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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 »

Sprint Discontinues ITFS Number Service (News)

21st September 2023 blog
Sprint discontinues ITFS service.

As part of T-Mobile’s expansion plans, the company acquired Sprint back in 2020. Since then, Sprint has been gradually shuttering down its different services including discontinuing its ITFS number service. …Read More »

How to Design an Escalation Matrix in Your Call Center

17th September 2023 blog
How to create an escalation matrix for your call center.

In today’s fast-paced business landscape, round-the-clock customer support is a strategic necessity. If phone support is your preferred customer service approach, then you need to ensure customers can effortlessly connect …Read More »

Telecom Tips for Enabling a Global Service Desk Hotline

11th September 2023 blog
Image of a well-functioning IT Service Desk hotline across multiple countries.

In today’s interconnected world, businesses rely heavily on internal IT help desks or service desks to provide crucial technical support for their employees. Think of the service desk as the …Read More »

Cloud Call Center Software – Pricing Guide & Cost Comparison

6th August 2023 blog
call center software pricing

Purchasing the right cloud contact center software can have a significant impact on your business. The correct software will maximize agent productivity, improve customer service, and set the foundation for …Read More »

21 Best Zoho Integrations

4th August 2023 blog
An image of the best Zoho integrations in 2023.

More and more businesses are turning to advanced tools and technologies to improve their operations and elevate their service offerings. Among one of the most popular business tools is Customer …Read More »

Comparing All Types of International Toll Free Numbers

27th July 2020 International Business, Learn

Most companies are trying to go global to expand their reach and generate more sales. But how do you communicate with international clientele without increasing your expenses? International toll-free numbers are the way to go! Here we compare all the types of international toll free numbers so you can find one that is perfect for your needs.

Comparing All Types of International Toll-Free Numbers

An international toll free number or ITFN is a number type that enables international calling between a business and its customers. Callers dial this number for free and it connects to employees or agents in a different country by forwarding calls internationally to any device.

Certain types of international toll free numbers, such as traditional international numbers, are country-specific. That is, they are free to call from within the country they are assigned to. On the other hand, universal or global freephone numbers can be contacted for free from a predetermined list of countries.

If your business has an international clientele and you want to provide international customers with the same customer service and care you offer domestic or local customers, then your business could greatly benefit from international toll free numbers. It is known that global consumers want convenience in 2021.

Let’s look at the different types of international toll free numbers so you can identify which is more suitable for your needs.

ITFN

ITFN are country-specific and can be called for free by residents of the country they are assigned to. You can forward incoming calls to smartphones, computers, VoIP softphones, and more. Businesses with international clientele will find these numbers useful. With these numbers, your company can create a virtual presence in different countries and offer customer service globally.

Domestic Toll-Free Numbers

Domestic toll-free numbers are similar to ITFN in that they too can be called by a resident of the country the number is assigned to. In other words, residents of the US can call a US toll-free number for free when in-country. These numbers are true “800 numbers.”

The main difference between domestic and international toll-free numbers is that the former does not generally have additional fees for calls connecting to mobile or pay phones. Therefore, businesses that want to provide callers with a free way to call from any device will find domestic toll-free numbers more suitable.

Local 2-Way Numbers

Local 2-way voice enables users to place outbound calls with a local phone number and display an in-country caller ID. These are essentially cloud-based local numbers that support both inbound and outbound voice calling, no matter where the business is located.

Calls made with local 2-way voice are routed through local routes instead of international routes, even if your business is not located in that specific region. This means these calls are guaranteed to connect and show a local caller ID. Additionally, since these are local phone numbers, they have country and region-specific phone number formats. These are recognizable and familiar, helping your business increase response rates and encourage callbacks.

UIFN

A UIFN is a single unique number that is accessible and free to call from multiple countries. Currently, 45 countries are included in the UIFN number program monitored by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). There are, however, some factors to consider when purchasing UIFNs:

  • Your number must be registered in at least 2 countries.
  • You must use the number between 2 countries within the first 180 days of purchase.
  • These numbers have a significant, one-time setup fee.
  • The different dialing formats are different from regular or standard toll-free numbers.
  • Not all countries are included in the program.
  • The more countries selected, the higher the cost.

If you run operations and want to offer customer service in the countries included in the UIFN program, then you may consider a UIFN number to streamline incoming calls and provide just one number for customer support, sales, account management, etc.

What Type of International Toll-Free Number is Right for Me?

If your business extends operations to 2-3 different countries, then you can get international toll-free numbers or domestic numbers for each country and list them on your website or social media platforms. This way, you can provide customer service and sales assistance to clients within these countries.

However, for a business like a travel or hospitality company with multiple locations involved, a UIFN is more useful. This way, customers from around the world can connect with you through one number.

 Want to Learn More?

Global Call Forwarding is the leading provider of international toll-free numbers. We have been in this business for over 25 years and we offer unmatched quality, affordability, and service features. We can help you find the ideal phone number for your company. Call us today to learn more!

