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Why Customer Loyalty Should be Part of Your Long-Term Strategy

Posted on by Ilsa Morales

Source: Stockphoto.com O#23559 – ID#100242006848

All good businesses should want to create long-term relationships with their customers. This key to success can become overlooked when your company is focused on closing sales and finding more and more customers. Truthfully, the best strategy a business can formulate is to acquire many loyal (long-term) clients instead of many new clients.

The value of a loyal customer outweighs the value of a new customer based on multiple factors. For example, did you know that loyal customers spend significantly more money on a brand they trust than a new customer will? Loyal customers are the key to many brands’ success, and oftentimes, many brands will choose to focus all their attention on gaining customers rather than customer retention.

What is Customer Retention?

Customer retention is the best way to market your business, but what is it exactly? Customer retention isn’t just business jargon. It is a strategy that maximizes the value of your current client base.

You can still focus part of your business on finding new clients, as new clients should become loyal clients. When you make customer loyalty a substantial part of your marketing department, you will get more shoppers at your store who will shop for more extended periods of time and purchase a larger quantity of items.

Customer loyalty is not a bold, new way of thinking. Shifting your attention to your brand-loyal customers will you put you ahead of your competition because many companies are still focused on pulling in the most customers. You’ve probably seen marketing ploys that offer such enticements as “10% off for new customers, only.” But what about the hundreds or thousands of customers that already like your brand? Many strategies exist that will allow you to make your loyal customers feel appreciated. Oftentimes, they can take minimal effort while saving your company a lot of money on marketing, rather than just spending your budget trying to acquire new customers. So the question is, how do you turn a customer into a loyal client?

1. Set up an email list

First, you should acquire your customers’ email addresses, so you now have a method of communicating with them all the time. This can be done through pop-ups once they enter your website, where you can create a loyalty program with benefits that requires an email address and phone number to sign up. If your business operates in a retail location, you can have your cashiers ask for email addresses when customers are checking out. Be sure to have a reason to take their email address; a lot of customers will be afraid that you will spam them with content that they don’t want. Ensure your customers that they will only receive emails periodically and these emails will only have important information and deals inside. These emails also prompt your customers to head to your website or store whenever they receive an email.

2. Set up a toll free number

Customers become loyal when they trust a business or brand. By providing your customers with a way to get in contact with your business through the phone, your customers will be more likely to trust your company and want to make repeat purchases. They also know that if there is a problem with the product that they purchased they can call your customer care line and get problems resolved efficiently and effectively because you have earned a reputation for that.

3. Remind them to return

Since you are able to get in contact with your customers by phone and email, you can now remind them to come in. For example, if you are running a pilates studio and you haven’t seen a member in a few weeks, you can remind them that you’d love to see them or maybe let them know about any new updates to the studio. Or, if you’re running an online shop, you can send out an email to show your customers all of the new items that you have in stock since the last time they visited the site. Both of these strategies work to “push” your customer into visiting your store.

Why Virtual Phone Numbers are Essential for Productivity

Posted on by Magaly Fuentes

Source: Stockphoto.com O#23559 – ID#100087333090

Productivity is a crucial factor in any business however large or small. If it starts to wane, then profits begin to plummet. One of the best ways you can boost productivity is by using virtual phone numbers.

These days, more and more employees are juggling family, school, and other commitments outside of work. These are some of the main reasons why so many employees prefer to work from home. Before you rule this idea out, think about it carefully. Allowing your employees to work from home can be beneficial to you and your company in many ways. Here are just a few examples:

  • Cutting down your overheads: If your team works from home, you don’t have to provide them with an office. This means you can save money by not having to rent a workspace for them.
  • Increasing flexibility: Because employees are working from home, they can flex their hours. This means you can have someone available to cover customer service whenever you need them. And that means no dissatisfied customers because they will be tended to.
  • Employees love telecommuting: They can kiss goodbye to those stressful rush hour commutes and work from the comfort of their own home. Many employees, particularly millennials, are actively seeking jobs they can perform from home.
  • Increased productivity: People who telecommute are 20 percent more willing to work over 40 hours per week. What’s more: studies show that telecommuters are 20 percent more productive, and they miss far fewer days of work than their in-house colleagues.

How to Optimize Productivity When your Staff are Telecommuting

You can get the most out of your staff when they are telecommuting by using a virtual telephone system. United World Telecom is a leading provider of virtual telephone numbers. Virtual phone numbers eliminate communication gaps between you and your team members and your employees and your customers.

You can assign virtual phone numbers to individual members of staff or to a group of users. With virtual phone numbers, you can also set as many extensions as you need so that customers can connect with the department or employee they need. Extensions also make it easy for you to connect with your team members.

With virtual phone numbers, calls can be routed to the number or numbers of your choice, whether it is your office number, landline, or your employees’ personal cell phone numbers. This is particularly valuable if you have customers overseas who are located in a different time zone. You can make sure your team never misses a call.

No Need for Technical Training

Because virtual phone numbers are easy to use, you can control everything using an online interface – there is no need to pay for technical training for your employees. Your virtual phone number provider takes care of everything else, so you don’t have to purchase expensive software.

Furthermore, when you sign up for your virtual numbers with United World Telecom, you will also have access to a suite of advanced features, which can help to boost your brand and make your company look more professional. These include:

  • Call recording
  • Simultaneous calling
  • Local ringback tones
  • Black and white lists
  • Rollover minutes
  • Voicemail to email
  • Fax to email
  • SMS to email
  • Failover forwarding

Making and receiving calls from a virtual phone number has never been easier.

Other Advantages of Telecommuting Using Virtual Phone Numbers

If you are still not convinced that you can boost your productivity with virtual phone numbers, here are some more benefits for you and your telecommuting team:
Optimal connectivity: Because you are combining bring-your-own-device with intelligent call forwarding, it is possible to make calls from anywhere in the world. It’s virtually impossible to miss or drop a call when you have so many options.

  • Ultimate communication management: Using just your smartphone, you can use features which allow you to process incoming calls from multiple channels. You can also assign call back requests, emails, and missed calls to specific employees.
  • Immediate deployment: Because virtual phone numbers require no dedicated hardware to operate, as soon as you have signed up for them, you are good to go. United World Telecom can help you pick from local or toll free virtual phone numbers.
  • Superior flexibility: All the available features are completely customizable. These include recording a personalized greeting, routing patterns, voice menus, and black and white lists. You can activate and deactivate numbers and features as you see fit.
  • Ultimate control: You can tend to all your virtual phone number communications using United World Telecom’s online dashboard. The interface documents every activity that’s going on within the virtual phone system, including all incoming and outgoing calls, even missed calls, voicemails, faxes, SMS activity, and internal interactions. You have all these metrics at your fingertips. You can also record any or all incoming and outgoing calls, which is great for customer support training and resolving customer disputes.
    Contact United World Telecom today and ask for a free trial without any obligation!

Expert Tips for Expanding into Australia with Australian Toll Free Numbers

Posted on by Magaly Fuentes

Source: Stockphoto.com O#23559 – ID#100002331709

Australia offers great opportunities for entrepreneurs to expand their businesses. Although it’s on the other side of the world in relation to America, Australia is currently one of the most exciting locations for investors, regardless of their industry. The nation is home to around 24 million people and yet few entrepreneurs realize that it’s one of the world’s most lucrative economies. In fact, it is the 12th largest in the world. So, this gives you a great opportunity for expanding into Australia with Australian toll free numbers. Here are some expert tips on how to choose Australia for your next virtual business expansion.

Take Advantage of Cloud Phone Numbers

A cloud phone number, such as an Australian toll free number is a virtual business number that operates through the internet. Unlike standard phone numbers, cloud phone numbers do not require any dedicated hardware or expensive software. Companies who provide virtual Australian toll free numbers route all calls made to the number to the number of your choice. It can be your landline, office phone, cell phone, or VoIP line. You will never miss a call again.

Use Australian Toll Free Numbers For Marketing

This is an easy way to test how successful your marketing campaigns are and how many leads they are pulling in. You simply use a different Australian toll free number for each of your marketing campaigns. For example, one for your website, one for your email marketing, one for your TV marketing, and another for your business cards. Now you can track your calls and see which numbers are bringing in the most new customers.

