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Environmental Issues, Their Impact on Business, and How to Mitigate to Turn Crisis into Opportunity

Posted on by Magaly Fuentes

Source: Stockphoto.com - O#100043608845 ID#100186088462

Our planet is plagued by environmental issues that are depleting our natural resources and putting an enormous strain on our livelihoods. If left unchecked, many of these issues will impact businesses directly and indirectly. In many instances, they are already doing so. Some of the primary environmental issues that are affecting businesses today include pollution, waste disposal, water quality, and water supply issues, and climate change.

Business Impact

Pollution is one of the world’s biggest environmental issues. The business impact due to pollution stretches far and wide, with just one example pointing to how pollution affects the health of people which then impacts medical costs and loss of productivity. Heavily polluted areas, for example, have a difficult time hiring and retaining workers. Waste disposal is another issue, with improper disposal resulting in foul smells, leaching into water supplies, and air pollution.

Climate Change Will Affect Everyone

Climate change is a global issue with serious implications including environmental, social, economic, and political. Factors like coastal flooding can have a major impact on businesses, leading to operational disruption and losses for organizations. Climate change can also create a higher demand for energy as the temperatures get warmer and there is a higher demand for air conditioning use. This means higher costs overall to businesses. Higher demand for energy also translates into increased use of natural resources like water and fossil fuels, which can then turn into a lack of resources for companies to turn into products. Many businesses have already started to implement automated response systems to combat these negative effects.

Climate change also has negative impacts on the agricultural sector, which directly impacts the population in regards to food availability and safety. The impact of environmental issues on water supplies can result in harm to agriculture, a decrease in productivity, and higher costs.

Mitigating Risk

Environmental issues that we face today make it clear that solving as many of these complex issues as we can best serve all sectors. It will also require the cooperation of all sectors. Environmental issues affect every individual, community, organization, and country. We must all become environmental stewards to keep the economy moving, surviving, and thriving.

Environmental Crisis

The environmental factors that are affecting business and will continue to affect production and the economy. Such issues as major storms, loss of resources, inflation, and scarcity of food and water – are creating serious detriments. However, solving these complex issues requires the cooperation of individual sectors. It is apparent that the environmental crisis we are facing calls on all business leaders to consider the environmental impact that their companies have and also calls on business leaders to take action to ensure that they meet all compliance needs and regulations.

Environmental Issues Impact Business
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Opportunity

Though the situation is difficult, environmental issues also present an opportunity for businesses to step up and show their employees and markets where they stand and what they are willing to do to mitigate the risks. Employees, for example, perform better when they are healthy. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulates work environments and most businesses do not have an issue with meeting OSHA standards. Businesses, however, should remain aware of current events and how they may affect their employees. An example is if the employees of a company are working outside and there are extremely high temperatures. Companies will sometimes provide a toll-free phone number to support employees that want to request time off. The break times required by OSHA may not be sufficient enough for the health, safety, and well-being of employees.

Environmental Action is Marketable

The cultural demands of consumers are another area that presents an opportunity concerning businesses and environmental issues. Consumers are increasingly opting to align themselves with companies that have a strong positive environmental mission. Business leaders taking action to mitigate risks involved with environmental issues and promoting sustainable practices will benefit the company. Marketing campaigns are being used as a platform to inform the public of the efforts companies are making to address environmental issues. They are also being used to inform the public of efforts that are planned for the future.

Environmental Action is Good for All, Especially Businesses

Once upon a time, the sole objective of business owners was to build a company that would generate revenues and continuously increases profits. As environmental issues, their impact on business and the world, and the risks to the future of all life have become more prevalent across the globe. The effects can be measured with environmental performance software and the need for immediate action is now. It is the responsibility of business owners to take a full inventory of their choices and examine how those choices affect the environment. It is time to make modifications where necessary. Some effects are more subtle than others, but all modifications contribute to the greater good of our planet.

How Can United World Telecom Help?

There are a few different ways that you can business can go green and become more socially responsible. Start by:

  • Educating employees and encouraging them to adopt ‘green habits’
  • Choosing cloud communications services
  • Upgrading to energy-efficient products
  • Offering remote and telecommuting
  • Investing in ‘green IT’ solutions.

We can help get you set up with a virtual communication system that connects users from any location and device, with minimal setup and downtime. Want to get started? Speak with on of our representatives today!

Sales Management: Business Phone Systems for Small Business

Posted on by Becki Meerbeek

Source: Stockphoto.com - O#100191557818 ID#100186088462

Small businesses have different needs and requirements than other types of businesses. So, if you’re thinking of starting your own small business or wondering how you can better manage the small business you already have, you may want to consider different types of phone line systems to choose from. Especially if your small business is sales-driven, you’re going to need your phone to close leads and keep your customers happy. With these business phone systems for small businesses, you can ensure that your sales management efforts won’t go in vain. And, that your customers and employees will be happy with their communication abilities.

Traditional Landlines for Small Business Sales Management

Certainly, you can choose a traditional landline for your small business phone. But, if you want to be able to transfer calls to different employee extensions, it’ll need to be a PBX landline system. This means a public branch exchange, which is the capability of routing to different destinations. Otherwise, you’d only be able to answer one call at a time from one specific phone unit.

A Trusted Source of Communication

Landline phones are your traditional phone lines which are installed and managed by your local telephone provider. Calls are run through copper wiring that eventually runs them to a local exchange, which then routes the call to the desired location. Traditional phone lines may work for your new startup if you don’t have internet, as they are one of the only types of systems that currently don’t require a broadband connection. And, they do offer some standard features like caller ID, call waiting, voicemail, and even conference calling.

VoIP for Small Business Sales Management

If you have an internet connection for your small business, you can benefit from a broader range in a selection of phone line systems, including VoIP. This type of business phone system is one of the most versatile, as it doesn’t need to use copper wiring and phone lines to carry phone calls to their destinations. Rather, it uses the internet. This allows VoIP systems to boast many unique benefits including ease of use, advanced features like SMS to email and call attendant and is even compatible with various business software tools like CRMs. Not to mention, VoIP systems are typically dramatically less expensive than traditional phone lines, which can help your small business sales management team by providing more money for sales incentives!

Business Phone Systems for Small Business
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Virtual Call Services for Small Business Sales Management

Finally, one of the last small business phone systems to consider as a new startup is a virtual call service. This entails purchasing and managing a business phone line right over the internet. So, you don’t need to purchase costly phone equipment, as other systems may require. Typically, when small businesses choose this type of phone system, they route their business number to an already existing phone, whether a business landline or a smartphone. Essentially, a virtual call service is an extension or a feature that you can add to an already established phone line. This allows you to have a personal number and a business phone line combined.

If you have a small business, like a virtual call center, you can use a virtual call service as a way to provide your remote sales employees with their own extensions, voicemail boxes, and customized greetings.

Getting Your Small Business Phone Number Through United World Telecom

Now that you know about the various business phone systems to choose from for your new or already established small business, you can choose your own business phone number.

Whether you need a local number to reach a specific customer audience or you want to provide customers with a customized toll free vanity phone number, United World Telecom can help! Our business phone numbers can be packaged to specifically meet your small business needs. This way, you aren’t paying for things you don’t need. And, you can use the savings to better motivate and manage your sales team. To learn more about how we can help to set up your new small business phone number, contact us today.

Top Medical Answering Service: Comparison and Review

Posted on by Tom Senkus

If you run a business in the medical industry, you’re probably aware of the benefits of medical answering services. These answering services are uniquely designed to the needs of medical companies. Their services often include handling large volumes of inbound callers, providing 24/7 coverage, and reducing in-house staff. This article will cover the top medical answering services. It will also cover how savvy businesses can create their own virtual answering service with United World Telecom. Read on to learn more.

Signius Communications

Signius Communications has been based in the United States for almost a century. Their service enables your organization to benefit from highly-trained staff equipped with state-of-the-art technology. Helping clients both large and small, Signus offers 13 locations and a staff of over 200 agents. Their services can save on operational costs and make your organization exceptionally efficient at processing inbound calls. 

Stericycle

Looking for a B2B medical answering service? If so, Stericycle, Inc. provides telecom solutions for commercial companies. With over 25 years of experience, Stericycle has grown from a small medical waste management company to an industry leader. Their offerings encompass complex and highly-regulated areas in the medical industry, including patient access services, customer contact, and much more.