What is Call Center Performance Management? [2024]

22nd July 2020 Call Management, Learn

Sales and customer service reps and employees are often the first line of contact between your business and its customers. Therefore, their performance can directly impact how successful your business or call center is. Call center performance management is a surefire way to test and review employee performance and provide room for improvement.

What is Call Center Performance Management?

Call center performance management refers to the tracking, analyzing, calculating, and improving of agent and employee performance. Whether you run a virtual, remote, or on-premise call center, conducting performance management and reviews is important to determine how your agents are performing and how satisfied your customers are.

How to Manage and Improve Performance in Your Contact Center

Customers often reach out to a business to gain information about a product or service or to resolve an issue they are facing. And when they do so, they are almost always expecting a quick response, low wait times, friendly interaction, and a quick resolution. And so, your agents should be able to provide:

  • Personalized and friendly customer service
  • Improved first call resolution
  • Fast call resolution during the first call (in other words, high first call resolution rates)
  • Simple handling of the problem
  • Service for any additional issues

Call center performance management is tracking whether your agents and employees are able to do the above while upholding company standards. And then, training them appropriately, if they fail to meet your standards. The goal is to help your agents provide high levels of customer service and enhanced caller experience. Identifying where they are failing can help you as you help them succeed.

Measuring Call Center Performance Management

Call center performance management includes evaluating agent performance during customer interactions and how they line up with business goals. The best way to conduct performance management is to identify and use KPIs applicable to your business. Some KPIs to consider are:

  • Customer satisfaction scores (CSAT)
  • Average handle time
  • First call resolution
  • Average speed of answer
  • Average response time, and more

To measure the performance of your call center, first set realistic business goals. Then, use contact center software to learn about average handle time, wait times, conversions, first call resolution rates, customer satisfaction goals, and so on. By studying these metrics you can get a good idea of the strengths and weaknesses of your employees. As a manager, you can then make well-informed decisions about workforce management and ways to improve customer service.

Contact Center Performance Management Tools

1. Call Center Software
Your call center software can help with tracking important KPIs and metrics through call logs and activity reports. On-premise call center software is run by the company while a virtual call center software is hosted by a cloud server. The type of call center software you should choose depends on how much control you want to have over the software as well as your in-house IT team.

2. Contact Center Metrics and KPIs
As mentioned above, call center performance management includes tracking and measuring agent performance. Use relevant call center KPIs to study and optimize agent behavior before, during, and post calls.

3. Inbound/Outbound Call Recording
Use hosted call recording to listen in or review calls. These recordings can also help you train new employees by demonstrating acceptable and unacceptable agent behavior.

4. Coaching and Training
Use training material to continue training customer service employees on ways to reach and maintain company standards. Refresher courses, workshops, webinars, software tutorials, etc., can come in very handy.

Start Optimizing Agent Productivity!

Call center performance management will not only help you identify your team’s strengths and weaknesses but will also show you what steps need to be taken to optimize productivity and efficiency. This can help your call center offer better customer service and improve customer satisfaction. Start today!

What is Customer Success?

16th July 2020 Customer Service, Learn

If customer retention and churn are a problem for your business, then you need to up your customer success game. Here’s an in-depth guide to customer success and how to improve your strategy.

What is Customer Success?

Customer success refers to the process of providing proactive customer support and service. This includes anticipating potential challenges or issues faced by customers and reaching out to them beforehand to resolve those concerns.

With customer success, the chief customer officer can work closely with customers to improve customer satisfaction and boost relations. By doing so, your business can increase customer loyalty and retention. After all, who doesn’t want to work with a business that takes the time and effort to care for its customers?

Customer Success and Customer Support

To execute good customer success strategies, it is first important to understand the differences between customer support and success. Here is a table highlighting key points:

Customer Success Customer Support
1. Type of approach Proactive approach; reach out to customers before they reach out to you Reactive approach; provide support when a customer connects with you over an issue
2. Duration of interaction Long-term interactions; you work with the customer closely over a longer period of time Shorter interactions; you work with the customer to provide immediate solutions to a problem
3. Teams responsible Team collaboration between sales, marketing, support, product development, etc Operated solely by the customer support or service team
4. Metrics to measure Customer satisfaction, customer retention, customer health, customer lifetime value, etc Customer satisfaction, number of cases and tickets issued, first call resolution rates, hold time, average handle time, etc
5. Tasks to accomplish Improve customer experience, upsells, cross-sells, etc Technical support, knowledge base and guides, resolve tickets, etc.
6. Discover Areas of opportunity Problem areas
7. Ultimate goal To ensure a successful customer lifetime value To react and quickly solve issues

6 Proven Ways to Improve Your Customer Success Strategy

Any company that has customers and depends on customer satisfaction must invest in customer success managers. Being in the service industry, you will notice that it is harder and more expensive to acquire new customers. It is much cheaper and healthier, instead, to retain your current ones by taking care of them. These happy customers, in turn, will make good recommendations and advocate for your service.

1. Increase Brand Awareness
Work on brand visibility to make your brand a real thing for customers. An updated website and social media accounts, stats and valid data, attractive design, and user experience are a few ways to grab customer attention. Use your marketing team to improve the way customers and potential prospects see your brand and interact with it whether online (through social media, your website, web forms, product demos, content marketing) or offline (exhibitions, stores, advertising platforms).

