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The blog for Global Call Forwarding has articles on the latest customer service trends, telecommunications technologies, and business news.
MiFID II financial services
20th February 2020 blog, Business Insights

MiFID II Call Recording Compliance for EU Banks

best outbound calling strategies
17th February 2020 blog, Call Management

7 Best Outbound Calling Strategies: Make Calls That Convert

business-phone numbers with extensions
17th February 2020 blog, Business Phone Numbers

Infographic: Must-Know Facts About Business Phone Calls

the importance of a virtual phone system
12th February 2020 blog, Business Phone Numbers

The Importance of a Virtual Phone System for Businesses

Mauritius toll free numbers
10th February 2020 blog, Business Phone Numbers

Mauritius Toll Free Numbers: Now Available with Global Call Forwarding

lebanon toll free numbers
7th February 2020 blog, Business Phone Numbers

Global Call Forwarding Announces Lebanon Toll Free Numbers

morocco village toll free numbers
5th February 2020 blog, Business Phone Numbers

Global Call Forwarding Now Offers Morocco Toll Free Numbers

understanding sip trunking
30th January 2020 blog, Technology

Understanding How SIP Trunking Works

Best business phones for Outbound Calling
29th January 2020 blog, Business Insights

Best Home and Business Phones for Outbound Calling

MiFID II Call Recording Compliance for EU Banks

20th February 2020 blog, Business Insights

Keeping harmful and abusive financial practices and customer data protection in mind, the MiFID II was created to increase transparency within the financial services industry. Among the many rules, the MiFID II also regulates communications between European Union (EU) banks and its customers and clients. Let’s look at call recording compliance under this regulation.

What is MiFID II?

MiFID II or the Market in Financial Instruments Directive II came into effect in 2018. This EU legislation follows the old MiFID version by enforcing rules that prevent breaches and malpractices within the finance industry. Institutions like EU banks, interdealer brokers, stockbrokers, etc., are regulated under this ruling.

Call Recording Compliance Under MiFID II

Among others, MiFID II requires business communications — telephone and electronic correspondence — be recorded. More specifically, correspondences that “result in transactions concluded when dealing on own account and the provision of client order services that relate to the reception, transmission, and execution of client orders,” according to its policy statement. Additional types of communication that fall under the legislation’s call recording requirements include those between:

  • Bank and selling shareholder or bank and buyers relating to the purchase and resale of a block of securities.
  • Bank and its corporate client and bank and sellers in relation to the purchase of securities in “buy-back” transactions.
  • Bank and buyers regarding the resale of shares purchased by an underwriting bank.
  • Bank and its clients and bank and a third-party seller/broker regarding purchase of securities as part of a stakebuilding exercise.

Complying with MiFID II

Financial services companies, as a precaution, should comply with the regulations of the MiFID II legislation. Doing so can increase transparency and reduce liabilities, especially if your company conducts business appropriately and in its best interest. So, how do you record calls to be in compliance with MiFID II?

You can invest in recording technology or a call recording software or choose a cloud-based solution. Recording technology like devices and recorders can prove expensive and may not produce high-quality recordings. Additionally, they will require physical storage space. Call recording software may be a better alternative but not all come with unlimited or cloud storage. Most virtual phone service providers, interestingly, offer call recording solutions that let you store recordings on the cloud for a certain amount of years. And the quality of such recordings is generally good, depending on which provider you work with.

Global Call Forwarding offers call recording as an additional feature for a small monthly fee. With this feature, you can record up to 100% of all inbound and outbound calls. The calls are stored as MP3 files and are stored for up to six years. Additionally, you have the ability to record over different channels and devices. And since this comes along with your business number, you don’t have to purchase special equipment.

Other Reasons to Record Your Calls

Call recording is a popular choice with businesses that carry out transactions involving sensitive information and customer data through communication systems. Recording and storing such data can help reduce liabilities, both business and personal. Additionally, it can be useful with regard to quality assurance. Utilize recordings for training purposes and to teach employees what to do and what not to do on calls. Create and uphold a company standard that is reflected in the way your business interacts with its consumers.

