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Category: Tips

7 Call Center Tips to Stay Competitive in 2024

Posted on by Nadine Sampson

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#53896941 ID#27446420

As with any business, it is important to be aware of the ongoing trends and developments in the industry. Furthermore, it is essential to know what customers expect from your business at the current time. Here we discuss 7 practical solutions and call center tips to help your business stand out among the competition.

2024 Call Center Tips

The following call center tips are suggestions for call centers that do not have these solutions in place. Staying competitive in 2024 means staying relevant, providing easy access and quick resolutions, and keeping with the trends.

1. Be Aware of TCPA Compliance

First and foremost, ensure your call center is TCPA compliant. Be aware of the current and upcoming TCPA compliance regulations to avoid fines and lawsuits. TCPA guidelines for call center telemarketers and robocalling state that telemarketers must:

  1. Obtain written consent from consumers before robocalling consumers
  2. Not use an existing relationship with a customer to avoid getting written consent
  3. Offer an automated “opt-out” mechanism or Do-Not-Call feature during each call so that customers can tell the marketer to stop calling

2. Consider Call Center AI

If you do not already have call center AI tools, then now is the time to upgrade. Automation and AI tools can help improve efficiency and streamline processes so everything runs smoothly. Certain tools may even interact with customers and offer solutions to common questions or provide troubleshooting help, without the need of an agent. It is important to note that AI does not necessarily replace live, human agents because customers will want to talk to a live person at some point. Automation merely helps organize calls and take care of simple, mundane processes.

There is a variety of call center AI tools offered by virtual phone service providers. For example, some common call center automation tools include:

  • AI virtual agents
  • Chatbots and email automation
  • Interactive voice response
  • Smart and automatic routing
  • CRMs and agent assists
  • Notifications and alerts

3. Maintain Call Center QA

One of the most important call center tips is to continue to maintain call center QA. Quality assurance (QA) is the process of studying how your call center performs in terms of quality and working on areas of improvement. Some ways to improve and maintain your call center’s quality assurance is by:

  • Training agents and providing training materials regularly
  • Sitting in on agent calls or reviewing recordings of calls during performance evaluations
  • Using assessment tools to evaluate agent and call center performance
  • Conducting workshops and seminars
  • Creating and using professional scripts
  • Collecting feedback and analyzing data to identify ways to improve performance
  • Providing agents with the right call center software tools to aid them in their jobs
  • Providing valuable incentives to boost performance

4. Plan for Remote Team Management

The COVID-19 pandemic led to many businesses working from home in 2020. As a result, call centers have found usefulness in virtual call center software that helps agents stay connected and continue to make professional business calls from any location.

This trend will continue into 2024 with many call centers moving to the cloud or converting to cloud-based contact centers. Virtual call center software comes with a variety of tools to support remote working and remote team management, such as:

  • Outbound calling with customizable caller ID
  • Cloud-based dialers that can be used from any location and any device
  • Smart call routing (time-based routing, location-based routing, simultaneous ringing, etc.)
  • International call forwarding
  • Call detail records and metrics that can be used for performance evaluations
  • Inbound and outbound call recording

These tools help virtual call centers remain active and continue to work efficiently, irrespective of where agents are located. Furthermore, there are tools that call center managers can use to observe and evaluate their agents’ performance.

Useful call center tips for 2021.

5. Track and Measure Call Center KPIs and Metrics

Collecting data and tracking call center metrics goes a long way in understanding how your call center is performing and how it can do better. One of the most common call center tips you will hear when starting a new call center is to identify key metrics or KPIs and track them. Most call centers track the following call center KPIs to evaluate performance:

  • Average Time in Queue
  • Calls Handled
  • Average Speed of Answer
  • Average Handle Time
  • Percentage of Calls Handled by Type
  • Average Abandonment Rate
  • First Call Resolution
  • Percentage of Calls Blocked
  • Customer Satisfaction
  • Net Promoter Score
  • Customer Effort Score
  • Agent Turnover Rate
  • Cost Per Call (CPC)

6. Offer More Communication Channels

You may even want to consider omnichannel solutions for your call center. Most call centers specialize in phone and email conversations. However, there is a growing preference for live chat, chatbots, and video conferencing as customer service options. For this reason, switching to a multichannel support model may prove more useful to your call center.