2. Create Buyer Personas
Your marketing and sales team must collaborate to create ideal buyer personas for your product so your targeting efforts don’t go to waste. When developing buyer personas consider these questions:

  • Who are you trying to reach?
  • Factors or demographics are important to your persona: their budget, age range, income, location, purchasing power, etc.
  • What does your persona value?
  • Which problems are you trying to help your persona solve?
  • What content or information will catch your persona’s attention?

3. Provide Educational and Informative Content About Your Product
Use your website, emails, and social media accounts to provide your viewers with information:

  • About your product
  • How it is used
  • What issues or problems it can solve
  • How other businesses have used the product, etc.

The point is to demonstrate your expertise in the field and highlight your product or service’s successes. Maintain an updated website, highlight interviews, customer testimonials, blog posts, etc. Use common terms, avoid overwhelming technical jargon, and make knowledge bases or guides accessible. All of this will help solidify your business’ credibility, making customers trust it more. Educating customers makes your product or service more user-friendly, thereby improving the customer experience.

4. Provide Guided Onboarding
Spend extra time and energy on onboarding new customers. Guide them through the beginning of their journey with your service so they clearly understand how processes work and where they can find help. Once they are well-settled, make yourself available and reachable for initial issues that may turn up. Then, gradually move to automation and alerting so customers become more independent.

5. Offer Customer Support
Whether it is email, phone calls, live chat, or trouble tickets, your customer support team should be easy to contact. Additionally, you must equip your team with resources for quick resolution such as guides, etc. Make your business available 24/7 for customer support. You can do so by forwarding calls to other office locations or remote offices or using an IVR system to help with common issues and troubleshooting support.

6. Work to Improve Customer Loyalty
Customer loyalty means that for your customer, your business is “the one.” They will not look for another service or product to replace you. This is crucial to customer retention because a loyal customer will recommend your service to others and bring in more business.

Are You Ready to Build Successful Relationships With Your Customers?

Customer success is important as it can help your business build strong and meaningful customer relations. If your business needs to increase its customer retention rates, then it’s time to start offering more proactive global customer support today!

What is First Call Resolution?

15th July 2020 Customer Service, Learn

Waiting hours and, sometimes, days to fix a problem that is central to one’s business or day-to-day life can be disheartening. And you do not want to disappoint your customers. Because . . .

Disappointed customers do not become recurring customers.

Disappointed customers do not feel loyalty to your brand.

Disappointed customers go to your competitor.

As a business, your primary goal should be creating good and useful products and assisting your customers in using those products and services. This also involves making it quick and easy for them to resolve issues related to product purchase and use. That’s where first call resolution (FCR) comes into play.

First call resolution directly impacts customer satisfaction and retention. It is being able to resolve customer concerns in one call or one contact. Therefore, your business or call center measure and track this KPI regularly. Here is a guide that will help you understand the importance of one call resolution and how to measure and improve FCR rates for your business.

What is First Call Resolution?

First call resolution means resolving customer questions or issues in the first call itself and an FCR rate measures a call center or business’ ability to resolve customer calls when they first call. In other words, customers who call to resolve a problem or inquire about a product are helped during the first call with no follow-up calls or emails are required. Resolving calls quickly like this does not mean reducing the quality of customer service. Instead, your teams work to resolve and close common customer issues within one call to make room for more complex issues while keeping customers satisfied with quick resolutions.

One call resolution or FCR is an essential call center KPI or metric. Most customer relationship management or CRM systems include this metric among others.

Another similar metric is the first contact resolution rate. This metric not only measures one call resolution but other support channels as well such as chat, tickets, and emails. By keeping an eye on these channels as well, you can aim to improve support across all support channels.

Why Should Your Contact Center Measure FCR?

When customers contact your company regarding an issue or product, they expect to have an answer quickly. The longer they have to wait to resolve a concern or question, the more likely they will find a different company that provides faster service and quicker solutions. Customer satisfaction (CSAT scores) drives brand loyalty and customer retention rates. Good first call resolution rates can improve customer satisfaction and help you keep your loyal and valued customers close.

Furthermore, this metric also helps you measure the efficiency of your employees or agents. For instance, how quickly can agents resolve a call? How much time is spent on resolving issues? Do they spend more time with follow-ups with the same customers or are they able to attend to others as well?

Calculating first call resolution can give you insights into how your business is performing in terms of customer satisfaction. The higher the FCR rates, the higher your customer satisfaction scores. For any contact center or business, the goal remains: achieving high first call resolution rates and low talk time.

Related: 7 Types of Customer Complaints & How to Resolve Them

How to Measure First Call Resolution?

FCR is commonly measured as the total number of calls resolved on the first call divided by the total number of calls received during a certain period of time.