Don’t Limit Your Types of Virtual Phone Numbers

You don’t have to limit yourself to Australian toll free numbers. When you choose a provider like United World Telecom, you can also choose from Australian virtual local numbers and vanity numbers. This is a great way to boost your brand and show your customers that you have a strong presence in Australia. They won’t even know they are calling a virtual number. All numbers have a local ringback tone, so it will sound just the same as if your customers were calling a neighbor.

Your Business Will Benefit From a Range of Advanced Features

You’ll be glad that you signed up for your Australian toll free numbers with United World Telecom because you also get a suite of advanced features that you won’t find anywhere else. These include:

australia tips
Source: Stockphoto.com O#23559 – ID#100002331709
  • Local ringback tones
  • Rollover minutes
  • Failover forwarding
  • Simultaneous ringing
  • Black and white lists
  • Voicemail to email
  • Fax to email
  • Call recording
  • AI call insights
  • Call activity reports
  • CRM integrations

Stay Portable with an Australian Toll Free Number

The portability of Australian toll free numbers should not be underestimated. Let’s say you want to move your business to a different area than your current location. No problem. You can easily take your toll free numbers with you and your customers will not have to start using a different number. Whether you are moving out of state or across the world, your numbers will stay the same. This means you can maintain the same reliable relationship will all your customers without a problem.

Strengthen Customer Relations

It’s a known fact that toll free numbers can improve customer relations. Why would people want to do business with you if they are unable to get in touch with your company? Whether a customer has an issue with a product, wants to find out more about a service, or is having difficulty making an order, toll free numbers can not only make their life easier, they can also make the customer keep coming back for more. And customer loyalty is a valuable commodity.

The more comfortable your customers feel with your business, the less likely they are to turn to your competitors.

Give Your Company Credibility

Another important aspect of Australian toll free numbers is the fact that they boost your company’s credibility. This is particularly the case if you buy a vanity toll free number. A vanity number can make your company stand out from the rest because it ties in specifically to your brand. It gives your company a professional appearance that will impress customers everywhere.

You’ll Never Miss Another Call

With Australian local and toll free numbers, you can have all your calls routed to the number or numbers of your choice. You can even have calls routed to several different numbers at the same time until someone answers. These options enable you to handle calls from different time zones, so you don’t drop calls and your customers are always satisfied.

Contact United World Telecom today and find out more about how you can use Australian toll free numbers and local and toll free numbers in more than 140 countries to expand your business’s global reach.

10 Things to Know Before Creating a Virtual Presence in Australia

Posted on by Magaly Fuentes

Source: Stockphoto.com O#23559 – ID#100002014311

Expanding your business to a new area, such as Australia, is an exciting venture but it can also be a little overwhelming. On the one hand, you can reach a greater target market, on the other you suddenly have a long list of things to do and pay for.

If you’re truly passionate about expanding your business venture to Australia, there is a way you can do so and at the same time keep your expenses to a minimum. How? By getting a virtual phone number in Australia. It’s an efficient and affordable way to extend your company Down Under. Here are ten things you need to know to develop a virtual presence in Australia.

  • Do your research: Every country has different laws when it comes to expanding your company, doing business, and paying taxes. Australia is no different. Just because you have a virtual presence in other countries, doesn’t mean it will work the same Down Under. That’s why it’s important to read up on the rules and regulations before you start.
  • Choose your business structure: Even though you are establishing a virtual presence, you need to structure your business very carefully. Important things to consider include how much control you are going to have over this section of your company and how much you are going to delegate to someone else, and also what level of liability you will need.
  • Decide what kind of virtual numbers you need: As well as virtual local numbers, you can also choose Australian toll-free virtual numbers. These allow your customers to call you whenever they need to, completely free of charge. There are two main advantages to virtual toll-free numbers. One is that they give your customers confidence in the size and reputation of your company. The other is that they garner customer appreciation.
  • Apply for an Australian Business Number (ABN): Even with a virtual presence, you can’t start doing business Down Under without an ABN. An ABN is an 11-digit number that is unique to your company and allows the Australian government to identify you as a business owner. Once you have your ABN, you can register your business name, send invoices, and deal with taxes.
  • Set up your Australian business website: Now you can really get to the meat of promoting your virtual presence in Australia. Once you have secured your business name, you can get a .com.au domain. You can use this to reach your target audience, and this is where your virtual phone numbers come into play. Post different ones on your website, social media, business cards, and email marketing campaigns. This way you can track your calls and see which marketing strategies are working the best.
  • Register for the correct taxes: Australian taxes can be complicated and you need to know which ones to register for. This will depend on the goods and services you are providing. It might be a good idea to get some legal advice from a professional so that you don’t have problems down the road.
  • Make the most of social media: You must be prepared to update your social media pages on a daily basis. This shows customers that your business is active. It also gives them other ways to communicate with you and to share information about your business with their friends.
  • Develop an understanding of your client base: Your Australian clients are not the same as your American or Mexican clients. Each target audience has different needs and desires and may also have a different buyer’s journey. It’s important that you get to know them so you can offer them what they want.
  • Start a business blog: This is a great idea, and you can even start it before you launch your business in Australia, to draw more interest and build anticipation. A blog or vlog is a great way to build transparency and increase your social media presence. It also provides a neat space for you to promote your products and services in a subtler way than pure marketing. A blog or vlog can be a great way to swing a doubtful customer into your favor.
  • Be available 24/7: This is why you need virtual Australian phone numbers; so you will never miss a call. Calls can be routed to whichever number or numbers you choose. You can even set rules for certain times of day, so you will be able to deal with different time zones.

Contact United World Telecom today and find out more about creating a virtual presence in Australia with virtual local and toll-free numbers. When you call, don’t forget to ask for a free trial. There’s no commitment.

Achieving First Contact Resolution

Posted on by Magaly Fuentes

Quality customer service is a necessity to run a profitable business that continuously attracts new customers and retains the loyalty of past buyers. Every entrepreneur values customer service, no matter the size of their business. Yet, new business owners and established professionals often hear the same advice about customer service management.

Call center employees must be well-trained. Agents should also be friendly and patient to show customer appreciation while also making callers feel more comfortable when speaking with team members.

What is First Contact Resolution?

What about repeat calls from customers? Finding a solution for customers during the first conversation is ideal. When a customer calls back to discuss the same problem, this is often negative and not the desired result after the first call. When you can fully satisfy the customer during the first call, this is known as achieving first contact resolution (FCR).

first contact
Source: Stockphoto.com O#23559 – ID#100031608375

A Solutions-First Approach

FCR greatly elevates the customer service experience and prevents upsetting delays. Furthermore, it shows how knowledgeable your team is in your industry. Negative callback experiences lower staff morale and can frustrate callers. Resolve customer issues and they don’t have to call back to ask similar questions or inform you that your help was ineffective.

Achieving the first-contact resolution at your call center is a unique process for every business. Use these four tips to help increase it.

Track FCR In Your Company

The first step to achieving first contact resolution is knowing your company performance by tracking metrics. Gather data to find areas where first-contact resolution is easily achieved and where more work needed. Tracking performance allows managers to see where employees need additional training and support, increasing the likelihood of solving customer problems on the first attempt.

Areas of poor performance require special attention in the process of achieving first contact resolution. Understanding why FCR was not achieved by knowing why customers needed to call back is key for management to modify their training approaches and strengthen all aspects of the customer service approach.

Know Thy Customer

Knowing the customer is essential for achieving first contact resolution, and the best customer service agents understand customer behaviors on a deeper level. Understanding spoken and unspoken behaviors allows reps to better analyze individual needs and the most effective strategies during the call. Effective customer service agents often go off-script because they can notice the caller’s tone of voice and word choices. These observations help customer service agents address hesitation and confusion by providing more assistance during the first call.

Understanding customer behavior while achieving first contact resolution does more than impress the caller. Customers will feel genuinely understood, and this strengthens their personal connection with your brand. A true sense of connection will naturally inspire buyers to continue investing in your business and recommending your services to others.

Set Specific Goals For Team Members

Setting FCR as a priority means setting clearly defined goals. As these goals are being set, supervisors must explain why these guidelines are in place and the positive impact achieving first contact resolution would have on the company.

