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Dodd-Frank Act: Information for Call Recording Compliance

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#67426687 ID#27446420

The financial services industry has heard the name Dodd-Frank bounced around a lot. However, not many understand what the Dodd-Frank Act actually is and how it particularly impacts business communications. If you run a finance company, this information is essential to the legal and appropriate functioning of your business.

Dodd-Frank Act: What is it?

In 2010, the then President, Obama signed a comprehensive set of financial restrictions and regulations into federal law. Called the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, this Act evolved as a direct response to the Financial Crisis of 2007 when many big names collapsed due to significant financial landslides. The Act, therefore, works towards encouraging financial stability and avoiding another financial crisis. And it does so through a series of measures:

  • Increasing transparency
  • Ending the “too big to fail” attitude
  • Protecting consumers from problematic financial advice
  • Protecting taxpayers by ending bailouts.

Interestingly, the Act’s rules and implications work quite similarly to the MiFID II Act announced by the European Union in 2018. The Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) was initiated in 2004. MiFID II, the latest version, aims to strengthen investor protection and make financial markets more transparent and efficient. And the Dodd-Frank Act works towards the same goal.

Call Recording Compliance Under the Dodd-Frank Act

For this extensive list, regulations relating to voice recording are the most important and most difficult rules to adhere to. The motive behind the Act’s voice recording regulations is to encourage record-keeping and increase accountability and transparency. And these regulations apply to almost every organization within the financial services industry. Key call recording requirements state that:

  • Communications regarding trade information must be recorded across all channels: telephone, voicemail, text messages, email, etc.
  • Records must be organized efficiently for easy searching.
  • Files must be stored for the duration of the transaction and for up to five years after.
  • Records must be time stamped.

Swaps and Call Recording

Additionally, this Act legislates and regulates the monitoring of the swaps marketplace. Now, what are swaps? A swap is a derivative contract or future, involving the exchange of liabilities or cash flows between two financial institutions. Such contracts usually occur over the phone and have so far been unregulated. In 2012, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) required future brokers to record phone conversations. And so, the Dodd-Frank Act aims to bring transparency to these financial transactions. Firms receiving more than $5 million through swap or futures must store the information for five years, even after the termination of the swap. Furthermore, these records must be accessible and tagged for easy search.

Call Recording Compliance

Whether your business falls under financial services or not, it is a good idea to comply with the regulations of this Act. However, it is difficult to determine which calls are going to lead to a transaction. So, how do you decide which calls to record or not? One solution is to record all calls. But the cost of recording calls and storing them can be expensive. This is because traditional call recording technology works with hardware. And that can generate higher costs as well as limited access to data. Additionally, you will need storage space upgrades.

Fortunately, cloud-based solutions exist to make call recording and storing processes easier. By choosing a virtual provider, like United World Telecom, you can set 100% of your calls to be recorded. And then access them with ease without needing to store them “physically.” You can get call recording with your virtual business number, which eliminates the need for equipment costs, etc.

Closing: Get Call Recording with United World Telecom

You can take advantage of our Call Recording feature to record and store incoming and outgoing calls. Stored as MP3 files, you may access these recordings easily, as they are accessible through our control panel. Sign up for a business number today or call us to find out more.

Pay Per Call Marketing: 12 Tips For Success

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#52256289ID#27446420

If you’re not using digital marketing to promote your business, it is safe to say that you’re making a big mistake. There are a variety of ways to build brand awareness and let your customers find your business online. Pay per call marketing is one of them. Discover how you can create a strong pay per call strategy and increase sales.

What is Pay Per Call Marketing?

Pay per call marketing is similar to pay per click (PPC) advertising. With PPC, your ads get placed in search results and you pay only for the ads that visitors click on. In the case of pay per call, ads are placed with the option to call a company. And so, when a customer clicks on the ad, they place a call for the service or product. This way, companies pay for calls made through call ads. The goal of such marketing is to connect with customers quickly over the phone.

With this strategy, businesses can increase their inbound call volume across different channels. This also increases brand visibility and awareness. To make your pay per call advertising successful, you need to consider:

Does your company work on a high incoming call volume?
Will talking to someone make your target customer feel comfortable to make a purchase?
Will your target customer be searching for your business on their smartphone or mobile?

Based on these, you can start to design and develop a strong pay per click strategy to boost sales. Here are more details to focus on.

1) Choose a Platform

The first step to designing a good pay per call strategy is to decide where you want to post ads. Most PPC ads are placed on Google Ads, Facebook, Yahoo, and Bing. And so, the platform you choose is significant to the success of your strategy.

2) Fix a Budget

Be reasonable when budgeting for your marketing needs. You don’t want to overestimate or underestimate your costs. Start with a small budget and then increase it as needed.

3) Bid Well and High

Basically, with pay per call, you bid an amount that you will pay for each call that comes in. The higher the bid the higher your ad appears in search engine results. It is recommended that for every new strategy, you start by bidding high. This will immediately put you on the top. Then once you get a better sense of the market and responses to your ads, you can adjust the bid.

4) Create a Compelling Call-Only Ad

This is extremely crucial as it is your ad copy that will encourage your target clients to click the call button. Call-only ads shown on the search results are not like other items on the search result page. Usually, a search result item has a hyperlinked headline, a brief description of the webpage, and a URL. However, call ads have no headline and no landing page. The headline is your phone number, followed by a brief ad copy. You have a limited space to draw attention, so it needs to get the message across clearly. Something to the effect of: “Need to fix your bathroom tiles today? Call a local home repair shop now.” This copy works best when highly targeted and concise.

5) Find the Right Keywords

Keyword targeting is important across the board. Whether you are working with search engine optimization (SEO) or PPC marketing, keywords are important. Conduct market and keyword research to identify the right ones for your services and ensure that your ads target them.

6) Schedule Ads Smartly

This is important so that someone is always available to answer incoming calls. Schedule your ads during office hours. Or, if you utilize after-hours call center services, then have your ads run around that time. This leads to fewer voicemails and better customer service. Identify peak call times so you can benefit from consumer behavior and preferences. When are consumers looking for services like yours? And so on. Good customer interaction is essential to the successful running of any company.

7) Target Locally

Location targeting is key for local businesses. Get a local phone number from United World Telecom for different areas that you want to target. You can do so by purchasing a virtual number with local area codes. And since virtual numbers route calls over the internet, you or your consumers won’t pay long-distance charges. Additionally, they are more likely to call or answer a local number they are familiar with. And so a local number can boost your incoming call rates. You can then note which geographical areas are responding better to your ads and increase bids for those areas.

8) Calculate Call-Through Rates

So, pay per call works as: a customer searches for a service similar to yours and finds your ad with a phone number in the search results. They then click on the ad and this counts as a click to be charged. However, after clicking on the ad, they are taken to their phone’s dial pad where they have to click on “Call” to make the call. And so, if they change their minds here, the call does not go through. It is, therefore, important to find out how many clicks actually convert to calls. Rethink your strategies if you find a large gap between clicks and converted calls.

9) Retarget Unconverted Calls

Utilize the information found regarding the disparity between clicks and calls and retarget clicks that go abandoned. You do not want a high call abandon rate. Keep track of unconverted calls and encourage them with a retargeting ad offering a discount or other incentive.

10) Track Call Quality

Use call tracking software to keep a record of clicks, calls, and calls that convert to customers. With this information, you can understand consumer behavior patterns and preferences which will help you better target ideal customers. Then, optimize your bids for areas with good responses.

11) Improve Caller Experience

Any business with a high inbound call rate knows that caller experience is a significant factor in gaining clients. Do callers have to go through a series of menus to get their questions answered or resolved? Are calls directed to different locations? A personalized and non-complicated experience is highly preferred and will increase the chances of gaining new customers.

12) Maintain Your Marketing Strategies

Don’t stop or give up on your marketing strategies. Some strategies take longer than others to bear fruit. However, maintaining them and keeping them up to date is required to ensure they lead to success.

Improve Your Incoming Call Rate With Pay Per Call Marketing

Pay per call can effectively put your business on the map and bring it closer to target customers. And so, if you think your company can benefit from this kind of promotion, it may be time to experiment with call ads. With pay per call advertising, you can increase your call rate and convert calls to sales with excellent results!

Marketing Business Cards: Balancing Information and Design

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

Source: Depositphotos.com Lic#169626148 ID#103471204

It’s a beautiful and proud moment when your baby business idea turns into a legitimate company. You filed the paperwork, decided on a name, registered it, set up the website, and now set out to print business cards. But what do you need to know about marketing business cards and how to create the perfect card that reflects you and your business?

Marketing Business Cards: Pay Attention to Design and Content

Contrary to common belief, business cards are still considered important when getting the word out and building contacts. It’s a traditional means of passing down information about your business physically and tangibly. Business cards assist in creating and building your company’s professional image. They make your business seem legitimate and credible. Also, remember, not everyone has a smartphone or easy access to the internet. Here is where sharing information through a business card comes handy.

However, people can go overboard sometimes when marketing business cards. A crowded and shabby card can push customers away instead of enticing them towards your business. So what can you do to design the perfect business card?

Stick to the Basics: Keep Only Necessary Information

Keep your business card simple. Include the name, your name, phone number, email address, and 1-2 important social media links. It may seem like a good idea to mention all your social media accounts and multiple points of contact information in small font sizes, just to have it all there. However, believe us, it is not. Don’t make it harder for potential customers to read and decode content in small fonts. Even the description of the business shouldn’t be longer than a few words. If you have a tagline or slogan, that’s the way to go.

Make it Clear and Legible

You may be tempted to experiment with various fancy fonts to make your card stand out. But overdoing it can backfire. Pick a font, size, and color that is legible and not too loud. And one that is in line with your logo’s font would be a good option, too.

Market Your Contact Information

Most importantly, you want to ensure that they know exactly how to contact you. And so, include your email address and virtual or business phone number on your business cards with your email address. Since this is the way customers are going to interact with you, make the number and email address simple and not too complicated or confusing.

Place Your Logo Strategically

Your logo represents your business and potential clients will associate the logo with your company. So, it is important to place your logo on the card. It shouldn’t be too jarring. Instead, it should create the right impression. You can situate it on the top corners or the center of your card. Either way, make sure it is visible.

Utilize White Space

People often underestimate the power of white space. White space, from a design perspective, draws more attention to spaces including the text and logo. And you want potential clients to focus on these elements. So, avoid making your card too crowded. Allow white space for recipients who’d like to jot information down or make quick notes.