When measuring first call resolution, you may want to consider the following criteria or factors that could affect this score:

  • What does “sufficiently resolved” mean? Is it only when a customer’s issue is resolved? Or does customer satisfaction count as well?
  • Does a callback include agents following up with callers via chat, SMS, or email?
  • Will FCR include calls handled by your IVR?
  • What about calls abandoned calls due to confusing IVR, long wait times, etc.?
  • Will a caller reaching the wrong department be included?
  • What about a call where a manager was conferenced in or that was transferred to a colleague?

Make sure you clearly define what FCR is and how it will be measured so that your agents and employees are prepared.

First Call Resolution
Source: DepositPhotos.com – Lic#153705050 ID#27446420

8 First Call Resolution Tips for Your Call Center

There are a few different ways to improve your contact center or business’ FCR rates:

1. Set realistic goals: Define what FCR is and ensure your agents and employees understand the importance of good FCR rates and show to achieve them.

2. Train agents: Train call center employees to meet your company’s standards and mission. Use a call recording service to highlight strengths and weaknesses.

3. Conduct performance analysis regularly: Review employee performance and efficiency by sitting in on calls or reviewing recordings.

4. Identify common customer questions and issues: The fastest way to help customers is to be prepared for issues or concerns that may arise while using your product or service. Identify common issues and train agents to quickly resolve.

5. Develop an easy-to-follow knowledge base or guide: Provide employees with a knowledge base or guide that can help them help customers efficiently.

6. Track FCR on all communication channels: If you communicate with clients via phone, email, live chat, social media, etc., ensure that you track FCR rates on all these channels. A low rate on other channels can bring your overall FCR rate down.

7. Develop incentive programs and rewards for employees: Give employees good reasons to do their job well so they work harder to resolve calls on the first try.

8. Set customer expectations: Create better caller experiences by reducing wait times, employing an effective IVR system, etc.

Your 3-Step Plan to Improve FCR

To improve one call resolution, you and your team first need to understand what type of issues do customers call to resolve and which issues take longer to resolve.  Once you identify issues that need 2-3 rounds of support to reach resolution, you can create plans that agents can use to reduce the resolution time. Here is a 3-step plan to improve first call resolution rates in your

1. Analyze Support Channels

Gather information from all support channels that needed more than one interaction to be resolved. Look at call records, chat history, email threads, and delayed tickets and analyze patterns and issues that occur repeatedly.

2. Prepare Action Plans and Resources

Once you’ve identified the main issues customers call to resolve, you can create resolution plans for those issues and patterns. This may include:

  • Sending the customer a how-to guide
  • Conferencing with a team or product expert
  • Letting the customer know the issue will take a few days to resolve and explaining why so that they understand
  • Adding new or temporary solutions and features to quickly resolve the issue
  • Finding new suppliers and vendors
  • Create a support center with documents and how-to guides for agents to use
  • Updating your product or service, and so on.

3. Train Your Support Team

Finally, train your agents to collect the right information during calls and provide the most appropriate solution. Encourage agents to collaborate with senior colleagues on complex cases through call conferencing tools and features. Provide agents with resources and materials to equip them with the solutions customers are looking for. You may even invest in software and tech that centralizes customer data and past interactions so that agents can review how other agents have handled similar issues and update records.

Improve First Call Resolution to Boost Customer Loyalty

Can call analytics help you gain better insights into FCR and how your business is doing to see where you can improve? Start measuring first call resolution today and secure your valued customers!

What is a Universal International Freephone Number (UIFN)?

13th July 2020 International Business, Learn

Do you have customers in different parts of the world and are struggling to maintain unified communications? In this guide, we share everything there is to know about a UIFN or universal international freephone number.

What is a UIFN? Everything You Need to Know

A Universal International Freephone Number, also known as UIFN, is a unique type of international toll free number that can be dialed the same across 62 different countries. These numbers enable customers to receive a single freephone number for multiple countries. The UIFN program is administered by the International Telecommunication Union.

Get UIFN numbers

Benefits of Using a UIFN

There are many benefits to getting a universal toll free number. Here are the top 3 reasons why you should get a UIFN.

1. Global Coverage: UIFN is available in 62 different countries, so if your business conducts operations globally, then a universal toll free number can make your business accessible in multiple countries through a single number.

2. One Number: Companies with multiple office locations or branches can easily benefit from a UIFN. For example, an international company with several branches, a small business with remote offices, or a university with global campuses. With a universal toll free number, you have one number that connects your entire business across the globe.

3. Easy to Advertise: Plus, it is much easier to advertise for one number instead of multiple numbers for the different locations you are targeting.

Universal International Freephone Numbers - UIFN Explained

Universal Toll Free Number Restrictions

While there are many UIFN benefits, the technology does have some important restrictions to note. The most important restriction to note is the list of countries where UIFN is available. The second major UIFN restriction is mobile-accessibility. Finally, subscribers should consider that dialing conventions may vary across countries.

Mobile Accessibility

Universal toll free numbers are only mobile-accessible in a handful of countries. In certain countries, the number cannot be reached at all from a mobile phone. This is really important to note because roughly one-in-five people only have cell phone service. You should consult with your customers to find out what percentage of them use mobile phones.