Get Call Recording with Global Call Forwarding

Setting up call recording for your office phone system is easy. You can purchase a business number or port your existing one to Global Call Forwarding and add the feature to your service. Then, you can record 100% of your calls or adjust to record as many as you need. Access recorded files and important customer information quickly all while following the MiFID II regulations. Sign up today or call us at 1 (888) 908 6171 to learn more.

7 Best Outbound Calling Strategies: Make Calls That Convert

17th February 2020 blog, Call Management

Is your sales team suffering from a low period and struggling to reach monthly goals? It may be time to rethink your sales techniques and make some improvements. Here are some outbound calling strategies to reevaluate your cold-calling tactics and bring your company back on the right track.

Outbound Calling Strategies

There are several reasons why businesses with large outgoing call volumes succeed or fail. A lot of it has to do with how you are conducting your outbound calls, the level of training your agents undergo, and the tools and technology you use. What strategies can you use to refine your outbound calling results?

1. Set (or Re-set) Goals

The first step when creating any strategy is to decide on the end goals. What is everyone on the team hoping to achieve through these tactics? Is the objective to gain straight sales or set appointments or just survey prospects to determine which are valuable? Additionally, how many calls do you intend to make over the course of a week or month? Having these goals established will ensure each team member is on the same page and works towards the same end.

2. Create the Right List

Another important step in attempting to sell your product or service is identifying who your target audience is. If you don’t pay attention to this key factor, you will waste time calling the wrong people and not making the right sales. Start by conducting market research to determine and understand your ideal customer group. Then, create a list and work off of that.

3. Work with the Marketing Department

Working with the marketing department can help you understand when and how the company may be losing prospects. Use that information to fix the problems before they occur. For example, say your marketing team discovers that most failed customers are the ones that result in abandoned carts. Your outbound strategy might then focus on reaching out to these users and helping them complete the process or resolve any existing doubt.

4. Train Your Agents

Preparing your agents is equally important. Conduct training sessions every couple of months as a refresher to reinforce company standards. Additionally, make sure that reps are familiar with the tools, software, and technology they need to use. This way, no time is wasted on learning in the middle of a call. Provide training materials and opportunities like webinars, textbooks, seminars, etc., that can assist agents in doing their best and increasing their confidence when on-call. Consider using call recording for quality assurance and performance analysis. Reward successful interactions and use failed interactions as lessons.

5. Rethink the Script

To follow the script or not? That is the real question. It is known that customers automatically tap out of a conversation when they hear a monotonous script that they know had been heard by many. But scripts help reps retain key information, stay consistent, and make fewer mistakes. The cold-calling script acts as a safe switch for when they forget or lose track of their speech. The trick to creating a script that is informative but not monotonous is to give reps input. Let them create the script with you through a collaborative and flexible process so that their concerns and issues can be represented as well. And the final product is one that works for everybody.

6. Prospect Comes First

Keeping the prospect engaged and interested has often proven to be a difficult task. If they did not expect your call, it’s less likely that the customer will let you even complete the first sentence of your script. First, you want to grab their attention with an offer that piques their interest. Use persuasive words and phrases. Make customers feel valued and heard. Perhaps you can call them by their name, ask how they are doing, and ease into the script. Let them know how you came across their contact. This way, you don’t come across as creepy or stalker-ish. More importantly, be mindful of their time and let them know that. Offer to set up another call time, if they are busy now. Letting your customers know you care and respect their time will give you a better chance at converting them.

7. Smart Calling

Besides implementing all these strategies, keep in mind that timing matters as well. If you are calling prospects too many times or during odd hours, chances are, you will lose that sale. Additionally, if you call an interested client too late, that too may be a dead end. Using analytics, determine what are the best times of the day and days of the week to reach out or return calls. For example, you can use outbound calling to follow up with an interested customer who dealt with a sales chat rep or interacted with your website or requested a callback. Here, the sooner you connect with them, the better you can capitalize on their interest.

Outbound Calling with Global Call Forwarding

Want to upgrade your company’s outbound calling service? Purchase outbound calling and virtual numbers from Global Call Forwarding. You can then use our Customized Caller ID feature to override the caller ID to display one of the numbers you purchased instead. For example, that way, when calling Mauritius, the caller ID will display a Mauritius number. Additionally, you can also get Outbound Call Recording and record outgoing calls! Sign up today or talk to an expert for more information.