If call center agents are only achieving first contact resolution, they might think this is a good sign without realizing FCR should be a frequent occurrence. FCR adds more value to the company, resulting in more calls and sales.

Let employees know the importance of achieving first contact resolution at team meetings (or individually). Agents are communicating with customers every day, which provides an understanding of customers in a more personal way.

Let your customer service agents tell you about their experiences with callers for a deeper level of insight. Then, show your team that you value their knowledge by incorporating their suggestions as you continue setting guidelines for achieving first contact resolution.

Ask The Customer

After achieving first contact resolution is set as the priority that everyone in your business understands, data should also be gathered from the customer directly. Provide the option for customer surveys to allow customers to openly voice their opinion on your service. Management and agents can use customer input as a resource to determine the best course of action moving forward.

Achieving First Contact Resolution Is Profitable

Today running a successful business means finding a way to stand apart from competitors. Operating a business that customers enjoy connecting with leads to more purchases as callers speak directly with team members for assistance.

Strengthening your first contact resolution is an important part of setting your brand apart as an expert in your market as well as a leader in customer service. Leaders in the customer service field are among the best assets for a business looking to grow. Your customer service agents are imperative to the efforts of becoming a more reputable business. Empowering your customer service teams will help them to be confident and impactful when speaking during phone calls. Keep in mind, you also have the option of using software and additional resources to help your customer representatives achieve first contact resolution goals.

Marketing Campaigns To Boost Customer Service

Posted on by Magaly Fuentes

Source: Stockphoto.com O#23559 – ID#100220944526

Startup funding matters, but it isn’t the deciding factor of your success in the market. Originality is key for today’s marketing campaigns, and the way you advertise your products is the best way to boost your public appeal.

Your company is defined by more than your mission statement and messaging style. The perspective of your customers also determines how your business is perceived by consumers.
When you work to improve your marketing campaigns, customers will work for you by sharing your advertisements and mentioning their positive experiences when doing business with your company.

Read on for tips using your marketing campaigns to boost customer service.

Strategies for Marketing Campaigns

Customers aren’t expecting brands to follow traditional guidelines when conveying their message. Instead of focusing on the facts and lacking personality, customers want to get a feel for who you are and what your business truly stands for before purchasing your products.

This desire for genuine content is why vlogs have skyrocketed in popularity on YouTube and on social media platforms. Likewise, behind the scenes footage is intriguing and unscripted. This is the content viewers enjoy sharing, and it can immediately change their perspective.

Honesty connects audiences to a brand before they reach out to your team. Marketing campaigns naturally boost customer service when people feel that they have something in common with your vision or your team members. Once common ground is established, potential customers will be more supportive and willing to invest in your company.

Use Social Media To Your Advantage

People began to rely on social media to stay in touch with friends and family when the concept was introduced. As more businesses began to market through social media, customers followed suit, building stronger relationships with brands they trust. Likewise, social media became a tool for researching businesses, purchasing products, and reading customer reviews. It also serves as a powerful platform for promoting products through affiliate marketing tools, which can significantly boost sales.

Today, social media is the most popular outlet for brands and consumers to share their thoughts and important updates. Properly utilizing social media allows businesses to attract new customers and build a favorable reputation in your industry.

Social media is a tool for marketing campaigns to boost customer service as it solidifies your presence as a modern brand. Furthermore, social media adds a level of transparency customers appreciate. They can read the comments to see how you conduct your business and how past customers felt about their experiences.

When you decide to invest the time into social media marketing campaigns to boost customer service, take things a step further by interacting with customers. Thank users who mention your products, offer deals and promotions via messaging, and join conversations about topics related to your industry.

Request Customer Feedback

What better way to understand your customers than asking for their feedback directly? Marketing campaigns to boost customer service are effective when encouraging customer feedback because customers want to share their opinion – especially if they enjoy doing business with your company.

Business owners enhance the customer service experience because when you market your business by asking for feedback, it shows you value the input of people who purchase your services. Furthermore, you can implement the ideas customers give you to prove that your company puts the customer first. This has the ability to strengthen relationships with consumers and other industry professionals.

Consider Running a Referral Program

When you launch a referral program, you transform your most loyal customers and vendors into brand ambassadors. They spread the word about your products and services and enjoy rewards in exchange. Most businesses use such programs to build a community and network that promotes their service. Integrating affiliate tracking software can help you gather insights into the performance of referral programs and enhance the effectiveness of your marketing strategies.

Distribute Email Newsletters

Email marketing is an outlet for sharing your professionalism, latest deals, and unique voice. Use email newsletters to keep customers informed and engaged.

Businesses don’t have to send out letters by mail when using marketing campaigns to boost customer service. Email marketing usually has a high return on investment because almost everyone, even in diverse age ranges, checks their email daily. Personalize emails by linking them back to your products and sharing insider tips and updates.

Offer Free Trials

Everyone loves freebies and giveaways. Free trials can be used as a strategy to introduce new products to the market and analyze customer preferences. What logos and branding styles appeal to target customers? How are customers responding to your product? Are the instructions and advantages easy to comprehend?

Answering these questions will help you set prices and customize marketing campaigns to boost customer service.

It’s important to show that your company is relevant and customer-oriented. Public reaction to a new product or service provides the insight you need to create future marketing strategies and determine the best approach to customer service. You have to know that there is a diverse range of customers out there that you can reach. While we were once limited to television and print publications, we now have the internet to help our brand be successful from any location in the world.

Customers are constantly being advertised to so they want something that is original and that fits their lifestyle and vision. It’s not uncommon for new businesses to fail because they didn’t have an impactful and innovative marketing strategy that puts the customer first. Don’t make assumptions. Take the appropriate actions to find out customer needs and react accordingly.

Empowering Your Customer Service Team

Posted on by Magaly Fuentes

Source: Stockphoto.com O#23559 – ID#100167511684

Customer service teams are often at the center of globally recognized companies and small businesses. Regardless of the industry, these teams have one thing in common: they connect with customers on a professional and emotional level. Working as a customer service professional is a responsibility fueled by learning and innovative thinking.

empowering your customer service
Source: Stockphoto.com O#23559 – ID#100220944542

Managers can provide support as agents work and find their unique voice, but there’s no need to look over their shoulders to help. The best companies don’t thrive on micromanagement. Instead, they create effective customer service teams by providing access to the tools employees need to succeed.

Empowering your customer service team through knowledge and freedom will increase their confidence and helps them to make customers happy. The relationships your customer service agents build with callers is critical to the success of your business because an exceptional customer service experience will keep your customers confident in their decisions and loyal to your brand.

Word of mouth advertising is no longer done face to face. Sharing both pleasant and negative experiences online is now the norm. Keeping this in mind, it’s imperative to help agents deliver a memorable experience. Through the internet, customers will see your reviews and use this information to determine if doing business with you is the right choice.

Keeping your customer service team motivated should always be a focus of training throughout the duration of their employment. Use these tips to empower your customer service team while creating more productive and motivated work spaces.

Ask Customer Service Agents For Advice

Showing employees their input holds weight when making company decisions is a key method for empowering customer service agents.

Callers are frequently expressing their thoughts for improvements to agents. Your call center representatives know customer preferences better than anyone because they speak with customers daily and receive feedback.

Therefore, when service agents share their ideas, it’s important to listen. Their input is coming from the diverse perspectives of your clientele while understanding the internal operations of the company.

Guessing the needs of customers is often ineffective, and communication gaps have multiple negative effects. Failure to communicate properly can alienate team members, resulting in a higher turnover rate. Sales can also suffer because customers may have trouble connecting with a brand that demonstrates poor messaging.

Request the input of agents and you’ll be empowering customer service teams by showing appreciation for their knowledge. Your marketing strategies will also be more impactful when using the knowledge of your team to customize your advertisements and brand message.

Provide Access To Mentors

Assessing skills and investing company time and resources into training is expected for new team members. But training shouldn’t stop after the hiring process.

Your team must stay competitive to be a leader in your industry as markets and technologies continue to evolve. Consider mentorship programs or mentor matching software as a resource to connect mentees and mentors, and make the programs easily accessible.