Dialing Conventions

While dialing conventions are pretty standard across the United States, dial-out conventions vary across UIFN countries. For example, certain countries require callers to dial 00 before the number, while other countries require 01. It can be difficult to communicate this information to customers.

In order to avoid irregular dialing conventions, we recommend that businesses properly communicate this information to their customers. This helps avoid any common problems associated with UIFN.

UIFN Country List

While it seems appealing to have a single number that works everywhere in the world, the reality is that not every country is involved in the ITU program. Here is a list of UIFN countries:

Argentina France Macau Singapore
Australia French Guiana Macedonia Slovakia
Austria Germany Malaysia Slovenia
Belarus Greece Malta South Africa
Belgium Guadeloupe Martinique South Korea
Brazil Hong Kong Mayotte Spain
Bulgaria Hungary Netherlands Sweden
China Iceland New Zealand Switzerland
Colombia Finland Luxembourg Taiwan
Costa Rica Israel Peru Thailand
Croatia Italy Philippines United Kingdom
Cyprus Japan Poland United States
Czech Republic Kazakhstan Portugal Uruguay
Denmark Kyrgyzstan Romania Uzbekistan
Estonia Latvia Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Lithuania Reunion

How to Dial a UIFN Number?

Now that you have a better understanding of how UIFN numbers work, let’s look at how to dial a UIFN number. A UIFN is formatted as a fixed 11-digit phone number. It starts with a 3-digit code to enable toll-free service, such as 800, assigned to them by the ITU. This is followed by an 8-digit global subscriber number (GSN). For example, +800 00123456, where 800 is the country code and 00123456 is the GSN. However, dial-out prefixes may need to be entered before dialing the UIFN to connect to the right business.

Customers from anywhere in the world can dial and call a UIFN number without being charged for the call. However, the format varies depending on which country is being called. The format generally is:

International access code (IAC) + 800 + 8-digit UIFN

And so, to successfully dial a UIFN number, customers need to know the appropriate international phone prefix. Then, they can add 800 and dial the rest of your UIFN number. Always confirm with your provider what your customers will need to dial to reach you.

As you can see, the process to dial a universal toll free number can be slightly complicated. Additionally, when dialing, customers may not recognize this number as a toll free number. They are typically more accustomed to 800 numbers or their national toll free number formats.

Sign Up For UIFN

UIFN or ITFS

You’ve probably already asked yourself which would be better for your company, UIFN or ITFS. While the concept of UIFN is great in principle, there are some drawbacks to be aware of.

  • UIFN coverage is limited and certain countries do not have mobile access.
  • In the countries where UIFN is available, callers must be aware of unique dialing conventions.
  • There is a high cost and lengthy setup time.

We have many customers that prefer ITFS numbers instead of UIFN because of the wider global coverage available through ITFS. In addition, ITFS numbers generally have much fewer restrictions and can be set up rather quickly. It should be determined on a case-by-case basis which option is better for your business.

Universal Coverage with UIFN Numbers

If you want to expand your business globally and work with customers from different countries, then getting a UIFN number is a good place to start. You could also purchase multiple local access numbers for a cheaper rate. Customers are more likely to dial local numbers instead of numbers they don’t recognize. For more information call 1 (561) 908-6171.

44 Industries That Need Great Customer Support (2024)

29th June 2020 Learn

Customer support is essential for almost every business. This is because how you treat and serve your customers directly impacts customer satisfaction. And quality support helps you retain more valuable customers.

How to Offer the Best Customer Support

So, what are some ways your business can offer useful and relevant customer support?

  1. Hire the right people and train them well
  2. Focus on improving caller experience by understanding your target audience better
  3. Pay attention to the customer and adopt active listening
  4. Personalize and customize the customer experience
  5. Make yourself accessible by offering multi-channel communication (live chat, SMS, email, phone, etc.)
  6. Provide quick and easy solutions, and so on

Additionally, check out these helpful examples for quality customer support.

Related: 23 Incredible Customer Service Tips for 2024

Industries which Provide Excellent Customer Support

The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ASCI) ranks businesses within their industry based on customer satisfaction and evaluation of goods and services. According to the ASCI, these are the industries which have been offering great customer support so far in 2024:

1. Cellular Telephones
2. Consumer shipping
3. Video streaming
4. Wireless telephones
5. US postal service

In 2019, the figures were different, with the following industries topping the list of excellent customer support. Companies in these industries must, therefore, continue focusing on strategies and methods that improve customer experience and increase customer satisfaction rates:

6. Breweries
7. Personal care and cleaning products
8. Food manufacturing
9. Television and video players
10. Soft drinks
11. Full-service restaurants
12. Internet investment
13. Internet retail
14. Household appliances
15. Life insurance
16. Banks
17. Cellular telephones
18. Financial advisors
19. Internet travel services

Industries that Need to Offer Better Customer Support

However, the following industries received low scores regarding customer satisfaction in 2019. Hence, companies in these industries must up their game and provide useful and resourceful customer service in 2020:

