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Category: How To’s

5 Call Metrics for Sales Managers

30th October 2023 blog
Important call metrics for sales managers to track.

In the ever-evolving business world, sales managers are key to a company’s success. And if you want to optimize your teams’ performance, then it’s vital to track sales call metrics. …Read More »

VoIP versus Cloud Telephony

27th October 2023 blog, VoIP
Is VoIP different than cloud telephony.

Communication is the lifeblood of any business and when it comes to selecting the right modern business phone system. When you look for a business phone solution, you’ll see various …Read More »

11 Best VoIP Providers for International Calling (2024)

17th October 2023 blog
A list of the best VoIP providers international business calling.

If you don’t already know, voice over internet protocol (VoIP) is a game changer for international calling. Why? Because VoIP technology lets you make cost-effective long-distance calls to any corner …Read More »

Outsourcing with Call Forwarding: Reduce Costs With Cloud Telephony

26th September 2023 blog
An image of outsourcing with call forwarding.

In the past few years, we’ve had disruptions, inflation, looming recessions, and more. And businesses are questioning short-term and long-term goals and, more direly, budgets. In the middle of all …Read More »

14 Best Softphone Apps (2024)

25th September 2023 blog, VoIP
An image of the best softphone apps in 2023.

A modern technological marvel, softphones have revolutionized the way we communicate. In essence, they are software-based phone applications that enable you to make phone calls over the internet. This means …Read More »

9 Business Use Cases for International Phone Numbers

22nd September 2023 blog
9 use cases for international phone numbers.

International phone numbers make it easy for businesses to expand and extend services to new markets globally. But how do you use these numbers effectively so that they get in …Read More »

How To Deal With Rude Customers and Not Go Insane

16th May 2018 How To's, Learn

If you work in customer service, at some point or another you will eventually have to deal with some angry and rude customers. It is important for your job and your own sanity to be able to handle these people correctly. If you fight with every customer that comes your way with an attitude, then you probably will not have a job in the near future. Take a look at these 10 tips to learn new and creative ways to turn that customers’ day around and more importantly to make sure that your day does not get ruined in the process.

Do Not Mirror Their Emotions

It is important that you remain calm and polite during the entirety of the conversation with an angry customer. Do not smile or laugh in an effort to get them to change their emotional state. Smiling at an angry customer might enrage the person more as it seems like you are not taking their problem seriously. Make sure that you stand your ground and try your best to not escalate the situation. It is your duty to try your best to resolve their issue.

Actively Listen and Ask Questions

Be sure to portray to the customer that their problem is valid and that you care. Ask them questions to fully understand what happened and why there is a problem. If you take the time to listen to what they are trying to say, then you might just agree with them. Perhaps you wouldn’t choose to react the same way, but you can still take the time to understand where they are coming from.

Remind Yourself That This Is Their Bad Day, Not Yours.

Try to understand that this person is mad at a situation and taking it out on you. They are not angry at you as a person. Relax and remind yourself that this person chose to react in this way, while you can offer compassion instead.

Breathe

Take a deep breath and try to relax. Focusing on your breathing when you become angry can help you to calm yourself down. Breathing from your stomach is a helpful way to naturally relax your entire body. With a calm and reenergized mindset, you will be able to approach the situation with a fresh take.

Apologize and Empathize

Since you have now found out what the problem is through asking questions, you can properly apologize to the customer. One way to make the apology seem sincere is to empathize with what they are going through. Once you have actively listened to the issue at hand and ignored their outburst, you can now understand how they may be feeling. If you do not think that the customer deserves an apology, still offer one anyway. It is the quickest way to start resolving the conflict and getting the customer what they need. Extinguishing the flames is the most important thing; not fanning them.

Be Informed

It is important that you are aware of how the business you work in runs. If you are on your first or second day, then you should direct the person to someone who is more informed. Not knowing what is going on in the business that you are in will only make the customer angrier. For example, if you work in a restaurant and a customer has an issue with the food, knowing what is in the dish is vital to solving their problem.

Control Your Tone of Voice

Raising your voice at a customer is the quickest way to never work for that company again. There are some tricks available to you that will help you with any conflict you may find yourself involved in. Speaking in a lower voice at a slower speed will put the other person at ease during the conversation. Do not give an angry customer a reason to get even angrier by firing back at them. Lowering your voice will make you sound more professional and that will portray to the customer that they are dealing with someone who is not only competent, but able to maintain control in an uncomfortable situation. Slowing your voice down can also have a natural soothing effect on the recipient.

Solve The Problem Or Don’t

If there is a solution to the problem, offer that solution right away. If there is absolutely no solution then be upfront about that. There are many situations you may find yourself in where there is no solution. If you work at a franchise that shares a corporation with other businesses but often partakes in separate promotions from other franchises, you may run into many issues. For example, if someone comes in with a coupon for another store that your store is not equipped to honor then it will not be possible for you to solve that particular issue. The customer may get even angrier, but once they have realized nothing can be done for them they will have no choice but to leave.

Get Help From A Supervisor

It is best to send an angry customer to the proper management or division right away. If you know immediately that you cannot be of service to them once you have heard their problem, then let them know politely that you are going to direct them to the person that can help. Apologize first and politely excuse yourself to find management. For example, “I’m so sorry to hear about that, let me get my supervisor so we can get that issue resolved for you right away.”