Infographic: Must-Know Facts About Business Phone Calls

17th February 2020 blog, Business Phone Numbers

Business communications are an important factor in the successful running of an enterprise. Whether you are using in-house customer care teams or outsourcing to a contact center, how you interact with potential customers can heavily impact your sales. Advancements in telecom technology have paved a way to enhance office productivity and sales with call forwarding, tracking and recording, high call quality, and more. And these tools have made it easier than ever to maintain good customer relations through business calls. Keeping some of the below stats in mind, you can determine what is the best way for your company to connect with users.

Business Calls: Increasing Productivity and Customer Retention

Business dealings consist of internal and external calls. Internal refers to correspondences within the company and its team members. External calls, on the other hand, relate to the incoming and outgoing calls that connect your business to its clients. A good office phone system will ensure the smooth running of all business communication channels. With good call quality and contact tools, you can attract more customers while making yourself always reachable for returning ones.

Reasons Why Business Calls are Still Important

Interestingly, more than 92% of all customer interaction happens on the phone. Convenience and good customer service are strong contributing factors. It is no surprise that individuals find customer care important. A business that is easily reachable increases trust in the eyes of the caller because they know that you can solve an issue quickly, if the need arises. On the other hand, a company that takes the time out to call a user to provide information or assistance can further pique their interest in the service. Welcome and follow-up calls are appreciated because the customer can feel valued and not just treated as another price point.

Another reason why they prefer calling over emailing is that they believe a phone call is the quickest and most effective way to get a response. More than half of website visitors prefer contacting an enterprise through phone calls rather than email or contact forms. Click-to-call ads and call-to-actions which appear on mobile searches have greatly increased this number. Click-to-call options appear on sponsored ads or business listings where they provide a call button. Web visitors can click on these buttons to immediately call the business instead of searching for the number and dialing it in their dial-pad to call.

Tools That Enhance Business Dealings

Virtual phone service providers offer a wide range of tools that can be used and customized to meet your corporation’s needs. You can use call distribution features like Call Forwarding, Simultaneous Ringing, Time of Day Routing to direct calls to different destinations and locations. The point of this is to ensure that if one agent or employee is unable to answer a call, another one can. Additionally, if you have offices spread across states and countries, you can forward calls to those areas during certain hours. Again, this makes sure that if your office is closed or busy, another team can answer calls. The key is to make your business accessible so that customers don’t have trouble reaching you. At the same time, effective call distribution will ensure that your employees are not overwhelmed with overflowing business calls.

You can use tools like Call Recording, Analytics, and Call Tracking to improve and strategize. Recorded calls can help train new employees and act as a refresher for current employees. You can also identify good and weak sales tactics, or conduct performance analyses based on how agents behave on call. Call tracking and analytics can provide insight into important call stats and metrics like:

  • Number of calls occurring over a day, week, or mont
  • Average handle times (AHT)
  • Customer effort score (CES)
  • Average speed of answering (ASA)
  • Queue times
  • Where incoming calls are coming from, etc.

Use this information to retrain agents or streamline marketing efforts, all with the end goal of refining customer relations.

phone call stats
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Make Good and Lasting Connections

Improving your business communications is the first step to attracting new customers and satisfying existing users. Sign up with Global Call Forwarding to take advantage of our virtual phone service tools and features or call us at 1 (888) 908 6171 to learn more.

The Importance of a Virtual Phone System for Businesses

12th February 2020 blog, Business Phone Numbers

Many businesses see how necessary it is to use virtual phone systems to connect with their current customer base. And they recognize these systems as a great tool to establish connections across new markets. Cloud-based phone systems with virtual numbers allow sales teams to connect with local and international customers for affordable prices. And they come with various cloud communication features like time-based routing, hosted call recording, customized voicemail greetings, and more.

What Can Your Business Do with a Virtual Phone System

Most entrepreneurs don’t start off with a lot of disposable capital that they can use on fancy corporate offices. Most small business owners have to invest every dollar earned in the early years for growing their company. Many small businesses don’t survive as a result of wasting money on unnecessary resources. Entrepreneurs in the know realize that when they’re trying to grow their businesses, having a virtual phone number is a great investment that will be rewarded at a tremendous rate. Virtual phone numbers keep you connected and relevant in today’s markets, without a major financial commitment.

