numbers purchased.

For example, say your company is based in India but you want to expand to Morocco, Egypt, Algeria, and Mauritius. You can purchase numbers from Global Call Forwarding for these countries and then when you call Morocco, you can have the caller ID on your prospect’s phone display the Morocco number. Likewise, it can be coordinated the same way for the other countries you are doing business with.

Give Customers a Reason to Trust Your Service

The benefit of using virtual numbers and outbound calling for sales and marketing services is that you don’t have to pay high international calling fees. This is because your calls are routed through the internet instead of traditional phone lines. Calling and managing global clientele has never been easier.

Additionally, prospects are more likely to answer calls from numbers they are familiar with. And they are also more likely to ignore calls from areas and country codes they don’t recognize. So it is necessary to increase customer loyalty and confidence in your brand by being there for them proactively and demonstrating that their success is valuable to you.

How Can Global Call Forwarding Help with Customer Success?

Global Call Forwarding has local, international, and toll free numbers for more than 160 countries across the world. You can purchase multiple numbers with your outbound calling plan and pay only for what you subscribe to. Sign up for a new number or call us at 1 (888) 908 6171 for more information. We are here to help you achieve your goals and satisfy your loyal customers. Take advantage of our services today!