Sound Telecom

Founded nearly three decades ago, Sound Telecom provides 24/7/365  telephone medical answering services. They serve customers throughout the United States and British Columbia, Canada. What separates Sound Telecom from its competitors is the sheer diversity of its state-of-the-art telecom services. Among these are online chat, email response, voice logging, and a web-based portal for easier access to account data. Some of Sound Telecom’s clients include American Red Cross, Blue Cross, Siemens Medical Solutions, and many more. 

Top Medical Answering Service Comparison Review
Source: Stockphoto.com O#100048065961- ID#100067081677

Creating Your Own Medical Answering Service with United World Telecom

If your organization wants to keep its medical answering service in-house to save money and create a more customized service, United World Telecom is the perfect service provider for your virtual answering service needs. By using virtual phone numbers of various types (i.e. toll free numbers, vanity numbers, geographic numbers) and customizable functionalities, your organization can specifically tailor how inbound calls are received, processed, and answered.

The first step is to choose virtual phone numbers that enable your clientele to reach your business without incurring long distance fees and service blockages. Considering that United World Telecom offers virtual phone numbers in over 140+ countries worldwide and nearly every city/geographic region, your organization can accommodate callers no matter where they’re located. At www.unitedworldtelecom.com, you’ll encounter a series of dropdown menus that enable you to choose the country code and number type, as well as determine the destination number where calls can be routed to. Setup is easy and virtual answering services can be used almost immediately after placing an order.

Furthermore, United World Telecom’s service enables endless functionality depending on your business model. For instance, if you’re looking for an after-hours answering service, the add-on “time of day routing” can be used. This enables your business to route calls outside of regular operating hours to a call processing facility in another location. Also, by using a PBX (Private Branch Exchange), inbound callers use a directory system to navigate through your company’s various departments and personnel. This enables them to obtain the information they need and speak with a company representative. Overall, these medical answering service features can make your medical organization substantially more efficient. 

 

Virtual Phone Numbers for Environmental Groups and Organizations

Posted on by Magaly Fuentes

Source: Stockphoto.com O#100015534987 - ID#100067081677

Any type of organization can benefit from the use of virtual phone numbers. Cost savings are important to all types of organizations, no matter the size or sector. However, a smaller organization may initially be drawn to the significant cost-savings benefit at first glance.

Virtual Phone Numbers Are an Environmental-Friendly Approach

The fact that there is no need for any bulky hardware may also be an immediate draw for environmental groups and organizations that promote cutting back on the use of plastics, metals, and other materials used in creating hardware systems. These are just two of many benefits when it comes to the use of virtual phone numbers for environmental groups and organizations.

Virtual Numbers Are the Perfect Option for Groups & Organizations

Virtual phone numbers are like any other phone number, except they are not tied down to any specific phone and location. When someone calls a virtual phone number, the owner of the virtual phone number may have the calls going to a landline or a cell phone of their choosing. Many different features can be activated to work with virtual phone numbers for environmental groups and organizations. Calls may be answered with a pre-recorded greeting. Calls can be forwarded to an extension within the organization. Time of day routing can also be used so calls are forwarded to different call centers depending on the time of day when they are received. This ensures that calls are not missed and the organization can essentially be operational 24 hours a day.

Virtual Numbers Are a Flexible Option for All Businesses

Virtual phone numbers can grow along with the organization. While the organization may not need extensions at first, extensions can be added later as more staff gets hired. This helps manage call volume when call routing to different staff members becomes necessary for efficiency and better service.

Environmental Groups using Virtual Phone Numbers
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Choose Local to Connect with Communities

Choosing a local phone number may help to create trust and credibility for a smaller, locally run organization while a toll free or vanity phone number may help an organization more quickly establish a national or international image. These capabilities help to strengthen a brand. Using virtual phone numbers allows the organization to be based in one state, yet have local phone numbers for many areas within the United States or even abroad. The ability to do this allows for the organization to reach these markets without incurring high financial costs in travel, relocation, training and more that is required to open different physical locations. That alone is a huge benefit to any organization that aims to expand without necessarily having the budget for expensive expansion.

Virtual Numbers Reduce Costs

The organization is also able to accept incoming calls without having the caller incur long-distance fees if the phone number is local or toll free. Calls can be routed and rerouted to a number of call centers in different locations and this helps to minimize the risk of missing any important calls. Another benefit is that using virtual phone numbers requires minimum set-up and training to get started. Using virtual phone numbers can be a significant step in scaling efforts and growth operation.

Numbers Can be Accentuated with Additional Features

Added features, such as call recording can prove to be extremely helpful in recording interactions with callers to use for training purposes or for accountability and tracking purposes. Accountability is becoming a more common standard used by organizations of all sizes to ensure best practices are being put to work and only improved upon as time goes on.

Another feature that can be added is extensions that can automatically forward calls to a department or specific staff member within an organization. SMS forwarding, sequential forwarding, simultaneous ringing, fax to email, local ring-back tones, voicemail to email, and failover forwarding are additional features that can boost the effectiveness of virtual phone numbers.

United World Telecom Has All of Your Virtual Number Needs Covered

United World Telecom also offers rollover minutes, so if all minutes are not used in a month, they are not lost and will automatically rollover to the next month.

Despite the advances in modern communication methods, the ability to be able to speak to a live person is still highly regarded. If someone is setting up an organization and wishes to be available to whoever they are working within the community or worldwide, using virtual phone numbers for environmental groups and organizations is a low-cost alternative to setting up brick and mortar locations while allowing the organization to easily access different markets. Setup with United World Telecom is quick and easy, enabling organizations to get started quickly and take advantage of all of the benefits immediately.

How To Create a Call Center Business Plan

Posted on by Becki Meerbeek

Source: Stockphoto.com O# 100221373798 - ID#100067081677

Starting your own business can be an exciting but frightening endeavor. You know that you want to be your own boss, manage your schedule, and may even want to work from home. But you may feel challenged in choosing a successful way to write a business plan that allows for all this. Creating your own call center gives you the business opportunity to make money from any setting, whether home or office. And allows you to create your own schedule to manage your income how you see fit using various call center solutions. So, how does one get started on writing a business plan to open a call center? Additionally, what does one need to ensure success right off the bat?

Determining What Your Call Center will Do

Call centers are used by many industries for a number of things. Call centers can help to increase sales production, offer customer service, set appointments, provide debt collection, and more. Call center agents can pick up inbound calls or may make hundreds of cold calls a day. To best determine how to go about starting your new call center business, you’ll first need to decide what your center will do by determining what you’ll offer.

Considering the Number of Employees You’ll Need

Before opening a call center of your own, you’ll need to determine the number of agents needed to manage the business successfully. There are centers of all sizes, but you don’t want to begin with too many agents, as you’ll quickly drown in overhead. On the other hand, you don’t want to hire less agents than you need, as you’ll struggle to accommodate all of your client needs. Think about your customer needs, how many consumers you plan to help on a daily basis, and how long it takes to help one customer on average to best determine how many agents you may need.

Furthermore, consider employment numbers in the future. So, if you plan for your call center to grow substantially, make accommodations for this before the hiring process begins. You don’t want new employees getting to your workspace to find they don’t have desks or phone lines. So, if it’s in your business plan to add agents down the line, make sure that’s something you can afford and are prepared for.

Business plan for call centers
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Choosing an Office Space or Home

Whether or not you’ll be hiring agents who work from home or accommodating them with a business space is important when determining a call center business plan. For example, if most of your agents have offshore contracts, you may not need the office space you initially planned for. Choose your office space based on the number of employees you know you’ll need to work in-house. On the other hand, if you know you want to provide your employees with a place to work, make sure you consider the location. Opening an office near the company brand can help to promote brand fluidity and trust in employees. Furthermore, it’s obviously helpful to choose an office space that’s near more employees. A shorter commute makes things easier for all.

Determining Call Center Solutions

Call companies have their own needs as they provide specific services. So, one of the final things you’ll need to consider when determining your business plan is your solutions. Choose solutions which can best help provide for your consumers. For example, if you’re opening a call center business that provides customer service support for a third party, you might want to implement call recording. This allows you to record all company calls to determine if your customer service strategies are working. Another example is if your company is an outbound cold calling center, you may want to purchase virtual toll numbers. This allows consumers to answer calls for free and forward them to any type of line!