So, why should your business change its business phone system? Here are the top reasons to get a cloud phone system:

Work From Anywhere

With all of the features a virtual phone system provides, there is no need to sit by the phone in your office after hours. With call redirection services, you can take important phone calls when you’re traveling or working from home. And there is no delay for the caller to get in touch with you. They simply dial the same number as your office and you are instantly connected to your mobile phone or the device of your choosing. Missing phone calls is nearly impossible, but if you do, you can even forward voicemails as MP3s or text messages through to your email or fax machine. So no matter where you are, you can remain connected.

virtual phone numbers
Source: Stockphoto.com O#100012355324

Forward Calls Internationally

Additionally, you can route incoming calls internationally with an international call forwarding service. With this service, you can forward international calls made to your virtual phone number to another phone number or line in a different country. For example, your Mexico customers call your Mexico local phone number. You can set calls to this number to be forwarded to your office based in London. Your Mexican customers won’t be charged for an international call; they’ll pay regular local calling rates. And you get to connect with them without opening a physical office in Mexico.  This way, international call forwarding within a cloud phone system helps businesses expand globally in a cost-effective manner.

Related: How to Set up a Virtual Phone System?

Route Calls Smartly

Like redirecting calls to your cell phone, you can also route calls to the right departments within your company. Callers interacting with an IVR menu can choose an option on their keypad. This will redirect them to the best person to help them out.

On the other hand, if you are waiting for a very important call and need to go into an emergency meeting but cannot afford to miss the call, you can always redirect them to someone who is available during that time frame to take the call. The best part is that when you’re away, you don’t have to worry about missing any important calls; you can even set an away message. Whether you’ve stepped out to lunch or went home for the day and need to spend time with your family, you can notify your clients why you cannot come to the phone and redirect them to an alternate means of communication, or details on when they will be called back.

Access Cloud Communication Tools

Depending on your cloud phone service provider, you can get access to various advanced communication features when you get a virtual phone system. Here are some of the more popular features businesses use:

Offer 24/7 Customer Service

The best way to see your business grow to new heights is to have stellar customer service skills. After all, loyal customers are the lifeblood of any business. The best way to excel in your customer service skills is to be available to your customers at all times. With features like simultaneous ringing and sequential forwarding, your customers will never have to hear a busy tone when calling your business.

Scale and Grow

With the number of different plans available from virtual phone system providers, you can easily find one that meets your current demands. However, sooner or later your business will begin to grow and you will demand more from your service provider. Service providers like Global Call Forwarding will grow with your company and offer several different plans that will work with you at any stage of development, along with the additional services you may need for maximum efficiency in handling your communication needs.

Get a Cloud Phone System with Global Call Forwarding

Global Call Forwarding offers businesses with virtual phone systems tailored to improve office productivity as well as caller experience. Our cloud phone numbers come with advanced features and services so that you can create the right business phone system for your company.

Mauritius Toll Free Numbers: Now Available with Global Call Forwarding

10th February 2020 blog, Business Phone Numbers

Bring in business from the ever-growing island of Mauritius. Global Call Forwarding is happy to offer Mauritius toll free numbers for companies and enterprises looking to do business in this part of the world.

Increase Your Global Reach With a Mauritius Toll Free Number

With globalization and technological advancements, it is easier than ever to connect with people and companies across the world. Digital communications have brought (and will continue to bring) the world closer than ever. And so, if you are not taking advantage of the opportunities available to expand your business globally, you are missing out. Use this opportunity to connect with businesses and clients in the East African country of Mauritius.

How Mauritius Toll Free Numbers Work

Along with many international toll free numbers, Global Call Forwarding announces toll free numbers for new markets. One of these markets is the vibrant economy of Mauritius. Toll free numbers are virtual numbers that charge the receiver instead of the caller, making it free for contacts and customers to reach your business. Instead of exorbitant long-distance calling fees, locals will have to pay their local calling charges only. This automatically makes you more accessible to the people. And this is because people are more comfortable with a local number that won’t charge them extra, rather than an unknown number.

