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Are you in the market to outsource your customer service needs? Then, you are looking for either an inbound or outbound call center. But how do you decide which one is suitable for you? That starts by understanding the difference between inbound and outbound calls and which is the one your company needs.

Inbound vs. Outbound Calls

Both inbound and outbound calling are customer service tactics used to generate sales through phone conversations. And so, they are usually conducted by customer service teams or call centers. Deciding which service your business needs is based on what type of calls you receive more. Does your business run on calls coming in from customers and prospects? Or, do you make your sales, like a telemarketing company, by calling customers, making a pitch, and selling a product? In other words, do you have a high volume of incoming or outgoing calls?

What are Inbound Calls?

Inbound calls are types of calls that a customer makes in order to connect with a contact center or a call center. The help desk also responds to inbound calls just like a contact center, but calls initiated to a help desk will usually come from employees and less likely from a customer.

Inbound and outbound calls can be attended to exclusively or in a combination of both by the call center.

Customers who initiate an inbound call to a call center will usually be doing so to make inquiries about products and services, as well as to make complaints. The information gathered by the call center agent is then used to find a resolution to the complaint or to provide information that the customer has enquired upon.

There are several metrics that are used to measure the performance of an inbound call agent, these include average handle time (AHT), time in the queue, and first call resolution (FCR). Inbound call centers occasionally enumerate the service goals that the call center will aim for in a service-level agreement (SLA).

Due to advancements in communication technology, inbound call agents now communicate with customers via other means such as chat and emails, which allows customers’ needs to be met from a variety of methods.

What is an Inbound Call Center?

An inbound call center is a company that responds to calls initiated by customers.

Inbound call centers are designed to provide customer support or service. In many cases, inbound call centers have been found to be a part of the sales division by taking sales orders and also serving as an internal help desk for organizations and businesses.

Customers will call a business for a variety of reasons, such as:

• To ask information about a product or service
• Make an appointment or reservation
• Resolve an issue
• Connect with customer service
• Make a payment
• Register a complaint
• Get support or assistance
• Leave feedback and suggestions, and more.

In most cases, many organizations do not directly handle inbound calls. They usually contract that aspect to external inbound call centers. Businesses rely on external call centers to receive inbound calls because it is typically cheaper to purchase the service, rather than paying the cost of employing several call center agents, along with implementing an actual call center into their business.

Most businesses take advantage of incurring the cost of inbound calls on a “per minute” charging basis compared to incurring the financial burden of acquiring calling equipment and staff that the task needs. Appointment setters, customer service, inbound call centers, and customer or tech support teams are the ones that usually take care of inbound calls. Agents answer the call and help customers through positive interactions. An inbound calling service, therefore, is a suitable option for a business with a high incoming call volume.

What are Outbound Calls?

Unlike an inbound call that is initiated by the customer, an outbound call is a call to a customer from the call center or on behalf of a business. Have you ever received a call from a strange number with a voice that could be that of a man or a lady asking for or giving information about a product or service? That is what an outbound call is.

Outbound calls are part of a series of activities that businesses engage in by utilizing call centers to reach out to their customers and prospects.

Modern technology has improved the features of outbound calls that assist call centers in doing a better and effective job. New features such as auto-dialing and predictive dialing are tools that help call center agents maximize their time more efficiently.

Another great tool that helps in making outbound calls more efficient is the automatic call-back tool. Other features such as call scheduling, as well as customer relationship management tools all help to enhance the quality of outbound calls. Call center agents who have information about customer behavior are equipped to make better-quality outbound calls.

Generally, outbound calls have improved in efficiency over the last decade with improvements made to enterprise software, which are readily available and are at the disposal of the call center.

The typical nature of an outbound can include:

• Fundraising calls
• Sales calls
• Telemarketing
• Calls for contact list updating purposes
• Surveys
• Verification services

What is an Outbound Call Center?

An outbound call center is a type of business activity center that consists of a collection of call center agents who make calls to existing and prospective customers on behalf of clients and businesses.

Outbound calls are often facilitated with the use of modern technology in order for them to be efficient. With the help of tools like a predictive dialer, a large volume of calls can be made within a shorter time.

These are some of the uses of outbound call centers:

• Make sales pitches
• Generate and qualify new leads
• Conducting market research
• Provide company updates
• Raise funds or donations
• Appointment setting
• Follow-up on previous purchases or visits
• Leave reminders for renewals or appointments
• Proactive customer service
• Upselling and cross-selling
• Collect feedback and surveys, and more.