Closing: Help with Starting Your Call Center Business

United World Telecom offers a number of call center solutions which can help to take your business plan to the next level. If you want your new business to succeed, you can help prepare yourself for success with our top-rated phone features and virtual phone number solutions. To learn more about how we can equip your new call center business with the solutions you need, contact us today.

Making Professional Outbound Calls from a Virtual Phone Number

Posted on by Magaly Fuentes

Source: Stockphoto.com O#100005523906 ID#100200144052

Making Professional Outbound Calls from a Virtual Phone Number

Have you wondered about making professional outbound calls from a virtual phone number? It’s simple. You can make calls from your cell phone, home landline, or any number of your choosing. In doing so, your virtual phone number will appear as the number on the receiver’s caller ID. 

Businesses Need the Right Tools for Professional Communication

Life is busy; entrepreneurs are always on the go. Imagine being able to use your cell phone to call clients, but have your business line (a virtual phone number you own) show up on their caller ID when you call them. This is more professional and allows for many other features to work alongside the virtual phone number.

Outbound Calling Keeps Your Business Image Aligned

When it comes to business, time is money. Being reliable and returning calls in a timely manner should be a top priority. Making professional outbound calls from a virtual phone number helps you prioritize your customers. The flexibility in using virtual phone numbers for business is unsurpassed, and there are many other additional benefits they include.

Here are just a few:

Keeping Work and Personal Phone Numbers Separate

When you purchase a virtual phone number for business, you can still use the mobile phone and/ or landline phone you already own. However, you also get a business number with many features and your personal phone number still remains private. You’ll always know when calls are made to your business number, and a customized ring can be used for those calls.

Virtual Phone Numbers Help You Boost Professionalism

If you know a business-related call is coming in, you can prepare for the call with the way you answer the phone. Whether it is your actual greeting when you answer or your tone, these details matter. Being able to receive a business call wherever you are, allows you to get things done out of the office while keeping you in touch with your market. Adding features to partner up with the virtual phone number can also help your business to appear larger and more established. Adding features such as extensions can help to get calls routed to the correct department or person more quickly. This can help to increase customer satisfaction, which can impact overall business success.

Making Professional Outbound Calls
Source: Stockphoto.com O#100005523906 ID#100200144052

Never Miss a Call

Missing a call can mean missing a sale or a client altogether. The flexibility that is offered by virtual phone numbers allows for you to make and receive business calls and texts from anywhere, take multiple calls at a time by routing them to another person or team within the organization, or allow the caller to leave a message in a customized voicemail message inbox.

Get Set Up Easily and in Minutes

Set up of virtual phone numbers is easy and quick. There is no hardware that needs to be installed. Everything is cloud-based, including the control panel, and providers such as United World Telecom make everything seamless. They keep it super simple with a walkthrough of setup and a customer service team that is available around the clock to answer any questions.

Making professional outbound calls from a virtual phone number beats making outbound calls from a personal mobile phone number or landline. Establishing a rapport with your market that is professional is key to staying power. Your customers and clients need to see you as reliable, trustworthy, and robust, so they feel comfortable investing in your business. Using virtual phone numbers is an easy way to build upon all of these things.

Get Outbound Calling Virtual Numbers from United World Telecom

Purchasing a virtual phone number from United World Telecom allows you to have a local, international, or toll free phone number for your business. You can use it to make outbound calls and you can receive inbound calls through it. Virtual numbers allow you to expand your business to international markets while keeping overhead costs down. With over 20 years in the business of offering telecommunication solutions for businesses all over the world, United World Telecom understands how important it is for customers to be able to reach you and for you to be able to get in touch with those customers as well. 

 

What is Telemarketing? Everything You Need To Know

Posted on by Becki Meerbeek

Source: Stockphoto.com O#100062064173 ID#100200144052

If you’re looking for ways to better market your business, you may be wondering, “what is telemarketing?” While there are plenty of ways to reach a target audience, teleselling has been one of the best and most affordable ways to reach potential clientele. And, most businesses who choose to telemarket to potential clientele benefit from a low risk way to continue to develop successfully.

What is Telemarketing? The Ins and Outs

Basically, telemarketing is the use of phones to reach potential clientele. Because teleselling is a broad term that involves any method a business can use to reach other businesses or potential customers, it can be used in a number of ways. Some of the ways telemarketing is utilized includes:

  • Basic outreach to create lead interest
  • Providing information
  • Offering opportunities
  • Gaining feedback from past clientele
  • Procuring leads
  • Managing business appointments
  • Improving customer services

What is Inbound Telemarketing?

Inbound telemarketing is a type of telemarketing which involves reaching out to customers a company has already accrued. It works to engage with current customers to introduce new products and gain a lasting customer-business relationship. Some examples of inbound marketing include offering a 24/7 customer line in which customers can reach a customer service agent all hours of the day. Or, a hotline for customers to reach to ask questions about products and/or services.

What is Outbound Telemarketing?

Contrary to inbound telemarketing, outbound telemarketing involves calling people who are not already customers. Typically, the goal of outbound telemarketing is to convert a phone lead into a business sale. This is done in three stages:

Lead Generation: Before outbound tmarketing can take place, one needs to establish a lead source. Typically, businesses will use lead generation tools like business websites, email blasts, and surveys to establish client needs before making cold calls. This will help to identify leads which have a greater potential for conversion.

Sales: Once leads are generating, the next step is to cold call leads to inform the customer about the product or service. However, this can get tricky as many people won’t answer phone calls from numbers they don’t recognize. One way to get around this is by using a calling prefix that matches your lead’s current area code. Once the client gains information about your product or services, you can ask for and finalize the sale.

Follow Up: Finally, the last step of outbound marketing is to follow up with a client to address any questions or concerns. This helps to keep the business relationship on healthy terms and can keep you from having to outsource customer service.

All about telemarketing
Source: Stockphoto.com O#100062068693 ID#100200144052

Some Benefits of Telemarketing

Choosing telemarketing as a way to reach target audiences, whether they are other businesses or personal phone lines, is a great way to grow business. Furthermore, teleselling offers a number of benefits including:

  • Cutting time and the cost of lead generation by creating product/service interest right over the phone.
  • Improving customer services by offering clientele direct access to telemarketer phone lines.
  • Increasing the effectiveness of appointment setting for business.
  • Offering better customer satisfaction by specifying client needs.
  • Revealing a client base ready to purchase a product or service.
  • Reaching out to current clients to improve customer relationships and upsell products or services.

Closing: Investing in Telemarketing for Your Business

 Now that you have the answer to the question, “what is telemarketing?,” you may now realize that marketing is what your business needs to convert more leads into customers. United World Telecom can help to make implementing a telemarketing infrastructure as easy as can be by offering virtual phone numbers and 1-800 toll free numbers that can reach phone lines in any part of the world. Plus, we provide access to a number of other marketing services like SMS forwarding, call recording, and more. To create your custom telemarketing phone number and begin your telemarketing journey to reach more potential clientele, contact us today.

 

Starting Your First Virtual Call Center Business

Posted on by Becki Meerbeek

Source: Stockphoto.com O#100057623455 ID#100200144052

Looking for a way to reach more potential customers? Or, wanting a better way to offer customer service to the customers you already have? A virtual call center allows you to operate a call center from anywhere in the world. And, this gives you the opportunity to create and run your own business affordably without having to take high risks.

What is a Call Center that is Virtual?

Basically, a virtual call center works to perform the same call center duties you imagine, but uses virtual phone numbers. This means they use phone lines that connect with the internet, so they can be used anywhere in the world an internet connection is found. The benefit to this is that you can establish a call center to reach individuals across the world from the comfort of your own home.

Whether you’re looking to start an outbound or inbound call center, a virtual phone allows you to contract with other companies to form a business relationship. Many companies don’t have the room or overhead to develop call centers for themselves. Instead, they rely on virtual phone centers run by individuals in all areas of the world to help better serve their customers and increase lead closure levels.