20. Internet search engines and information
21. Apparel
22. Internet news and opinion
23. Ambulatory care
24. Department and discount stores
25. Health and personal care stores
26. Cooperative energy utilities
27. Hotels
28. Wireless telephone service
29. Health insurance
30. Airlines
31. Gasoline stations
32. Municipal energy utilities
33. Investor-owned energy utilities
34. Hospitals
35. Internet social media
36. Fixed-Line telephone service
37. Video-on-demand service
38. Internet service providers
39. Subscription television services
40. Network/Cable TV news
41. Cigarettes
42. Newspapers
43. Pet food
44. Motion pictures

Companies Ranked for the Best Customer Service

Here is a list of companies with their industries that provided the best customer service in 2019, as compiled by ASCI:

Airlines:

  • Southwest
  • JetBlue

Automobiles:

  • Lexus
  • Daimler – Mercedes Benz
  • Toyota
  • Subaru

Cellular phones/Computers:

  • Apple

Consumer Shipping:

  • FedEx

Department & Discount Stores:

  • Costco

Digital Services (content & social media):

  • HubSpot
  • MailChimp
  • Buffer
  • Pollfish

Full-Service Restaurants:

  • Texas Roadhouse
  • Cracker Barrel

Furniture Stores:

  • IKEA

Household Appliances:

  • LG

Internet Retail:

  • Amazon
  • Shopify

Internet Search Engines:

  • Google

Life Insurance:

  • Thrivent Financial

Limited-Service Restaurant:

  • Chick-Fil-A

Specialty Retail:

  • L Brands

Supermarkets:

  • Trader Joe’s
  • Aldi
  • HEB Grocery
  • Publix
  • Wegmans Food Markets

Newsweek, with Statista Inc., has a different list of America’s Top 10 Best Customer Service 2020. This list was put together based on a few factors such as quality of communication, professional competence, range of services, customer focus, and accessibility:

  1. Disney Cruise Line
  2. Neiman Marcus
  3. The Ritz-Carlton
  4. Edward Jones
  5. Chick-fil-A
  6. L.L.Bean
  7. National Storage Affiliates
  8. Embassy Suites
  9. Publix
  10. Beau Coup

Start Showing Customers Your Care Today!

Customers need to know that they are being valued and they can count on your team if any problem arises. You must make it easy for them to connect with you and resolve their concerns quickly. As you improve your customer service and experience, you will notice a rise in customer satisfaction. After all, happy customers equal happy businesses!

9 Best Customer Service Examples for 2024

25th June 2020 Learn, Tips

Customer care and support are essential as they can determine how well a company performs. If you are looking to upgrade your service, check these best customer service examples and give them a try!

Best Customer Service Companies for 2024

From small gestures to quick responses to individual care, customer support can go a long way in securing valued customers and clients. Here we list 11 best customer service examples of companies that try hard to offer quality customer care and please their valued customers.

1. Amazon.com

Amazon has risen tremendously in the past decade. Almost every individual uses Amazon to purchase gifts, household equipment, clothing, books, and more. In fact, users tend to look at Amazon first to get products that may not be available in any other physical or online retail store. Plus, the e-commerce giant is quick to offer refunds and even makes the return process easy with multiple drop-off locations. This makes Amazon one of the top customer service examples to model your support team after.

2. Google

Google, like Amazon, has grown into a service most people use on a daily basis. From its search engine to Google phones, Chromebooks, and apps, to marketing and advertising, Google is embedded in almost everything we do. It is, therefore, necessary that they pay attention to how we use the service. The company is extremely accessible via live chat, email, and phone. They even have an extensive forum for common issues and frequently asked questions. This helps users get quick answers to their concerns and resolve them successfully. They also offer deals and discounts (and at times, even gift products for free) to valued and loyal customers.

3. Chewy.com

Chewy has been steadily growing and earning its place in customers’ hearts. The key is to genuinely care about the pets and animals they are providing resources for. If a customer is unsatisfied with a product, they are quick to respond with a refund and possible solutions or alternatives. All the while keeping the interaction friendly and empathetic. With pets, it is often possible that you purchase a product that might not work out. Having a customer support team to right that wrong in the easiest way possible can be a huge load off your shoulders.

4. Publix

Publix is another top pick from great customer service examples because they’ve been voted the “South’s Best Grocery Store” and selected as one of “America’s Best Supermarkets,” both in 2019. In 2020 and 2021, Publix has continued to care for customers as well as their own employees. Employee satisfaction is an essential key to good customer service. If your employees are unhappy, how do you expect them to translate happiness to customers? Publix has this nailed down!

5. Starbucks

Starbucks pays great attention to details and uses that to meet exceptional customer service standards all over the world. Each type of drink is uniquely made with a precise pattern and ingredients that are easy to imitate elsewhere. From specialty drinks to cozy store designs to even their own music profile on Spotify for customers who care about music, Starbucks has been innovating in regards to customer care for years and continues to do so.

6. Chick-Fil-A

The customer service team at Chick-Fil-A is known for being professional and courteous. In fact, in 2016, they were rated the most polite employees for always including the magic words “please” and “thank you” in their interactions.