7. Continue to Offer Excellent Customer Service

Lastly, continue to train and motivate your agents to offer excellent and empathetic customer service. Research shows that going into 2024, customers expect high-quality care with empathetic and quick responses for customer support teams. Keeping these trends in mind, retrain your agents with a focus on empathy, respect, patience, and positivity. 2021, 2022, and 2023 were trying for us all but 2024 can certainly be more considerate.

Improve Communications with Virtual Call Center Software

Need help finding a reliable virtual call center software provider? United World Telecom can help get you set up with virtual call center software and advanced communication tools. Browse our features online or speak with our experts to learn more!

Cloud PBX vs On-Premises PBX: Which is Right for Your Business?

Posted on by Beny Mouen

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#318928734 ID#27446420

When evaluating your options for a private branch exchange, you will often come across the terms: cloud PBX and on-premise PBX. What is the difference between the two services and how do you decide which one you need?

Getting the Right PBX System for Your Business

A PBX, or private branch exchange, is a private telephone network. A PBX system makes internal call management easy and ensures smooth collaboration between different teams and departments within a business.

There are two common types of private branch exchange systems: Cloud-Hosted and On-Premise. And choosing between these two systems depends on a few factors:

  • What do you need from your phone system?
  • Do you want to connect multiple office locations through the system?
  • What communication features do you need?
  • What is your budget?
  • Do you have or need to hire an IT team?
  • The answers to these questions can help you determine which phone system is right for you.

What is a Cloud Hosted PBX?

A cloud PBX is what it sounds like: a private phone exchange that works over the cloud. This means that it does not need a physical space in your office. The host will take care of the maintenance of the system and all you need to do is use it.

You will not have to worry about installing any hardware, saving office space for the system, or high maintenance costs. You won’t even need an on-premise IT team to handle all of it. However, you might not have as much control as with an on-premise system.

How Does an On-Premises PBX Work?

An on-premise PBX system is installed on company premises. This type of phone system is installed, run, and maintained by your company. You might need an experienced IT team to handle such a system.

Choosing Between Cloud PBX vs On-Premises PBX

The bottom line is that if you want a system that is wholly controlled and managed by your in-house IT team, then an on-premises PBX is the choice for you. However, if you don’t want to worry about the hassle of running and maintaining your phone system, then go with the system that’s hosted in the cloud.

Here are the other main differences between the two:

 

Cloud Hosted PBX On-Premises
Hosted by your provider Operated on-site by you
Little to no control over how it operates Controlled and managed fully by you
No physical space needed Physical space needed
No installation or maintenance needed Needs to be installed and maintained regularly
No professional IT experience needed Needs an experienced IT team to operate the system
Uses VoIP tech; Needs a broadband connection May use VoIP tech
Low monthly costs; No installation costs Low monthly costs; High installation costs
Variety of virtual calling features Limited calling features
Scalable as needed Limited scalability
Recommended for small to medium-sized businesses Recommended for large corporations

United World Telecom Knows About PBX Systems

United World Telecom has the PBX solutions you need for your business. You can also choose to set up your own IP-PBX system. This way you can take full advantage of SIP to place calls over the internet. Doing so results in better international calling rates at higher scale.

6 Ways to Fix VoIP Jitter

Posted on by Luke Genoyer

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#1497111 ID#27446420

When conducting business calls, interruptions, low call quality, or missing audio can lead to miscommunication. Part of running a professional business is ensuring that your business calls, whether for queries or support, occur smoothly without any distortion or jumbled audio. Interruptions during calls can lead to losing valuable clients. One important element that affects VoIP business calls is jitter. In this post, we explain what leads to jitter and how to fix VoIP jitter in 6 useful ways.

Why You Need to Fix VoIP Jitter

In order to fix VoIP jitter, one must understand VoIP jitter and how it affects a business’ VoIP phone system. During VoIP business calls, voice messages are transformed from analog to digital signals and stored in data packets. For VoIP calls to connect two end-points successfully, data packets need to be transmitted effectively without delay or disturbance.