Let It Go

Once the problem has been resolved you may be feeling a bit on edge. Dealing with rude, angry, and insulting people can put a damper on your entire day. Go back to your breathing exercises or simply take a timeout. If you can, take a walk around the block, grab some chamomile tea, or simply head to the restroom to compose yourself. Try not to take the issue home with you, or take it personally. When you feel yourself being reminded of the angry, rude customer, switch your thoughts to something positive. Think positive things about yourself or fantasize about how much fun you’re going to have this weekend. Remind yourself that this angry customer did not come into your life to wage a personal attack on you. They were simply unhappy about an issue and were unable to contain their emotions. You, however, were able to contain your emotions to get through a conflict while maintaining your professionalism. That is something to be proud of.

Surviving Long Days Working at Your Desk

21st December 2017 How To's, Learn, Tips

Working at a desk all day long does not seem physically taxing at first. You are only sitting, right? Yes, but sitting for hours at a stretch comes with its own share of drawbacks. And we all know, being sedentary is far more dangerous than being active. It eventually leads to our bodies being incapable of performing important physical tasks.

 

With virtual offices on the rise and an increasing number of people choosing to work from home, a vast majority of employed people now spend their days hunched over a desk in front of a monitor. The result? Nearly 80 percent of Americans suffer from lower back pain, stiff neck, and other joint pain because of a sedentary lifestyle. Even when you exercise every day for an hour or two, the long hours spent at a desk can still be detrimental.

According to a study, spending eight to 12 hours sitting down daily can lead to high rates of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Considering there are millions of people who go through decades of their life in this scenario, the findings are alarming.

But all is not hopeless. It is possible to survive long hours working at a desk if one is willing to add a little change in the routine. These following tips help counteract the negative effects of a sedentary job.

Pick the right chair

More often than not, the reason for lower back pain is using the wrong chair. The chair that you use at home or the office may be either too low or too high, causing you to strain your neck as you look at the monitor. The remedy? An ergonomically designed chair that’s just the right height to the desk.

You might need to try out a few different chairs to find the perfect one, but once you do, it may be the answer to your aches and pains.

2. The right desk and monitor height

Once you have found the right chair, it will be time to adjust the height of your desk and the monitor. Most of the time, a desk that is either too low or too high, can cause aches and pains. Make sure you are looking straight at the monitor and not bending or hunching over the desk.

You don’t need any fancy equipment; just placing your computer atop a few books should do the job.

3. Use a standing desk

Counter the debilitating effects of prolonged sitting by getting a standing desk. Research shows that you can burn up to fifty extra calories every hour just by working at a standing desk, instead of sitting down. Although it doesn’t seem like a big deal, standing actually helps improve your posture and strengthens your legs.

Considering the amount of time we spend sitting, using the same time to stand will burn so many more calories. Adjusting the height of your monitor is all you need to do.

4. Get up and walk

While sitting and working at a desk for long hours, we often lose track of time. We forget to get up and walk at frequent intervals, leading to stiff neck, joint pain, and backache. Whether you work from home or from an office, it is important to get up and walk around to avoid muscle stiffness.

To make sure of this, implement the use of regular reminders via apps on your phone or computer that will remind you every couple of hours to leave the chair and walk around. Going for a walk during your lunch break is also a good way to keep active and loosen your muscles.

5. Walk or cycle to work

Cars ruin our health more than we realize. If you commute to and from work daily, you may spend more than two or three hours sitting down every day. If possible, walk or try to bicycle to work sometimes to counteract the negative effects of sitting down. Both cycling and walking are great exercises for the body, and if your office is close by, ditching your car for your bike is a great way to save gas and incorporate a workout into the routine.

6. Exercise while watching TV

Instead of sitting and watching TV on a sofa, bring your treadmill out of retirement and place it in front of the television so you can use that time more constructively (and enjoyably) while watching a fantastic show. This will make sure that you get to watch TV only when you are walking, maximizing your time while taking care of your body.

If you don’t have exercise equipment, walk around the room or march in place while watching TV. Not being a couch potato will not only keep you active but also reduce your chances of cardiac problems.

7. Schedule a weekly walk or hike

After working at a desk the whole week, schedule a family walk or hike during the weekend. This is a fantastic way to keep yourself active and help your muscles relax after a sedentary week. It’s also an ideal way to spend some quality time with your family.

The average American is highly accustomed to sitting down. In fact, our bodies are trained to be seated – while eating, watching TV, and working. Even if you exercise every day, sitting long hours at a desk can negate all the benefits of exercise. For some perspective, there is a rural village in China known as the Longevity Village where people live up to a hundred years on average because of their lifelong active habits.

You don’t have to go to great lengths to be able to lead an active lifestyle. You can incorporate subtle changes in your life to balance out the harmful effects of a sedentary job. You may not be able to change the nature of your work, but you can always change the way you work.

Adjusting your desk and chair, walking around every half hour, and incorporating regular exercise into your work week and weekends are excellent ways to survive long hours working at a desk.

7 Ways to Keep Employees Motivated

21st December 2017 How To's, Learn, Tips

Did you know that 3 million employees in the U.S. quit their job voluntarily every single month?

It’s not too surprising when you think about it. Many employers are unaware, or too busy to notice there are often company-wide bad habits that drive good employees to their competitor’s front door.

When workers don’t feel comfortable in a certain setting or are unhappy with their position, costly mistakes are more likely to happen. Instead, the focus needs to be placed on motivating employees at all levels, from interns to middle management and beyond. A truly successful enterprise is one that recognizes the importance of their workers and actively works to keep them. Not just for their talents and hard work, but their personal health and happiness.

Here are 7 different opportunities you can take advantage of to motivate your people in a positive work environment.