Design Differently for Each Profession

Now, if you’re a freelancer with different skills or have various side or part-time jobs, then you need to create different cards. Don’t advertise all your skills, jobs, qualifications on one small card. Instead, design for different audiences and highlight your skillset accordingly.

Include a Call to Action

Another thing that you may want to consider is encouraging the recipients to do something after receiving your card. You can do this by incorporating a QR code that they can scan to learn more about your company or enter some kind of promotion. Research and use the best QR code generator available in the market to create such codes. Or, you could include a coupon or discount on it as well. Basically, give them incentives to participate in your business.

Add a Link to Reviews

A simple but often overlooked tip when designing your business card is to include a link or QR code that directs prospects to your online customer reviews. This is an excellent way to build social proof and manage your reputation. When prospects see that others have had a positive experience with your business, they’re more likely to trust and reach out to your business. You can use a short, memorable URL that takes users directly to your Google reviews, Yelp page, or another third-party review platform. Even better, if you regularly hand out business cards to satisfied customers (especially after service calls or consultations), you can use this as a subtle yet effective way to request a review.

Don’t Forget The Back!

A lot of people intentionally or unintentionally leave the backside of the business card blank. However, this is a missed opportunity. When marketing business cards, be as creative as you can to support your company. And the back of your business card is one space where you can showcase your talent or quirkiness. For instance, if you are a photographer, you can choose to display one of your best photographs. A content or creative writer, on the other, can display their talent with words. The back should reflect what you do, who you are, and showcase your skills, if applicable.

Check out the following creative routes you can take:

  • Blow up your logo and include a tag line
  • Photographs
  • Creative content
  • Graphics for graphic designers
  • QR codes that recipients can “scan for news and special offers”
  • Social media links
  • Maps or directions to your business
  • Using a professional picture of you
  • Promotions, discounts, coupons to draw attention
  • Loyalty card like a stamp card where they “Buy 9, and get the 10th free”
  • Add a magnet at the back so you can find a spot on their fridge!

Don’t Cheap Out on Marketing for Your Business

Marketing is essential for any business because it is the main way to let target audiences know that your business exists. Furthermore, your product or service is what they need. Putting effort into marketing business cards is a good way to get started. Use the cards to not only spread the word but make contacts and create networks with others in your industry or related fields. Have your name physically attached to your business and watch it grow!

Growing Your Business Online: 10 Reasons Why Your Business Isn’t Expanding

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

Source: Depositphotos.com Lic#169527502 ID#32402753

With the growth of digital commerce, many companies and entrepreneurs are looking to go digital. A lot of consumers are going online not only for their shopping needs but also to research and find quality services. So, growing your business online can help you gain access to a wider audience for your product or service. However, if you are not taking advantage of everything the online world has to offer, then your business probably isn’t reaching its full potential.

Your Business isn’t Growing Online Because . . .

Growing a company online can be difficult and competitive. However, with the right resources, tools, and decisions, it is not an impossible task. Here are 10 reasons why your business isn’t expanding:

1) Are You on the Right Platform?

Choosing the right online platform to situate and promote your website depends on the type of business you have. Consider what elements can boost your image. For example, do you need a platform that highlights visual media or one that highlights content? Writers looking to promote their writing skills won’t find much success on a social media platform like Instagram. Photographers and other visual artists, on the other hand, can use Instagram to showcase their talents and skills. Similarly, for a business providing complicated services, a website producing informative content can be very useful to potential clients. Keeping these in mind, research to identify where your online company belongs and can gain traction.

2) Targeting the Wrong Crowd

It is crucial to identify the right customers for your business. If you are focusing on the wrong crowd, you will be missing valuable sales. Determine your ideal customer and then also consider other potential client profiles. Keep an open mind so that you can target different types of customers and use that to your advantage.

3) Complicated and Slow Web Design

If you’ve gone the website route, then reevaluate your web design. Is there too much happening? Is important content ― like information about services or products offered ― difficult to locate? Or are there many stops between finding a product and the checkout page, allowing customers opportunities to reconsider and drop the item? Is your website slow? These are important questions to consider. Since most users are going to find your website on their phones, you want your website to be mobile-friendly and quick to load.

4) Bad Website Rankings in Search Results

Next, check if you are ranking well in search results. If you are on the second or third page (or further behind), then there’s a good chance that customers are not aware your company exists. And of course, this does not help with growing your business online. Optimizing the website should be a priority. Invest in search engine optimization (SEO) tools that will help you appear higher in search results. Identify relevant keywords for your product and target them in posts. Publish educational and informative content that focuses on your services and the industry in general. This will show users that you have expertise and experience. You can also use an AI SEO content generator to build SEO-optimized articles with focus keywords in bulk

5) Not Providing Multi-channel Communication

Don’t limit communication to just phone or email. Provide your customers with different ways to get in touch with you and interact with your service. Phone and email are the basic means of contact. However, you should also use social media like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. Build your profile on career sites like LinkedIn so that customers can look up your credentials and references. SMS and chat services are growing popular as customers are increasingly choosing text over phone calls. Callback services could be another way to connect with customers. United World Telecom offers a CallMe-Click button for your website. Visitors can click on this button and enter contact information to immediately receive a call from you. Multiple channels give customers more opportunities to interact with your brand.

6) Ignoring the Importance of Email Lists

Email lists are important for growing your business online. Don’t just rely on people coming to your website or social media channel and then making a purchase. Customers need to be nudged with offers, reminders, and more incentives. And email lists is one way to do that. And a personal one too because you can personally respond and interact with them. Use pop-up sign-up forms. Offer “subscribers only” incentives. Make your email easily accessible and shareable.

7) Limiting Your Marketing to One Platform Only

Next, use all these communication platforms to market your services. Consider paid and social media ads. Create email campaigns and send out newsletters updating customers on new products or features, upcoming promotions, membership opportunities, etc. Use these tools to stay on your target customers’ radar and encourage them to use your product or service.

8) Staying Local

Get a virtual number and open an “online office.” Virtual numbers can be local, international, or toll free numbers and United World Telecom offers these numbers in more than 160 countries. This way, you can get local numbers in different states or countries and expand your business there as well. And so, you are not limited to your city or state and can start attracting an international clientele. Local numbers will put your business in local directories. Also, customers recognize local numbers and are more likely to call an area or country code they know.

9) Not Tracking Your Progress

Use tools like Google Analytics to see how much traffic your website or social media is getting. These tools will show you how many users are visiting your site and where they are coming from. This way, you can identify which strategies are working and drawing more customers. You can use this information to improve other platforms or update your marketing strategy.

10) Not Considering Pay-Per-Click Advertising

Another way to grow your business online is by executing pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns. Pay-per-click ads are sponsored ads on the top of a search result. These ads charge you only when someone clicks on the sponsored ad. You can easily run PPC campaigns on a small budget through Google Adwords or Facebook Ads. You can also insert your phone number in the ad, making it easier for customers to call you from search results.

Learn and Improve

With these tips in mind, start growing your business online by fixing current mistakes and opening new channels of interaction. As they say, change is the only constant, and the digital world is constantly changing. And so, you have to keep up with the demands of the digital world. Stay up to date, improve, adapt, and soar higher!

Looking for more information about virtual phone numbers and how they can boost your online business’ growth? Contact United World Telecom at 1-(877)-898-8646 or sign up for a number today!

Who Are The World’s Largest Tech Companies?

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

June 8, 2019 Mountain View / CA / USA - Googleplex map and office building at the campus in Silicon Valley; The "double o's" of the logo are decorated in rainbow colors in honor of LGBTQ Rights

This decade has seen a gradual rise in tech companies across the board. From new phone models to social media to smart homes. The largest tech companies have changed our lives at home, at work, and at play. In every aspect, tech is making processes more convenient, effective, and fun.

Top 2021 Largest Tech Companies

Most of the companies on the list below have been in action for quite some time and have been gradually expanding. They are common names and their services are known and used by many, even if people don’t realize it. So, who are some of the largest tech companies of 2021?

Alphabet / Google

Country: United States
Business Type: The leading search engine. Side projects: innovative tech developer Google X, smart home projects Home and Nest, phones, and life-extension company Calico.

An obvious contender, Alphabet, Google’s parent company, has been strategically growing over the past several years and is one of the largest tech companies expanding its coverage. Google started as a search engine and now has grown into much more, dipping its toes in home security, smart home tech, phones and network coverage, and biotech with Calico. And Google has even greater plans for growth and expansion.

Apple

Country: United States
Business Type: Phone/ technology company

Apple, founded in 1976, now has over 115,000 employees and more than 468 stores in 17 countries. Also one of the largest tech companies in the world, Apple has an annual revenue of $29.2 billion approximately. Apple offers phones, iPads, iPods, its music streaming service, Apple TV, Macbooks, and more. And its products and services are preferred by many across different age groups.

Samsung

Country: South Korea
Business Type: Electronics, electric appliances, and phone company

Samsung was founded in South Korea in 1969. And it has grown to be one of the largest tech companies offering reliable electronics, phones, and electric appliances used the world over. The company has over 319,000 employees in about 80 countries and an estimated annual revenue of $211.9 billion.

Microsoft

Country: United States
Business Type: Software/tech

Founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975, Microsoft began by inventing computers and then expanding to more tech-related services. Microsoft, an American multinational tech company, now develops, manufactures, and produces computer software, PCs, and electronics. The company offers operating systems, its office software suite and tools, and cloud computing solutions. And, Microsoft products are used by businesses and individuals worldwide for basic to advanced purposes. All of this makes Microsoft one of the largest and most valuable tech companies.

Facebook

Country: United States
Business Type: Social media platform

Facebook, founded in 2004, still is one of the highest-ranking social media platforms. Originally developed as a social networking site, the company has grown to do more. It is now also one of the biggest advertising platforms and is used for marketing efforts. Facebook has purchased over 70 companies including WhatsApp, which was one of its biggest purchases. And it has done all of this in only 15 years of existence, making it one of the top tech companies in the last two decades.

Amazon

Country: United States
Business Type: E-commerce giant

Everybody knows and uses Amazon’s services across the world. Amazon started as an online bookstore and has grown to become much more. Since it was founded in 1994, Amazon has continuously been making it easier for users to gain access to products and services from anywhere in the world at reasonable prices and with quick deliveries. Now, Amazon plans to utilize automation to make its service quicker and more efficient. The e-commerce giant hopes to achieve this by using robots in its manufacturing and packaging plants and by using drones for delivery.