While these data packets move from one end-point to the next, the packets travel through different paths and may not take the same path. However, due to a variety of reasons — such as low internet speed, a low-quality router, and so on — the data packets may not be delivered at the same time. Instead, they may arrive at irregular intervals affecting VoIP call quality. Additionally, this can lead to missing or jumbled audio. This is known as ‘VoIP jitter.’ Jitter within business calls can lead to miscommunication and frustration for users. Here are 6 reliable ways to fix VoIP jitter:

1. Invest in a Powerful Router

When purchasing a router for your VoIP phone system, do your research and find one that is powerful and can handle your VoIP needs, especially the bandwidth capacity. Carefully review the product and see if it matches your needs. Study customer reviews and testimonials and look for complaints and potential issues.

2. Utilize an Ethernet Cable

Use a high-quality ethernet cable to connect your VoIP system to your router. This way, you will have a better connection and no interference from sources out of your control that can lead to jitter, latency, packet loss, and more. Additionally, if you already have an ethernet cable but are still experiencing jitter, then perhaps it’s time to upgrade your ethernet.

3. Subscribe to High-Speed Internet

Next, as is widely known, low internet connection speeds can affect the quality of your VoIP phone system. Low internet speeds lead to jitter, latency, and more. Make sure that your business has high-speed internet connection to ensure smooth connectivity.

4. Conduct Bandwidth Tests

Besides securing a high-speed internet connection, you also want to ensure that your bandwidth is strong enough to carry the weight of your VoIP phone system. Ask your ISP to test your bandwidth and then resolve jitter issues. You may even connect with your VoIP phone service provider for help in resolving VoIP jitter issues.

5. Consider Getting a Jitter Buffer

Another way to fix VoIP jitter is by using a jitter buffer, a device that intentionally delays an incoming data packet. By delaying an incoming packet, the receiver of the call will hear the voice message clearly and with very little distortion. This is because the jitter buffer will re-group delayed data packets and then play them together, steadily. Your data packets will be stored in the right sequence and played accurately and clearly.

6. Reduce Unnecessary Bandwidth Usage

Lastly, make it a practice to reduce unnecessary bandwidth usage, especially during office hours. Teach your staff to not use large amounts of bandwidth for non-work-related activities. This includes streaming videos or content from Netflix, etc. These services use large amounts of bandwidth and can lead to jitter during VoIP calls.

Convert More Customers with VoIP for Business

A business VoIP phone system can greatly improve the way your business communicates with its customers. Additionally, getting this service from a reliable VoIP provider can help improve VoIP call quality issues such as jitter, latency, and so on. Ready to upgrade your business phone system and get VoIP? Speak with our representatives today!

International Sales: 7-Step Checklist to Sell in a Global Market

Posted on by Miguel Isabal

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#125635916 ID#27446420

Want to improve your international sales strategy? Try this 7-step checklist to ensure you are doing everything you can to help your company succeed internationally.

How to Increase International Sales: 7-Step Checklist

Selling in the international market can be overwhelming. However international sales can greatly boost your business and help it grow. So, what can you do to enter your business in the global market and support it?

1. Review Local Competition

It is important to check out the local competition and find out how they are making their sales and what benefits and perks they offer. Then you can utilize similar strategies or go beyond them to attract customer attention. Specifically, pay attention to local pricing structures and service expectations so you can match them instead of sticking out as different.

2. Get International Business Numbers

To successfully sell internationally, it is necessary to create and maintain a reliable communication system. This means getting international business numbers such as international toll free numbers or local business numbers. You can have calls made to these numbers routed to your main office, remote employees, or a device of your choice in any location. This helps your business remain accessible no matter its location is.

You can get toll free numbers for international countries and give locals the option to call your business for free. Incoming calls are forwarded to a number or destination of your choice. This lets you manage international sales from any location of your choice.

Similarly, you can get local numbers for specific cities or regions in these countries. Locals can call these numbers for regular local calling charges, even if the call forwards to your main office in a different country.

3. Invest in International Payment Methods

A big hurdle — when it comes to international sales — is being able to accept various payment methods. Most international buyers will use a MasterCard or Visa for international transactions. However, apps and services such as PayPal also make international purchasing possible. Find the right international payment method for your target location, one that locals are comfortable using.

4. Offer Global Customer Support

As mentioned above, a reliable communication system is fundamental because it lets you offer global customer support. Customers who need help with a purchase or want to inquire about new products should be able to quickly get in touch with a representative. Be available not only via phone conversation but also by offering localized omnichannel support. Think: email, social media, live chat, video conferencing, etc. This helps you offer support in more ways, making customers of every type comfortable.