This type of calling is generally more sales-focused. Sales teams and appointment setters use outbound calling due to their high outgoing call volume. They call clients on a list determined by metrics and market research to pitch a product or service, renew appointments, or collect data. And so, an enterprise that needs to make multiple sales calls will find an outbound calling service more useful. Basically, if more than 50% of your calls are outbound, then you can be considered an outbound call center.

Differences Between Inbound And Outbound Call Centers

The type of calls that take place at a call center ultimately determines whether that call center is an inbound call center or an outbound call center. This is the main factor that can differentiate between one or the other.

If over 50% of calls that take place at a call center are inbound, that call center functions as an inbound call center. The same criterion applies to outbound call centers.

If you operate a call center, determining the type of call center that you are operating or planning to operate is key to implementing the protocols and systems you want to run in your call center.

For example, if your call center handles primarily inbound calls, there may not be a need for technology devices like a predictive dialer. Your focus will be more on tools that are more suited to inbound calls.

For call centers engaged in outbound call activities, more resources are available in software programs that will help make them more efficient. Tools such as call scheduling, predictive dialing, and automatic callback are some of the essentials for an outbound calling center. Calling features such as call monitoring, which is great for listening in on outgoing calls should also be utilized for those interested in maximizing the services offered.

Related: Call Center Trends in 2023

Technology Used for Inbound and Outbound Calls

Depending on whether your company makes more inbound or outbound calls, you will require different technology and software to ensure smooth running. Virtual phone service providers like Global Call Forwarding offer these tools and features along with your business number to enhance your customer relations.

Inbound calling benefits from:

• Call forwarding: to forward and direct calls to different office locations or during specific days and hours
• Metrics and call activity: making note of average handle times (AHT), queue times, average speed of answering (ASA), customer effort score (CES), etc.
• Call tracking: tracking when and where incoming calls are coming from
• Extensions: for different offices or departments
• Call transfer: the ability to transfer to different offices and departments
• Interactive voice response (IVR): to welcome and direct callers through a series of menus.

Outbound calling technology includes:

• Outbound calling with customizable caller ID: to call clients with a caller ID of a virtual number purchased for a specific location
• Dialers: predictive or automatic dialing technology
• Outbound IVR: proactively engage customers through voice calls, SMS or email, and by delivering personalized customer experience
• Customer relationship management (CRM) systems: to record and note customer data and engagement.

Assisting and Empowering Call-Focused Businesses

Inbound and outbound calling can enhance the way your company interacts with returning and prospective customers. You can outsource your business communication needs to inbound or outbound call centers. Or, purchase your business number with Global Call Forwarding and get communication tools and features that support your calls. Call us today to learn more.

So, you’ve given in to peer pressure and decided to switch to VoIP for more flexible and easy communication. But now you need help setting up your wireless VoIP phone. Global Call Forwarding makes it easy to prepare your phone for incoming and outgoing calls.

Wireless VoIP Phone Systems: Why You Need Them

A voice over internet protocol (VoIP) system allows you to make and receive calls over the internet. Because of this, you don’t need to pay traditional phone line charges or exorbitant long-distance calling fees. You only pay what you sign up for with your virtual phone service provider.

Setting up your wireless VoIP phone with Global Call Forwarding’s service is simple and easy to do. There are different applications you can use that are compatible with our service. Now, since VoIP systems work over the internet, you can use any device to make and receive your calls. For example, you can use your smartphone, laptop, iPad, tablet, or a desk phone. On our Outbound Calling instructions page, you will be prompted to choose between ‘Computer’ and ‘Phone.’ We’ll have a look at how to set up your VoIP on your smartphone.

Wireless VoIP Phone: Android and iOS

To make any of these apps work in configuration with your Global Call Forwarding service, you will need the following information: PIN number, Password, and Domain.

To locate the PIN number for your account:

• Log into the Global Call Forwarding Control Panel.
• On the left side, under Account Overview, select Outbound Calling.
• In the first column, you will see your PIN number.
• Then, on the right side, click on the Tools icon.
• A pop-up will appear. Scroll down to Password.
• Make a note of the PIN number and Password.
• The domain associated with Global Call Forwarding is mysipaccount.net.

VoIP for Android

If you want to use your VoIP service over your Android phone, select ‘Phone’ from the outbound instructions page. Then, select ‘Android’ from the next dropdown menu. Then, you will have three software/apps to choose from: Zoiper, Grandstream, and CSipSimple. You can also download any of these apps from the Play Store app. After installing any one of the apps, open it and follow the prompts. Add an account by clicking the ‘+’ button, and click on Advanced Settings, if applicable. Next, enter your PIN number (under SIP username, ID, or authentication ID). Then, enter the password and domain, and you should be all set. Once the account is registered, start making calls with your wireless VoIP phone.