Tencent Holdings Limited

Country: China
Business Type: Tech products and internet-related services

Founded in 1998, Tencent specializes in internet-related products and services, AI, and entertainment tech. It is also the world’s largest gaming company as well as social media company. And the company’s services include mobile and online games, e-commerce, social networking, music, smartphones, and more. Tencent has more than 700 million active users and 120 million subscribers, making it one of Asia’s most valuable tech companies.

Intel

Country: United States
Business Type: Microprocessor, semiconductor manufacturing company

Intel was founded in 1968 however, it did not become a part of primary business till the development of personal computers in 1981. Then when Intel’s stock price rose dramatically in the 1990s, the company grew tremendously. And now Intel’s products have become an essential component of PCs and laptops used by millions. More recently, Intel has been entering the artificial intelligence (AI) market.

Hon Hai Precision / Foxconn Tech Group

Country: Taiwan
Business Type: Multinational electronics manufacturer

Hon Hai Precision Industry was founded by Terry Gou in 1974. The company’s original trade name was Foxconn. It currently employees more than 1.3 million individuals. Hon Hai Precision manufactures and produces electronic products and components for other companies. Popular clients served by Foxconn are Blackberry, Nintendo 3DS, Xbox One, iPhones, iPads, iPods, and Playstation 3 and 4.

Largest Tech Companies: 2021 Forecast

The question remains, will these remain the largest tech companies in the new decade? Many of these companies have enjoyed their time in the sun for the past few years consistently. However, tech companies like IBM, Oracle, and so on are slowly making their way to the top. Let’s see what the new year and decade has in store for our favorite tech giants.

Virtual Answering Service: How To Start Your Own

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

Source: Depositphotos.com Lic#169432052 ID#76342417

Every business needs to maintain good relationships with its customers. And one way to do this is through customer service — by having someone personable to interact with your clients and resolve their issues. Whether it is to simply direct calls to different departments, answer simple questions about the company, or assist with complex tech support, customer care is necessary. A virtual answering service is a new way to engage with a company’s prospects. And businesses, especially small ones, are looking for answering services that can take some of the burdens off of them. So, is a virtual answering system something you can start on your own, and from the comfort of your home? Yes!

A Virtual Answering Service: The New Trend in Customer Care

Many small businesses are unable to hire someone to answer company calls 24/7. These companies, therefore, choose to outsource their office calls to a call center or an answering service that can do the job for them. With someone else handling customer calls, businesses can focus on other areas that require more immediate attention.

Now, starting your own answering service is easy. However, it is even easier when you consider going digital with it. A virtual answering service lets you create an online office with remote employees and cloud communication tools like cloud numbers. Let’s have a look at the different steps required when starting your own home-based answering service.

1) Create a Business Plan

The first step to starting any company or enterprise is to create a business plan outlining goals and market projections. This plan will take into account market research, ideal customer profiles, budget and expenses, and a plan of action. You may want to include potential investors you’d like or how many employees you want to hire, and so on.

2) Open a Business Bank Account and Start Budgeting

Once you have a business plan ready to go, you can reach out to investors for funds or start funding yourself. Either way, you would need to open a business bank account and start planning your budget. Think about how much you want to spend on employees, phone bills, equipment, and so on. This will later help you determine how much you should charge for your service.

3) Register the Business

To ensure potential customers take your company seriously, you need to take it seriously first. This means legitimizing your enterprise by registering it with the secretary of state or county clerk. Obtain a tax identification number and an employer identification number (EIN). These aside, make sure you get the necessary licenses and permits for your location.

4) Purchase Necessary Equipment

This is a necessary step because to properly run a virtual answering service, you need the right equipment and software. The best part about starting a digital answering service is that you are not limited to traditional phone lines. That means that you do not have to spend funds on getting several phone lines that connect to your public telephone network (PTSN). Instead, you can set up a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) phone system. This allows you to work with multiple cloud phone numbers that run through the internet and, therefore, just one traditional line. Calls made to virtual numbers can be answered anywhere in the world and on any device, which makes them an ideal fit for a remote answering business. This aside, research and purchase a call management software that works best for your needs.

5) Hire Remote Employees

If necessary and depending on the scope of your company, you can choose to hire a few remote employees to share the workload. This can also be done after your business starts growing.

6) Decide Your Service’s Rates

Based on the expenses incurred, plan out how to price your services so that you make a profit. Rates would depend on the number of hours you work out with your clients. You can charge various prices for standard work hours and additional for after-hours. Similarly, provide different packages with additional features or incentives. And if you extend your services to include other virtual office duties, you can increase your monthly income.

7) Market and Network

Once you have everything set up and ready to go, start promoting your service everywhere. Optimize your website by making it informational and educational. Then, utilize social media to get the word out. Market your website, your services, and everything you have to offer. Advertise your virtual number on billboards, business cards, and more. Also, consider email marketing and paid ads as ways to stay on your target clients’ screens. Build your professional profile and engage in networking on career sites. Look for job opportunities on major job boards and seek places that can utilize an after-hours answering service.

Offer Communication Solutions to Your Clients: Get a Virtual Phone Number Now!

Begin your process of starting your own virtual answering service with virtual numbers from United World Telecom. Sign up today or call us for more information about business numbers and how they can benefit your new company.

15 Useful Advertising Techniques for Any Business

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#231857266ID#27446420

Business owners need to do everything in their power to pull customers towards their products and brand. And the best way to do so is advertising and marketing what your company stands for. Effective advertising techniques can change the way potential customers interact with your brand and increase its presence in the market.

Make Your Business Visible: Effective and Creative Advertising Techniques To Try

Marketing your product and business includes creating a company profile and informing potential customers that you exist. It involves showcasing your talents or services and how they are useful and resourceful. From creating a logo to investing in social media marketing, there is a range of advertising techniques you can experiment with to see which grabs the most attention.

1. Create a Business Profile and Brand it

Just having a name and website or storefront is not going to work. You need to create a brand, a story, a connection. Think: logo, tag line, backstory, images, merchandise, etc. Hire a graphic designer to help you out with designing a logo that represents what your company stands for. Additionally, write up a story that emphasizes how and why you started this business. Customers who can relate to your story or idea or struggle are already one step closer. Use compelling images to get the message across. Then, capitalize on all of these elements and advertise everywhere.

2. Develop Your Website

In this digital age, having a website for your company is a must. Yes, word-of-mouth advertising works, but there’s no harm in doing more. Most customers will first Google a service or product they need before deciding on where to get it. A simple website that only highlights the service or product won’t be enough. Showcase your brand, include old and current portfolio, maintain a blog with educational and informational articles that show your expertise. Let people know that you are legit and understand your industry. And so, if you have a website and are actively posting on it, there’s a good chance that these customers will come across it and open it. And based on your experience, skillset, and expertise may choose your services over others.

3. Get Social (with Social Media)

Similar to the need for websites, social media is a must for enticing digital shoppers. Post, tag, comment, interact with your target client base. Here too, you can demonstrate your experience, improve customer service, and draw attention with promotions or discounts. Active social media posting reaches customers much faster than any other means. You can also invest in social media marketing so that your ads and posts can be displayed as sponsored ads on target clients’ feeds.

4. Design for the Smartphone

This, too, is to satisfy your tech-savvy clients. Mobile-friendly websites or apps are easy and fun to use. If your website or app is lagging and not user-friendly, it could cause frustration and customers may head elsewhere for their needs. Make sure your website is responsive and not slow. Make information easy to locate. Buttons should be large enough to work on the phone without issues. And so on.

5. Include Humor: Be Funny

A little humor never hurt anyone. Don’t be afraid to lighten the tone by including various humorous elements such as funny graphics, GIFs, memes, puns, etc. Something that sticks out and is funny stays with people. And if you stay on their minds long enough, they’ll consider investing in your company. In other cases, a funny caption can attract attention for customers who weren’t even looking for your product. As a result, you can increase brand visibility this way too.

6. Swag Hurrah!

Everybody loves free stuff; that’s no surprise. So, swag is a great way to get the word out and to promote different products you offer. You can do this in a couple of different ways: offer free samples, free swag, merchandise, or swag at a discounted rate. The point is to get customers excited and curious about your service. So giving them a sneak peek along with goodies will definitely pique their interest.

7. Creative Business Cards

One of the most popular advertising techniques is designing and marketing digital business cards. It’s hard to imagine that a tiny business card can do so much. But, if designed well, you can increase your email and call list quickly. When creating your card, ensure you include your logo and tagline, use a legible font, and provide contact information (business number and email). Leave enough white space so that attention is drawn towards the brand. Additionally, the back of the card is also an opportunity to advertise your product or service. For example, if you are a photographer, include one of your best photos. Let’s them see what you are capable of.

8. Consider Advertising with an Annoying Jingle

We all hate those annoying commercials with jingles that stay ringing in our ears forever, and ever, and ever! But those are the brands you remember. You can have a jingle with words or taglines highlighting your product. Or, you can capitalize on holiday music or popular music that customers enjoy and relate to. For example, a lot of ads have separate commercials for the Christmas season with Christmas visuals and music. Some even change the words to popular Christmas songs. These are some ways you can customize your ad with music.

9. Visuals in Commercials

Depending on the size of your business and budget, you may also want to consider making a commercial. You can use this to provide information about your service or create an emotional appeal by sharing your company story and vision. Or, you could use humor and misdirection to surprise viewers. For example, you could have a commercial showing polar bears sweating to talk about climate change. Or, have a commercial filled with tens of cats running around to promote the need for a lint remover.

10. Emotional Appeal

Emotional appeal is also one of the most important advertising techniques. This is because most customers will look for a good reason to purchase your product. So, you need to give them as many reasons as you can. For example, a commercial about quitting smoking that shows lung cancer or the debilitating effects of emphysema is much stronger than a commercial that simply says “Don’t Smoke.” Similarly, an ad that establishes and discusses a problem and then offers a solution makes for an effective marketing technique.

11. Bribe Them (with Promotions and Discounts)

Give customers that extra push or nudge towards purchasing your service by offering promotions and discounts. First-time customers appreciate a “first-time user” discount so that they can test the service out. You could also have a loyalty program where customers who recommend your service to others get extra points or credit. Similarly, you could implement a membership program for returning customers to get more discounts on bigger purchases.