5. Execute International Marketing

Besides making your business accessible, you will want to increase brand visibility and awareness in the international market with the help of international marketing. Some common ways to get started are:

  • International SEO
  • Targeted social media ads
  • Developing an international-friendly URL structure
  • Language targeting
  • Advertising local contact information
  • Translating your website and social media to local languages
  • Advertising in local markets and directories, and more

These local advertising ideas can help your business become more visible and accessible in foreign markets.

6. Be Available in Different Languages and Time Zones

Another way to support your international sales is by making your company accessible through localization. For example, convert prices into the currency of your target areas. Translate your website to local and regional languages for every country you extend operations to. Offer customer support and sales in local languages. You may even choose to hire remote agents within target areas to match language and time zone requirements.

7. Make Shipping & Delivery Affordable

Lastly, make delivery affordable. Many customers and prospects switch providers or services if shipping and delivery charges are high. And this is especially true of international shipping as those prices stack up significantly. To combat this, you want to be clear and upfront about shipping and delivery charges, including customs charges and beat the logistical issues. Find a carrier that fits your budget as well as offers reasonable shipping charges. For instance, the cost of shipping should not be more than one third the price of the purchase.

Start Selling Internationally!

Not all ideas mentioned in the above checklist may fit or work with your business. However, try and experiment with ones that may and adjust them according to your needs. And before you know it, your business will be offering international sales and gaining recognition globally!

6 Useful Ways to Reduce Abandoned Calls in Your Call Center

Posted on by Nadine Sampson

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#75940443 ID#27446420

Is your call center not performing well in terms of customer satisfaction? Then you may need to rethink how customers interact with your call center and how many customers give up and abandon their calls. Here we will look at 6 practical methods to reduce abandoned calls and increase customer satisfaction.

What are Abandoned Calls?

Call abandonment or abandoned calls refer to callers that hang up before receiving service or dropped calls. Calculating your call center’s abandoned call rate—an important call center KPI—can help you identify areas that need improvement. Callers that abandon their calls may do so because it is taking too long for them to receive support or to get a human being on the phone. A high call abandonment rate leads to low customer satisfaction. So, what can you do to provide better customer service?

Here are 6 useful ways to reduce abandoned calls in your call center.

1. Invest in a Cloud IVR System

An IVR is an automated phone system that assists a call center in managing incoming calls. The IVR interacts with callers, identifies the reason behind the call, and proceeds to help either via:

  • Pre-recorded messages
  • Transferring the caller to the right department
  • Or sending the call to voicemail

In some cases, the IVR may even assist the caller in performing predetermined actions such as:

  • Activating an account,
  • Processing payments,
  • Providing common troubleshooting help,
  • Submitting a trouble ticket, etc.

A well-designed IVR phone system will effectively determine the purpose of the caller and assist them. This way, it can cut down the number of calls that need an agent for support. And if the IVR can’t help the customer, it can quickly forward the call to an agent. This is a good way to reduce abandoned calls.

Related: Interactive Voice Response: Definition and Benefits

2. Try Different Call Forwarding and Routing Options

Next, try different call routing options so calls go to the right agent or department and less time is spent transferring or keeping callers on hold. Some common call forwarding and routing strategies include:

  • Time of day routing — route calls to specific numbers or lines during set times of the day.
  • Select country routing — route calls to specific lines based on where the caller is calling from.
  • Direct routing — callers select their preference of the menu provided by your cloud IVR.
  • Data-direct routing — route calls to the right agent based on the caller’s data and history.
  • Least-occupied routing — route calls to agents who have answered the least number of calls.
  • Simultaneous ringing — incoming calls ring multiple phones or lines so no call goes unanswered.
  • Failover forwarding — incoming calls are sent to the next agent in line if the first agent is unavailable.

Different routing strategies can help your call center balance incoming calls and distribute them evenly. You can even have calls made over the weekend or during off-hours forwarded to remote agents. This way, there’s always someone available to answer calls.

3. Prepare a Knowledge Base for Online Support

With everything being easily available over the internet, most customers will first try to solve an issue by themselves before they call a company. For this purpose, having an online Knowledge Base or Support section that provides assistance and troubleshooting for common issues can be a blessing.