Coordinate a team of mentors with experience and a proven track record for implementing strategies that work. These experts are empowering for your customer service teams because their personal stories of trial and error can resonate with employees and boost confidence. Your team members must accept their role as a constant learning experience. They don’t have to feel the pressure of knowing (or not knowing) everything or be afraid of making mistakes.

There are always goals to meet, but that doesn’t mean everyone knows the strategies of how to meet company objectives and hit deadlines. The right mentors will help customer service agents understand various ways to meet goals and discuss approaches that enhance the customer experience.

Management roles require an extensive amount of time and energy. When supervisors have to oversee company operations and assist customer service agents, it doubles their workload and creates a tense environment. Managers can feel more comfortable to let team members work freely as they become more knowledgeable.

In Conclusion

Empowering customer service teams helps team members to be more comfortable in their role as they create profitable relationships with callers. Furthermore, it creates a deeper level of commitment to the company because employees are at ease when working knowing their work is valued and know company leaders have their best interests at heart.

While empowering customer service teams is the focus, workplace empowerment will benefit the entire company. An empowered customer service team is more likely to close sales, which positively impacts the brand’s value and bottom line. As other businesses notice the success of your team, it opens the door to more sponsorships and partnering opportunities.

Positioning your business as a trusted authority in your industry takes work, and a strong team dedicated to customer service will always be beneficial. When your business is providing high-quality goods and services while meeting the needs of customers, you’ll build a commendable reputation and inspire customer loyalty.

Choosing a Voice for your IVR & Voice Prompts

Posted on by Ilsa Morales

Source: Stockphoto.com O#23559 – ID#100203026446

The first voice that your customers encounter of your brand through your IVR & Voice Prompts can make or break your image. We all have heard the old adages about how the first impression is the most important, so wouldn’t you want the first voice your clients hear to be the right one for your company?

Every time your customer calls your company, they are greeted by a familiar voice and in order to create a great experience for your customer, two major factors are at hand:

  1. The technology must be up to standard
  2. The voice must be humanizing

Having the highest standard in technology means that your customers will be greeted by a clear voice, that is able to guide them efficiently and correctly. When the voice is humanizing, the sound offers a friendly vibe that encourages friendliness to be mimicked on the other end.
The easiest way to accomplish this clear and friendly sound for your customers is to hire a professional voice actor to record on your IVR system. Voice actors for IVR are actually easily found because they are managed by telephony applications.

choosing a voice for your ivr
Source: Stockphoto.com O#23559 – ID#100132148974

Choosing the Right Voice

Finding the right voice for your IVR is not as easy as picking a random name from a hat. You have to think about what voice stays consistent with your brand. To find the right person for your IVR, consider these options before making your choice.

Tradition

In the past, all businesses used female voices for their voice prompts. You can find evidence of this as far back as World War II. The trend of using automated female voices began in the cockpits of fighter airplanes so that the male pilots could distinguish who was talking. To this day, the majority of businesses use a female automated voice, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you can narrow down your search just yet.

Male Voices Vs Female Voices

Pros for the male voice include that most people believe that a man is forceful and dominant. However, female voices are said to sound more soothing. Knowing these details, it can be assumed that a customer would feel calmer on the phone when hearing a female voice. However, depending on what you are selling or what image you are trying to portray, a male voice might be more persuasive than a female voice.

Know Your Audience

Between male and female voices, one thing is sure, males prefer to hear other males and females prefer to hear other females. Therefore, if your customer base is dominated by one gender over another your choice is much more simple. If there is no clear gender division of the audience, there are still more things to consider. For example, if you cater to an older community, it might be best to choose a male voice as older individuals might find it more difficult to hear and understand a higher-pitched female voice.

Industry

If your industry is not trying to sell a product or service, and instead uses IVR to communicate with their customers regarding account information and payment information, this company needs to find a voice actor that will be perceived as capable. In this situation, where your clients are trying to accomplish a task instead of purchase an item or dispute a situation, a more forceful voice may come in handy. However, no two task-oriented industries are the same. Health insurance companies prefer to use soothing female voices. These voices are preferred for more sensitive subjects as humans are inclined to trust females.

What Are the Options?

There are many options to choose from for voice automation including multiple companies to work with and multiple voice options. The three most popular voice options are robotic text-to-speak voices, hiring a voice actor, or combining the two.

Only you know what will be best for your company, and you might be finding yourself justifying each option for an IVR voice. Some companies know immediately which voice would fit with their brand immediately, others can have a harder time because they reach a broader audience. Consider the options and situations above before making your decision. Luckily, if your customers don’t like the voice you pick for your voice prompts, they probably won’t be super bothered by it. If you are worried that you haven’t made the right decision, consider putting together a focus group to test out your favorites.

7 Quick Tips for Increasing Your Business’s Reach with Toll Free Numbers

Posted on by Ilsa Morales

Are you thinking about getting a toll free number for your business? If you are running an eCommerce store or need to provide a customer service line, then you will want to consider getting one for your business. A toll free number is a national phone line that your customers can call for free from anywhere in the US. Virtual toll free phone numbers free up office space by connecting through the internet instead of a landline, which means you can connect your phone number to forward to any device of your choosing. Providing your customers with a phone line that they can call offers a way for your customers to reach out when they have an issue, and it creates another avenue in which they can make a purchase. If you’re still not sure how you can make your toll free phone number work for your business, check out these 7 quick pointers aimed at upping your business’s reach.

7 quick tips
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1. Make It Easy To Remember

Providing a toll free number for your business allows you to advertise with one number. No matter where your employees, stores, or customers are located, you can provide everyone with one number to dial. When your customers see this toll free number advertised somewhere they will automatically know it is for your brand, therefore, when you choose the toll free number that you want, make sure you choose one that has a nice flow to it or consider getting a vanity number.

2. Handle Higher Call Volumes

Toll free numbers are equipped with the ability to handle large calling volumes. Since they work in the Cloud, you won’t have to worry about a call dropping because toll free numbers offer call forwarding, meaning a phone call can be transferred instantly to the next available person.

3. Be Available 24/7

When a store is available at all times, a customer is more likely to trust that company with their business. Being able to answer your customers’ questions, take orders, and offer your customers a way to pay their bills over the phone at any time will create an instantly better relationship with your business and your customers. Customers won’t appreciate it if there isn’t a single phone number for them to contact if they have an issue.

4. Use IVR to Send Your Customers to the Right Agent

When your customers call your business, you can choose to greet them with an automatic message or send them straight to an available person. One way to tackle higher call volumes is to greet all of your customers with an initial welcome and continue onto a menu. Explain menu options so that your customer can choose with whom they want to speak to. For example, if they are looking to talk to someone in customer service, they can easily press a number to speak to customer service, but if they want to pay their bill, they can push the number that will direct them to the accounting office instead.

5. If You’re Going to Move, Port Your Number

If you have already invested in a toll free number and want to move locations, you can still move and keep your initial toll free number. If a move is better for your business, your toll free number won’t hold you back. You can still keep the number that you have been advertising with for years.

6. Reach a Larger Audience

Since toll free numbers work on a national level, you can promote your business outside of your town. Even if your shop is located in one neighborhood in one state, you can still advertise your products to customers located all over the US. When you have a toll free number, you offer your customers a free way to get into contact with your business. Which builds a certain level of trust.

7. Use Your Toll Free Number for Marketing Campaigns

You can try out new ways of marketing by associating each campaign with a different toll free number and then measure which numbers are getting the most calls. This will quickly help you to figure out what means of campaigning are working and where you can change up your direction.

How to Ensure Your Customer Service Sets Your Company Apart

Posted on by Ilsa Morales

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One of the easiest ways to set your small business apart from the competition is to have stellar customer service, but many companies don’t bother. However, these customer service strategies will take your company from “just another business” to a company that your customers can’t part with.

customer service
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Although all businesses can benefit from having a strong customer service team, if you are the owner of a smaller company then you’re up against lower prices from big box stores, and usually, those stores carry more items than your small store can. How will your business compete?

Big name stores like Wal-Mart and Home Depot have a lot on their sides, such as national advertising and bigger budgets, but there are still ways that small local businesses can compete with these big guys. Instead of making excuses as to why your business can’t compete, set a goal to not only keep your existing company, but bring in new consumers even as that big new competitor moves in on your territory.