12. Highlight Facts, Statistics, and Customer Reviews

Prove that your service, system, or product works. Include statistics, facts, product reviews, customer reviews, and testimonials. Use evidence as well as customer opinions to drive your sales. Respond to bad reviews to show that you are open to feedback and criticism that will improve the service.

13. Consider Color Psychology

Effective visual advertising techniques boost the way viewers and recipients perceive and interact with your business. An important factor in visual advertising is color. Pay attention to the colors you use for your logo, text, photographs, and the background. The colors should blend together and not appear jarring or loud. Think about the color palette when designing your flyers, business cards, etc. Something as simple as choosing a bold or dark color on a call-to-action button like “Submit” or “Click here” can influence click-through-rates.

14. Balance the Composition

Similar to color, notice how you organize and compose your copy or advertisement. You can arrange items to draw attention to specific areas or elements Or you can just arrange them in the most eye-pleasing way keeping Gestalt principles like simplicity and synchrony in mind. These principles focus on perception and how we perceive and absorb information.

15. Track Eye Movement and Create Visual Paths

A visual path is a design technique used on the journey of the content, pulling attention to specific elements. In other words, it is how a person moves along the content on your page. For example, left to right, top to bottom, and so on. You can estimate the visual path to highlight elements that you want them to focus on more.

16. Appeal to the Search Engines

Optimize your website content by adopting search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to rank higher in search results. This way, when people search for services related to yours or include certain keywords that relate to your business, they will be able to find your website quickly. You can also look into Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising. These are sponsored ads that appear on top of search results. And you only pay for them when a viewer clicks on the ad. These are some advertising techniques that have proven to be successful for many marketing campaigns.

Increase Familiarity and Comfort Through Effective Advertising

Advertising techniques that are transparent and don’t try to trick customers are highly appreciated. Customers don’t want to be bullied or manipulated, but they do want to be informed and surprised. Keep your marketing efforts simple, educational, and supportive. And soon, you’ll drive your sales higher!

61 Local Businesses Directories for Backlinks and Marketing

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

Source: Depositphotos.com Lic#167812372 ID#70423961

Every business owner wants their business to attract new customers on a regular basis. And one of the ways to ensure that your target audience is aware of what you have to offer is to list local businesses in online directories. Doing so brings more backlinks to your own website, generating more website views. Learn how to use online directories for marketing purposes and to increase brand awareness.

How Can Local Directories Help Your Business: What to Keep in Mind

Having your company’s description and information on business listings is an important step in getting the word out. This is a good way for potential customers to come across your brand when looking for similar products or services. And so, this is a good marketing strategy to consider implementing. To ensure your listed business does well, you should:

Build a Company Profile: Have a clear and detailed description of what your organization offers, the company’s mission, and its core values.

Maintain Consistency in NAP: When adding local businesses in different directories, make sure that the basic information — that is Name, Address, Phone Number (NAP) — is the same across the board. Don’t provide contradictory information.

Utilize Visual Media: Include photos and videos of your product, service, office, or employees to showcase your talent and expertise.

Create Relevant Backlinks: Backlinks are inbound links that link back to your website. This way, visitors can get to your website quickly. Additionally, if you put a tracking link at the end of your URL, you can track how many customers are reaching you through the directories.

Pick Directories With a Good Domain Authority (DA): A DA is a ranking score for search engines and tells you how a website will rank on a search engine result page. The higher the DA, the higher the website will rank, which is good for marketing purposes.

How  To Increase Your Local Businesses Visibility: 61 Business Directories to Get Listed in

Here’s a list of local businesses alongside their domain authority so that you can select the right ones for your company:

Google My Business (100)
Facebook (100)
Apple Maps (100)
LinkedIn Company (98)
Bizjournal
Glassdoor
Crunchbase
Yelp (94)
Merchant Circle
WhitePages
Bing (94)
Better Business Bureau (93)
MapQuest (92)
Foursquare (92)
Yahoo! Local (91)
HubSpot (91)
Yellow Pages (91)
Angie’s List (91)
Manta (87)
Merchant Circle (86)
Super Pages (84)
Yellow Book (83)
Thumbtack (82)
Chamber of Commerce (79)
Bing Places (79)
Local.com (77)
Hot Frog (76)
Communitywalk.com (75)
Blogarama (74)
Brownbook.net (73)
Tupalo.com (72)
La Cartes (68)
ezlocal.com (67)
ebusinesspages.com (67)
2findlocal.com (67)
Cylex USA (66)
Spoke (66)
City Squares (66)
World Web Directories (65)
BOTW (65)
Fyple.com (63)
ibegin.com (63)
Finduslocal.com (60)
Call Up Contact (60)
Company.com (60)
Hub.biz (59)
My Huckleberry (59)
City Insider (58)
where2go.com (58)
n49.com (58)
My Sheriff (57)
opendi.us (56)
Smartguy.com (55)
Wherezit.com (55)
Bizhwy.com (55)
DiscoverOurTown.com (54)
macraesbluebook.com (52)
USdirectory.com (50)
Tripadvisor
Bizadee (48)
Wand.com (47)

Should You List Your Business Online?

There are countless benefits to including your organization in online directories to generate local citations (online mention of your business’ NAP).

1) Increase visibility and discoverability: Since most customers are going to be looking for services/products like yours on the internet, having your business listed online can help them find you easily. This is also a good way to make target audiences aware that your brand exists.

2) Develop your reputation and credibility: When prospects see your organization is different and trustworthy in directories, they begin to feel more confident about it. They see your business as professional and established and not a new, shell company.

Online Directories Helping Local Businesses Grow Brand Awareness

As owners, it is important to keep your local businesses present everywhere so that customers find your service easily and quickly. Consider using online listings to boost your digital presence and attract new customers to your service. Don’t forget to use your business phone number for call metrics.

5 Practical Marketing Tips for an Accountants Office

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

Source: Depositphotos.com Lic#167459246 ID#223455848

With a rise in globalization and growing economies, tax environments are becoming more and more complicated. And because of this, accounting services are in higher demand. This is why your accountants office should be doing everything it can to promote your services and garner customer attention.

Marketing for an Accountants Office: 5 Things You Need to Do

Marketing is absolutely essential for any firm or organization. Marketing allows businesses to present their services to the public. It is a way of showcasing what you have to offer and why target customers should come to your business over competitors. Let’s look at 5 marketing tips that are a must for any accountants office looking to stand out among the crowd.

Make a Plan: Establish Goals

It is important for everyone to be on the same page when it comes to determining how to market your company and services. Promoting, if done right, is the best way to create and maintain a business’ professional image. And so, make a plan and, together with your team, set goals and milestones to achieve. This way, every member of your team is working towards the same objectives.

Research the Market: Identify Targets

With any business or service, conducting market research is significant. You need to know what other similar services exist and how they are succeeding or failing. Learn from their achievements and failures and model your office accordingly. This way, you can also identify what services are lacking and choose to offer those, making you appear as the only office offering something different. Additionally, research target customers to determine how to market to them. If you don’t know who needs your services, you will not know how to get their attention. Marketing strategies will differ for various target groups. And so, it helps to be specific when identifying your accountants office’s ideal customer.

Draw a Budget: A Reasonable One

If not careful, marketing expenses can sneak up on you. Set aside specific budgets by the month or each quarter and keep tracking it. Often times, people overdo their marketing budgets. So, create one that is practical and won’t make a large dent in the office’s overall expenses. This way, you can measure and consider increasing or decreasing the amount based on return on investment (ROI).

Market Everywhere: Content, Social Media, and Email Marketing

It is alright to start by experimenting with any one form of marketing such as content marketing, social media marketing, or email marketing. However, over time, tapping into every form of marketing will be more effective. Content marketing focuses on developing the business’ website by improving information and content published on it. It’s necessary to establish expertise, explain difficult concepts, and demonstrate processes. Potential customers need to know that your accountants office knows its stuff and can actually help them. And content marketing can help you achieve this image.

Additionally, social media is also an effective way to get on target customers’ radar. Use paid social media ads to your advantage and keep your social media accounts up to date and informative. Also, use social media to provide promotions and other incentives to get clients. Email marketing can be used for the same: promotions, offers, membership discounts, newsletters, and more. These are some good methods of staying on customers’ phones and inboxes.

Let Them Reach You: Provide Different Communication Channels

Business numbers: they are a necessity. Get a business phone number and advertise it everywhere: website, emails, business cards, billboards, social media, and more. A virtual number from a reliable service provider can ensure you are always accessible by routing your calls over the internet. This way, wherever you are and whatever device you are using, clients can reach you. And customers will appreciate that.

You can also get local numbers in different states and countries and expand your business there. Local numbers make it easier for international clients to contact you as they don’t have to pay long-distance charges. The same goes for toll free numbers: they charge the receiver instead of the caller. All of this makes calling your accountants office attractive as customers don’t have to pay extra.

Customize your business number by getting a vanity number from United World Telecom. Personalize it by adding memorable patterns or letters. For example, 1800-432-4322 or 1-866-ACCTNTS. This makes your number easier to recognize and remember.

Measure, Track, Improve, Repeat

Finally, measure your success by tracking metrics and watching incoming profits. Identify areas that are successful and ones that can use tweaks or improvements. The most important aspect of effective marketing is to maintain strategies and stay up to date. Invest in a marketing team that looks over strategies and ensures they are continuously running. And before you know it, you will have customers seeking your services.

Why United World Telecom and Grandstream are Perfect for Customer Support Teams

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#117746974 ID#27446420

Trying to make your company’s customer service better? Look no further. Combine the services of two powerhouses: United World Telecom and Grandstream to make your customer relations approachable and manageable.

What Is Good Customer Service?

Good customer service involves time and effort. A strong sales or customer service team will make and answer calls in an efficient way and increase the company’s sales. But it is also important to assist them in their endeavors. Here’s where call center technology, software, and communications solutions come in. United World telecom and Grandstream Networks are two such companies that can facilitate your business’ customer interactions.

United World Telecom and What They Offer

United World Telecom offers international call forwarding as well as local and toll free numbers in more than 140 countries worldwide. UWT can easily hook you up with a virtual number that routes your calls through the internet. Since they operate digitally, you can use them with any device, smartphone, VoIP line, or landline. Virtual numbers can be purchased as local, international, toll free, or international toll free numbers. Calls made to toll free numbers are charged to the receiver instead of the caller. This makes calling your company free for your callers. Additionally, toll free and local numbers reduce calling costs for long-distance and local calls.