Benefits of a Virtual Call Center

Because virtual call centers provide such flexibility with location, they offer a number of business benefits that are hard to ignore. Some of these advantages include:

Flexibility: This allows a call center’s company employees to work from home: While virtual phone centers can certainly be housed in a number of settings, many choose to let their virtual call employees work from home. This allows for reduced turnaround as employees are usually much happier when working from home.

The Right Setting: No outgrowing or undergrowing a workspace. When a call center leases a building, there may be a concern for how to house employees for work when business grows. On the other hand, if business dies down, the owner may still have to cover the cost of building leases, insurance, and other fees. However, virtual phone centers allow for a business not to be one size fits all. For example, during busy months, virtual phone centers can easily add and subtract service representatives to their employment team without having to worry about physical space for employees.

Expand Business Hours: Many businesses want to offer customers 24/7 support with a customer service call center. Better customer service often relates to better customer-business relationships. Virtual call centers allow for this ongoing support with local numbers from a specific geographical location.

starting outbound call center
Source: Stockphoto.com O# 100174296076 ID#100200144052

Some Niches of Virtual Call Centers to Consider

Once you understand the cost-saving benefits of owning a call center business, you can decide on the type of virtual call center you want to invest in. Since phones are still one of the best ways to reach consumers, there are a number of industry niches to consider for a virtual call business including:

  • Telephone answering and forwarding services for other companies
  • Contract telemarketing with third parties
  • Wake up calls
  • Voicemail forwarding services
  • Mobile solicitation
  • Message receiving services
  • Customer service lines
  • Technical support services
  • Debt collection

Starting a Virtual Call Center Yourself

No matter what type of service you want to offer, call centers are a great way to provide support and maintain connections with consumers on a daily basis. And, virtual phone centers are the way to do so without high starting costs, overhead fees, and increased employee turnaround. Once you’ve chosen your niche, you can start looking for companies who invest in virtual call centers for yourself.

Need Virtual Phone Numbers for Your Call Center Business?

Because virtual call centers require the use of internet phone connections so they can do business from anywhere in the world, they require virtual phone numbers. These numbers can be customized by prefix and area code so they’re more trustworthy to potential phone customers. And, they can be forwarded to any type of phone line. To learn more about getting virtual phone numbers for your call center business, contact United World Telecom today.

Is Your Business Still Using a Landline? Times Have Changed!

Posted on by Ilsa Morales

Source: Stockphoto.com O#100176443260 ID#100200144052

Landlines have been seeing a decline in not only personal use but business use as well. This is due to many factors, including the ease and usefulness of a mobile phone, and also because of the flexibility in the workplace. Workers out at lunch do not want to miss an urgent call so that a work phone will be instituted on their behalf. As for workers who work from home or co-working spaces, a mobile phone line is necessary. Because of this, most offices have gotten rid of their landlines completely. Is Your Business Still Using a Landline? Times Have Changed!

Virtual Technologies Support Today’s Dynamic Businesses

still using a landline?Companies are created to grow and change, and it would be a hassle to move in mass amounts of wires every year when you could simply install a powerful WiFi network. Landlines also restrict businesses to one spot. Employees would not have the freedom to leave their desks while waiting for an urgent phone call. Mobile phones are incredibly useful for employees who do not work regular business hours and need more flexibility as well. One example is workers who need to contact international clients in different time zones.

Mobile phones have also increased the number of meetings done over FaceTime and Skype. Instead of having to travel to multiple businesses, you can meet with your colleagues face-to-face wherever you currently are. As long as you have WiFi, you are available. Video conferencing has now become the chosen way to host meetings for many businesses across the world.

Gaining More Flexibility and Freedom with a Virtual Phone System

While virtual phone providers can solve some of the problems associated with the landline, such as being restricted to one location, it can not solve all of them. With a mobile line, you can gain access to even more features with your virtual phone line such as SMS messaging. Most Americans, especially the younger generations, prefer text messages to phone calls. Most Millenials hate speaking on the phone and will ignore a phone call from a business. However, if they’re sent a text message, it’s likely they’ll respond or at least read the message and the information.

Are Business Landlines Common?

Landlines can still be found in many businesses, but those companies have been in business for several years when there were no other options. Many new companies are worried about alternative business developments such as access to bike racks, stocking healthy snacks, pet-friendly workplaces, and meditation rooms. These growing businesses aren’t interested in having a working landline. As landline numbers decrease in homes across the country, business landlines are corresponding accordingly.

If you’re still choosing a virtual phone system to use for your business or office, you can select between VoIP lines and a landline. VoIP, though, has a lower setup cost and much lower maintenance costs than landlines.

Advancing into the Future with VoIP

VoIP or internet calling uses the internet to place your phone calls. This system has been around for a long time, but only recently has VoIP become the best way to place calls. Because of consistent technological achievements over the years, WiFi connections have become very reliable.

If you’re still not convinced that you should ditch the landline, consider a few of these points:

  • VoIP offers many multimedia options, including video, unlike landlines, which only offers voice calling.
  • Your business can expand easier without the addition of multiple phone sets and installing wires.
  • Feature options are limited when choosing a landline, while VoIP comes with call waiting, call forwarding, and many others.
  • Cordless phone sets for landlines will not work during a power outage.
  • VoIP allows you to use mobile phones, landline phones, computers, laptops, and tablets to communicate.
  • You can port your numbers easily with VoIP and make calls from your mobile phone wherever you go.
  • VoIP has the benefit of rejecting anonymous callers, if you prefer.
  • Auto attendants, voicemail to email, and voicemail to text are all available with a VoIP connection.

Opening a Virtual Location Abroad

Posted on by Ilsa Morales

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Starting a business in your home country isn’t easy, but it’s even harder to open a business abroad. Also, if you already have an established business in America, it takes a lot of research and planning to expand overseas. That’s why opening a virtual location abroad or creating a virtual store is often your best option. It can save you precious time and salvage your resources.

Virtual Locations Allow for Easy Access into New Countries

Virtual locations give businesses an option for creating a local presence in any foreign country. Having a local presence in another country is crucial for companies to earn trust from the local clients and customers that will be potentially purchasing your products. Customers are more likely to trust a business that is located in their home country because they know that they can get in contact with that business if anything was to go wrong with the product that they purchased.

Virtual offices also offer a quick and temporary solution to expansion. When you decide to bite the bullet and work to have a presence in another country, you can quickly begin working abroad and start generating leads with a virtual office. These offices are convenient because they can be managed from your original place of business in your home country. They are also very affordable because you will not have to purchase real estate in another country. It is a significant first step in order to build your contact list in other countries.

Opening A Virtual Location Abroad
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Virtual Offices Offer Instant Access

Virtual offices also offer a more accessible entrance into foreign markets since you do not have to deal with certain legalities in another country. When opening a non-virtual office, you must be aware of and adhere to the legal standards and operations of that country. With a virtual office, you only need to comply with the laws that apply to your home country. However, if you are shipping products, then you must adhere to the rules of exporting between countries as well.
In time, your customers and clients may approach you to create an entity in that foreign country. If that is your ultimate goal, then in time, you should have the means from generating leads months prior, plus the customer base to open a thriving business abroad.

The first step to opening a virtual location abroad is to set up a virtual phone system. United World Telecom offers numbers in over 150 countries. You can choose local numbers, international toll free numbers, and UIFN numbers, among others.

Why do You Need a Virtual Phone System?

To interact with your customers and clients abroad, of course! Having a phone number that your prospective customers can reach in case they have a problem with a product is the first step in building trust with your new clientele. And we all know that businesses with bad reputations never last long.

A virtual phone system also offers several different features that can be very beneficial for your business and make communication much more manageable. Some features with a virtual phone system include call forwarding, automatic greetings, auto-attendants, phone extensions, and voicemail to email.

After a few months or years, you can decide whether or not a virtual office is enough or if you want to build a brick and mortar store in your country of choice.

If you do decide to expand physically to another country, here are some tips to keep in mind:

  • Do your research on business laws and taxation from country to country.
  • Study and understand cultural differences and language barriers
  • Educate yourself on the politics and history of the country that you enter
  • Hire a lawyer to help you navigate the new country’s laws and regulations
  • Network with local businesses in order to trade knowledge and build professional relationships
  • Overestimate. Give yourself a longer timeline in case things pop up that you aren’t ready for

If you believe your business is ready for expansion, visit www.unitedworldtelecom.com, to get started today!