How to Offer Excellent Customer Service?

So what are the ways that your small business can compete with the big boys? They’re the same strategies that big companies and small businesses alike can use. A lot of them don’t cost any extra money, and when you carry out these strategies correctly, you will find that your business will be doing better every day.

1. Enhance your role in the community

Small businesses can get the upper hand over larger businesses by becoming essential members of the community. Have your business publicly support local or even international causes, because if your name is on a cause that people support, they will be more likely to shop at your business knowing that you care about what they care about. You can do this on a small community level by merely offering your venue as a space for charity events or by sponsoring a town softball team.

2. Sell your customers an experience

If a larger company has come into your town and is selling the same products you sell for less than you can keep up with, then you need to have another way to compel customers to come into your store. Make your customers feel good when they come to your store. Greet them with a smile, remember their names, make small talk; when your customers feel known and wanted in your store, they will want to return over and over again.

3. Stock merchandise that your competition doesn’t sell

An excellent way to get new people into your store is to go into the big store down the street and find out what they don’t have, then stock up on it. Chances are, if people are looking for a particular item and the big store doesn’t have it, they will probably head your way, and if you’ve got it, then you’ve just saved their day and earned a new customer.

4. Stay in contact

The internet is an essential tool for expanding your business outside of its local market. Build a website for your company, create an email list for your loyal customers, and offer them exclusive discounts or invitations to things like holiday parties so you can give back to your customers. Sign up for social media sites so you can keep in constant contact with customers. An important place for all small businesses to be on is Yelp because you can do damage control with people leaving negative comments about your store, or you can send thank you messages to those who leave positive reviews.

5. Expand your business without moving

Purchasing a virtual phone number for your business can allow you to interact with customers all over the world and therefore expand your reach outside of your local community. Along with social media and building a website, you should also consider getting a toll free number which is a useful advertising tool that keeps you connected to all of your customers. These virtual phone numbers also come packed with features like call forwarding, so you never miss an urgent call and automated greetings to give your small business the impression that it is more extensive and therefore more professional.

6. Set up a loyalty program

Encourage your customers to return often by offering them incentives for their continued business.

All of these strategies are either free or low-cost and can help seriously expand your business. If you take anything away from this article, be sure that it is to make customer service your #1 priority!

Expand Your Company Instantly to New Locations with Virtual Phone Numbers

Posted on by Ilsa Morales

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Thanks to the internet and virtual phone numbers, many businesses have gone global with ease. However, to compete in this new global landscape, new companies must be prepared to take their businesses outside of their local habitats and out into the wide world. Because of the worldwide scale, the competition is growing, and companies need to stand out in order to compete.

Expanding to New Markets

Business opportunities are growing because of the number of businesses joining the expanding marketplace. Customers from all over the globe are now more easily reached, and modern companies must be able to take on the responsibilities of serving these new international customers. Opportunities also arise at every corner, and a business must be ready to jump on them.

In the past, international business was a challenging field to compete in and available only to a specific group of huge companies with massive resources. As enhancements in technology and the telecom industry have improved, it is now easier than ever to reach a broader audience in untouched international marketplaces.

Virtual Phone Numbers

Telecom technology has been advancing in recent years and with it came the introduction of international virtual phone numbers. International virtual phone numbers are numbers that can be hosted from your business in America but they can look like a number from almost any country in the world, including China, Australia, New Zealand, and more. These virtual phone numbers are not tied to a physical device and they work through a service called the cloud.

All calls travel instantly through the cloud and are forwarded to your local phone lines, such as a landline or your cell phone. If your company wants to expand to another state they can use a local phone number that works just like the international number. You will be provided with a local area code and phone number that will be forwarded instantly to the device or devices of your choosing. For example, if you have many customers in New Zealand but are located in Australia, you can get New Zealand virtual numbers that Japanese customers are more comfortable calling. It makes your customers feel like they are closer to your business even if you are located halfway across the country.

Why Use a Virtual Phone Number?

1. Minimize costs: Using local phone numbers eliminates long-distance calling fees. Plus, you are able to expand your businesses to different parts of the country without having to build a store in multiple cities. You can run a fully functional and very profitable company with a large customer following from only one location. Virtual numbers also make it simpler for international customers to reach out and vice versa.

2. Create a local presence: As mentioned previously, creating a local presence makes your clients feel more comfortable. By using a local phone number, you can also use one agent that is dedicated to this particular area, giving the calls a personalized touch. This way, your customers know who they will be speaking to and your agents already know who is reaching out to them.

3. Virtual numbers provide flexibility to your employees: If you or your employees travel a lot, it may be hard to stay in touch. But, when you use a virtual phone number, all of your employees can stay connected through the cloud and whatever device they choose to work on because the virtual phone number can be tied to multiple devices. Therefore, your employees will never need to miss a call only because they are working from another location.

4. You don’t have to spend a lot to portray a professional image: Virtual numbers come with amazing features that will make your company look like it is a vast enterprise. Not only that, there are very few startup costs to adding a virtual phone line. Toll-free vanity numbers are also a cost-effective advertising tool that can take your business to the next level.

From start-ups to large businesses, all companies can benefit from using virtual phone numbers. It is an excellent way for businesses to “add” new locations without having to move. They also add flexibility to your business hours and can help your company establish relationships with your customers. They are also a great tool to use for contact centers looking to improve their customer service.

5 Marketing Industry Secrets & Why Toll Free Numbers Are Awesome

Posted on by Ilsa Morales

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Having a strong marketing team will give your business the boost it needs to get an edge over the competition. The marketing landscape and how you contact customers is always changing. From the rise of the information age to social media, and running a successful contact center, the options could be overwhelming. There are a few ways that you can be sure your business stays ahead of these trends.

Marketing demands both analytical and creatively-minded employees that can execute untraditional thinking that has also undergone careful analysis. Focus on building a core marketing team that can think outside of the box while staying in budget. The most important thing that any marketer knows is that it is all about the customer. In order to please your customers and run a successful business, keep the following 5 Marketing Industry Secrets in mind.

1. Look To Your Competition

The best place to begin is to look at other businesses in your industry, or even other industries, and see what is working for them. Once you have honed in on a few marketing strategies, you can reverse engineer them into working for your brand. All of these marketing strategies will have been created with a long and careful planning process which analyzes risks and rewards. You can begin the process by adding your own creative spin and running the numbers for your particular business.

2. Think Outside of the Box

While learning from other successful businesses and reverse-engineering is the best way to get started, eventually you are going to have come up with ways to not only compete with those other businesses but to beat them at their own game. Find ways to market in ways that other industries haven’t stumbled upon yet. Don’t be afraid to take calculated risks because no matter the outcome you will have gained experience.

3. Communicate

Something businesses often overlook is how often they should be communicating with their customers. The truth is although you may not have 24 hours in a day to speak with your customers, you need to be available to them. It is important to place on your website all the ways that your customers can reach you, that way they feel they can trust you and your product. The easier you are to get ahold of, the more confidence customers will have in your product. Advertise your toll free number on billboards, your website, your social media sites, and infographic flyers. Whatever way you choose to advertise your company, your toll free number should be visible. If your business does not yet have social media sites or toll free numbers, it’s time to get the ball rolling. Most social media sites are free unless you choose to pay for extra marketing strategies. Toll free phone numbers have few startup costs because there is no equipment required to get started and many companies have a variety of plans to choose from that will be affordable for your company. Toll free numbers and social media sites make it easy for your customers to get in touch, while toll free numbers add a professional touch that your small business may not have had before.

4. Never Change and Always Improve

This may sound contradictory, but your company needs to remain a steady and reliable establishment in your customers’ eyes, but your company cannot take a lax stance on the changing marketing landscapes. Tried and true methods will work, but not if you want your business to be more than mediocre.

5. Be Results-Oriented

There are many ideas floating around about the best way to market your business, but none of it matters if the results aren’t there. On day one of your new business venture, you should begin building data. Consider all aspects of your business when analyzing your data stream. Be aware of what is performing well and what can be altered or cut loose from your budget. Starting out strong with this measuring tool will ensure that your business can keep up and overtake the competition by understanding what drives your revenue.