  1. Rewards and Incentives

If your workers have accomplished something worthy of a “job well done,” then say so with a reward. Recognition is one of the best ways to keep employees satisfied with their job. This is especially true if they’re recognized in front of coworkers. Here are some ideas of things you can reward them with to get started:

  • Gift cards to a nearby restaurant or coffee shop
  • Catered lunch for your team
  • VIP parking spot for a week
  • A “work from home” day
  • A trophy or framed certificate
  1. Recognize and Address Problems

When employees speak up about a certain issue, it’s best to listen. This has to do with good communication. If your company communicates well, then workers feel listened to and cared for.

For instance, let’s say that one of your teams is asking for more training or tools to help them with tasks. Instead of saying “we don’t have a budget for this,” schedule a meeting with everyone involved to come up with an alternative solution. While it may be difficult to resolve every single problem they face, you must at least recognize their concern.

This is because even “small” problems can snowball into bigger ones in the future, so try not to ignore them for too long. This could result in a top employee leaving your company.

  1. Get Their Input

According to a 2005 study, “84% of highly engaged employees believe they can positively impact the quality of their company’s products.”

Have you ever gotten an employee’s opinion on a process? When workers are more involved and offer input, they are naturally motivated to see a project succeed.

So create a culture where employees are encouraged to participate. Ask them how they feel about certain policies and how things can be improved. You would be surprised how many of them have smart ideas already. Try to set up a monthly meeting where everyone can get together and spitball ideas.

Remember, be sure to do more than just listen. Support their ideas, allow them to implement them and have ownership of them as well.

  1. Create a “Trust” Environment

How often have you worked in an office where, if something went wrong, everyone would start pointing fingers? This is a direct reflection of upper management. When employees make a mistake, they become anxious about getting reprimanded and are less likely to be open about it.

Instead, hire managers and team leaders who are willing to foster trust. They should encourage values such as respect, honesty, and teamwork on a regular basis. This way, when a mistake is made, workers can feel confident about going to their leaders for support. They can also work together on a plan for preventing that mistake in the future.

  1. Give Them Room to Grow

When a person walks into a company interview, chances are you are going to ask the question, “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” Well, how are you helping them get there?

Most people enter the workforce with a goal. Complacent or “bored” employees have short attention spans and are more likely to leave if their goals aren’t met. Regular training, new challenges, and bigger projects are just a few of the ways to support employees professionally.

Offer top workers a chance at real development in your company. Send them to a career fair or conference where they can grow their skills. Have a quarterly review where they can make their own recommendations for how they will grow over the next few months. As they develop into their roles, you are more likely to retain them.

  1. Celebrate With Them

This is more than just a birthday cake in the conference room. Recognize the importance of personal and professional achievement from upper management and C-level executives. Here are a few reasons to celebrate with your employees:

  • A glowing customer review on your website as a result of service well done
  • A new and successful product release
  • Promotions and new hires
  • Professional milestones, such as years of service

According to the TINYpulse Employee Engagement and Organizational Culture Report, “Nearly two-thirds of all employees report working at organizations that lack a strong work culture.” Being able to sit regularly with workers in a casual setting will go a long way in developing a culture they enjoy.

Not only that, celebrations enable employees to want to reach new milestones on their own.

  1. Be Flexible

Offices will have many strict rules about when employees can take breaks, how many days they can have off, and may even dictate acceptable times to use the restroom.

While having office “rules” to a certain extent is actually very healthy, workers should never have to feel worried or anxious about when they can leave their desk. This kind of burden does not offer them a chance to attend to their personal lives. And as a result, they end up quitting. Instead, work with them and put into place a flexible work schedule that meets their needs.

For example, you can explain that if certain deadlines are met, a team can work from home every other Friday. According to studies, “Companies that support remote employees“ have 25 percent lower employee turnover than companies that don’t.”

How to Get an Australian Phone Number in 2024

12th December 2017 How To's, Learn
How to get an Australian phone number.
Source: Stockphoto.com O#20443 – ID#100025957115

Both a country and a continent, Australia is surrounded by the Indian and Pacific oceans. The Australian continent is comprised of the Australian mainland, the island of Tasmania, and a number of smaller islands. Australia is the largest country in the region of Oceania and the world’s sixth largest country. The capital is Canberra. Other major cities include Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne, and Adelaide. Australia is a self-governing British Commonwealth country. The government is a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. It is divided into the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch. The Prime Minister since 2015 has been Malcolm Turnbull. Get an Australian phone number and enter your business in its booming economy.

Buy an Australian Phone Number

To enhance your business prospects in Australia, we cannot stress the importance and the benefits of getting Australian phone numbers. They are affordable and highly convenient. Here are the steps:

  1. Go to our Pricing page.
  2. Select Australia as the country you need a number for.
  3. Then, choose the type of number (choose from toll-free, national, mobile, or geographic).
  4. Click View Rates and Select Plan.
  5. View the results and choose from the options.

Types of Australian Phone Numbers

Global Call Forwarding offers Australia toll-free numbers, local phone numbers, mobile numbers, and national numbers.

Advantages of Buying an Australian Phone Number

You may be surprised to learn how many ways international virtual phone numbers can benefit your business. Here are several examples:

Develop a winning local presence: Don’t struggle to attract customers from beyond your immediate vicinity. Often, customers outside your area may think that you are too far away to deliver a reliable service. But if you have a local virtual number, they will have no idea that you don’t have a local physical presence and they will dial your number rather than your competitor’s.