7. Aldi

Aldi has won many customers’ and shoppers’ hearts over the years with their low cost, high-quality items, and selection of produce. Even though the store is a supermarket, it creates a personal feel that appeals to customers of different sectors.

8. Costco Wholesale

Costco is a favorite all over the United States. Their low prices, top quality, bulk purchasing, easy policy, and free samples make them one of the best customer service examples, easily. And these factors are the reason why they receive loads of new members every year while retaining the ones they already have.

9. JetBlue

JetBlue is considered one of the top best customer service examples because they use small gestures to make their customers feel valued and cared for. In fact, in the 2019 North America Airline Satisfaction Study, this company was awarded the Top Customer Satisfaction Honor Among Low-Cost Carriers. From cheap cancellation fees to complimentary snacks, JetBlue makes an effort to take care of its customers and offer a worry-free service.

Why are These Customer Service Teams Successful?

The reason why these companies and businesses are mentioned in lists of top customer service examples is because they are doing something right. So, what are they doing well? These companies:

  • Are accessible through different channels.
  • Customize and personalize wherever applicable to make users feel special and involved.
  • Practice active listening and quick responses.
  • Study customer behavior and preferences in an attempt to serve better.
  • Provide self-service content and FAQs.
  • And are highly motivated to serve well.

Let us leave you with these questions to consider: Is your business trying to achieve these goals? Where do you see room for improvement? How can you enhance customer experience and service? What is the next step?

Related: 23 Incredible Customer Service Tips for 2024

7 Cold Calling Tips to Close More Sales

18th June 2020 Learn, Tips

Many in the sales industry ask if cold calling still works. The short answer is: yes, it still works but only if done right. Here are 7 practical cold calling tips that can help you generate better sales.

Generate Sales with These Cold Calling Tips

Businesses have been using cold calling for years to garner new customers and improve their sales growth. It is the most effective way to set appointments with relevant decision makers at your target accounts. However, while calling cold is easy it may not always convert into a sale, booking, or an appointment.

Here are successful cold calling tips that can help you manage these calls better with improved results.

1. Be Personable, Focus on the Prospect

Most individuals are not interested in being pitched to and may try to get off the phone as you try to make your sale. For this reason, it is important to develop a personable and human interaction at the very beginning of the call. Avoid sounding monotonous or reading straight off a script. Pause to ask prospects how they are doing. Try to understand their demographic and needs so you can present your product or service as a solution. Listen to their concerns or questions and provide easy-to-follow answers. Give them reasons to listen to your pitch and consider your product or company.

2. Follow Scripts But Don’t Be Robotic

It is recommended to stick to the script so you are not promising or adding anything that may cause an issue later. However, customize your interaction with each client. People can tell immediately if you are robotically reading a script and not pausing for questions. To avoid putting clients off, personalize the interaction by using their name, repeating something they mentioned before, and more. This will let them know they are not simply one of the million people you are speaking to and that their business will be valued.

3. Use Technology to Speed Up Processes

One of the most important cold calling tips is to upgrade the technologies used. Agents and employees performing cold calling in large volumes need the right tools to support their efforts.

Consider investing in an outbound call center software with customizable caller ID capabilities and a dialer. This way, you can override the caller ID to display a toll free or local number of the area being called. Prospects are more likely to answer a local number or one they recognize as local instead of a random number.

Use a web dialer to quickly place calls, save contact information and call notes, etc. A well-designed CRM to keep track of customer interaction can also greatly improve productivity and efficiency.

4. Be Respectful of Their Time

When contacting prospects, let them know you consider their time valuable. Start calls by asking how the client is doing. Let them know that this call won’t take long. If they seem to reject it or are busy, ask them when is a good time for a follow-up. Additionally, when booking appointments, instead of giving them a time, ask when would be convenient for them.

5. Make Calls During Certain Times and Days

One of the most common and oldest cold calling tips is making calls during specific times and days. For years, we have been told that Wednesdays and Thursdays are the best days to call, and it still rings true. Mondays and Tuesdays are important business days because people are usually planning their week, catching up on emails and updates, etc. They are more likely to reject calls during these days.

Additionally, you want to place calls during specific times of the day where they are more likely to pay attention to you. Studies have found the best times to call are between 11 am and 12 pm (before lunch) or 4 pm and 5 pm (as the workday ends). Calling early in the morning as people are scrambling to get to work will be more of a hindrance than a successful call. If you’re calling across time zones, we recommend using a world clock like timeanddate.com or 24timezones.

6. Always Follow-Up

Follow-up either by calling again or sending an email or text message. This follow-up can be to answer a question or query, to remind them of the upcoming appointment, collect feedback, or simply to check in.

7. Use Collaborative Language

Studies show that the use of collaborative language results in more successful calls. Use “we” and “our” language instead of “I/my” language. Make yourself appear as part of a bigger team. This can help build credibility and demonstrate your company as large and capable.

8. Do Your Research

Prospects appreciate when sellers do their research. At the very least, you should understand who your target customers are. You should also go the extra step and research the prospect before your call. For example, you should know the person’s name and his or her position in the company.

Try These Cold Calling Tips!