Using Phone Numbers with Extensions

Posted on by Ilsa Morales

Source: Stockphoto.com O#23559 ID#100216440032

When starting your own business, one of the best decisions you can make is using phone numbers with extensions. Virtual phone systems come with a variety of features including extension numbers. As departments are added and more employees are hired, you will eventually need to find a way to keep everyone in contact with each other through one line. Extension numbers are the easiest way to keep your entire company together under one number. They enable your customers and clients can use to find exactly who they need with just the press of a number.

What are Phone Extensions?

Extensions are assigned numbers under one main business phone number. You can assign these extensions to members of your team or individual departments that get multiple phone calls such as a customer service department or a sales department.

Phone extensions are also helpful for customers and clients that need to get into contact with one specific person. With a virtual phone number system, you will have the feature of an auto attendant, which can be in charge of greeting your customers and automatically routing them to the right employee or division of the business. This way, if your customers do not know the exact extension they need for a department or an employee, they can figure it out through a menu of options.

You can also create shortcuts between employees with phone extensions. Your employees will have an easier time contacting different members of their team when they each have their own extension.

using phone extensions
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How Do They Work?

Extensions are a group of numbers that follow your main business number. These are usually four-digits long. It is up to you how many digits you want to use after your extension. For example, if you have two employees at your company with their own extensions, you can assign them 123 and 456 or any combination that works for you. When a customer calls, they will use the form of business phone number + 123 or 456 depending on who they want to reach. The employee at 123 can also simply pick up his or her company phone and dial 456 to contact the other employee and vice versa. These extensions can also be under a different department. Therefore if the sales department extension is 9 and a customer wanted to reach one of these two employees directly, they would have to dial the business phone number + 9 + 123.

Extensions can also be used as a way to monitor the effectiveness of ad campaigns. If you decide to advertise the business phone number with an extension, you can track how many phone calls are received from that extension from your account. You could also use different extensions on multiple forms of advertising to find out which ones are working the best for your company and which ones you should stop using.

Extensions as Part of a Virtual Phone System

One of the best parts about using a virtual phone system with extensions is that you can reach out to employees and departments located in most parts of the world. If your finance department is located in Montana, but your customer service department is located in India, you can still be under the same business phone number umbrella. This is also good for companies that have employees who travel abroad. Because although an employee is based in Montana, if they are going to work in France, you can still reach them through their business number for no additional cost.

Virtual Phone Numbers

Extensions can be used within a virtual phone system. A virtual phone system uses VoIP to forward calls from one device to another. The phone numbers are connected over the internet and you are charged based on the rates of whichever VoIP provider you choose. Phone extensions work similarly to virtual phone systems. They can be forwarded to another device as well as a voicemail box. In essence, extensions and virtual phone systems work the same way. Contact us to learn more about virtual phone systems for your business.

Ways Climate Change is Altering the Way You Do Business

Posted on by Magaly Fuentes

Source: Stockphoto.com O#23559 ID#100183422770

It may not be extremely obvious to some, but climate change is altering our world so drastically that all businesses will need to undergo some form of transformation in order to stay afloat. Top investors are increasingly demanding that more organizations create environmental action plans and consider risks to the business that are caused by shifting consumer attitudes.

Climate Change: The Future is Looking Bleak

In October of last year, the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reported that if we continue at the rate we are going currently, global warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius is likely between the years of 2030 and 2052. At this level of warning, there will be irreversible damage and a dramatic increase in climate-related risks to health, food security, water supplies, human safety, and economic development. While it is still possible, this report detailed that steps to limit this global warming will require immediate and extensive efforts related to energy, land, urban infrastructure, and industrial systems.

How it affects Business

With regard to business specifically, there are undeniable ways climate change is altering the way you do business. This should give each and every business owner pause in analyzing the effects and putting plans and efforts in place to mitigate the risks.

Climate Change & Risk Assessment

Some of the ways climate change is altering the way you do business are in how insurance companies are assessing natural disaster risk. This is something that you may not be immediately aware of, but climate change is affecting how insurance companies run as a whole in relation to businesses and homes. Companies like IKEA and Coca-Cola openly promote topics like water scarcity and deforestation, helping to make these topics better known to the general public. These types of impacts are prompting companies to invest in new processes and technologies in order to mitigate risk.

There are also other impacts, like making the transition to a carbon-free economy and new trends related to how customers, investors, regulators, and businesses make decisions. How climate change is altering the ways we do business is becoming a more well-known topic. Because it is evident that this is the reality we are facing, business owners cannot afford to turn their backs on the impending future ahead.

protecting the environment
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Planning is the Key to a Stronger Strategy

Today, companies that truly listen to their stakeholders and take a significant stand on sustainability, values, climate resiliency, and adaptation are in a much better position to serve and retain customers in the long-run. The truth is, a company’s strategy must include a carefully designed path that helps the company achieve high financial performance. In order to sustain successful financial performance, a business owner has to have a clear understanding of how the business is impacting society. It’s important to understand how trends affect the macro – everything from wage growth levels to climate change – will affect the company’s potential growth.

How the Climate May Affect Your Business

You must assess and act on risks and opportunities related to climate change. More sustainable investments can transform a business, reduce risks, and tap into opportunities. Every initiative is unique and investments in clean energy can help reduce risk. Taking initiative is also attractive to talent and conservation efforts aimed at protecting natural resources. It can lead to discovering new markets as well as full climate-risk assessments that enable investors to make better-informed decisions.

You Can Prepare with Careful Planning

When it comes to the ways climate change is altering the way you do business if you haven’t felt it yet, be prepared. The examples are broad and varied. They may include harsher working conditions, changes in material supply and demand, changing environments and infrastructure needs, public perception, and extreme weather. However, there are ways to prepare ahead of time.

Companies and investors are acknowledging the dangers posed by climate change and extreme weather. Many businesses now consider risks posed by environmental factors to be even more dangerous than cyber-attacks and turbulent markets. You should be analyzing the risks related to your specific business in the present. There is more pressure than ever from consumers to make products more climate-friendly and make other changes related to climate change. This is the new normal and any company leader that does not choose to acknowledge this and act accordingly is very likely to drive their business into extinction.

Why Business Leaders Need to Focus on Sustainability Efforts

Posted on by Magaly Fuentes

Source: Stockphoto.com O#100023244232 ID#100200144052

It is one thing to acknowledge an issue and it is an entirely different thing to actually decide to do something about it and act on those plans. The conversation regarding building more sustainable and global businesses has gained a lot of momentum over the last decade. There is encouraging news regarding significant initiatives from various corners of the world. The bottom line is this: sustainability efforts should be on the agenda of every single business leader. Consumers increasingly expect business leaders to play their role in not only delivering economic growth, but also working to improve the lives of customers and employees while protecting the environment.

The Need for Sustainability Cannot Be Ignored Any Longer

Expressing intentions is no longer sufficient. Sustainability is becoming more important for companies across all sectors. It is a business approach to create long-term value by considering how a given organization operates in social, ecological, and economic environments. Developing and implementing these strategies are meant to foster a company’s longevity. This is why business leaders need to focus on sustainability efforts.

Additional Reasons Why Business Leaders Need to Focus on Sustainability Include:

  • Government Regulations: Federal, state and local governments are enacting additional regulations to protect the environment. Adopting sustainability efforts will help to ensure that your company will be able to meet the changing regulations in a timely manner
  • Public Relations: A growing number of consumers care about environmental issues. This sector of the population is investing in companies who are enacting sustainability policies.
  • Attracting Employees: Employees want to attach themselves to brands that care about the environment and social responsibility as a whole.
  • Increased Sales: Sustainability commitments are resulting in improved sales.
  • Attracting Investors: Like consumers, investors want to invest in a company that is socially responsible.
  • Feeding Creativity and Innovation: Challenging employees to come up with better ways to do things is inspiring.
  • Enhanced Productivity: Targeting one area with sustainability efforts may lead to improvement in other areas as well.
  • Reducing Risk: Reducing the risk of fines and lawsuits by being in compliance keeps costs down.
  • Brand Trust and Loyalty: Branding your company as one that is committed to sustainability efforts is a great way to gain consumer confidence, trust, and loyalty.
why should leaders focus on sustainability
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Sustainability is the Future

Companies are moving toward more sustainable practices by reducing waste, creating a greener supply chain, looking at water efficiency, optimizing material usage, increasing productivity, addressing labor conditions, setting targets on water replenishment, taking steps with regard to energy efficiency, and more.