Grandstream customer support
Source: DepositPhotos.com – Lic#:312319048 ID#27446420

Virtual Communication Solutions

UWT continues to find virtual communications solutions that make the correspondence between businesses and their clients easy and cost-effective. And so, besides phone numbers, they also offer other virtual solutions to improve communication. All of their phone numbers come with free features such as:

  • Time of Day Routing: to route calls to alternate destination numbers during certain times of the day.
  • Black and White Lists: to block unwanted calls and prevent wasted minutes.
  • Simultaneous Calling: to enable incoming calls to ring on multiple phone numbers ensuring calls are answered anywhere.
  • Advanced IVR: interactive voice response (IVR) that handles high volume calls and assists callers by helping them navigate to the right
  • departments.
  • Customized Greeting: to boost your company’s professional business and add a personal touch.
  • Call Transfer: transfer calls to other departments in different office locations.
  • Voicemail to Email: access voicemail from computers, mobiles, or fixed phones.
  • Fax to Email: save electronic versions of your faxes.
  • Dedicated Account Manager: to assist your company’s every need.
  • 24/7 Customer Support: chats, phone lines, email, support tickets, etc.

But these aside, you can also get Rollover Minutes, Outbound Calling, an SMS Plan, and Call Recording for additional prices. The services provide businesses and companies with large volumes of inbound and outbound calling with tools to support their work.

Grandstream And What They Offer

Grandstream Networks is a leading manufacturer of internet protocol (IP) communication solutions. Their products are assisting businesses in over 150 countries across the world. Grandstream offers a variety of products and services to benefit communication between two parties. Some of the products and features are:

  • IP Phones: for voice calls
  • IP Video Phones: for video calling
  • Audio and Video Conferencing: to encourage team conferencing and collaboration
  • Extension Modules: additional modules that connect to the main system
  • Cordless and Wireless Devices: additional devices connecting to the main system that mobilize communication
  • Cloud Management: allow the ability to monitor and manage networks across multiple locations
  • IP intercoms and speakers: for office buildings, enterprises, etc. that require a mode of mass communication.

Grandstream Networks’ phone systems are easy to use and contain useful features. They provide voice and video phones to encourage collaboration between different parties. Additionally, with cloud management, you can access your business’ network anywhere and on any device, making it extremely accessible.

Perfecting Customer Service: UWT and Grandstream

Grandstream provides the medium and UWT provides the service and together they can revolutionize your customer support team. You can help customers not just through voice calls but video calls as well. Imagine collaborating using video with your international customer through a virtual number! Customers appreciate efforts made by businesses to make processes easier for them. If you can find a way to do that, your company can develop quite a fanbase.

With UWT’s easy-to-use control panel giving you access to all your phone lines online and Grandstream’s cloud management, the internet can improve your communications exponentially. You can keep track of and manage your calls and phone system from anywhere in the world. Businesses with customers spread over the globe can utilize international call forwarding or time of day routing to ensure that someone is always available to answer calls.

Good customer service depends on good customer service agents or reps. You can use call recording and call logs to conduct quality assurance. Call recording lets you record calls for the future, which is helpful when doing performance analysis. And call activity logs will help you track metrics. For instance, calls per month, average time per call, average answering time, etc. You can also create phone surveys with IVR to collect feedback on your company and its services.

The Sky’s The Limit

With these two services, you can do so much to improve your enterprises’ customer interaction. Purchase a virtual number from United World Telecom today and combine it with Grandstream, to give your clients the highest level of customer service possible!

How To Set Up Your Business VTech Phone

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

Source: Stockphoto.com O#100060107233- ID#100067081677

VTech provides phone systems with different components to help organize internal and external communications. An efficient VTech phone system combined with resourceful features of a business number from a reliable phone service provider can help improve the quality of your company’s customer interaction. Learn how to set up a VTech phone system and how to use United World Telecom’s service with it.

Setting Up Your Business VTech Phone

Before you purchase equipment, it is important to purchase a business phone number for your company. Your customer interaction depends on the type of phone number and line you choose to invest in. United World Telecom offers multiple virtual local and international numbers with international call forwarding. Virtual numbers route calls over the internet and with call forwarding, you can direct calls to whichever number you desire. With this service, you can access clients across the world with a reasonable payment plan and a good internet connection.

Once you have a business phone number and phone lines purchased, you can start setting up your VTech phone system. VTech systems come with a main console connected to analog phone lines and additional devices that are connected to the console wirelessly. VTech offers a variety of devices that you can choose from depending on your preference and company size. The main devices included are a main console, extension desk sets, and extension handsets. You can also get cordless headsets and cordless speakerphones.

Setting Up The Main Console

The Main Console is the main component of the business phone system. And other systems cannot work without it. The console can be expanded with up to 9 extension desk sets, extension handsets, cordless headsets, or cordless speakerphones. With these options, you can customize and create a phone system that best suits the needs of your office.

The devices communicate with the main console over wireless DECT technology. Therefore, you do not need to plug telephone lines into cordless devices, but only into the main console. You can also use the main console as a telephone with a single user using up to 4 telephone lines. You can purchase multiple telephone lines through United World Telecom.

To install the main console:

Step #1: Install the optional backup battery by inserting 4 AA batteries at the back of the console. This will be useful in case of a power failure.
Step #2: Next, install the mounting bracket for tabletop use by inserting fixed tabs on the mounting bracket into the desired slot. There are two locations for high or low visibility.
Step #3: Connect the handset cord by plugging one end of the cord into the handset jack on the side of the console.
Step #4: Then, connect telephone lines at the back of the console, open the line jack cover, and plug one end of the telephone line into the telephone line jack (L1, L2, L3, or L4). Plug the other into the telephone wall outlet.

Note: Repeat this for all the telephones lines you wish to connect. If you have two two-line wall outlets, plug one line in L1/2 and the other in L3/4. Do not connect a fifth or sixth line in the empty L2 or L4 jacks.

Step #5: Next, connect the power by inserting the smaller end of the power adapter into the power jack at the back of the console. Plug the other end to a power outlet not controlled by a wall switch.
Step #6: Finally, test for a dial tone. Give the console a few minutes to start up and enter idle mode. When it is in idle mode, press each of the available line keys to test for a dial tone. If you hear a dial tone for each line, the installation was successful and you can now make and receive calls.

vtech phone how to
Source: DepositPhotos.com – Lic#226811262 ID#27446420

Connecting the Cordless Extension Deskset

In order to use the cordless extension desk set as part of your VTech phone system, it must be registered to the main console.
First, install the rechargeable backup battery by plugging the battery connector securely into the socket inside the battery compartment.
Then, install the mounting bracket, connect the coiled handset, and connect the power.

To register the cordless extension desk set to the main console:

Step #1: Press Menu/Select on the main console.
Step #2: Select Registration.
Step #3: Then, select Register Extension.
Step #4: Then, press # on the extension desk set.
Step #5: The desk set screen will display Registering. Registration may take up to 60 seconds.
Step #6: Once registration is complete, both desk sets will show Desk set X Registered, where ‘X’ is the extension number of the device. This is unique across each system and cannot be changed.
Step #7: While the desk set is in idle mode, lift the corded handset. If you hear a dial tone, the registration was successful.
Step #8: Repeat the same steps to add another extension desk set to your business VTech phone system.

Installing the Cordless Handset

Cordless handsets are not stand-alone phones and must also be registered with the main console. Here’s how to install the cordless handset:

  • First, plug the smaller end of the power adapter to the handset charger and the larger end into a power outlet not controlled by a wall switch.
  • Then, install the battery by connecting the battery connector into the socket inside the handset battery compartment.
  • Next, place the handset in the charger to charge.

To register a cordless handset with the main console:

Follow the instructions for registering extension desk sets (mentioned above) as the registration process is the same. Once registered, test for dial tones. And repeat these steps to add additional handsets.

United World Telecom with VTech Phone Systems

Once you have all the devices ready to go, you can customize your phone service and lines with United World Telecom. Get additional benefits of call forwarding, call recording, unlimited extensions, call transfers, and more. You can make use of an interactive voice response (IVR) system to automatically direct calls to voicemail or other extensions. With all of this setup, all you will have to do is answer or make calls and focus on your business. These systems together make communication manageable and convenient. Sign up for a business phone number with United World Telecom today and get your phone system all sorted out.

Samsung Galaxy A20 Review: Samsung’s Most Affordable Phone

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#:21434637 ID#27446420

This holiday season, gift a loved one (or better yet, yourself!) a new phone with quality specs and a reasonable price! Samsung’s new A series phone is under $250 and makes for a very usable budget phone. No wonder, it’s been getting some serious attention. Let’s look at what makes the new Samsung Galaxy A20 so appealing.

Samsung’s New Model: Samsung Galaxy A20

The fifth model in Samsung’s A series’ 5th generation, the Samsung A20 is not very different from most smartphones available. Before you purchase a new phone, it is important to consider its specifications to determine which is most suitable for you. Do you need a large screen? Or the latest android version? Or a fingerprint scanner? Or a high res camera? Here’s a list of the Samsung A20 specs:

  • Display: 6.4 inch AMOLED Infinity-V Display (1560 x 720)
  • Width: 2.9
  • Weight: 169 g
  • Version: Android 9.0 (Pie)
  • Rear Cameras: 13 MP, 5 MP
  • Front Camera: 8 MP
  • Memory: 32 GB ROM / 3 GB RAM
  • Battery: 4,000 mAh battery, Fast Charging
  • Fingerprint Scanner: Yes
  • Processor: Samsung Exynos 7884 Octa (International) or 7904 Octa (US)
  • Wireless Network: 3G, 4G, LTE
  • Ports: USB Type C, 3.5 mm audio jack

As you can see, the specs are quite impressive for a phone under $250. But certain features make the phone stand out more. So, why should you consider buying a Samsung Galaxy A20?

Outstanding Battery Life

A 4,000 mAh battery gives the Samsung A20 power enough to run for a full day. This phone also comes equipped with Samsung’s lightning-fast charging, which is usually reserved for the pricier phones. The phone lasts for about 13 hours, which is more than the average 10-hour battery-time for most smartphones. The Samsung A20 also utilizes a USB Type C charger. It is a good switch with the USB Type C, as it revolutionizes charging cables with adapters connecting it to HDMI, VGA, DisplayPort, and other major connectors. It is slowly replacing the need for regular USB ports/cables.