As a business owner, you have to do everything in your power to demonstrate that your business is professional and reliable. And so, a number that is easy for customers to use and dial is a step in the right direction. Mauritius toll free numbers, therefore, give businesses an opportunity to work with new markets and demographics as well as improve caller experience.

Features That Enhance Communication

Besides giving your contacts a toll free way to connect with you, these numbers also come with additional features that can improve both internal and external communications. Because Global Call Forwarding’s toll free numbers are virtual numbers, you can do much more with your business number. Some of the features include:

  • Dedicated Account Managers: Oversee the smooth functioning of the service.
  • Local Ringback Tones: This refers to the sound heard by callers when the destination (local) phone is ringing.
  • Call Transfer: Transfer calls with a pre-programmed sequence that you arrange according to your needs.
  • Failover Forwarding: This is an automated system that connects incoming calls to other numbers in line in case the first line is occupied.
  • Advanced Interactive Voice Response (IVR): This is an automated greeting system that receives calls and directs callers to the department they need through a menu.
  • Time of Day Routing: This feature directs calls to an assigned number in a different office during certain hours of the day.

These features make your business communication system organized and efficient while also ensuring no calls go unanswered. Use these features to present your company as one that cares about how it interacts with its customers.

How to Get a Toll Free Number for Mauritius?

1: Select your new phone number
Visit the Global Call Forwarding homepage. Under “Select Your New Phone Number,” pick “Mauritius (+230)” and then, choose “Toll Free” for your Mauritius toll free number. Next, select a number from the options available.

2: Enter a destination number
On the right-hand side, provide a phone number where you want calls to be forwarded to under “Forward Incoming Calls To.”

3: Review and select your plan
Review plans offered and select one that is ideal for your business communication.

4: Add features
Next, choose from a variety of add-ons available for your number such as:

  • Free Unlimited Extensions ‒ for different office departments.
  • Call Recording ‒ to record calls for quality assurance and to avoid liabilities.
  • Outbound Calling ‒ to make international calls with caller ID override, enabling your virtual number to appear on the receiver’s caller ID.

5: Enter contact and payment information
Choose your account type: Business or Personal. Enter the necessary information. Accept the Terms and Conditions. Submit your purchase.

Purchase Mauritius Toll Free Numbers from Global Call Forwarding

Invest in a Mauritius toll free number and get one step closer to the locals of this island. Purchasing and setting up your number with Global Call Forwarding is quick and easy. Call us today or sign up and get your number activated and ready to use!

Global Call Forwarding Announces Lebanon Toll Free Numbers

7th February 2020 blog, Business Phone Numbers

Want to expand your company and gather new clients? Global Call Forwarding now offers Lebanon toll free numbers that let you connect with Lebanese contacts and customers through a cheap and reliable phone service.

Lebanon Toll Free Phone Numbers

Companies must establish strong connections with all their customers and prospects in order to succeed. To do so, they need to be easily accessible and within reach. Toll free numbers can help customers connect with businesses in a cheap and easy way. Even if you are not in Lebanon, Lebanon toll free numbers can place you in the country’s economy and provide a channel of communication that ensures you stay connected with your clients.

How Lebanon Toll Free Numbers Work

You might have noticed that toll free numbers are often the contact numbers for large enterprises and businesses. This is because toll free numbers can help manage high call volumes, ensuring that every customer call is answered and satisfied. However, the most attractive feature of toll free numbers is the affordability.

Most toll free numbers generally have a two-three digit code at the beginning. Customers can call toll free numbers from almost any device. Calls made to toll free numbers are charged to the receiver and not the caller. Therefore, customers have to pay little to nothing to call your business. These toll free numbers ensure that your Lebanese contacts can reach you, wherever you are located, at local rates instead of international rates.

Reasons why you should get a Lebanon toll free number:

  • Your business number becomes easy for Lebanese customers to dial
  • You can make and answer calls with Lebanese contacts from anywhere in the world
  • Create a strong and professional image for your company
  • Make use of additional features to forward and record your calls, create customized greetings, and more.