Sustainability and Business

When examining why business leaders need to focus on sustainability, it is imperative to understand these efforts are good for the environment, for consumers, and for business. Any business leader that does not grasp this is taking the risk of being left behind the competition. There are other risks, such as promising and not delivering or addressing one issue without being solid on compliance with regard to sustainability in other areas. For business leaders to address sustainability appropriately, these risks should be assessed and plans should be in place to address these issues.

Related: Green Cloud Communications for Business

Improving Sustainability is a Work in Progress

Just like there is no “one solution” for every business model, there is no “one solution” across the board for implementing sustainability efforts in every business. The best course to take is in analyzing the ambitions and individual stakes of each company. A few steps management teams can take in improving sustainability efforts include:

  1.  Aligning the company strategy with sustainability efforts.
  2. Address compliance first (pollution and energy efficiency, human rights, labor responsibilities, regulations in waste management, etc.) before addressing competitive advantage.
  3. Develop proactive sustainability strategies rather than reactive ones. When looking at why business leaders need to focus on sustainability efforts, you should recognize the impact of sustainability and develop proactive strategies rather than waiting until there is a crisis (i.e. public anger for unfair labor practices) to implement such efforts.
  4. Transparency is key. An open environment in an organization leads to improved performance. This has been proven time and time again. The way to accomplish transparency is through open and clear communication with all stakeholders.

Putting Sustainability Plans into Action

In speeding up sustainability efforts, business leaders should focus on issues that are specific to your business. This includes building a clear business case for focusing on sustainability, reinventing your business model, and developing a compelling value-creating story for investors. This is especially helpful when presenting your case for focusing on sustainability. This is a major challenge, but it is also one that matters beyond individual organizations.

Looking at why business leaders need to focus on sustainability efforts is a critical first step, however, action is the next step that must be taken.

The Links Between the Economy and the Environment

Posted on by Magaly Fuentes

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In November 2018, the current U.S. administration published a significant report detailing the advance of climate change. The news was bad and it also came with a price tag. The report detailed the damage that is being observed and the financial losses that are projected. In summary, the outcome is a result of what humans have constructed and are still constructing, which is not best suited for the world the way it is. As time goes on, the cost to live in this world could increase by hundreds of billions of dollars per year. The links between the economy and the environment are clearly shown.

The Evidence of Climate Change We’re Seeing Right Now

In recent years, thousands of Americans have died as a result of extreme weather events tied to climate change. This has included hurricanes, which have been fueled by very warm seas to other extremes, such as drought. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island said, “This report shows how climate change will affect every single one of our communities. The president says outrageous things like climate change is a hoax engineered by the Chinese and raking forests will prevent catastrophic wildfires, but serious consequences like collapsing coastal housing prices and trillions of dollars in stranded fossil fuel assets await us if we don’t act.”

Climate Change May Prove to be Financially Crippling

The United States National Climate assessments since 2000 have focused on showing the links between the economy and the environment and how much Americans stand to lose to climate change. The costs that are discussed include household expenses, the availability and price of food, energy, and other goods that people use on a daily basis in modern society.

These effects extend beyond the US. The report states, “The impacts of climate change, variability, and extreme events outside the United States are affecting and are virtually certain to increasingly affect U.S. trade and economy, including import and export prices and businesses with overseas operations and supply chains.” The report also states, “Now it’s seen much more as a societal or economic issue than a narrow environmental one.” And that is what it takes for many to gather the full scope of an issue… a clear, eye-opening breakdown of how something will affect them, the economy, and society as a whole.

economy vs environment
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Dire Situations Ahead if Action Isn’t Taken

A section of the report analyzes the estimates of economic loss across the U.S. economy by sector. This section points to the fact that policy, as well as technological and behavioral changes that result in significantly lowering emissions, can cut the potential financial damage across many of these sectors by approximately 50 percent.

Even in a best-case situation, Americans will still have to pay tens of billions of dollars more per year to deal with the acceleration of climate change.

The climate change report goes on to show how climate change is putting different regions in the country in difficult financial situations:

In Pennsylvania, aging bridges may not fare well against more extreme storms, and water and wastewater systems need almost $30 billion in investment. In general, about 90 percent of the northeast is built on infrastructure poorly suited to adjust to rising seas. “Projected future costs are estimated to continue along a steep upward trend relative to what is being experienced today,” the report states. More than 60 percent of big southeastern cities see heat-wave trends above the national average, and three of them, Birmingham, Ala., New Orleans and Raleigh, N.C., are exceeding the rest of the country across all major heat-wave measures. Anchored by California’s clean-tech economy, the Southwest is seeing much of the nation’s new energy investment. Legacy power technologies, such as water-cooled power plants, will continue to work for decades, however, and will be less effective as temperatures make cooling sources too hot. Hot water could reduce efficiency of these power plants by 15 percent by 2050. In the Midwest, a major producer of corn and soybeans, increased temperatures, rainfall and humidity have eroded soil and allowed harmful pests and pathogens to thrive, according to the report. Rising growing-season temperatures in the region are projected to be the largest single factor contributing to declines of U.S. agriculture production.

Related: Learn How to Go Green with Cloud Communications

If the Environment Collapses, so Will the Economy

There are growing threats to supply chains, global trade, and the price of goods. Other international issues include humanitarian aid, national security, and what the report refers to as “transboundary resources,” which include water, fish, and minerals co-managed by neighboring countries. The link between the economy and the environment is clear and must be addressed immediately.

Though adaptation efforts are currently being put into effect at various levels across the nation, they are often minimal in comparison with the challenges we face. Acknowledging the connection between the economy and the environment and addressing the full range of climate change will require substantial change in business practices and procedures across all organizations and sectors. It also requires substantial change on the part of individuals, laws, and capital investment. The goal is not to adapt to a new normal that will essentially remain the same, but to prepare lives and infrastructure with a forward-looking mindset that takes into account the “now” and the “what’s to come.”

ITFS Numbers

Posted on by Magaly Fuentes

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In an increasingly competitive market, business owners must keep up with new advances in technology and strategies to stay ahead of the competition. The area of communication between customers and those who work within an organization is by far one of the most critical. Facilitating communication with customers in every way possible is the first step.

Toll free numbers allow callers to reach your business at no cost to them. This is a huge draw for customers, as toll free numbers portray the image of an established company and also send a clear message to the company’s customer base that their calls are so important that the company is willing to pay for them.

International toll free service numbers, also referred to as ITFS numbers, are the international equivalent of a United States toll free number in that they allow someone to call a business and the business pays for the call. With ITFS numbers, your customers in one country can make toll free calls that can be received in another country.

ITFN - international toll free
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For business owners that wish to expand their business to another country or have already expanded and are physically located outside of their business location, providing international clients a better way to contact your company will help to build loyalty to your brand. Research indicates that if your company is easier to communicate with, then the chances of a customer continuing to do repeat business with you, as well as refer friends and family to your business, increases.

Our Process

The process of acquiring ITFS numbers is fairly simple. It does not require a hefty amount of upfront costs. Typically, ITFS numbers are virtual phone numbers that can be forwarded to your existing phone line. United World Telecom offers ITFS numbers, as well as many corresponding features to work with these numbers. Some of those features include email, fax, SMS messaging, customized greetings, outbound calling, unlimited extensions, rollover minutes, simultaneous ringing, sequential forwarding, and many more.

The use of ITFS numbers makes it easier to operate on an international scale. For example, if you are located in the United States and customers need to reach you in Australia, you can provide them with Australian ITFS numbers and the calls from your Australian customers will be seamlessly forwarded to your offices in the United States. Calls may be forwarded to a landline or a mobile phone line of your choosing.

ITFS numbers help to increase your international reach and will help to boost your overall brand image on a global scale. These are two key factors in achieving success with an international expansion.