Web visitors will first try to resolve their concerns via looking up your Support, FAQs, or Knowledge Base tools. If they are still unable to fix the problem, they can then choose to email or call your company. However, users that are able to fix the problem will not need to make the call, thereby reducing the number of calls in a queue and reducing abandoned calls.

4. Offer Multichannel Support

Another way to reduce abandoned calls is to offer other mediums of support. The Knowledge Base is one such tool. However, other communication channels include live chat, ticket tracking software, email, SMS, etc.

5. Train Your Agents for Common Issues and Large Call Volumes

Irrespective of how well you distribute your calls, if your representatives are not trained well and unable to perform under pressure, then your efforts are in vain. Take time out to ensure that call center agents get the training they need to succeed. Have refresher courses, webinars, and workshops on the regular to reinforce good habits. Furthermore, provide them insightful resources and incentives that can help them do their job well even during high volume periods such as holidays. You may even run a rewards program as well as provide quick and easy access to troubleshooting documents and so on.

6. Schedule Agents Based on Call Traffic

Lastly, study your call logs to see when and where most of your calls come in and schedule agents to tackle high-traffic periods. This way, your team is prepared to deal with the load of incoming calls while offering quick service. Plus, having more agents available during these times will help distribute calls better.

How Can United World Telecom Help?

We offer a variety of virtual communication tools specifically designed for call management. You can rely on our call forwarding options, cloud IVR systems, and rest assured that incoming calls reach the right agents on time. Improve your customer service today by signing up for our service. To learn more, call us or chat with one of our experts today!

9 Inexpensive Advertising Ideas to Promote Your Local Business

Posted on by Beny Mouen

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#123342062 ID#27446420

Are your marketing efforts not bringing enough customers to your local business? Then it’s time to reinvent your approach and try new ways of advertising. Here is a comprehensive list of 9 small business advertising ideas to promote your local business.

Small Business Advertising Ideas: 9 Proven Methods

Sometimes executing just one or two marketing strategies isn’t enough, depending on the type of company you run and the response you want from potential customers. So, what are some other small business advertising ideas you can try? Here is a look at some of the most successful advertising options available.

1. Create a Google Listing

Most customers are looking for services and products online and they find potential companies through Google. This is why it is important to list your business on Google. This usually includes the name of your business, your website, address, contact info, photos of your products and services, and more. Then, you can have users and customers leave online reviews about your local business so that new customers can see how people are using your services.

2. Design a Website with SEO Practices

Your business website is the most important tool you have to reach customers and educate them about what you have to offer. Create a user- and mobile-friendly website and write relevant and original blogs related to your industry and services. This will help web visitors learn about your services but will also help with search engine optimization. SEO best practices can help your website appear higher on search results, increasing the chances of interested customers viewing it. The more people look at your website, the more followers you will generate. And this will lead to more customers converting.

3. Be Active on Social Media

Besides the internet, social media is yet another growing marketing tool. Most individuals are on some type of social media, whether it be Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, etc. And so, this is a good place to target potential customers. Be active on social media, share blogs, customer reviews, the latest news, and so on. You may even respond to customer queries and questions in a timely manner and use these platforms to offer customer support.

4. Offer Promotions and Specials

To keep your small business relevant, it is important to attract customer attention. And one of the best ways to do so is by offering promotions, discounts, and specials. These can occur throughout the year or on special occasions. But running promotions encourages customers who were on the fence to complete a purchase. And this way, you can increase your customer base.

5. Consider a Vanity Number

Most business owners don’t realize that one of the top small business advertising ideas is your business phone number. For example, a toll free number is free to call and encourages interested customers to reach out to your small business for queries or customer support. On the other hand, locals calling a local phone number incur local charges instead of long-distance charges. So choosing your business phone number can make a big difference in the way potential and current customers interact with your business.

You can also get a vanity phone number that uses letters or patterns to make a number more memorable and recognizable. A vanity number is more likely to grab the attention of potential customers and stay in their memories. Here is a chance to get creative with your business phone number.