The Lebanon Business Scene

Located in the Middle East, Lebanon is at the crossroads of Asia, Europe, and Africa. This enables it to work closely with these neighboring countries. Its diverse population and booming tourism industry make it a good place to do business. Popular and successful industries in this country are tourism, agriculture, health, telecommunications, banking, and commerce. The government supports businesses through implementing reforms that stimulate growth, investments, and funding. And these reforms are popular with foreign investors, bringing international business to the country.

Steps to Get a Toll Free Number for Lebanon

Step 1: Sign up and select your new phone number
Visit the Global Call Forwarding homepage. On the left-hand side, under “Select Your New Phone Number,” select the country “Lebanon (+961).” Next, choose “Toll Free” for your Lebanon toll free number.

Step 2: Choose your new number or port your existing number
Then, choose a number from the options available or port/transfer your existing number.

Step 3: Enter a destination number
On the right-hand side, provide a destination phone number under the “Forward Incoming Calls To.” This is where you will designate where to forward incoming calls.

Step 4: Review and select your plan
Select a plan that fits your business needs. Decide whether you want a free business trial or pay for a subscription plan.

Step 5: Add optional features
Next, choose from a variety of add-ons available for your number, such as Outbound Calling, SMS Forwarding, etc.

Step 6: Enter contact, account, and payment information
Choose your account type: Business or Personal. Accept the Terms and Conditions and submit your purchase.

Lebanon Toll Free Numbers With Global Call Forwarding

Toll free numbers are in high demand for large corporations and call centers that have large call volumes. Affordability and ease of use make toll free numbers a preferred mode of communication between businesses and their contacts and customers. Enhance your customer interaction with Lebanese clients by purchasing Lebanon toll free numbers. Sign up with Global Call Forwarding today!

Global Call Forwarding Now Offers Morocco Toll Free Numbers

5th February 2020 blog, Business Phone Numbers

Wondering what to do next with your business? Go global and connect with clients across the world. Global Call Forwarding now offers Morocco toll free numbers to help you create communication channels with potential clients in this North African country.

Why Do Business in Morocco

Morocco, officially known as the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in North Africa. This country is most popular for its well-preserved medinas such as Fez, Marrakesh, Tetouan, and Essaouira that are recognized UNESCO World Heritage sites. In these medinas, you will find craftsmen, skilled artisans, and markets filled with imperial and maritime-influenced treasures.

Every business’s goal is to grow and expand and to gather more loyal clients. To do this, it is important to build strong connections and portray your company as a reliable and professional one. Besides creating a good product, gaining investors, and hiring skilled labor, as a business owner you need to take steps towards customer satisfaction and relations. And toll free numbers are one way to do this.

How Morocco Toll Free Numbers Work

Morocco toll free numbers from Global Call Forwarding are virtual numbers that route calls over the internet. This makes it cheaper to stay in touch with international customers and conduct business overseas. You don’t want to discourage customers from calling by making them pay extra or jump through hoops to get in touch with a representative. And since a toll free number charges the receiver instead of the caller, customers can call you for free.

Morocco toll free numbers let you enter the Morocco market and become more accessible to locals. Therefore, these numbers bring you closer to potential clients without needing you to physically move to the location. And so, you don’t have to bother with moving costs or the worry of setting up an office in the country. If required, you may hire a remote employee to handle calls from Moroccan customers and have calls forwarded to that number during their daytime hours. This only makes your company more available and visible to people in this area.

Steps to Get a Toll Free Number for Morocco

1: Select your new phone number
Visit the Global Call Forwarding homepage. On the left, under “Select Your New Phone Number,” select the country “Morocco (+212).” Then, choose “Toll Free” for your Morocco toll free number. Next, choose a number from the options available or port/transfer your existing number.

2: Enter a destination number
On the right-hand side, provide a destination phone number under the “Forward Incoming Calls To.” This is the number where you would like to direct incoming calls.

3: Review and select your plan
Select a plan that fits your business. Decide whether you want a free business trial or if you would prefer to pay for a subscription plan.

4: Add features
Next, choose from a variety of add-ons available for your number such as:
Inbound SMS plans ‒ to receive instant messages from customers in your inbox
Call Recording ‒ to record calls for quality assurance and to avoid liabilities
Outbound Calling ‒ to make international calls with caller ID override making your virtual number appear on the receiver’s caller ID.