Establish a market overseas: You may want to expand your business overseas, but you may not have the resources to set up an operation there. A virtual international number allows you to run your business overseas while you are working from your base office or even from home. If your employees have skills in other languages, you can certainly take advantage of their abilities and let them plunge into international relations, without having to make investments abroad.

Boost your image: In the world of business, your image is paramount. With virtual phone numbers, you can give the impression of owning a global empire rather than a small business. This can be particularly beneficial if you are not located in a major city, as it boosts confidence with your partners, suppliers and your customers.

How Australian Phone Numbers Work

Virtual Australian phone numbers work by providing your company with a range of local, Australian 1800 numbers and a forwarding service that reroutes your calls to the number of your choice. The number could be your office, your company call center or even your mobile phone. You can change the number at any time. Each time your Australian clients make a call, they have the ease and confidence in knowing that they are calling a local number and talking to a local company. They never need to know your physical location. They will also be happy not to have to pay long-distance charges or to have the hassle of overseas dialing codes.

Global Call Forwarding offers a cutting-edge service that provides Australian phone numbers as well as virtual numbers in more than 140 other countries. Once you have signed up for an Australian phone number, you can establish business connections and take calls from your customers anywhere in the world. For example, if your company is based in Canada, but you’d like to expand your business to Australia, virtual Australian phone numbers provide a point of contact for you in that part of the world.

Customize the ringtones on your Australian phone number to match the local ringtone. To make sure you never miss a single call, you can have your calls routed to more than one number at the same time. You can also schedule calls to route to different numbers based on the time of day.

Doing Business in Australia

Whether you are starting out with a new business, or looking to expand your current venture, Australia has great business opportunities. The nation’s current economic state makes it very affordable and attractive to foreign investors. When it comes to business, Australia is considered to be the gateway between Asia and the Western world.

Furthermore, Australia has very strong trade relationships with China.

Australia’s Economy

The Australian economy is highly developed and is one of the world’s largest mixed market economies. In terms of wealth per adult, Australia is the world’s second wealthiest nation. The nation’s economy is dominated by the service sector, which comprises 61 percent of the GDP. Some of the country’s largest companies include Woolworths, Caltex Australia, Wesfarmers, Rio Tinto Group, and Telstra. The currency of Australia is the Australian dollar.

Australia’s Six Largest Industries are:

Financial industry: Australia has several valuable assets in the financial world. Its main four banks – ANZ, Westpac, Commonwealth Bank, and National Australia Bank – are all ranked in the world’s 50 safest banks. The financial sector is one of Australia’s largest industries.

Metal and mining industries: The mining sector is Australia’s second-largest industry due to the country’s massive array of natural resources. The country is home to many categories of the mining industry including black and brown coal mining, iron ore mining, gas and oil mining, gold ore mining, copper ore mining, and bauxite mining.

Business consulting firms: Many of the world’s major business consulting firms are now based in Australia. Consulting firms fall into four categories: information technology consulting, strategy and general business consulting, sustainability consulting, and human resource consulting.

Energy and utilities: Australia has huge energy assets along with outstanding natural resources such as coal, oil, natural gas, and uranium. The nation also boasts renewable energy resources.

Industrial and material industry: Because this industrial sector garnered some big projects over the past decade, it was able to survive the financial crisis. Growth has maintained in part by the New South Wales $50 billion transport plan.

Healthcare and the pharmaceutical industry: This sector includes biotechnology and medical practice. Australia is currently undergoing a shortage of doctors and nurses, particularly in regional areas.

Using Australian phone numbers for your business allows you and your employees to work from anywhere and reach anywhere in Australia. With virtual call forwarding, the business world is your oyster.

How to Call 1800 Numbers from Canada

6th December 2017 How To's, Learn, Tips

Are you interested in learning how to call 1800 numbers from Canada? If so, we can offer some assistance. The following article will offer the steps to take to make a 1800 call from Canada. Read on to learn more.

What are Canada 1800 Numbers?

Canada 1800 numbers are just like toll free numbers in the US, or anywhere else. These numbers do not have a specific, location-centric area code. They can be used nationally, or in the case of Canada 1800 numbers, throughout Canada and the US as well. As the name states, these numbers start with the “1800” prefix with seven digits following.

How do Canada 1800 Numbers Work?

They are toll free numbers, which means that the numbers are free for callers to dial. The owner of the number pays for all calls that are received. In the age of mobile and VoIP calling, having a toll free number has a different meaning than in the past, when callers used landlines to make calls. Even though most callers don’t necessarily need calls to be “toll free” because they inherently won’t be charged, toll free numbers are significant because they indicate business establishment. Therefore, when you have one, it indicates to your clients or potential customers that you are a well-established business.

It’s important to note, however, that you typically cannot make calls to toll free numbers outside of the country they are intended for. So for instance, if you are in Australia and you want to call a Canada 1800 toll free number, it will not work. However, if you’re in the US, it will be no different than calling any other toll free number in the US. Similarly, if you want to call the US from Canada, on a standard phone number (not a toll free number) you will just have to dial 1 + the area code, then the phone number.

How to Call 1800 Numbers from Canada

Here are the steps you can follow to make a call to a 1800 number in Canada.

Step 1: Using the dial pad your phone, enter the exact digits of the 1800 Canada number you want to call.
Step 2: Press the “Call” button for the call to be made.
Step 3: Hang up or press “End” when the call is complete.

1800 Toll Free Canada Numbers for Your Business

If your business is considering using toll free numbers to communicate with clients or potential clients in Canada, here is some more info on why they are an excellent option.