Call Center Compliance and Security

Posted on by Ilsa Morales

Call center management knows that there are risks and rewards when it comes to running a business. However, some things, such as compliance and security are things that should never be risked. Information on your customers is sensitive data and needs to be continuously managed. Your business needs to find the leaks in security and implement security policies before any con artists can break in, which unfortunately is becoming a common practice today.

Due to a streak of data breaches, the Federal Trade Commission has created new rules and regulations for security that your business needs to be up to par with. If your business is not up to the standard, you will find yourself dealing with huge fines and legal battles.
In order for your business to stay compliant, you need to make sure that the following compliance acts are satisfactory.

1. Encryption

VoIP encryption is a useful tool that allows companies to gain access to customer information by using coded messages that unauthorized users cannot get hold of. This can be used through call center interactions over the phone or through emails and chat. These encryption codes need to be adequately managed by your IT employees.

2. Login

Many call centers have a variety of login systems that can timeout very quickly. This can frustrate customers and agents alike, but there is a solution. Single sign-on is standard for the FTC and can work with several systems at once.

3. Storage

Storing data is an essential piece of managing all data that is unfortunately overlooked by many companies. Ensure that your company has enforced multiple backups to your data storage and that old data is being disposed of when it is no longer necessary. When your storage becomes compromised, it can become a massive headache for businesses. Therefore, it is best to plan ahead and have good recovery software in place.

4. Recording

Call centers use recording as a means to learn from mistakes and to look back on calls during disputes. However, recording important information can cause issues. In the past, call centers have had their agents turn off their recordings while being given important information, but that is not up to regulations anymore. What call centers can do is use an IVR to secure important data like credit card information and social security numbers. Also, in order to stay up to standards by the FTC, all callers must be notified that the call may be recorded.

5. Do Not Call

All call centers must be up-to-date on those consumers who have added their number to the do not call registry. Failure to stay up to date can result in massive fines.

6. Debt Collection

If you work for a debt collecting agency, the FTC is cracking down on those who do not follow the Fair Debt Collection Practice Act. Therefore, if your agents are using threatening language or shady collection practices, you could find your business in the midst of litigation.

7. Truth in Lending Act

All call centers must provide crucial information such as interest rates and late fees to their consumers before a customer agrees to purchase a product.

8. Equal Credit Opportunity Act

This act forbids companies from denying loans or credit to consumers based on their race, religion, marital status, age, gender, etc.

9. General Data Protection Regulation

GDPR is a relatively new regulation that call centers must accede to. This rule is for companies that store information for European residents whether or not the business itself is located in Europe. European customers can ask for their data to be erased. Businesses must grant their consumers their requests in a timely fashion in order to remain compliant. Therefore, if you have European customers, you must have a plan in place that can quickly erase data.

If your call center is not fully compliant, you could face some serious headaches in your future. The truth is, your company can not afford to wait to become up to standard because of the mounting security risks and in light of the critical data breaches that have already happened to several major businesses. Be sure that your vendors and IT staff are aware of all new regulations as they both play a significant role in call center compliance and security.

Authentication and Fraud Prevention in Call Centers

Posted on by Ilsa Morales

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The best way to combat authentication and fraud in call centers is to prevent it. Understanding is critical in the process of prevention. There isn’t just one way to prevent fraud in a call center; there are several ways that must all be used together in order to authenticate fully.

An image of a man ensuring authentication and fraud prevention in call centers.
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Dirty Tactics Used in the Hunt for Authentication

A variety of things are being used to authenticate callers, such as an account number. A social security number is often an easy way for scammers to get valuable information from customers. You must be on high alert against any compromised data, and even then, these essential pieces of information are still vulnerable. This is primarily because companies usually ask for information to authenticate, like their customer’s mother’s maiden name or first childhood pet when people inevitably lose their passwords. Asking these personal-knowledge questions are also easy ways that scammers can get through to find out more account information.

There are many authentication approaches for companies, including Knowledge Based Authentication and Multi-Factor Authentication. Most call centers revert to Knowledge-Based Authentication, or KBA, as their main bases for identification. But KBA is one of the most vulnerable authentication methods to fraud. This method can be compromised very quickly by users with untraceable software or by cunning people who can trick others into providing information to them. The people who procure this information through these means can then use this information to call your customers or your customer service agents to commit fraud. Not only are these threats a reason to skip knowledge-based authentication, but it is also very frustrating and bothersome for your customers to be subjected to a series of questions before they are able to get to what they need from your site. Since it is not a foolproof way to prevent fraud, what else can a company use to guard their customers’ information?

Multi-factor Authentication VS Knowledge-Based Authentication

Multi-factor Authentication, or MFA, is a superior choice to KBA. The MFA uses an approach that provides each caller with their own one-of-a-kind identity token. This token is taken from your phone device and carrier information. Another way MFA is useful to companies is that it can understand the characteristics of certain sounds which can be translated into a voice print. By collecting all of this information, you can then enter it into a database. The computer then scans all the information to send fraudsters into a database that will then blacklist them from the company and customers’ data.

Using these tactics and tools, a call center will then be able to assess the risks through authentication. Then it will be up to the representative to use this useful data and decide whether or not it is a risk. Their decisions will be informed and based on several factors such as what kind of account it is and which transactions, and for how much, are taking place.

Related: How to Set Up 2 Factor Authentication

The top providers of authentication are TRUSTID and Pindrop. Each one uses an MFA method. Both have numerous important clients on board, such as banks, credit card companies, and insurance agencies. However, they can both offer solutions to companies in other markets such as retail, telecom, travel, or healthcare. These solutions also work best when paired with an IVR, which can automatically prompt the caller to enter their authentication.

These solutions to fraud and authentication have worked for very large call centers that employ hundreds of agents that work for millions of callers, but what can a smaller call center use? Small call centers can still benefit from these authentication strategies through Value Added Resellers. These VARs can bundle up different types of outbound calling services and sell them to call centers. That way, you can get what your call center needs on a scale that you can use to your benefit.

Fraudulent issues are becoming more commonplace in the market and companies need to be prepared for dangerous situations before they arise. Don’t let your company get caught unaware by scammers; use secure VoIP along with the top prevention methods in order to avoid putting your company in debt and frustrating your customers.

Crush The Competition with Virtual Phone Numbers

Posted on by Ilsa Morales

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Virtual phone numbers not only help to keep your business from inserting itself into your personal life, but they can also help you crush your competition. There are several incredible benefits to having a virtual phone number, such as a variety of built-in features, their low costs, hardware, and a reliable network.

If you’re not familiar with what a virtual phone number is, then you probably aren’t sure why you need one for your business. Virtual phone numbers work for companies because they are an easy way for customers to reach you that isn’t tied to a specific telephone line. You can access your phone calls from any device, including cell phones, tablets, and computers, freeing you from being tied down to your desk all day for fear that you will miss an urgent phone call.

Virtual phone numbers are also great ways to save costs on long distance phone calls. If you have several clients overseas, you can purchase an affordable local phone number in those specific areas and avoid long distance fees. Even these international phone numbers are virtual so they can be tied to any device you currently use without issue.

Fulfilling the Needs of Your Customers

Contact centers are one of the business types that benefit significantly from the use of virtual phone numbers. Using local phone numbers helps agents to offer a more personalized touch with their customer service. Local phone numbers also help to alleviate the costs that some of your customers or clients would have to pay if your store is located outside of their local area.

The features provided with your virtual phone number contract can help your business portray a very successful and professional image, even if you’re working from your kitchen counter. Virtual numbers allow you to have as many numbers as you need, and they come with impressive features such as time of day routing (which will enable you to go out for lunch and not miss an urgent phone call). You can also add a customized greeting when your customers call. When a customer calls the number provided, they will be prompted by a professional greeting and then taken to a menu page that will allow the customer to choose which sector of the business they would like to speak with. For example, they may be prompted to press “1” for customer service, “2” for sales, and so on.

Virtual phone numbers also come with a feature called “call recording” in which you will be able to record phone conversations between customers and your employees. You can then use these files to figure out what works and what doesn’t work within the employee/customer dynamic. This can be a valuable tool to use when training customer service staff.

