Communication is one of the most important things when it comes to the success of a business. It is the only way businesses connect with their existing and prospective customers, business partners, and employees.
There are many communication tools out there, with telephones standing as one of the most important and powerful methods of connecting with clients. In addition to personal engagement in offices or stores, emails, and the internet in general, phone calls play an important role in dictating how business is conducted. The best part is that businesses don't need to be physically present in the country where they operate. For example if you want to start a business abroad, it makes sense to have a local number to call your clients as if you were there. For this, you can simply opt for a virtual phone system. Virtual phone systems do not have a dedicated telephone line. Incoming calls are forwarded directly to a pre-set number via fixed landlines, mobile networks, or VoIP networks. Your virtual cell phone number serves as a gateway between traditional phone calls and VoIP. Virtual phone number prices vary depending on the country, but they typically start at $10 with providers like EasyRinger. There are no limits on how many numbers your account can support, making this a great choice when it comes to business communication.
Looking at both inbound and outbound calls, businesses can easily manage outbound calls since they can schedule them at the most convenient time. Inbound calls, on the other hand, are unpredictable. Fortunately, businesses can follow these tips and use some tools to effectively manage their business phone calls;
Get a Local Phone Number
Getting a local phone number is one of the best ways of creating a local presence for businesses. It does not matter where you are running your operations from, the most important thing is to connect with your customers in their location.
For instance, you might be running your operations from London but targeting customers in Texas. You should make sure that you have obtained a phone number in Texas to connect with customers in that location.
This way, your customers will find it easy to associate with your customers. They will also identify with the business and feel like they are doing business with one of their own. This way, you will manage your business phone calls effectively.
Keep a Record of Your Customers
Sometimes, you will have customers calling you for the second time. These are repeat calls. You should make sure that by the time they are calling you for the second time, you have a record of their names, the reason for the call, and any other information relevant to the client.
This means that when a customer calls you for the first time, you make sure that you have kept a record of their basic information. This might include things like the reason for the call, company name, address, and of course, their name.
Save the details in a centralized location where all your call representatives have access. This is to make sure that even if a different representative picks up the call next time, they have the customer information at their fingertips.
Reduce or Eliminate Waiting Times
Did you know that you can create a positive impact on the side of your customers if you reduce or eliminate call waiting times? Well, doing this creates an impression that your business is not only keen but also ready to help its customers.
This will also reflect on the number of sales of your products or services. In addition to answering the call quickly, you also need to make sure that your representatives understand the importance of an assuring and confident tone.
Sometimes, you might have to hold your callers - the customers - on the line before they are transferred to another line. If this is how your business operates, then make sure that your customers do not stay on the line for long before they are transferred.
Be Accessible all the Time
You might get to a point where your business is growing and you need to adapt to the changes. As it grows, the number of customers grows, translating to an increasing number of business phone calls.
This means that you might be forced to use more than a single phone number to keep up with the high number of calls. This way, you will be giving your customers several options in case they are not able to reach you on one of the phone numbers.
Fortunately, this is easy to achieve. You can use the VoIP system to create several virtual numbers for your business. With this, you can receive phone calls even when you are not in the office.
Use the Right Tools
Finally, apart from following the tips discussed above, you need to make sure that you are using the right tools for the management of your business calls. These tools are essential in helping your representatives handle all business calls smoothly.
To get started, make sure that your company has invested in devices and phones that are easy to use and user-friendly. For instance, a virtual phone system comes with features and tools that simplify the whole process.
As a business owner, you need to make sure that you are not losing customers due to poor customer service. With these tips and the right tools, you are going to see your business grow while at the same time managing your business calls effectively.