6. Run a Customer Loyalty Program

Almost all businesses have some kind of reward or loyalty program or membership to reward valuable customers. Through such a program, the more customers purchase from you, the more they benefit. It works as a win-win for both you and your most valuable clients. You may even run special promotions for members only. This will show customers you care about their business and increase customer loyalty, which leads to recommendations made to family and friends.

7. Display Reviews, Affiliates, Testimonials

Online reviews, testimonials, and word of mouth recommendations: these are all important and enticing ways to advertise your local business. Display these on your website, online and local directories, social media platforms, etc. You may even conduct case studies of high-profile clients and display them along with affiliates on your website.

8. Invest in Email Marketing

Email marketing is another common advertising tactic for small businesses to get customers. Build an email list with potential clients and customers including those that:

    • Interact with your website
    • Fill out a sign-up form online
    • Interact with you at exhibitions
    • Reach out via social media
    • Call your business to inquire about products, and so on.

Then, send them newsletters, promotions, and educational posts to help them understand the value of your small business and the benefits of working with you or purchasing your products. In addition, regularly monitoring and updating your DMARC policy can further enhance your email marketing efforts, safeguarding your communication and fostering trust with your audience.

9. Try Traditional Methods: Billboards, Newspaper, Magazines, & Radio

Finally, try traditional methods of advertising. Think billboards with a catchy phrase and contact information, product reviews in newspapers and magazines, jingles on the radio. These advertising strategies have been used for years and continue to prove successful.

Promote Your Small Business Today!

Advertising doesn’t make change happen overnight. You need to lay the groundwork and watch the results. Then, make adjustments as needed such as targeting certain areas more with a virtual number or advertising more on certain platforms. Try the above advertising ideas to see which ones work best for your business!

Best Hong Kong Virtual Number Providers [2024]

Posted on by Nadine Sampson

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#41656953 ID#27446420

Need Hong Kong virtual phone number to support your business plans to expand to Hong Kong? We’ve got you covered. Here are the top Hong Kong virtual phone number providers along with information about the types of numbers, their costs, and included features.

Types of Hong Kong Virtual Phone Numbers

Before discussing Hong Kong virtual phone number providers, let’s look at the different types of Hong Kong virtual numbers.

Toll free numbers:
Hong Kong toll free numbers are business phone numbers that do not charge the callers. Therefore, when people call toll free numbers, they incur no charges. Instead, the receiver is charged.

National numbers:
Hong Kong national numbers are phone numbers that are charged normal local calling rates and are accessible from anywhere within the country.

Now that we have listed the different types of Hong Kong virtual numbers available, let’s look at the top providers and what they offer.

Top Hong Kong Virtual Number Providers in 2024

There are countless virtual numbers providers that exist today. These are the top 5 virtual number providers in Hong Kong, according to extensive research by our team.

1. United World Telecom

United World Telecom is a leading provider of virtual communication features and tools since 1996. The telecom company provides business phone numbers (toll free, local, international, and more) as well as IP telephony services.

Virtual number plans: United World Telecom’s Hong Kong virtual phone number plans range from $17.95/month (HK$139.12) to $348.95/month (HK$2704.46).

Features included:

  • Hosted call recording software
  • Outbound calling (dynamic caller ID)
  • Extensions for different departments
  • DID numbers for individuals and teams
  • Cloud IVR
  • Call forwarding options
  • Call transfer
  • Voicemail and voicemail transcription

2. Global Call Forwarding

Since 2007, Global Call Forwarding offers business communication solutions to businesses all over the world. These solutions include business phone numbers, VoIP technology, SIP trunking, and more.

Virtual number plans: Global Call Forwarding’s Hong Kong virtual phone numbers start at $17.95/month (HK$139.12) to $348.95/month (HK$2704.46).

Features included:

  • Hosted call recording software
  • Unlimited extensions
  • Advanced cloud IVR
  • Call forwarding options
  • Voicemail to email
  • Voicemail transcription
  • Outbound calling
  • Call transfer

3. China Mobile Hong Kong Company (CMHK)

CMHK is a subsidiary of China Mobile and is one of Hong Kong’s biggest telecom companies.

Virtual number plans: CMHK’s Hong Kong phone numbers range from HK$28/month ($3.61) to HK$296/month ($38.19).

Features included:

  • 5G network
  • High-quality data
  • Unlimited calls
  • International calling

4. HKT

HKT is a Hong Kong telecom provider offering fixed-line, broadband internet, IP telephony services for small businesses and enterprises.