Sharp Camera for a Budget Phone: Live Focus Camera Mode and Impressive Selfie Camera

The camera is Samsung A20’s most attractive feature. The phone features a slightly protruding dual-camera module with a 13 megapixel lens and a 5 megapixel wide-angle shooter. Having the second camera gives the A20 the ability to capture depth-of-field photographs. For lovers of portrait modes, the phone features a Live Focus option ― a feature from Samsung’s more expensive models. The Live Focus gives users control over what to focus on and how to manage the blurry background. Additionally, the 8 megapixel selfie camera’s depth option provides extra depth for selfies.

Galaxy A20 review
Source: DepositPhotos.com – Lic#68566097 ID#27446420

Performance Lag: No Good For Gaming

Considering this is a budget phone, it is not as powerful as Samsung’s other flagship models. The Exynos 7885 processor brings in an acceptable and workable amount of power. The same goes for the Exynos 7904 processor. These less powerful chips keep the phone’s cost low while providing decent power. But the downside is that demanding apps don’t perform well and lag as a result. This is why this phone is not recommended for mobile gaming.

And Yet, It’s Good For Your Pocket

Even among budget phones, Samsung has been working its best to include features from its pricier phones. And this is why these low-cost phones get so much attention. You have access to useful features and a decent camera for a comfortable price. In fact, you can pay as little as $10 a month plus tax for 24 months through T-Mobile or other providers.

Buy The Samsung A20 To Be Your New Business Phone

So, what do you think? With the Samsung Galaxy A20, you can get a phone that has relevant features and that doesn’t dig a giant hole in your pocket. And if you decide to buy the phone to work as a business phone, you can get a toll free number from United World Telecom! We can hook you up with a phone number for your company to keep your personal and work life separate. Freelancers and remote employees find this most useful to balance between their personal and business calls. Sign up for a business number today or contact us at 1-877-898-8646 to learn more.

How to Build a Local Sales Network From Any Location

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#9016491 ID#27446420

To successfully sell and promote any product or service, you need a strong sales team. A good sales team will highlight the strengths of the product and the company. They will maintain professionalism and credibility and good customer relations. Sales teams work in communication with each other and with customers. It is, therefore, essential to have a local sales network that is easily reachable and dependable.

Building A Local Sales Network

To build a strong local sales network, you need to hire resourceful talent and train them in the best ways to target potential customers. Once your sales team is ready, you can focus efforts on promoting the product in the sales circuit.

Ready, Set, Network

The first step to start a sales network is to begin a search for connections and talents. Use LinkedIn or other career sites to scout and build connections with people in your field and who would be a good addition to your team. Use these platforms to search for and connect with potential customers. Generate connections and start conversations about your product and brand.

Consider Forming A Virtual Sales Team

With many employees switching to a work-from-home lifestyle, you may want to consider a virtual office. This does not only work for your employees but also gives you a chance to move outside the bounds of a specific location. You can look to expand your business to other countries and hire remote employees there to help customers locally. This way you can bring international clientele to your company.

Develop A Full-Proof Hiring Process

After scouting and researching, you may have a strong pool of salespeople to pick from. And so, you want to pay attention to the hiring process or recruitment process and what skills or factors matter to you the most. For instance, do you want someone who comes with years of experience? Or, do you want someone fresh who can be trained and coached for your business’ specific needs? Have them do a “Sell me a …” test to see the practical application of their talents. Also, ask for recommendations and reach out to them to develop a better picture of your candidate.

Besides sales skills, you want to look for good personal skills in your local sales network. Working in a team requires good team management and communication skills, and your ideal candidate should have them. This is even more necessary for a remote team as a lot of your communication will happen through emails and video calls.

Train, Train, and Train Again

Because your company will differ from other companies in one way or the other, training at the beginning is very important. Even if your hired talent has years of experience, ensure they go through training that highlights the tasks they will experience at your enterprise. Besides the initial training, perform analysis and conduct ongoing training to refresh important goals and skills. Create videos, webinars, buy educational books, do trivia nights: whatever you need to keep them up to date.

local sales network
Source: DepositPhotos.com – Lic#:10312371 ID#27446420

Other Tools and Resources

Consider communication and project management tools to make the organization and completion of work easy and clear. You can use Google Drive, Dropbox, or Microsoft Office to share and maintain files. Or, subscribe to a project management system like Teamwork or Slack to have all work communication, project status, etc. in one place. With these systems, employers can keep track of employees’ work and progress. Additionally, teams can collaborate together on shared files and shared projects. Customer relationship management (CRM) systems may also include statistics and metrics to track sales and responses.

For easy communication, consider getting a virtual business phone number with a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) system. Rather than traditional phone lines, VoIP phone systems use the internet to make and receive calls. You can easily sign up for one from a phone service provider that offers virtual, local, and toll free numbers. Providers like United World Telecom offer call forwarding services that forward or redirect incoming calls to a different number, where the call is to be answered. This way, you can forward calls to wherever your employees are located. With United World Telecom’s ‘Time of Day Routing’ feature, you can redirect calls to alternate numbers during specific times of the day. These features are meant to ensure no call goes missed and a salesperson is always available for your customers.

Generate Awareness and Familiarity

Spend a great deal of time working and developing your website. Most customers will look to your website for information and help. Therefore, their first impression of your website matters. It is also necessary to keep information on the website up to date. Provide educational and informational material with facts and genuine expert opinions through blogs and web content. The more your customer knows about your product, the more likely they will be to give it a try.

Use social media like Twitter, Facebook, etc., to create more visibility for your brand, product, and company. This is a good way to introduce your product to the sales circuit. Follow-up with customers through emails, special promotions, and more. Your current customers are a way to get referrals and new customers. Keep them coming for more.

Make Sales From Any Location

Advancements in technology have improved the way we communicate and sales teams can use this to their advantage. Build a local sales network anywhere with local numbers and make sales globally with virtual phone numbers. Browse through our plans today to see how we can help you make those sales calls and support your network!

How To Start a Home Telecom Call Center Business

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#211239316 ID#27446420

Thinking of ditching your regular 9 to 5 job for one with more flexibility? A home telecom call center is just what you are looking for. With better work hours and less commuting, this work-from-home job can give you a great sense of work-life balance. So, what is a home telecom call center and how can you start one? Read on to learn more!

Virtual Call Centers

Virtual call centers offer a variety of services: sales, telemarketing, customer service, making reservations and appointments. They are hired by major companies to handle customer communication in an organized and easy manner. For example, these may include customer service for an eCommerce giant or booking hotel reservations for a travel agency. Inbound call centers often have a high volume of incoming calls. On the other hand, outbound calling is when a call center is making calls to customers for sales purposes.

What Do You Need?

Before you start your call center, research businesses or call center companies looking for remote help. Depending on the type of home telecom call center you want to run, you will need to invest in some equipment to unify processes. With respect to virtual centers, you will need to consider state and local requirements. And finally, you’ll need marketing tools to promote your service.

How To Start A Home Telecom Call Center

Let’s have a look at the different steps to keep in mind when starting a home telecom call center business.

Step 1: Research Job Opportunities and Fields

Spend time looking at the variety of options available for your industry, product, or service. Is there a surplus of call centers offering the same service as you? How can you stand out and be more resourceful? Consider extending your services to other states and countries. With a virtual set-up, you can reach clients anywhere in the world. The entire world is within your grasp. Here, you can also decide if you want to run an inbound or outbound call center.

Step 2: Check Local and State Requirements

Since starting a home telecom center is a business, you will need to file all necessary new-business paperwork. Review your state’s Office of Finance and Taxation. Then, check for zoning restrictions. Finally, register your business.

home telecom call center
Source: DepositPhotos.com – Lic#119344282 ID#27446420

Step 3: Prepare a Business Plan

An important part of starting your own business, whether large or small, is to have a clear idea of how you are going to run it. This is where a business plan comes in. A strong plan will outline the necessary documentation, market research, and financial projections for the company. This way, you are prepared for what is to come and have options to handle it.

Step 4: Invest in Call Center Equipment and Software

This goes without saying that a call center cannot run without the appropriate equipment and software. Your equipment or software may depend on what your client uses. For a home telecom system, you can choose a call center software that you consider comfortable and resourceful. Call center software is a system that enables easy call tracking and organization. Either way, you want to have the basics: a computer with the latest operating system, broadband internet, wired telephone, and a good quality headset.

Step 5: Get A Virtual Phone Number

Virtual phone numbers can help you create a virtual space enabling you to make and receive calls through the internet. This way, calling international customers won’t be as expensive as calling through a regular phone service. Additionally, virtual numbers such as toll free or local numbers are less expensive for customers to use. Toll free numbers bill the received party instead of the caller and local numbers will have regular, local charges. This way, you are not a burden for your customers.

Step 6: Market Your Skills

Build a website and use social media like career sites, Facebook, Twitter, etc, to promote your skills and talents. Marketing your home telecom business starts with marketing yourself. Tell them what you have to offer: call center experience, fluency in multiple languages, knowledge of call center software, and so on.

  Cost-Effective Communication

One of the main items you will need for your call center is virtual phone numbers. United World Telecom has local and toll free virtual numbers in more than 150 countries across the world. Sign up for a virtual phone number with United World Telecom today and develop a cost-effective communication channel for your home call center.

Traveling for Business? How To Get Your Passport

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#47371763 ID#27446420

Traveling for business is essential to creating and maintaining a global presence for your company. Often, you will need to travel to encourage new prospects to come aboard or to maintain good relations with existing customers and investors. These trips may be local, within the country, and sometimes abroad. If you haven’t already started expanding your business to other countries, now is the time to go global. And for traveling abroad, you will need a very important document: a passport. So, how do you get your passport and what else do you need to keep in mind when traveling for business? Read on to learn more!

How To Get Your Passport

Getting a US passport is a very simple process. All you need is a filled passport application form and the necessary documentation. Once the application is complete, the passport takes about 6-8 weeks to process. Here are the steps for how to get your passport:

Fill Out A DS-11 (Passport Application) Form

One of the most asked questions is: can you apply for your passport online? You can start the application process online or in-person. However, you will need to visit a passport acceptance facility to complete the application. To start the application online, use the Passport Application Wizard and fill out the application. Once completed, print the application and take it to the passport acceptance facility. Note that passport applications can not be submitted online.