    • Professional Appeal: Toll free numbers are great when used in marketing because they are an instant symbol of being an “established” business.
    • Widespread National & Continental Reach: They give your business the ability to be reached by people anywhere in all of Canada (and the US). So, if you’re aiming to create a national or continental presence, an 800 toll free number in Canada will be great for your callers.
    • A Distinct Business Number: If you need to purchase a designated business phone number for your business and you do business in Canada or the US, a 1800 toll free number is ideal. This ensures your customers will know they are dialing a business number. While local numbers are perfect for creating a “local” presence, a toll free number indicates your company is national/ continental.

About Canada 1800 Toll Free Phone Numbers

When you purchase a 1800 number for Canada, it can be used ubiquitously in the US as well. This is because phone numbers for Canada and the United States are determined by the North American Numbering Plan, also known as the NANP, which is the governing body for the assignment of phone numbers in North America. Therefore, toll free numbers in the US and Canada are used the same way.

Conclusion

If you were interested in learning how to call 1800 numbers from Canada, hopefully, this article shed some light on the process. It’s important to remember that if you’re in North America, dialing Canada toll free numbers will be a simple process, however, if you’re elsewhere, they may not work at all. If you would like to get a Canada 1800 number for your business, contact Global Call Forwarding today to do so.

How to Make a Telephone with Paper and Plastic Cups

29th November 2017 How To's, Learn

With iPhones and Snapchat it’s difficult to imagine kids growing up without the excitement of making telephones out of paper cups and string. It seems like every childhood friendship consisted of wishing you lived close enough to each other to communicate through your bedroom windows with the latest and greatest in “cup and string telephone technology.” It made you feel like you were getting one over on your parents, while it gave you and your friend a sense of adventure and autonomy. Secret late-night chats about hypothetical missions or the latest gossip… those were the days!

Just because we have actual technology, like virtual phone numbers, that lets us do this much easier, does not mean it’s not still fun though, and making telephones is a great ways to teach kids about sound waves and how a traditional telephone works. Let’s take a look at how to make an effective cup and string telephone.

Steps to Make a Telephone out of Paper Cups and String

For materials you’ll need to buy two paper (or plastic) cups and a non-stretchable string, and you’ll need a pair of scissors. Here are the steps to make a paper cup telephone:

  1. Poke a hole in the bottom of each cup with the scissors or another small, sharp object.
    (Optional) Decorate your cups with markers to customize your own personal cup telephone.
  2. Cut the string to your desired length – we recommend you start with anywhere from 60 to 100 feet (we’ll talk about the science behind this later in the post).
  3. Thread each end of the string through the holes in the cups and tie knots in each end to prevent the string from pulling back through the cups. You may also use paper clips to keep the strings attached.
  4. Then, both you and your partner begin walking away from each other until the string is tight. Careful not to rip the string out, but you will need some tension in order for the sound waves to carry.
  5. Finally, as you hold your cup to your ear, your partner can begin sending you secret messages through their cup. Play with the length of the string to see how shorter or longer strings make the message more or less clear. Have fun!

Science Behind the Cup and String Telephone

While this activity is certainly fun and harkens childhood treehouse fantasies, it is also an excellent chance to learn about telephone technology and sound waves. We can communicate with each other because the sound waves our voices make are put out into the air around us. These waves do dissipate if directed into the air, which is why it is easier to hear people that are physically closer to us than farther away – this is why we shout from long distances.

Sounds travel between the two cups through the following process: when the first person speaks into their cup, their voice creates sound waves which then vibrate the bottom of the cup, making it move back and forth about 1000 times per second – or faster! This vibration travels down the string so long as there is tension and it is not a stretchable string (kite string or cotton twine are good ones to use). Once the vibrations reach the other cup, the second person should be able to hear what the first said. You can speak at normal volumes because the sound waves aren’t lost in the air. But, if your string becomes too long, this can also cause the sound waves to weaken and your message won’t be delivered to the other person. This is why it would be fun to experiment with string lengths to see when the message is clearest, and when it starts to fade. You can also experiment with different kinds of cups, whether they are small, big, plastic, paper, or styrofoam. All of these adjustments will affect the clarity and volume of your message.

A traditional telephone operates in much the same way as this rudimentary version. With actual telephones, an electric current replaces the string, and an aspect known as the diaphragm converts your sound waves to electrical energy, and it travels to your friend’s phone via the established telephone network. Transferring the waves to electrical energy allows the waves to travel further. This is a very oversimplified explanation, but for the sake of comparison, it accomplishes the task of comparing the transference of sound waves to a second party.

How Telephones Work Today – Softphones / Virtual Numbers

The technology we use today even with our high tech smartphones is very similar to the technology that has always existed. Instead of converting our sound waves into electrical signals, they are converted to radio signals. Then those signals are picked up by radio towers and sent to our friend’s phone, which then translates those radio signals back to sound waves.

Virtual numbers also work in a similar way. When you buy a virtual number, it is simply a number that is not assigned to a specific telephone line. Instead, these numbers are programmed to be forwarded to another established landline, cell number, or softphone. The rationale behind this is that during the week from 9-5 you can forward the number to your office phone, and on the weekends, you can forward the calls to your cell phone. The reason people find these numbers and this flexibility attractive is that you can give out a local phone number to a local business even though you may be operating your company in an entirely different locale or country. You can even use these phone numbers over the internet on your computer, so if there is no cellular service, but you have wifi, you can still dial and receive calls.