5: Enter the necessary information
Choose your account type: Business or Personal. Enter contact and payment information. Accept the Terms and Conditions and submit your purchase.

Purchase Morocco Toll Free Numbers from Global Call Forwarding

If you want to start doing business with Moroccan contacts and clients, getting a toll free number can positively impact your business correspondence. Setting up a toll free number with Global Call Forwarding is quick and easy. You can sign up for one today or contact us for more information about communication solutions for your company.

Understanding How SIP Trunking Works

30th January 2020 blog, Technology

Global SIP trunks can give your office phone system a boost by connecting different extensions through the internet. Let’s have a look at what global SIP trunking is and if your company needs a new phone system.

What is SIP Trunking?

Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is a means of initiating and sending voice and other unified communications services through the internet. And global SIP works with IP-enabled private branch exchange systems (PBX). A PBX system connects incoming calls with any extension within your company. Before SIP options were available, calls were made through public switched telephone network (PSTN) lines. But now, SIP trunking takes this a step further by enabling the PBX to send and receive calls via the internet eliminating the need for standard PTSN. And so, SIP gives voice over internet protocol (VoIP) capabilities to your regular PBX. It works with virtual phone lines that run through bandwidth data.

VoIP capabilities enable the ability to transmit voice, text, video, image, and other files from one system to another. And companies are increasingly switching to VoIP office systems to streamline and organize their internal and external communications. With global SIP trunks, you can stay connected with your team as well as your customers through different mediums.

How Does SIP Trunking Work?

Global SIP trunks transmit voice, video, text, and other unified communication from one user to the next via the internet. SIP trunks work with VoIP to convert voice signals to digital packets in order to transmit them effectively and accurately. Originally, PSTN cables were used to transmit calls between two to more users. With SIP trunking, users can now deliver calls over an internet protocol instead.

Global SIP trunks can easily integrate within a PBX system, so no additional equipment is needed. This allows them to communicate across geographical boundaries and virtually without worrying about high long-distance calling fees or logistics. This adds more flexibility, mobility, and scalability to a business phone system.

SIP Trunks and SIP Lines

SIP trunks hold multiple SIP channels or SIP lines. Each SIP channel is one inbound or outbound call. Therefore, being able to have multiple channels in one global SIP trunk means that users can place multiple calls simultaneously.

For example, if your provider offers you a SIP trunking service with 30 SIP channels, this means that your business can make and answer 30 calls concurrently. Therefore, your business does not need to invest in purchase phone lines.

Small- to medium-sized businesses are often able to conduct operations effectively with just one trunk. However, how many SIP lines does your business need? This depends on the average number of calls occurring simultaneously. In other words, how often do your teams communicate with customers or business contacts at the same time? Do you have periods of high call traffic often? and so on. Global SIP trunk providers offer a variety of plans to meet varying business needs; these include but are not limited to:

  • Multiple or unlimited channels
  • Unlimited channels with a set number of minutes
  • Limited channels with unlimited minutes
  • Multiple trunks for various offices (or office locations) within the same network.

Speak with your SIP provider to find the right plan for your business.

Choosing a SIP Trunk Provider

Picking the right SIP provider for your service can help with fast provisioning and successful implementation. You want a SIP trunk provider that understands your business communication needs and can offer the right SIP services for a reasonable price.

Global Call Forwarding offers a straightforward SIP trunking service with 24/7 customer support to get you set up and running efficiently. Our affordable plans and predictable billing means that you have no surprises or hiccups but stable and reliable service.

Want to learn more about our service? Book a demo today or chat with our representatives online!

Benefits of Global SIP Trunks: Changing the Way Your Company Communicates

There are many benefits to incorporating SIP and VoIP into your communication solutions. Virtual communications make it easier to converse through different mediums reliably. And they open doors for your business by expanding your reach and ensuring clients can connect with you from anywhere. Additionally, you can get virtual phone numbers from a SIP trunk provider like Global Call Forwarding that works alongside your virtual office system. So, what are the many benefits of global SIP trunking?

1. Easier on the Pocket

VoIP is known for providing high-quality service at cheaper and more reasonable rates. And it becomes even more worth it when you consider that it is transmitting multimedia files at those rates, something traditional lines cannot do.