United World Telecom offers a variety of options for virtual phone numbers, including ITFS numbers. United World Telecom provides virtual phone numbers in over 150 countries worldwide and has been working in the area of global communications for over two decades. Though United World Telecom offers a variety of communication options for both business and personal use, business communication alternatives are a primary focus for UWT.

Benefits of ITFS

Ultimately, the benefits of using ITFS numbers are that they will improve the overall brand strength and drive more business to your organization. It is much more likely that a customer will reach out to you if they are not responsible for any fees related to the phone call. More access to your organization means a higher chance of sales and greater opportunities for an increase in overall success.

If you have been considering expanding your business to other countries outside of your home country, contact United World Telecom for a full review of ITFS number options and how turning to these options can benefit your specific company directly.

VoIP: Today’s Top Solution for Business Phone Numbers

Posted on by Ilsa Morales

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What is the best phone system for your small business? There seems to be an unlimited number of choices when it comes to choosing a communication system. There are landlines, Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP systems, virtual numbers, cloud-hosted, and more. Although there are plenty of options to choose from, VoIP Business Phone Numbers might be your best choice.

The Benefits of using VoIP Internet Phone Services

Most small businesses prefer to use VoIP because unlike landlines, the VoIP systems run over a reliable internet connection. Many companies prefer VoIP because they can run their telephone lines over the same internet line that they run their businesses through. Sometimes a business uses the same internet connection for both the phone and the internet. Because of this, the business won’t have to go through any installation processes or have to deal with adding phone lines to multiple offices. In addition, they can integrate with the computers that already have in the office. Employees are able to make calls from their laptops and computers or set up their voicemails to be sent to their email. If a business is using a CRM program, it is very beneficial because businesses will easily be able to keep up with customers’ inquiries.

VoIP systems also make the most sense for small businesses because they work with small and affordable PBX equipment. PBX equipment allows for small businesses to have access to many features that generally only a large corporation would have, like call recording and conference calling, all for a low price.

Get VoIP Business Phone Numbers
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How VoIP Business Phone Numbers Work

The VoIP system works similarly to how a landline system does. You can choose your phone number and area code, or if you prefer to use a toll free number, you can select that as well. Some businesses prefer to have both. VoIP makes the most sense for small business owners because it is easy to manage in a simple to use online portal. From the online portal, managers can delegate phone numbers as well as extensions and choose which features to turn on and off. From the online portal, administrators can also add new lines whenever they need them.

VoIP began gaining more popularity in recent years because the original problems with VoIP are virtually nonexistent. Years ago there were problems with call quality and static; however, now that internet technology has improved so has VoIP. The connection is so much better now that it sounds the same as if you were using a landline. Because of these improvements and the phone service cost savings, VoIP has been steadily moving to become the standard for all businesses.

Types of VoIP Business Phone Numbers

If you are planning on using a VoIP system for your business be sure that there is a reliable internet connection. It is also essential to decide which PBX equipment is best for your business. There are two options; on-premises or cloud-based PBX. Some phone providers will offer both while others offer one or the other.

If you choose to use VoIP on-premises, you must have room for the PBX equipment installed in your office or store. It is up to you to train your IT staff to upgrade it and keep it running and secure. Because  IT staff is the one maintaining the PBX, you are in complete control of the system. On-premises PBX is best for security because everything is run from inside of your business. However, if a business doesn’t have it’s own IT staff, then they will not be able to use the on-premises option.

Another option is cloud-hosted VoIP. These are popular among small businesses because the equipment is housed off-premises by the provider. The provider is the one who is responsible for upgrading software, making sure everything is secure, and housing all of the equipment. This way is also faster because upon activation you’re ready to go. If you decide on a cloud-hosted system be sure that the provider has enough bandwidth to support a growing business. If there is not enough bandwidth, calls could suffer in quality.

The popularity of VoIP among small business owners comes as no surprise. It is one of the best ways to keep you in constant contact with your customers and the most affordable and easy-to-use option. To learn more about our virtual phone number services and how you can integrate them into your marketing strategy, contact us.

Getting a Toll Free Number for Your Business is Easy

Posted on by Ilsa Morales

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Getting a toll free number for your business is a convenient way to boost your communication with your customers. You can find toll free numbers from a variety of providers with different plan options.

Some businesses can benefit from a toll free number more than others. For example, if you are a startup, local, or a small business, a toll free number makes sense for you because it gives your business instant credibility. It is also suitable for growth because with a toll free number you can reach a national audience. E-commerce businesses and home-based businesses can also benefit from toll free numbers because if you do not have a physical address for a store, you need a reliable way for your customers to get in contact with you. Franchise businesses can also benefit from a toll free number; whether you have already franchised your business or want to head in that direction. It is a great way to keep all of your companies working under one number.

If your business falls into one of these types of companies, then you should be thinking critically about getting an 800 number. If you’re still on the fence, that may be because you are unsure of the way that it works. An 800 number is a useful number for businesses of all types because it provides a link between customer and business that does not cost the customer anything to call. Toll free numbers also are a way to connect people from across the country with your business. They are especially vital for companies that need to spend time on the phone with their customers. They are simple to set up and easy to transfer as well. If you want to personalize the toll free number to a vanity number like 1-800-DOGFOOD, most providers will offer options for such personalization which can make your business more recognizable.

Getting a Toll Free Number
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Benefits of Getting a Toll Free Number

So once you have decided your business can benefit from a toll free number, how do you go about getting one? Follow these steps to get started with your new toll free number today!

Research multiple providers

The first step to finding the right service provider for your business is by doing your research. Compare rates and plans of the top toll free number providers. Each provider will have slightly different features and prices. It is necessary that you figure out which provider has the features that you need within your budget for your toll free line. Some providers have monthly payment plans while others will charge by the minute with no minimum. You should collect data on how many calls you receive and need to make currently to find out the best plan that works for you.

Research the features

Once you have narrowed down your search by the plan, you must make sure that the providers you have narrowed down offer the right features for your business. Some providers will offer features like call recording, unlimited extensions, customized greetings, and simultaneous ringing. Remember your business’ needs and budget when deciding on features.

Contact United World Telecom or another service provider of your choosing

Many companies offer 1-800 toll-free numbers, so do your research before choosing the best provider for your business. Since you’re already here, you may have decided that United World Telecom is the best option for your business. United World Telecom offers several ways of getting in contact with them. You can get started by calling our toll free number at 1(877)898-8646, using our online chat box, or by ordering online via UnitedWorldTelecom.com.

Set up an account

Once you have chosen the right service for a business, you can start to set up your account right away. Choose the number that you want and if you decided to go with a vanity number, try to pick one that closely matches your business. After setting up an account, you should be up and ready to go the same day.

Route your phone lines

A toll free number can be routed to the phone lines that you already have. You may need to choose to have a PBX set up on the premise or to opt for a cloud-based PBX. If you select the cloud, you can be ready to go without having to install a PBX. There is also an option to route the toll-free number to a landline as well. Once you’ve signed up and set up your account, you’re done! You’re all ready to start taking calls within the hour!

Designing Business Cards? Use a Virtual Phone Number

Posted on by Ilsa Morales

Source: Stockphoto.com O#23559 - ID#100059450683

As the world goes more and more virtual, one thing is still consistent: business cards. If you do not have a business card that you can bring with you to networking events, you are missing out on a lot of opportunities and new contacts. So if everyone has a business card, how are yours supposed to stand out among the masses? Whether you are designing business cards for the first time or looking to revamp your old business cards, check out these eight tips to creating a better business card.

Tips for Designing Business Cards

Adhere to basic design standards

The standards for designing business cards as follows:

    • 300dpi has the best image reproduction
    • Typography should be minimal but not so small that it is illegible
    • Use CMYK to design your cards
    • Make sure that your copy is 5mm or more away from the edge
    • When it comes to choosing a font, be sure to find one that is easy to read and stand out. Stay away from script type, unless you’re a calligraphy business showing off your original work. (However, even then it should be very legible.)

Start with the most important information

Different standard business card sizes vary depending on the country that you are in. This is probably because wallet sizes differ from place to place. Either way, a business card will be easy to hold onto and store. You will be working with a small canvas for creativity, but you must make sure that you include your most relevant contact information. After all of the crucial information is stated on the card then you can begin to get creative with your design around the type.