Creating a Local Presence

As previously stated, having a virtual phone number can give you a local presence in international countries, and it also allows you and your employees to work from anywhere in the world. Not only are virtual phone numbers flexible enough to allow you to step away from your desk, but you can also travel anywhere in the world. This is also a great way to keep international teams working together with functionality and ease.

Virtual phone numbers are also very affordable. Small teams and businesses have the option of choosing a flexible plan that will provide the minutes and services that they need, instead of paying extra costs for things they don’t. Because virtual phone numbers can be set up to reach most devices, you won’t need to purchase expensive phone lines. All work can be done on just one device if you choose, and you will still be able to keep everything in your business separate from your personal life and phone line.

One-Up Your Competition with Virtual Phone Numbers

The fantastic features and cost-saving benefits of a virtual phone number can genuinely give you the edge you need over your competition. If you’re thinking about purchasing a local or international virtual phone number for your business, contact us at unitedworldtelecom.com to get started right away.

Why You Should Optimize Your Business Phone Systems in Australia

Posted on by Ilsa Morales

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If you haven’t optimized your VoIP phone system yet, you could be missing out on several prosperous opportunities. If you are still using an analog business phone number, you may find that it lacks the features and capabilities that you could be receiving with a virtual calling system. Read on to find out why you need an Australian virtual phone system now.

Get the Edge Over the Competition

Australia has a booming business scene, and you don’t want to be left behind during this wave of prosperity. Cloud phone numbers provide an unmatched service that allows you to take calls when you’re on the move. Whether that means leaving your desk or leaving the country, you never have to miss a phone call if you switch over to a virtual phone service.

Top Benefits of Switching Over

  • Appeal To The Masses: You can use your virtual phone number to attract new people by providing an Australia toll-free number and advertising the number all around the country.
  • Stay Connected: With a virtual phone system, your clients and the members of your team can stay connected wherever you are located in the world. Virtual phone systems allow you to use local phone numbers to save costs on expensive international rates no matter where you are located in the world. If you are in America and your team is located in China, and your clients are located in Australia, you can remain accessible everywhere through your virtual phone system connection.
  • A Great Tool For Call Centers: Call centers can be set up with your new Australia virtual phone number on the same day. You can start taking calls almost immediately. Call centers handle customer service inquiries, compliments, and grievances. Providing a call center for your business shows that you care about your clientele and that you believe in your product. Plus, at United World Telecom you can set up call recording. Call recording can be used as a handy tool for training customer service representatives as you can quickly learn what is and isn’t working.
  • It’s Personalized: Virtual phone systems come with a variety of features that you can use to customize your clients’ experience every time they call.

Top Features for Business Phone Systems in Australia

  • Voicemail: You can customize and record your own personal voicemail greeting where your customers can state their inquiries when you are outside of business hours.
  • Call Recording: As previously mentioned, virtual phone systems in Australia come with a call recording feature. This is an excellent customer service tool for training and learning whether or not the training is being fulfilled.
  • Call Forwarding: Never miss an urgent phone call with the call forwarding features. You have the opportunity to set up an international call forwarding system where phone calls can be sent to different devices or people within your company. Outside of business hours, you can use this feature to forward incoming calls to your voicemail. You can even set up call forwarding to send transcripted voicemail messages to your fax machine or an mp3 recording to your personal or business email address. It is much easier to stay up to date on business communications when you have call forwarding.
  • IVR: An Interactive Voice Response is the recording that is often used as a greeting for several businesses. Usually this automated voice or a pre-recorded message by you or one of your employees will offer a standard greeting to the caller and then direct them to a list of menu choices so you can better serve them. For example, “Hello, you’ve reached Thomason Packing and Shipping. Thank you for your call today. In order to best serve you, please choose from the following options: 1 for sales, 2 for customer service, etc.”
How To Get an Australian Virtual Phone Number

You can choose your very own Australian virtual phone number by visiting UnitedWorldTelecom.com or by calling 1 (877) 898-8646. You can get virtual Australian phone numbers and toll-free phone numbers, then sign up online and start making phone calls right away with a free trial.

Wellness for Employees in Call Centers

Posted on by Ilsa Morales

The best way to benefit your company is to improve the quality of life of the employees that help you run your business. If employees have access to wellness programs that enhance their performance and reduce their health risks, your business can, in turn, mirror the happiness and healthiness of its employees.

wellness for employees in call centers
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Employees who are happy with their companies generally have more energy at work and take fewer sick days. Creating a wellness program for call center employees is essential to creating a healthy workplace environment. Because call center employees must be seated at their desks throughout the day and generally have strict schedules to follow, they are at risk for a variety of health issues.

Investing in your call center employees can have a significant impact on your business if you are willing to make the investment. These ventures can include a fitness center, education on wellness techniques, company health fairs, access to free or low-cost flu shots, weight loss programs, providing healthy foods and snacks, and programs to help employees quit smoking.

You might be thinking that the costs for these programs are too high, but in truth, they are worth it in the end. Call center representatives become the face of your company when a customer has a question or a problem. If your call center employees are unhappy and unhealthy, they will become irritable over the phone or forgetful. Because your clients are the most essential part of your business, it is vital that the person they speak to is helpful and friendly. Once you create an environment where employees enjoy coming to work, you can stand back and watch as your business grows.

Some businesses make budget cuts to their employees’ healthcare because of rising costs and unstable economies. However, cutting back or eliminating these incentives will not benefit your business in the long run. Giving your employees the opportunity to see a doctor the moment they get sick or providing a place for them to workout before or after work keeps insurance premiums at lower costs. Research has shown that businesses who cut these from their budgets will eventually see their premiums rise by 10% each year. Providing healthcare onsite or on-demand can also reduce the spread of illnesses. This is essential because employees who work in a call center are in very close quarters, so if one person gets sick, eventually everyone will catch it as well.

Once your business begins to provide these incentives to your employees, you will find that employees are more likely to be motivated to get in shape. You can encourage this motivation by doing company-wide fitness challenges with monetary incentives or prizes.

If you are thinking of beginning a wellness program for your call center employees, but you have a limited budget, take note of what your employees would like to see from you. This will reduce the possibility of wasted money on a program that won’t be used. If you were thinking of adding a yoga studio to your building, find out if the majority of your employees would be interested in participating first. A small way to boost wellness in your employees is to encourage standing up and stretching between calls. You can also print out an infographic of different stretches that can easily be done at a desk and hand them out for those who might feel silly starting this practice. To encourage your employees to eat healthier, provide healthier snacks and plenty of water and tea instead of soda and juices. You can also organize a group walk during lunch breaks or offer to subsidize fitness memberships.

Another low-cost option is to utilize a spare room and turn it into a meditation or nap room where employees can recharge their batteries. Encourage wellness to all of your employees and celebrate employees who reach healthy milestones, too. If a call center employee takes on an office-wide weight loss challenge and returns with significant results, be sure to reward them for their hard work! Other employees will see these results and might be inspired to try it out for themselves.

Providing wellness programs is a logical business decision with a high ROI. After all, when your employees are happy and healthy, they’re going to work better for your company overall.

The Benefits of Toll Free Numbers for Businesses

Posted on by Ilsa Morales

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Toll free numbers began gaining popularity during the early days of the payphone. The demand for a toll free phone number was apparent in those days because people could make toll free phone calls to businesses from their landlines or from payphones and not have to pay a fee to make the calls.

the-benefits-of-toll free numbers for numbers
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But it’s 2019 and payphones are a thing of the past. So why are toll free phone numbers still so popular among businesses? While most people do have a free national calling plan for their cell phones, customers can still benefit from calling a company with a toll free phone number. Here are a few of the advantages to having a toll free number for your business:

1. Marketing

Businesses who purchase vanity toll free numbers gain the benefit of marketing their business while providing their customers with one easy-to-remember number. Vanity numbers such as 1-800-FLOWERS smoothly flow off the tongue and make for great marketing strategies on billboards, in commercials, radio ads, and more. Besides, if you are a flower delivery service, you’re going to be more memorable to more people by using a vanity number than as a business who has a regular local phone number. You will often see these vanity numbers used as a marketing method for a variety of companies, including attorneys and real estate agents.