VoIP for iOS

Now, if you want to use our VoIP service on your iPhone or iPad, select ‘Phone’ and then iOS (Apple) from the instructions page. You will then be able to choose from Zoiper and Acrobits. These apps can also be found in the Apple Store as well. Install any one app, open it, and follow the prompts like you would for the Android phone. Add a new account and enter your PIN number, password, and domain. This will set your iPhone as a wireless VoIP phone.

Turning Your Laptop into a Wireless VoIP Device

Global Call Forwarding also gives you the option to convert your laptop or home computer into a wireless VoIP phone. On selecting ‘Computer’ from the Outbound Calling instructions page, you can select your operating system (OS): Windows and Mac. And then, download the appropriate software on your desktop to use our service. This way, you can make and receive business calls on your laptop, while multitasking and making call notes. This is a common practice for virtual call centers. Additionally, remote employees find this useful as well, since they need just one device to get all their work and calls done.

VoIP, a Virtual Communication Solution

Having mobile VoIP gives you many additional benefits that improve your communications: good call quality, call connection, group and video chats, and call conferencing. By converting your regular phone or computer to a wireless VoIP phone, you can make calls from just about anywhere. All you need is to set the software up once and then use a good internet connection. VoIP is a convenient and dependable way to ensure you are always accessible, even during international travel. Get equipped with a virtual phone system with Global Call Forwarding today and always stay connected!

IVR stands for interactive voice response. It is a highly effective technology and a simple tool that allows a computer to communicate using a voice and digital tones that are typed into a keypad. In other words, it is the charming voice that lets you know your menu options when you dial a company’s customer service line. The IVR allows customers to interact with its system through their own keypad at home, where they can then be transferred to the point of contact that will best suit their needs. IVR systems are pre-recorded by a human or they can be dynamically generated into audio instructions through a computer “voice.” These systems are also designed to be able to handle a large call volume and can even be used to make outbound calls.

IVR systems are typically used for retail orders, travel information, weather conditions, utilities, mobile purchases, and banking payments. IVRs are sometimes called voice response units, or VRU. These systems are simple and effective tools, but some managers and business owners are unaware of how much they can actually help their companies. The IVR can route phone calls, enable the identification of callers, reduce costs, and increase efficiency within any business.

IVR systems have been around since the 1970s, but they are much more impressive for businesses now. The earliest voice response systems had limited vocabularies, but once more companies began to invest in the technology, telephone lines and hardware evolved and became more intelligent. Today, the software is much more commonplace, therefore it is cheaper, more specialized, and easier to use than ever before.

What can IVR Systems Do?

As previously mentioned IVR’s can create customized greetings that you can choose to record yourself or if you prefer, you can use pre-recorded IVR messages. IVR’s can also collect useful information from callers. When callers listen to your recorded messages, they can choose their best menu option and their calls will be directed to the most useful department, or your customers can choose to contact an agent directly.

IVR’s can also create automated responses to customers’ most frequently asked questions. That way customers can find out the information they need quickly without having to speak to an agent. Having an IVR system also means that your company can now handle a large number of incoming phone calls at once. If your company has been struggling to stay in touch with your customers, the IVR will make sure that each customer gets their needs met or adds them to a queue if every agent is busy. Usually, these systems will have an option to let the caller leave their information in a voicemail so that an agent can call them back if they do not want to wait in the queue.

IVR: The Best Option for Business Communication

An IVR is such a simple tool that a smaller business can use the system to make their company seem like a larger corporation. Even if there are very few people working for your company, you can still use the IVR as an impressive way to direct your customers to the right professional for their needs.

The Benefits of an IVR System

There are several benefits that happen for a company when you use an IVR system. IVR increases first contact resolution because customers are directed to the most qualified agent for their questions. It also affects the consistency of the agents working for your company. If your agents specialize in one specific area, they will be more efficient at meeting the needs of their customers’ inquiries. This is because they will be skilled with specific problems and will not need to defer to management or other agents.

IVR systems are also cost-efficient since they can replace a customer service agent or receptionist that would usually be in charge of directing calls. Even smaller businesses can afford an IVR system, which makes them an ideal investment for businesses of all sizes. IVR systems are a very professional option since they give customers a chance to be greeted professionally while having their problems handled quickly, or redirected automatically to the right department.