2. Supports and Encourages International Calling

For businesses with an international clientele, this service can help reduce your long-distance calling charges. And this is simply because the call is routed over an international call forwarding service through the internet. You can get virtual numbers such as toll free numbers or local numbers.

3. Offers Unlimited Number of Channels

SIP trunks host an unlimited number of channels so you can use it no matter what your bandwidth is. Sold in smaller quantities, these lines are easy to set up and more cost-effective than traditional lines which sell in bundles of 23. And you can have multiple virtual lines running through the system.

4. Improves Scalability

SIP trunking also allows you to scale up or down easily as lines can be added in gradually based on your need and convenience. And, you can increase capacity at any time.

5. Reliability

Since SIP services work on broadband internet connections, they can enter and cover different geographic areas. And so, with SIP, you can set up and manage unlimited geographic and non-geographic numbers. This is perfect for companies with remote offices and employees.

6. Helps Adopt the Follow the Sun Model

Use global SIP trunking to smoothly switch to the Follow the Sun model, a customer service approach aimed at offering 24/7 global customer support.

An image showing global sip trunks.

Improve Communication Systems With Global SIP and VoIP

Global SIP trunks don’t require a lot of new and expensive equipment and are very easy to set up. You can contact an ISP or SIP provider to learn more about how you can use global SIP trunking to support your business. Enhance your company’s communication system with SIP and VoIP today.

Best Home and Business Phones for Outbound Calling

29th January 2020 blog, Business Insights

Have you been in the market for the best home and business phones for outbound calling? If so, it is rather simple to find a great one. When you purchase a virtual phone number with the outbound calling feature, you can make calls from your mobile phone or a landline. The virtual number of your choice is what will appear on the call recipient’s caller ID. This allows you to streamline when it comes to equipment, allowing you to use your number at your convenience.

Professional Communication for Businesses

Business owners are commonly on-the-go. Calling business-related contacts from one’s personal cell phone isn’t the most desirable option. Not only does this appear unprofessional, but it also leaves the business owner’s personal number on business contacts’ caller IDs. With a virtual phone number, a business owner can make calls from their mobile device and have their designated business number show up on the recipient’s caller ID. This is much more professional than having a personal mobile phone number used for communication.

Flexibility with Outbound Calling

Life is busy. Whether you are looking for the best home phone option or the best business phone option, virtual numbers allow for the highest level of flexibility. Entrepreneurs often use their cell phones to call clients using one virtual number and then have another virtual number for home use. This offers significant cost savings and eliminates the need to have more than one physical phone. A virtual number owner can use a customized ringtone feature, like those offered by Global Call Forwarding, to distinguish between calls coming into the same device for home and business phones.

Customized Greetings

When using virtual phone numbers for home and business phones, not only can you set up customized ringtones for incoming calls, but you can also set up customized greetings in case you miss a call. This allows you to set up a professional greeting for calls coming in through your business number. You can also then set up a personal greeting for calls coming in through the home phone number.

Boost Professionalism

When you know a business-related phone call is coming in, you can appropriately answer the call. Whether it is in the choice of words you use to answer the call or the tone, the details translate the same way. Above all, it is necessary that you sound professional. Being able to make outgoing calls and receive calls on a single number allows you to be mobile, while staying connected to your business. A business owner selects features such as extensions to get calls routed to individual departments more quickly. All of these things add up to boost professionalism and positively impact the growth of the business.

How Do I Purchase a Virtual Number?

Getting virtual numbers set up with the best home and business phones for outbound calling is easy and quick. There is no need for hardware installation. Virtual numbers are cloud-based. A user manages the communication system via an online control panel. With Global Call Forwarding, the process is seamless and the steps for signup are simple. Simply head to the website at www.GlobalCallForwarding.com, view the drop-down boxes at the center of the home page, and enter the relevant information for purchase. After purchase, activation will occur shortly.

In Closing

Making outbound calls using one device with multiple virtual phone numbers beats making calls from business landline devices and home landline devices. Virtual phone numbers help a business owner maintain a professional image while managing other things outside of the office. Virtual phone numbers can be local or toll free, offering telecommunication solutions for all types of needs, worldwide. Contact Global Call Forwarding today for the best home and business phones for outbound calling.