Virtual number plans: HKT’s business phone number plan includes:

  • Monthly charge — HK$189.90
  • Installation charge — HK$475
  • The DID number plans include:
  • Tone DID line monthly charge — $281/line
  • Pulse DID line monthly charge — $344/line
  • Installation — $475/line, plus additional charges

Features included:

  • Voice and unified communications
  • IP telephony
  • Video intelligence
  • Cloud services
  • Caller display
  • Call transfer

5. 3 Hong Kong

3 Hong Kong is a leading mobile service provider in Hong Kong. They offer voice, roaming, 5G, LTE, and more.

Virtual number plans: The lowest plan starts at HK$188 /month. Within this plan, you get a Hong Kong virtual number, data, and unlimited local voice calling.

Features included:

  • Roaming service
  • IDD service
  • Data Top-up

Get Hong Kong Virtual Numbers Today

Here at United World Telecom, we can help you get Hong Kong virtual numbers for business with quick installation and fast activation. Sign up on our website today or call us to get started!

Top Mexico Virtual Phone Number Providers in 2024

Posted on by Beny Mouen

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#50381597 ID#27446420

Need Mexico virtual phone numbers to support your business plans to expand to Mexico? We’ve got you covered. Here are the top Mexico virtual phone number providers along with information about the types of numbers, their costs, and included features.

Types of Mexico Virtual Phone Numbers

Before we discuss different Mexico virtual phone number providers, let’s look at the different types of Mexico phone numbers.

Toll free numbers:
Toll free Mexico phone numbers are business numbers that are free for callers. The receiver (the business) is charged instead of the caller. Callers from within Mexico can call a business with a Mexico toll free number for free.

Geographic numbers:
Mexico geographic numbers, on the other hand, have specific area codes for different regions — such as Chihuahua, Guadalajara, Mexico City, etc. — spread across the country. These numbers are assigned to different cities. Calls made to these numbers incur local calling fees.

Now, let’s look at the top Mexico virtual phone number providers and what they offer.

Top Mexico Virtual Number Providers

These are the best providers of virtual Mexico numbers in 2024.

1. United World Telecom

United World Telecom has been in the telecommunications industry since 1996. The company offers virtual business numbers and international call forwarding for more than 160 countries across the world.

Virtual number plans: United World Telecom’s Mexico virtual phone number plans range from $12.95/month ($287.09 pesos) to $158.95/month ($3,523.78 pesos).

Features included:

  • Hosted call recording software
  • Outbound calling (dynamic caller ID)
  • Extensions for different departments
  • DID numbers for individuals and teams
  • IVR
  • Call forwarding options
  • Call transfer
  • Voicemail and SMS to email

2. Global Call Forwarding

Global Call Forwarding was launched in 2007 and has grown to become a leading supplier of business numbers for more than 160 countries around the world. From Global Call Forwarding, you can get local numbers, toll free numbers, international numbers, IP telephony, and more.

Virtual number plans: Global Call Forwarding’s Mexico virtual phone numbers start at $12.95/month ($287.09 pesos) and go up to $158.95/month ($3,523.78 pesos).

Features included:

  • Hosted call recording
  • Unlimited extensions
  • Advanced cloud IVR
  • Call forwarding & routing options
  • Voicemail to email
  • SMS to email
  • Outbound calling (dynamic caller ID)
  • Call transfer

3. Telcel (América Móvil)

América Móvil, a division of Telcel, is a telecom company in Mexico. They offer fixed voice, data, business communication solutions, and more.

Virtual number plans: Telcel’s Mexico virtual numbers start at $8.98/month ($199 pesos) and go up to $58/month ($1,299 pesos).

Features included:

  • SMS
  • Social media: Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter
  • Anti-fraud policy

4. Movistar (Telefonica)

Movistar (Telefonica) is a Mexican telecom company offering communication solutions for personal and business use. They offer IP telephony with voice, data, and video services.

Virtual number plans: Movistar’s virtual numbers for Mexico range from $10.78/month ($239 pesos) and go up to $25.67/month ($569 pesos).