Otherwise, download the form, complete the application, and go to a local passport acceptance facility to submit it. Whichever way you decide to start the application, remember: do not sign the form until you are instructed to do so in front of a designated official.

Personal Documents and IDs

Along with your passport application form, you will need to provide documentation providing your birth and citizenship information. Documents required are:

How-To-Get-Your-Passport
Source: DepositPhotos.com – Lic#230834940 ID#27446420

1) Original proof of citizenship document and a photocopy of the document. One of the following is necessary:

  • US birth certificate
  • Certificate of naturalization
  • Certificate of citizenship
  • Consular report of birth abroad or certification of birth

2) Acceptable photo ID and a photocopy of the ID. One of the following:

  • Driver’s license
  • Government employee ID
  • US military ID
  • Current (valid) foreign passport

Acceptable Passport Photo

Next, bring passport-size photos, which can be easily taken at your local pharmacy or grocery store. Ensure that your photos have the following requirements:

  • Color photo
  • Taken in the last 6 months
  • Printed on matte or glossy photo-quality paper
  • Neutral expression with eyes open
  • Size: 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm)

Calculate Your Fees

Fees are based on whether you are applying for an adult (age 16 or older) or child and whether you want a passport book or card or both. According to the U.S. Department of State website, these are the current fees for passport books and cards:

Product Application Fee Execution (Acceptance) Fee
Adult
Passport Book $110 $35
Passport Card $30 $35
Passport Book & Card $140 $35
Child
Passport Book $80 $35
Passport Card $15 $35
Passport Book & Card $95 $35

Submit The Application

Once you have completed the application, provided all necessary documentation, and paid the fees in-person at a passport acceptance facility, you have completed the process. Now, you wait for the agency to process your request.

Can You Get Your Passport Sooner?

The standard time for processing a passport is 6-8 weeks. However, this process can be expedited for special circumstances such as a life or death emergency or urgent international travel plans. Keep in mind that expedited processing has an additional fee. See the Get My Passport Fast page for more information.

Happy and Comfortable Travels!

Besides getting your passport ready, there are a couple of other things to keep in mind. For example, do you need to get a visa for the destination country? Also, check for travel warnings and advisories. Buy travel insurance and register your trip with the U.S Department of State.

You may also want to consider getting a business phone number from a virtual phone service provider like United World Telecom. With a virtual phone number, you can forward work calls from your office to your business number so that you do not miss any work calls when traveling. United World Telecom also offers local business numbers. Now that you know how to get your passport, sign up for a business phone number and be in touch with your customers while on the go.

Best Countries To Start a Business in 2025

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

2024 has been a great year for businesses of various kinds. Particularly, this year has been good for educational services, real estate agencies, marketing services, IT support, landscaping, dental offices, to name a few. We have also seen more from small businesses focusing on virtual reality, meal kit sales and delivery, home renovations, bike sales, and rentals, etc. But some companies and industries are doing better in certain countries than others. And, new countries are emerging at the top for favorable business conditions. So, what are the best countries to start a business in 2025?

top countries to start a business
Best Countries To Start a Business in 2025

When choosing where to start or to expand your business, it is necessary to consider a variety of factors. These factors include affordability, customer demographics, manufacturing costs, tax climates, and governmental involvement. Market research is essential to understand and project how your product or service will grow in different countries. According to The World Bank’s Doing Business, here are the 5 best countries to start a business in 2025.

Best Countries To Start a Business in 2019
Source: Depositphotos.com Lic#164721808 ID#80443408

#1 New Zealand

The World Bank ranks New Zealand #1 for the best country to start a business in 2025. In 2016, they claimed that New Zealand is the easiest place in the world to conduct business. The sectors gaining the most traction are health, engineering, and information technology. There is a great presence of highly skilled labor for construction, trade, and business services. Additionally, New Zealand’s tax system is easy to understand and navigate, which makes it one of the most attractive systems because of predictability and fairness.

Reasons to start a business here: Cheap manufacturing costs and a favorable tax environment.

Best Countries To Start a Business in 2019
Source: Depositphotos.com Lic#164721828 ID#26462197

#2 Singapore

Singapore gets the best of emerging economies from its neighbors India, China, and the Southeast Asian countries. A majority of large companies are moving here due to cheap yet talented labor and its booming infrastructure. The World Bank rates Singapore high in Asia for logistics performance because of its location and proximity to growing economies. Singapore’s seaport infrastructure has also been ranked highly, offering 200 shipping lines to about 600 ports across 123 countries.

With over 21 free trade agreements (FTAs) with about 27 economies, Singapore has great trade relations that benefit both parties involved. That aside, the tax system is quite favorable with the highest corporate tax rate on taxable income at 17 percent. Industries currently in demand are tourism, editorial business, electronics, cleaning services, and courier services.

Reasons to start a business here: Cheap manufacturing costs, bureaucratic, growing infrastructure.

Best Countries To Start a Business in 2019
Source: Depositphotos.com Lic#164721860 ID#4141435

#3 Hong Kong

It is easy to open and run a company in Hong Kong with low corporate taxes and tax breaks for certain types of businesses. Small businesses and start-ups are thriving in this rapidly developing country because of resources made available by the government. Hong Kong is often considered the gateway to China and it easily connects to other South and Southeast Asian nations. This makes the country a great location for building and maintaining networks. The most popular sectors in Hong Kong are information technology, call centers, tourism and travel agencies, business and product sourcing consultants, and manufacturing.

Reasons to start a business here: Cheap manufacturing costs, growing infrastructure, governmental support for small businesses.

Best Countries To Start a Business in 2019
Source: Depositphotos.com Lic#164721882 ID#7421338

#4 Denmark

Denmark’s market is focused on innovation and development providing solutions for technology and environmental issues. The World Bank ranked Denmark high for trading across borders and protecting minority investors, among others. Key industries in Denmark are tech and cleantech, maritime, design and innovation, and life science. Start-ups are thriving in Denmark due to the availability of public and private funding and the existence of a large network of entrepreneurs and supporters.

Reasons to start a business here: Cheap manufacturing costs, transparent government practices, and an entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Best Countries To Start a Business in 2019
Source: Depositphotos.com Lic#164721922 ID#42142773

#5 Republic of Korea

South Korea ranks highest for ease of doing business and job security among Asian countries. It is also the 7th largest exporter in the world. Sectors like technology, automobile, manufacturing, and oil and gas are the country’s major gross domestic product (GDP) booster.

That aside, like Denmark, the South Korean government also supports start-ups and small businesses by providing proper funding with long-term views. More recently, South Korea has seen a rise in female entrepreneurs starting and managing their own companies.

Reasons to start a business here: Cheap manufacturing costs, a favorable tax environment, and governmental support for small businesses.

Thinking of Starting a Business In Any of These Countries? Get a Business Phone Number

Now you know the best countries to start a business in 2025. It is time to start considering where you can move or extend your company to increase sales and profit. United World Telecom has virtual numbers in over 140 countries. Feeling inspired and want to expand your business to new countries? We can easily hook you up. Give us a call at 1-(877)-898-8646 or sign up on our website and get a virtual business number for your company today.

SMS vs. MMS: What is the difference?

Posted on by Tom Senkus

Source: Depositphotos.com Lic#164083652 ID#157124120

Set up dinner plans for a large group over group messages. Send a funny GIF to a friend who is having a bad day. Share your new favorite song. Send out mass texts to update customers or community groups about new changes. Or simply let someone know you are thinking of them. Almost everybody uses instant messaging, or texting, to communicate. However, not many know what processes are in play when sending a simple text or a more complex multimedia file. Read on to understand more about SMS and MMS services. SMS vs MMS: which of these services will improve your communication and increase response and engagement?

SMS vs MMS: How Do They Differ?

What does SMS mean? Short Message Service (SMS) is a communication protocol that sends and receives text messages over cellular networks. In simple terms, SMS is instant messaging or texting between cellular phone numbers. Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), on the other hand, acts as an extension of SMS that allows sharing of multimedia content. Therefore, MMS lets users send pictures, audio, videos, GIFs, website links, and phone contacts. With such messaging services, you can send short and quick messages easily without any disruption.

Companies and start-ups are increasingly using business phone systems with SMS/MMS to increase customer engagement. SMS/MMS are quick and easy methods to reach customers as opposed to interrupting their day with calls. Additionally, mass texting apps allow businesses, managers, and other leaders to send out texts to a large group of people at a time. This is helpful when they need to send product updates, event reminders, promotions, etc.

Both messaging types are highly versatile and very useful. Often, used interchangeably, these terms are not the same. So, what is the difference between SMS and MMS?

Characters and Space

The main difference between SMS and MMS is the space available for the type of message being sent. SMS usually has a max of 160 characters and can only send words. Some phones and networks may support emojis, but not all of them do. This means that each text needs to be straight-forward and to-the-point. Users must pay attention to the economy of words, doing their best to capture attention with the fewest words.

MMS, on the contrary, can have up to 1600 characters and has the additional benefit of sending multimedia files. You can send multiple files at a time, depending on their sizes. Users can use MMS’ capacity and space to share images, videos, and attract more attention.

Interactive Texting Experience

Texting, by default, makes communication quicker and more efficient as most texts are sent with the intent to get straight to the point. They enable people to be in touch with one another with little to no extra effort. MMS, however, adds more to this texting experience by allowing users to send a variety of media. You can send audio files, pictures, videos, and hilarious GIFs, stickers, or emojis. All of these little details make the texting experience more interactive.

SMS vs. MMS What is the Difference?
Source: Depositphotos.com Lic#164084350 ID#104550346

SMS vs MMS in Business

When you consider SMS vs MMS, you will realize that both are great ways to market yourself and your products. Both methods are useful in keeping your customers engaged and staying on their radar. However, MMS does have an advantage here because humans are visually-inclined and having images draws more attention than just text. Because of MMS’ ability to share multimedia files, they are, naturally, more preferred. They can be used as a great marketing tool where businesses send promotional flyers and coupons to customers.

Cost of Use

Both work through a cellular network, however, MMS requires data or an internet connection to send larger and more complex files. This makes MMS slightly more expensive. Businesses with a tight budget may need to limit their MMS use. Individual users may opt for free web-based texting apps to reduce costs.