Avoid simple mistakes

Before printing your business card, be sure that you provide a bleed that is stated on your printer. Also, level borders around the card should be avoided in case the card isn’t cut perfectly. Misaligned borders are glaringly obvious to anyone you will be giving your card out to. It is like having a stain on your t-shirt on a first date; it’s all the other person will notice.

Designing Business Cards Designer on Laptop
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Use a virtual phone number

Highlight your virtual phone number on your business card. Business cards provide an easy way to exchange contact information with prospective clients and collaborators. Business cards are a great way to get people to call your business.

Think outside of the box

Most business cards are printed on the same type of material. This is usually because it is the most affordable option, but if you’re willing to spend a little more, you can take a bold design stance with your business cards using more creative options. Formats like wood, plastics, metals, and slate are all options for printing your cards. The business card still needs to be compact and portable, but as long as you keep that in mind when choosing an alternative material, you can’t go wrong with a card that stands out from other business cards.

Opt for a special finish

There are places to cut costs, but when choosing business cards, you shouldn’t be cutting costs on the finish. You can choose from metallic inks, foil blocking, and more specialized finishes. These finishes make your business cards look more expensive and visually appealing. Because of this, people will be more likely to remember your business card.

Create a business card with multiple uses

You can get creative here. When your business card doubles as something like a seed bag you can plant, a treat for a dog, or a phone holder, then your business card is less likely to end up in the recycling bin.

Recycle old Business Card designs

If you have a stack of old business cards that you don’t want to use anymore (most people do!), you don’t have to throw them out. You can recycle them. And this applies not just to old business cards either, you can reuse old birthday cards or destination postcards. If you want an easy way to recycle, merely print out some stickers to stick over the old cards. Or if you’re artistic, then you can take your old cards and illustrate something by hand over the top.

Whether you decide to go to someone to have your cards created professionally or if you choose to create your own, remember to double and triple-check your work before printing. The worst outcome could be that you end up with thousands of useless cards that display the wrong phone number on them, or some other mishap! A keen eye for detail is a must; business cards are one of the key points of marketing and business communication, so the little things matter a whole lot.

Toll Free Numbers for Marketing Campaigns

Posted on by Ilsa Morales

Source: Stockphoto.com O#23559 – ID#100213038060

Before starting a new marketing campaign, you may be wondering if a toll free number will be useful. If you are considering getting a toll free number for your business as part of a marketing strategy, there are a few things to keep in mind before committing to a number. Toll free numbers are a very affordable way to boost any marketing campaign and they come with many benefits. Here are a few things to consider before deciding on your number.

toll free numbers for marketing
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1. Choose your words wisely

Toll free 800 numbers are a useful business tool used by many businesses; in fact, the popularity of these numbers has created a need for 800 numbers to expand to numbers such as 855, 866, 877, and so on. However, you shouldn’t just purchase any available number. The number you choose needs to be easy to remember in order for it to be the most useful number for your business. Vanity numbers are popular for this reason as well. When choosing a vanity number, make sure that it pertains to your business. You can use a company tagline or a short word that states what your store sells.

2. Go all the way

Choosing all numbers or all letters is better than selecting a mix. Toll free numbers that combine words and numbers confuse customers and aren’t easy to remember. For example, 1-800-329-HOPS is not a good idea for a marketing number. You’re essentially asking your customers to remember a random group of numbers before a word. The only numbers before the word or phrase should be the 1-800.

3. Set goals

As with any marketing strategy, you’ll want to set goals that align with your overall vision for your company. Popular goals found in many marketing strategies include growing phone sales, generating leads, creating customer loyalty, and setting your business apart from the competition. Once you have your goals in front of you, then you can take time to develop the entire strategy effectively.

4. Put your number on everything

Once you have chosen the right toll free number for your brand, then you can market it everywhere. Place your number on your website, brochures, social media accounts, billboards, business cards, radio and TV ads, magazine or newspaper ads, and on merchandise like pens and notebooks.

5. Regularly track your results

Like any good marketing strategy, you need a way to track the influx of purchases from each outlet. That way, you can decide later on what works and what isn’t working for your company. Toll free numbers are the same. Some things are easy to measure, such as seeing a boost in phone calls for your toll free number. But in order to see just how many sales are taking place from this bump in calls and finding out where your new customers found the toll free number means you need to find a way to track the source of the phone calls. United World Telecom comes with a feature for all of their virtual phone numbers that allows you to monitor phone calls in your settings. The same day that you set up your toll free number, you can also set up your online account. You can manage all of your features from this account 24/7.

A custom toll free phone number is an excellent choice for most companies as it is an inexpensive way to double your marketing efforts across all of your current campaigns. As long as you choose the right number to represent your brand, you should be on your way to success. This number not only communicates the benefits that your company provides, but it also reinforces your brand across several channels and helps to differentiate your company from its competition. If you are thinking about getting a toll free number for your business, consider contacting United World Telecom at 1-877-898-8646 to get started on choosing the best toll free number for your company.

Does Your Business Need a Toll Free Number in the Age of Mobile?

Posted on by Ilsa Morales

Technology has been quickly evolving over the past few years. The telephone industry is not an exception to this. Ever since the first toll free number debuted in the 1960s, the popularity has been growing. The toll free number became so popular among businesses that actual 1-800 numbers became so hard to come by, other toll free prefixes had to be introduced to keep up with the demand. Starting in the 2000s, the popularity of the toll free number began a slow decline as more people began to rely on social media for promoting their businesses. So, in this social media and the internet-driven world are toll free numbers still necessary for companies?

The number 1 benefit of having a toll free number in the age of mobile is that there is no replacement for speaking to another human being. All customers will want to get in touch with your business through their preferred method of communication, and many customers would rather talk to a fellow human being over the phone. The big takeaway for the usage of toll free numbers and other communication methods is that you need to provide multiple ways for customers to contact you. But why get a toll free number when you already have several options for your customers to reach you?

customer loyalty
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1. Improvements to customer satisfaction

To reiterate, your customers need a way to get into contact with you. People need ways to get in touch with businesses they are purchasing from, or considering purchasing from. Not having methods of communication easily found on your company’s website will leave a bad taste in the customer’s mouth. A toll free number is one of the best ways to get in contact with your customers right away. When a customer makes a phone call, they know it will be only moments before they reach someone who can assist them with their inquiry. Other forms of communication, such as email or sending a direct message take a long time and may not get a response right away. When a customer sends a message through an online form, they can’t be guaranteed that it was read or that it will get read in time for them to get their problem solved.

Toll free numbers are also free for customers to use.

2. Toll free numbers are memorable

A great benefit to having a toll free number is that they are easy for your customers to remember. The most successful companies that use toll free numbers usually have a vanity number and/or promote the number on a radio ad or commercial with some sort of jingle attached. 1-800-Pilates for your studio is a much easier number to remember than a cluster of random numbers. If you are a company that sells a particular product or uses a specific tagline, consider getting a vanity number so that you can generate sales and market with it.

3. Reliability

Most people associate toll free numbers with large corporations who can afford a large marketing budget, but the truth is, they are incredibly affordable, and any mom-and-pop-shop can get one. This association with bigger businesses can make people believe that your business is more extensive than it actually is. Even if you are working from your kitchen counter, you can add more credibility just by getting a toll free number. At United World Telecom you can also choose from a variety of different plans that will fit the size of your business, no matter what your needs are.

4. Portability

If you are putting off getting a toll free number because you think that your business will be moving soon, that’s a mistake for multiple reasons. First, if your company does move around, then you need to have one number that isn’t changing all the time. Second, toll free numbers are portable, which means you can take your business anywhere and you can still take your number with you. Third, if you change providers, you can always port the toll free number. So, don’t wait until you make a move to buy a toll free number. Start using one now!

5. They’re great for marketing

Having one toll free number means you can market your business’ number everywhere you are advertising your business. It can be placed on brochures, business cards, your website, TV ads, radio ads, print ads, etc. Plus these numbers can help you keep track of your marketing efforts. With a toll free number, you can create multiple extensions, meaning you will be able to find out where the call came from. For example, there could be one extension for brochures, another one for commercials, and another for billboards. You can track how many calls you’re getting from each marketing method and then based on that research, choose what you should be spending more marketing money on and which marketing strategies to skip.