Features included:

  • Unlimited calls & SMS
  • International roaming
  • Social media:
  • Instagram
  • Snapchat
  • WhatsApp
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Uber

5. AT&T Mexico

AT&T Mexico is a subsidiary of AT&T for Mexico. The company offers phone solutions for personal and business use with voice, video, SMS, MMS, and email services.

Virtual number plans: AT&T Mexico’s phone numbers for business range from $10.78/month ($239 pesos) and go up to $58.59/month ($1,299 pesos).

Features included:

  • Unlimited social networks
  • Minutes and SMS included
  • 1.5GB – 18GB internet

Get Mexico Virtual Numbers Today

Here at United World Telecom, we can help you get Mexico virtual phone numbers for business with quick installation and fast activation. Sign up on our website today or call us to get started!

Best Japan Virtual Number Providers in 2024

Posted on by Beny Mouen

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#76709093 ID#27446420

Need Japan virtual numbers to support your business plans to expand to Japan? We’ve got you covered. Here are the top Japan virtual phone number providers along with information about the types of numbers, their costs, and included features.

Types of Japan Virtual Numbers

Before we discuss different Japan virtual number providers, we first need to look at the different types of Japan virtual numbers that exist.

Toll free numbers:
Japan toll free numbers are business numbers that offer free calling to customers. Callers can call these numbers from within Japan for free.

National numbers:
Japan national numbers are business numbers that can be dialed from within Japan and from other countries.

Geographic numbers:
Local Japan numbers are assigned to certain areas within the country and have distinct area codes. Callers are charged regular local calling fees for these numbers.

Best Japan Virtual Phone Number Providers

Now that we have listed the different types of Japan virtual numbers available, let’s look at the top Japan virtual phone number providers and what they offer.

USD to Yen conversion rates are accurate as of January 11th, 2024.

1. United World Telecom

Since 1996, United World Telecom has been providing virtual communication tools such as business phone numbers and call forwarding to businesses around the world. United World Telecom provides:

Virtual number plans: United World Telecom’s Japan virtual number plans range from $17.95/month (¥2608.03) and to $598.95/month (¥87,023.84).

Features included:

2. Global Call Forwarding

Global Call Forwarding was launched in 2007 to provide easy and convenient communication tools to companies the world over. The telecom company currently offers business toll free and local numbers from over 160 countries. Global Call Forwarding offers

  • Mobile-accessible toll free numbers
  • Geographic Japanese phone numbers
  • Non-geographic Japanese phone numbers
  • Universal toll free numbers (UIFN)

Virtual number plans: Global Call Forwarding’s Japan virtual business number plans start at $17.95/month (¥2608.03) and go up to $598.95/month (¥87,023.84).

Features included:

  • Unlimited extensions
  • IVR technology
  • Time of day routing
  • Select country forwarding
  • Simultaneous ringing
  • Hosted call recording
  • Voicemail transcription
  • Outbound calling

3. KDDI

Japanese telecom operator KDDI has been supplying Japan with telecom solutions since 2000. They provide local and long-distance voice connections and IP telephony.

Virtual number plans: KDDI’s Japan phone plans include

  • Registration fee ¥2,000 ($)
  • Dial-in registration fee ¥1,000 ($)
  • Business Call Direct fee ¥10,000 ($)
  • Basic monthly fee ¥600 ($)
  • Plus equipment rental costs and additional calling charges

Features included:

  • Dial-in services
  • Call rejection
  • International calling

4. NTT DoCoMo

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) DoCoMo is a Japanese telecommunications company offering voice communication tools to users in Japan.

Virtual number plans: DoCoMo’s phone plans include

  • An initial cost of ¥1,000 ($6.88) – ¥2,000 ($13.77)
  • Monthly cost of ¥900 ($6.19) – ¥5,000 ($34.42)

5. SoftBank

Among other things, SoftBank offers broadband, fixed-line telecom, and internet services. You can get different phone plans for personal and business use.

Virtual number plans: SoftBank’s Japan business phone plans range from ¥400/contract line ($2.75) to ¥1,400/contract line ($9.64). VoIP gateway’s monthly charge ranges from ¥500/equipment ($3.44) to ¥5,000/equipment ($34.42).

Get Japan Virtual Numbers Today!

We at United World Telecom can help you get Japan virtual numbers for your business with quick installation and fast activation. Sign up on our website today or call us to get started!