Keep these tips in front of your employees or refresh them in your next upcoming training. Experiment with them to see which works best with your product and service.

To learn more about Global Call Forwarding’s business phone service and how it can support your cold outbound calling efforts, call us at 1 (888) 908 6171.

9 Ways for a Call Center to Use a Web Dialer

17th June 2020 Learn, Tech

More and more companies (call center or not) are using a call center dialer or a web dialer to support their outbound calling strategies. The main reason is that this type of dialer can be used on any device and from any location. Here we will discuss what these dialers are and 9 practical ways you can use them to increase productivity and customer relations.

what is a web dialerWhat is a Web Dialer?

A web dialer or call center dialer is a keypad tool that allows your employees to make business calls through a computer or smartphone. Call center dialers and web dialers are not meant for call centers exclusively. Regular businesses that engage in outbound calling for sales or customer retention purposes can use this dialer to connect with local and international customers. Virtual phone service providers like Global Call Forwarding offer web dialers with their outbound calling service.

Who Can Use a Call Center Dialer?

Businesses of every kind — start-ups, remote and hybrid workspaces, small businesses, large enterprises — can use a web dialer to manage their inbound and outbound calling efforts. Depending on what type of company you operate, there are two types of calling:

  • Inbound calling: incoming calls by customers, prospects, and vendors usually for customer service and support.
  • Outbound calling: outgoing calls made by your team to customers and prospects to increase sales.

A web dialer allows you to receive and make calls from your computer or smartphone. This means that you do not need to invest in desk phones for every employee. They simply download a software, application, or browser extension. Most providers will offer a call center dialer with additional features such as the ability to save caller notes, update contact information, check voicemail, CRM integrations, etc.

Web Dialer: 9 Practical Uses

Here are the top 9 ways your team can use a call center dialer to increase productivity and efficiency.

1. Sales and Lead Generation

Use the call center dialer to quickly contact various prospects on your sales list and generate new leads. You can store and update prospect information, notes on the interaction regarding whether they qualify, whether they demonstrate an interest in the product, need a follow-up call, and so on. This way, you create a contact and the next time you call them, you have a history to build off of, and can quickly dial the number. Dialers are a call center favorite when it comes to calling large volumes of customers.

2. Increase Brand Awareness

Besides merely calling to make a sale or appointment, you can use a web dialer to promote your brand and increase visibility. Use market research to identify target audiences and demographics. Then, contact these potential prospects from this list and introduce them to your brand and its products and services. You can offer them a promotion or direct them to your website where they can learn more about the services you offer. This will help you get closer to target consumers.

3. Connect with International Clientele

Global Call Forwarding’s outbound calling service comes with a customizable caller ID capability. This means you can customize your outgoing caller ID and override it with a toll free or local number (of the location being called) previously purchased. Customers who receive such calls will see a toll free number or a local number and are more likely to answer the call. The main reason is that local or toll free calls are inexpensive compared to international calling.

You can get multiple international toll free and local numbers for countries across the world. With this service, you can call internationally for much cheaper rates and avoid paying long-distance calling fees.

4. Welcome New Customers

Use your call center dialer to welcome and verify new customers when they sign up or make their first purchase. This will demonstrate customer care as it shows that you value their business. You can verify purchases, offer to help them understand your service better, activate accounts, and so on.

5. Follow-Up on Recent Purchases

Check in with customers who made recent or repeated purchases with follow-up calls. Ask for feedback, how the experience was, or anything that can be done to improve the service. This too will display that your business cares about how customers interact with it. Your team should always try to improve customer service and this is one way to do so.

6. Reach Out to Abandoned Carts

Abandoned carts occur when an interested customer starts the check-out process but does not complete it. In other words, they abandon their cart and don’t make a purchase. Follow-up on abandoned carts with calls to identify reasons why customers may hesitate to purchase your product or service. Inquire how processes can be made simpler or help them complete the purchase.

7. Execute Customer Retention Strategies

Bringing new customers abroad can be more expensive than retaining customers. Having the ability to quickly contact important and valued customers can help you improve customer relations. Some good customer retention strategies include calling customers and prospects to:

  • Schedule new appointments
  • Set sales appointments at more convenient times
  • Remind them of upcoming appointments, payments, renewals, etc
  • Help reduce abandoned carts, and more

Keeping in touch with customers shows that your business is customer-focused and this will help you retain existing customers.

8. Raise Funds/Donations

Another useful application of a call center dialer is when your organization is conducting a fundraising campaign. You can reach out to members or prospects, present your campaign, and more through an outbound calling service.

9. Collect Customer Surveys and Feedback

Finally, a call center dialer can speed up phone surveys and help you collect feedback from customers about certain services, products, or interactions. Use this feedback to improve your overall service and offer better customer care.

download web dialer guide

Need a Call Center Dialer for Your Business?

Voice IP and web dialers can work together to give you the right tools to support inbound and outbound calling. Your business may fall behind if you do not take advantage of the right tools.

You can get a web dialer with our outbound calling service attached to your virtual phone number plan. Sign up today on our homepage or contact us for more questions!