Back to the Basics

No matter how technologically advanced we become as a society, it’s fun to get back to the basics and have some good old fashioned fun with crafts and friends. It’s good to remember the basics behind some of the things we take for granted, especially with the many conveniences of modern technology. Whether you’re in a small midwestern United States town or the bustling city of Toronto, you’ll see folks walking around talking on their cell phones. It’s safe to say that a good portion of these individuals couldn’t tell you how their phones really worked. It might be time for them to sit down and make a cup and string telephone to understand the fundamentals of the amazing technology we have available at our fingertips!

How to Use Verizon Call Forwarding

29th November 2017 How To's, Learn

Call forwarding is not a complicated feature to use. In fact, the instructions to follow in activating this feature are not difficult at all. You will be tasked to enter and press a few buttons, and if you are successful in activating the service, you can reap the benefits of using Verizon call forwarding. For some people, call forwarding is simple and uncomplicated, but if you have special needs and preferences, you will need to learn more about it in order to get the most out of it.

What is Verizon Call Forwarding?

Call forwarding is a feature that is normally used by people for personal or business purposes. Also known as call diversion, this allows the phone call to be redirected to an entirely different phone number if the original number being called is unavailable or if no one picks up the call. If you are signed up under Verizon, you can set the Verizon call forwarding feature by following a few simple steps.

How to Activate Verizon Call Forwarding

You need to use your mobile phone to activate Verizon call forwarding.
These are the steps to follow to start forwarding calls with Verizon:

  1. Dial *72
  2. Enter the phone number that you are going to forward the calls to.
  3. If it is successful, you will start receiving calls whenever your original number is not available.

Another way to activate call forwarding is by following these steps:

  1. Visit www.verizonwireless.com/callforwarding.
  2. Follow the prompts that will allow you to forward the calls to your desired number; it’s quite easy!

How to Turn Off Call Forwarding

If you would like to turn off the Verizon call forwarding service, follow these steps:

  1. Dial *73 from your mobile phone number.
  2. Go to My Verizon. You can access this through your laptop or any other chosen device. Follow the given steps in order to turn off call forwarding services.

This can also be done using your iPhone or other smartphone device.

Call Forwarding – Will it be Expensive?

The cost of adding a call forwarding plan will depend on your circumstances, budget, and how pertinent to your needs it is.

Many people are interested in trying out Verizon call forwarding but they are concerned about its affordability. The amount you will be billed will depend according to the plan that you have chosen. Even if you answer the phone from your landline, the amount you will have to pay may actually be the same, depending on the terms of the service.

However, the only time you should expect to be billed additionally is when you choose to take long distance calls, unless this is also included in your plan. If you opt for a simple phone plan with call forwarding on Verizon, and you decide to have extra features added, you may be charged a certain fee for this.

Also take note that Verizon call forwarding to international phone numbers may require certain fees depending on the Verizon calling plan you have acquired.

Troubleshooting: Why Can’t People Contact Me?

Whenever someone tries to call you and they get a busy tone on your forwarded number, there may be something wrong with the Verizon call forwarding service. Check the following:

  • Did you input the correct number when you were asked to place it?
  • You may have placed additional numbers in the field; verify that you haven’t.
  • You may have forgotten to place the area code.

Double check the number you placed. If you know that it is correct, you can contact Verizon to let them know of the problem. You may be given some instructions on how to troubleshoot the issues you are facing. You can also try call forwarding for iPhone as long as you have followed all of the instructions mentioned above.

The Advantages of Call Forwarding

Now that you know the basic details of using a call forwarding service, you should become more familiar with call forwarding for iPhone with Verizon and the benefits that you can get. Here are some of the ways call forwarding may be of benefit to you:

  1. You allow yourself to become more available to different markets – This is more ideal if you have a business. You allow yourself to answer the calls of your customers whenever they need you. If you cannot be available all the time, you can forward customer calls to some of your employees who will take the calls on your behalf.
  2. You do not have to rely heavily on voicemail. You may think that voicemail is good but when you need to utilize Verizon call forwarding for your business, or you need it for personal purposes, people can speak to a real person instead of being asked to leave a message.
  3. It can be more convenient for a lot of people. You can be reached even when you are not at your usual location and you can also turn the feature off if you do not need it. Just do not forget to turn it off. You might end up being disturbed on your “off” days when you are trying to take a breather.
  4. If you have your own business, you improve your chances of becoming more recognized in the industry because customers know that you are available for them. You can also use some features of call forwarding through a toll-free number. A lot of people may prefer using toll-free numbers versus calling international virtual phone numbers for the obvious reason of saving money on calls.
  5. It will allow you to track sales easily. There are customers who may call your business the moment they see your contact number on your website. You can analyze the web traffic you are getting, and see if it corresponds to sales.

One of the disadvantages you may encounter when you use Verizon call forwarding is if you forget to turn off the function and you do not have a mobile phone nearby. You need your mobile phone to turn off this feature. Check out the different ways that you can turn off the call forwarding feature whenever you need to; it may offer some much-needed convenience in certain situations!

What is the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA)

21st November 2017 How To's, Learn

Have you ever heard a sales pitch on your answering machine and wondered how it got there? Telemarketing messages are notorious in the eyes of the public, often seen as annoyances, especially if the person who received it never signed up for it in the first place. In response to this, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) was born.

First passed in 1991 by former President George H. W. Bush, the TCPA was put into effect for the purpose of restricting telemarketing, or telephone solicitations. This act mainly addresses automatic dialing systems, “robocalls,” pre-recorded voice messages, and other artificial messages. The hope of the TCPA is not to take revenue away from businesses, but to limit and regulate these communications for the sake of consumer privacy. After all, no one appreciates an unsolicited sales call before or after working hours, or when they’re trying to spend some time with their family.