2. Toll Free Numbers Are Used As Customer Service Lines

Many companies can benefit from providing a toll free customer service line for their customers. While some issues can be resolved using a chat feature or over email, some things are more urgent and need to be addressed over the phone. Not only that, many people prefer to speak with a live customer service agent to resolve their problem rather than sit around waiting for an email to hit their inbox.

3. Call Routing

Toll free number providers offer a variety of features with their phone lines. One of the benefits to these VoIP service providers is that they can provide your business with easy call routing. Since VoIP services usually work in the Cloud, they can reroute phone calls to any phone line in many different locations. Therefore, if some of your employees work remotely, this feature will allow calls to be routed to that remote employee quickly and effortlessly. This is also a great benefit to your customers who may need to be redirected to the right employee for their particular issue.

4. Expand Your Presence

Your local business can now reach millions of people when you choose to get a toll free phone number. Whether your company sells internationally, nationally, or both, you can use a toll free phone number for the benefit of your customers. If your business currently only serves a local part of your area, think of how a toll free phone number could help expand your business. Not all local businesses need a toll free phone number, but if, for example, you run a retail store in your local neighborhood, but also cater to a national and international population online, then you and your customers will benefit from having a toll free phone number.

5. Portability

If your business is expanding, toll free phone numbers can grow with it. Why? Because toll free numbers are portable. You do not need to be tied down to one retail location, which means you can move your business around and still keep your toll free phone number. Even if you decide to leave your current phone provider, they should still be able to port the number to another carrier. Once your business has a toll free number, it becomes an asset to your company, and it would not be a good business move to part with it. Especially if you get a vanity number that works very well for your company, you would not want to get rid of it because there are only a finite number of toll free numbers that are able to be given out.  s have had to be introduced because the 1-800 numbers had dwindled drastically.

Reasons a Business Phone Number Makes Sense for Freelancers, Solopreneurs, and Startups

Posted on by Ilsa Morales

When you are just starting in a new business endeavor, there are a few things that can wait and a few that can’t. You might think that having a business phone number is on the list of “something that can wait.” Since you already have a mobile phone number, you can use that for work, right? Yes and no. Sure that could work, but it makes you look unprofessional, it becomes harder to separate work and life, and it’s more likely that you’ll miss important phone calls. If you intend to watch your business grow, then reasoning that you can get a business phone number later when your budget is larger can cause many problems. First, it is hard to switch over from one to the other because when your business is progressing, the worst thing to do would be to change your phone number. Secondly, because you would be missing out on many features, it may not be a good option. If you are a freelancer, a solopreneur, or a startup, there are many reasons why a business phone number makes sense for you; here’s a look:

reasons a business phone number
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1. Professional Appearance

If you are a freelancer or beginning a startup, you’re most likely working from your home or a coffee shop and not a highly-equipped office. This could turn some people off. They may not think that you are capable of running a business properly without having a permanent office location. With a virtual business phone number, you can give the appearance of running a larger company. The variety of features available to you, such as personalized voicemail, call forwarding, customized greeting menus, and call transfer services make it highly appealing and easy to accent your appearance.

2. No More Dropped Calls

Virtual phone numbers work on a cloud-based system, which means that no call will be lost. Not only can you set up your preferences to be forwarded to the right person during business hours, but after hours you can set up phone calls to be sent to a voicemail feature that you can personalize to your preferences. In addition to that, with call forwarding and voicemail to fax or email, you will never miss a voicemail message either.

3.Clear Calls

Cell phone signals can be tricky, but virtual phone numbers, which work from the Cloud, work on a fixed network. Plus, they are dedicated to your business and were created to handle large call volumes.

4. It’s Affordable

If the main reason you aren’t springing for a business phone number is because you don’t think your budget will allow for it, think again. Virtual phone number sites offer several different plans for all stages of business. From freelancers to corporations, you can find an affordable plan that comes with all of the professional features, but you’ll only have to pay for the minutes you use.

5. More Personal Time

When you are a freelancer, solopreneur, or a startup, it can be hard to create boundaries between your burgeoning business and your personal time. But personal time and self-care are just as important as your business. If you find yourself spending all of your extra time thinking about and working on your business, the company could suffer. It’s good to take time off and enjoy life in between work periods. Cut out time in your day to spend with friends and family. Having balance in your life is the key to success. With a virtual phone number, you can set up business hours where customers can call you and reach you directly, as well as out of business hours where they have access to your voicemail. You can get back to them as soon as you are back in the “office.” Just because you work from home doesn’t mean you won’t need a break.

6. No Robocallers

One of the best features on a business phone number is that you can choose an automated greeting where your customer can then select an option of where they would like to be directed. Robocallers will get stuck in the menu options and eventually will be timed out and hung up on. Instead of having your phone line clogged with robocalls, you can spend more time talking to your actual customers. Robocallers have become a massive issue in the past few years, and a majority of phone numbers have been compromised. At United World Telecom you can also sort phone numbers into black and white lists. The Black List blocks unwanted callers from reaching you which means once a robocaller tries to contact you, they won’t be able to call again from that number.

Email Marketing Tip: How to Write Emails that Get Opened

Posted on by Ilsa Morales

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Keeping in constant contact with your customers is an important part of developing your business. Email marketing can be a wonderful tool for reaching out to your customers and providing them with information about your business like special deals, events, expansion, and more. You’ve probably spent a good amount of time crafting a great email only to check your stats later on and find that the emails you sent out have gone unopened. It is challenging to get people to open up and read your emails when they are constantly inundated with tons of emails. So what’s the secret to getting your emails opened and read? Check out these 12 tips for writing emails that get opened.

Make it Personal

People receive emails from corporations all the time, so the best way to stand out among them is to mention the person by name instead of calling them a “valued customer” or some other impersonal title. And if you really want to make it special, sign your name at the bottom, that way they know that there is human life at the other end of that message.

Space Out Your Emails

Unless you have something to let your customers know about your business, you won’t need to send out constant emails. Only when there is an actual event or information that a customer would like to know should you be sending out emails. If they receive an email from you every day, that can get really annoying very quickly and you’ll find your “unsubscribe” number reaching new heights.

Reward Your Customers

When a customer opens an email from you, they will be receiving information about your company, but every once in a while you should reward them for opening the emails. This can be done by offering a special discount code or a free gift with purchase. If your customers don’t benefit from opening your emails, they will stop opening them all together.

Write An Appealing Subject Line

Your emails are not going to get opened without catching someone’s eye first. Read on for more tips about writing a great subject line

Add Numbers

Putting a number in your subject line stops skimmers from passing over your email because the human eye will stop to focus when digits are placed in the text.

Make A Promise

Making promises piques curiosity. For example, you can make your subject read something like, “Spin the wheel for an exclusive discount code inside. Get 10, 25, or 50 percent off!” Inside of this email should be a link that will take your customer to the website where you can spin a randomized digital wheel and receive a discount code for the amount you land on.

Keep It Simple

Don’t get overly clever with your subject lines. When something specific and simple is promised, a customer is more likely to open the email. Don’t try to confuse your customers; they want to know what they’re opening before they open it.

Use Your Humanity For Appeal

Your subject lines should get people interested through their emotions, whether that emotion is to save money, a fear of missing out, or a line that evokes curiosity.

Make Your Emails Interesting To Read

Write with enthusiasm: if you’re not excited about what is in the email, what makes you think anyone else will be? Writing quickly is an easy hack that allows your personality to show through your writing.

Cut Your Text In Half

It is 2018; people are short on time and long on information, so keep your text concise and to the point.

Switch Up Your Greetings

Using the same greeting in every email gets boring after a while. It makes the message you’re trying to convey seem boring and impersonal if the emails start to look alike.

Give Your Company a Personality

Email marketing is a great way to add a touch of humanity and flare to your company’s image. Always write your text to sound humanizing and be sure that your message sounds like the natural voice of your company. For example, a young woman’s fashion site should read as if your hearing about the latest styles from your sassy and fun best friend.

Care About The Customer

Before sending an email, ask yourself if what you’re writing is going to benefit the customer? Is it truthful? Is it interesting? If the answer to one or all three is no, then don’t send it. You want to build a relationship with your customer on trust. The best way to do that is to write personalized and beneficial text from the heart.