Why Every Marketing Department Needs Teamwork Projects

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

Source: Depositphotos.com Lic#163975726 ID#201347134

What are the goals of your company and how do you achieve these goals? More importantly, what can your business do for your customers? A marketing team works hard to build your business’ professional image and does everything it can to showcase its strengths. This can be a lot of work: planning and organizing the workload, following up with others, tracking progress. And that’s where Teamwork Projects comes in. Teamwork Projects promises efficiency and productivity and encourages collaboration within a team. This software can help you organize your goals, review your team’s progress, and become more time-efficient overall.

Using Teamwork Projects in the Marketing Department

Marketing and design teams thrive on proper management and efficient workflow. The marketing process involves many complicated tasks conducted by different team members simultaneously. These involve content production, website development, email marketing, strategy building and more. Teamwork Projects helps the marketing process by providing a variety of features and tools that enable visual management and time-efficiency.

Efficiently Maintain Processes

In order to complete tasks smoothly and within a given time, the processes utilized are a key component. A marketing and design team generally consists of marketing managers and specialists, graphic designers, content writers, and editors. All members are integral to the process and they work together to produce quality work in a reasonable amount of time.

To be able to do this, they need to be in constant communication with each other. Teamwork Projects has different features that allow members of the team to keep tabs on each other’s work. By creating tasks and subtasks, Teamwork Projects lets the team develop a hierarchy of processes assigned to different members. Subtasks are steps or duties that contribute to the completion of the main task. When a team member completes a subtask, it moves to the next member in the hierarchy. Once all subtasks are completed, the main task is accomplished.

For example, to produce a high-quality cornerstone article, the marketing specialist/ content director will first generate an SEO-focused topic. The content writer then writes the content for the article. Then, the editor reviews the piece prior to publishing. Once reviewed, final preparations can be made to an article before it’s finally published. Teamwork Projects alerts each member of the team about the tasks assigned to them whenever changes or updates are made. Users can also view task history to track progress and reference old tasks.

Automate With Project & Task Templates

Every team has a specific process they are comfortable working with and generally follow the same process across different tasks. Instead of creating a new task list or hierarchy each time, Teamwork Projects lets you create project and task templates. Creating and saving these templates can help you save time when creating new similar tasks.

Why Every Marketing Department Needs Teamwork Projects
Source: Teamwork.com

Visualize Your Progress

Teamwork Projects’ Board View feature enables visual work management, with cards representing each task. Users can follow the progress of the card as it moves through different stages. This way, members visualize the progress of their tasks and see where their work stands. The Board View allows users to set up customized columns that represent each step in the process of a task. For example, “Content Generation,” “To Be Designed,” “To Be Reviewed,” “Ready to Publish.”

Reduce Time Consumption

The most essential element of any company or organization is its team, where each member holds accountability and responsibility. One of the ways to foster accountability is by tracking and logging time spent on each task. Teamwork Projects allows users to log their time for each task and also work on a timer. These features help team members track how much time tasks require. They can then consider different ways to cut down on time and produce work more efficiently.

Another way Teamwork Projects helps reduce time-consumption is by storing all files and notes in the same place. A task list can contain everything essential to a project. New users can be swiftly brought up to speed with the next steps to take towards completion. This ensures a more seamless workflow and less backtracking.

Teamwork: A Very Important Resource

United World Telecom uses Teamwork Projects to produce quality work quickly and efficiently. Teamwork Projects has completely transformed our internal processes and made communication between team members more fluid. Our to-do lists have become more manageable with accountability across all parties. Overall, Teamwork Projects is a phenomenal resource for us and just about every aspect of our content production is managed there.

Working together in sync is important for marketing projects, and with Teamwork, everyone can be on the same page. Collaborate with your colleagues. Organize your tasks. Track your progress. And produce great results!

Why Your Current Phone Marketing Strategy Isn’t Working

Posted on by Tom Senkus

Source: Depositphotos.com Lic#163072382 ID#208405008

So, you’ve managed to set up a foolproof phone marketing campaign. The lines are open, your staff is waiting, and the only thing to do is wait for the calls to roll in.

The only problem is that it is not working. Why?

Phone Marketing for your Business

In this article, we’ll cover why your current phone marketing strategy isn’t working and how to fix it. We will cover the following points:

  • Employees do not have proper training and equipment
  • Your offers aren’t compelling enough
  • Customers can’t (and won’t) reach you
  • Embracing automation as the future of marketing

Employees Are Not Properly Trained and Equipped

Sometimes, your organization’s successes and failures come down to how experienced your staff is at phone marketing. Whether you’re making outbound cold calls or processing inbound ones, if things aren’t working, it may mean your employees aren’t up to snuff.

Most notably, there is no single reason for poorly-performing employees. Some people just aren’t suited for over-the-phone marketing. Perhaps they may have introverted qualities that make them more suited to “back of the house” operations. Additionally, others need commission-based incentives to make a real effort.

Along these lines, there’s also the failure fn the organization to take responsibility for how their staff performs. For instance, some organizations don’t take the time to bring their employees up to speed and ensure that they know how to use their devices. Luckily, United World Telecom’s virtual phone services work with any audio and Internet-equipped devices to communicate with leads. This means that your employees can use their own devices (if permitted), as this is what they’re most familiar with. This makes cell phone marketing a possibility for both staff on your premises and those working remotely. Employees are thus more comfortable and better able to communicate.

Why Your Current Phone Marketing Strategy Isn’t Working
Source: Depositphotos.com Lic#163072464 ID#206387476

Your Offers Aren’t Compelling Enough

Cell phone marketing captures a waiting audience that is accessible around the clock. Considering most people have a smartphone within reach, you just need to create a compelling offer that motivates them to make a move. In other words, you must be compelling.

United World Telecom offers a variety of ways to get the attention you deserve. One way is by using vanity numbers as a way of garnering attention. Simply put, a vanity number is a phone number with a visually-appealing and memorable series of digits. Tying this into your phone marketing campaigns (such as billboard advertisements, radio ads, and more), customers will remember your brand AND how to contact your business (which is certainly a win-win).

Customers Can’t (and Won’t) Reach You

You may have the most carefully crafted marketing campaign, but it is useless if customers can’t reach you. Thanks to United World Telecom, your customers can reach you no matter where in the world they’re calling from. Virtual phone numbers can be purchased in various target markets, which means:

  • No long-distance fees
  • No service blockages by a foreign network provider
  • Ease of localization efforts

How You Can Make Improvements in Phone Marketing

The last point is crucial, as customers don’t want to reach out to a business in another country versus one that is perceived as doing business domestically. By subscribing to an Ireland Virtual Phone Number, for instance, you can penetrate Irish markets and open up lines of communication that would otherwise be ignored.

Bridging the Digital Divide

Let’s be honest: people can be lazy. In order to reach customers, you have to streamline how customers can take in your advertising and then take action. CallMe Click is one such add-on from United World Telecom that translates from a passive experience to an active, motivated one. By equipping your website and advertising material with CallMe Click, it only takes a tap of the screen or a click of the mouse to convert on your marketing campaigns.

* * *

Closing

In conclusion, United World Telecom offers a wide variety of methods to enhance your marketing strategies. By using these methods and many more, your marketing dollars can convert directly into increased revenue.

Quality Assurance vs Quality Control: Improving Support Calls in Business

Posted on by Tom Senkus

Source: Depositphotos.com Lic#163064950 ID#13909184

Are you looking to improve the quality of support calls for your business? If so, we’ll cover a number of topics to do so in this article, including:

  • The difference between quality assurance and quality control
  • Using quality assurance to improve support calls in business
  • Using quality control to improve support calls in business

The Difference Between Quality Assurance vs Quality Control

First, there’s a big distinction when it comes to the definitions of Quality Assurance Vs Quality Control in support calls. Quality assurance is process-oriented, which focuses on preventing defects and errors in support calls. Quality control, on the other hand, is product-oriented and focuses on identifying defects.

Still confused? If so, the easier distinction between the two is that quality assurance is what happens before rolling out your customer support. This includes training programs and equipping your staff with functional hardware/software. Quality control is a way of refining your process. This includes debugging and streamlining how your staff delegates problems to different technicians. As a result, you can see that they’re both related to providing support to your customers.

Of course, this begs the question: How do you improve support calls specifically?

Quality Assurance vs Quality Control: Improving Support Calls in Business
Source: Depositphotos.com Lic#163064672 ID#10302425

Quality Assurance Vs Quality Control: Using Quality Assurance to Improve Support Calls in Business

As mentioned, training goes a long way in improving support calls. Those in charge of training employees and new hires must thoroughly understand company policies and protocols. If, for example, a customer calls needing support for their non-functioning device, is there a strategy for handling the call? During the call, your staff discovers the reason for the malfunction is that service was cut off due to non-payment. The phone support staff must know these calls require forwarding to the billing department, not the IT department. This can make your phone communication more optimized, as there’s less time spent transferring calls. This, in turn, is the epitome of quality assurance. All measures of support are in place before the calls come in, ensuring they are handled appropriately.

United World Telecom makes this easy by providing a number of functionalities to upgrade support calls. By setting up a PBX directory (short for Private Branch Exchange), inbound callers can self-select which department they need to contact. Or, inbound calls can automatically reroute to the appropriate department based on their phone number and/or customer identification numbers.

Quality Assurance Vs Quality Control: Using Quality Control to Improve Support Calls in Business

Similarly, when it comes to improving quality control for direct support calls, United World Telecom offers “call recording.” As the name implies, inbound calls are recorded and stored for later use. During the training process, your business can use examples of successful calls and error-laden ones to educate your trainees on what they should do when in the field.

Also, call recording can improve quality control by verifying the service of a particular employee. Suppose your managers review an employee’s support call, only to find out that they were giving redundant information, easily accessible online or through your directory system. By learning from these calls, you can improve the quality of inbound calls, redirecting callers immediately to information by using another popular add-on from United World Telecom called IVR.

Short for Interactive Voice Response, IVR enables callers to use voice commands to access staff, departments, and information. As an example, suppose that you automate a greeting: “Please state why you are calling today. For instance, for access to tech support, say ‘tech support’.” You can then automatically redirect callers to the appropriate department, reducing call times for efficiency and causing less frustration all around.

In Closing

As you can see, we are just scratching the surface when it comes to improving quality assurance and quality control in your business. Above all, these measures should be in place to ensure your phone staff offers the highest level of customer service. With the right tools, your business will have no problems ensuring optimal communication. Contact United World Telecom today to speak with a telecom expert to optimize your business’ support calls today.