The TCPA Rules

So what are the parameters of the TCPA? Unless the consumer has given express consent beforehand, corporations or businesses cannot call residential homes before the hours of 8am or after 9pm local time. This act not only applies to calling, but to fax messages and text messages (SMS) as well.

The TCPA requires that companies keep something called a “Do Not Call” list. If a consumer requests to be on this list, they cannot be contacted for sales purposes. “Do Not Call” or DNC, must always be honored by the organization and its employees. The Federal Communications Commission does not regulate this list, but every organization must manage their own. All organizations must have a prepared written policy so that if a consumer requests it, they can read the guidelines on their own.

The TCPA Exceptions

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act still allows for businesses to communicate with their clients. If you would like to leave a pre recorded message, all you have to do is meet the following criteria to stay within the boundaries of the TCPA rules:

On the message, you say the name of the organization or entity calling, and which individual is being contacted.
List a phone number where the organization can be reached. Keep in mind that this number must be different than the one associated with the pre recorded message player.
State the main purpose or reason for the call. The purpose, of course, should not be telemarketing.

“Telemarketing” refers to a message given for commercial purposes, the purpose of investment or rental properties, or selling goods and services. As long as the pre recorded calls do not contain telemarketing messages, your organization should be safe. If someone chooses to “opt in” to telemarketing messages, then consent must be given in the form of a written message, electronic form, or signature.

Another restriction applies to emergency lines. Companies are prohibited from using automated equipment to an emergency line, such as 911, poison control centers, fire stations, physicians’ offices, or law enforcement agencies.

Fortunately, many businesses are not impacted by the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, especially if you must leave informational messages with your audience. This includes airlines announcing flight changes or cancellations. Calls for the purpose of debt collection also do not count as telemarketing calls. Again, if there’s no sale involved, then there’s no violation.

What Happens in Case of a Violation?

When organizations are unsure about the rules of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, they risk some very hefty fines and fees. A violation of the TCPA can result in a consumer suing for $500 or up to $1500 on each offense. If any revenue is lost because of the violation(s), then the consumer may sue for that amount as well.

Even the largest agencies are at risk. For instance, did you know that Resort Marketing Group, who represents Carnival and Royal Caribbean cruise lines, violated the TCPA by spamming thousands with recorded calls without their consent? They advertised cruises by leaving unwanted messages on consumers’ phones. Now, as a result, any individuals who were called during that time have the ability to be compensated and receive financial gain.

How to Comply with the TCPA?

Companies with call centers and telemarketing capabilities should not be on the wrong side of the law. It’s a very serious issue. Business owners must adjust their operations to comply with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act if they have not done so already. If they don’t, they may face some very expensive legal fees later on, just like Resort Marketing Group.

Written procedures, proper training, and regularly updated Do Not Call lists are all factors that ensure you remain free of fines. Businesses can also utilize technology to organize consent information from customers. Keep your teams vigilant about your communications processes both internally and with third party marketing partners so that there are no big issues down the line.

If you want to leave an informational message with a customer, it should remain neutral in terms of content. This means that anything you say should be free of ads, sales, or promotions. If you’re unsure how to word a message, then pre-written scripts could be a great tool for you. Give these scripts to employees and call centers so that every team member is following the right instructions.

Analytics software is another way to keep in line with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act regulations, such as a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. These analytics help businesses understand how to provide the most optimal and consistent experience for their customers.

Your Resource For TCPA Compliance

Global Call Forwarding is your resource for the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. We have local and toll free phone numbers for you to use in over 140 different countries. Our state of the art network offers features such as call recording, call transfer, SMS to email, local ringback tones, and more. For more information about the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, we can answer your questions and concerns. It’s time to invest in an industry-leading service for better quality communications. Contact our team today.

How to Turn On Call Forwarding with AT&T

21st November 2017 How To's, Learn, Tech, Tips

AT&T’s Device Support Tutorials

Access the Call Forwarding Device Support tutorials website to learn how to turn on call forwarding with AT&T. The following process shows how this is accomplished.

  1. Go to “https://www.att.com/device-support/selector/.” This site lists the brands of cell phones and tablets.
  2. Then, select the device manufacturer.
  3. Select the device model. If the device is not found, select Load More Devices and then select the device.
  4. Under Search device support, type call forwarding. If that does not get the tutorial, go to Additional Support.
  5. Select Learn How to Use.
  6. Select Calling.
  7. Select Call Forwarding.

Setting Up Call Forwarding on Different Cell Phones

The following sections give the AT&T call forwarding tutorial steps for a variety of popular cell phones and softphones. This is just a sampling of the available tutorials. Follow the above procedure to find a tutorial for a specific phone not shown here. Note that there is not a tutorial for the Google Pixel phones.

AT&T Tutorial for Samsung Galaxy 8

  1. TURN ON CALL FORWARDING: Select the Phone app from the home screen.
  2. Select the Menu icon and then select Settings.
  3. Select More settings.
  4. Select Call forwarding.
  5. Select Always forward.
  6. Enter the desired Forwarding number and then select TURN ON.
  7. When call forwarding is turned on, the Call forwarding icon will be displayed in the Notification bar.
  8. TURN OFF CALL FORWARDING: Select Always forward from the Call forwarding settings menu.
  9. Select TURN OFF.

Note: To change the call forwarding number, edit the number, then select UPDATE.

AT&T Tutorial for Apple iPhone 8 & 8 Plus

  1. To set up Call forwarding on the device, from the home screen select the Settings app.
  2. Scroll to and select Phone.
  3. Select Call Forwarding.
  4. Select the Call Forwarding switch to activate Call Forwarding.
    Note: You must be in range of the cellular network when you set an iPhone to forward calls, or calls will not be forwarded.
  5. Enter the desired forwarding number.
  6. Select Back to return to the Call Forwarding screen when finished.
  7. When Call Forwarding is active, the Call Forwarding icon will appear in the Status Bar.
  8. To change the Call Forwarding number, from the Call Forwarding screen select Forward To.
  9. Enter the new desired forwarding number and then select Back.To turn off Call Forwarding, from the Call Forwarding screen swipe the
  10. Call Forwarding switch to off.

AT&T Tutorial for LG V30

  1. TURN ON CALL FORWARDING: From the home screen, select the Phone App. Select the Menu icon, then select Call Settings.
  2. Select More.
  3. Scroll to and select Additional Settings.
  4. Select Call Forwarding.
  5. Select Always Forward.
  6. Enter the desired forwarding number and then select TURN ON.
  7. When call forwarding is turned on, the Call Forwarding icon will be displayed in the Notification Bar.
  8. TURN OFF CALL FORWARDING: From the Call forwarding screen, select Always Forward then select TURN OFF.
    Note: To change the call forwarding number, edit the number as desired then select UPDATE.

AT&T Tutorial for Huawei Ascend XT2 (H1711)

  1. TURN CALL FORWARDING ON: From the home screen, select the Dialer app. Select the Menu icon, then select Settings.
  2. Select Call Forwarding.
  3. Select Always forward. Enter the desired forwarding number and then select ENABLE.
  4. When call forwarding is turned on, the Call Forwarding icon will be displayed in the Notification bar.
  5. TURN CALL FORWARDING OFF: From the Call Forwarding screen, select Always Forward then select DISABLE.
    Note: To change the call forwarding number, edit the number then select CHANGE.
  6. AT&T Tutorial for Motorola Moto Z2 Force Edition (XT1789)
  7. TURN CALL FORWARDING ON: From the home screen, select the Phone App. Select the Menu icon, then select Settings.
  8. Select Calls.
  9. Select Call Forwarding.
  10. Select Always Forward.
  11. Enter the desired forwarding number and then select TURN ON.
    Note: To change the call forwarding number, edit the number then select UPDATE.
  12. When call forwarding is turned on, the Call forwarding icon will be displayed in the Notification Bar.
  13. TURN CALL FORWARDING OFF: From the Call Forwarding settings screen, select Always forward then select TURN OFF.

AT&T Tutorial for Alcatel ONETOUCH ALLURA (5056O)

  1. To forward all calls to a different number, from the Phone App, tap the Menu icon.
  2. Tap Settings.
  3. Tap Call Settings.
  4. Tap Call Forwarding.
  5. Tap Always Forward.
  6. Enter the Desired Forwarding Number.
  7. Tap ENABLE.
  8. When call forwarding is turned on, the Call Forwarding icon will be displayed in the notification bar.
  9. To turn call forwarding off, tap Always Forward.
  10. Tap DISABLE.

AT&T Tutorial for ZTE Maven 2 (Z831)

  1. TURN ON CALL FORWARDING: From the home screen, select the Phone App. Select the Menu icon and then select Settings.
  2. Select Call Settings and then select Call Forwarding.
  3. Select Call Forward-Unconditional. Enter the desired Forwarding Number and then select TURN ON.
  4. When call forwarding is turned on, the Call Forwarding icon will be displayed in the Notification Bar.
  5. TURN OFF CALL FORWARDING: From the Call Forwarding settings screen, select Call Forward-Unconditional then select TURN OFF.
    Note: To edit the call forwarding number, select Call Forward-Unconditional. Edit the number as desired, then select UPDATE.

AT&T Tutorial for AT&T Fusion 3 (Y536A1)

  1. From the home screen, tap Dialer.
  2. Tap the Menu icon.
  3. Tap Call Settings.
  4. Tap Call Forwarding.
  5. Tap Always Forward.
  6. Tap the Number Field to edit the number to which calls will be forwarded.
  7. Tap Enable.
  8. Call Forwarding is now enabled. While call forwarding is active, the Call Forwarding icon will be displayed in the Notifications Bar.
  9. To disable Call Forwarding, tap Always Forward.
  10. Tap Disable.

AT&T Tutorial for Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY 4G (R800at)

  1. From the home screen, press the Menu key and tap Settings.
  2. Tap Call Settings.
  3. Tap Call Forwarding.
  4. Tap to select the desired forwarding option. To forward all calls, tap Always Forward.
  5. Enter the desired forwarding number and then tap Enable.
    NOTE: Follow the above steps to return and Disable Call Forwarding or Update (Change) the forwarding number.
  6. AT&T Tutorial for BlackBerry KEYone (BBB100-1)
  7. TURN CALL FORWARDING ON: From the home screen, select the Phone App. Select the Menu icon, then select Settings.
  8. Select Calls.
  9. Select Call Forwarding and then select Voice.
  10. Select Always Forward.
  11. Enter the desired forwarding number and then select TURN ON.
  12. When call forwarding is turned on, the Call Forwarding icon will be displayed in the Notification Bar.
  13. TURN CALL FORWARDING OFF: From the Call Forwarding settings screen, select Always Forward and then select TURN OFF.
    Note: To change the call forwarding number, edit the number and then select UPDATE.

Related: 5 Ways Call Forwarding and Automation Can Improve Your Phone System