When choosing a business phone number for your company, you will come across a few different phone number options — local, toll-free, mobile, and national number. Picking the right type of phone number determines how easy it will be for local and global customers to connect and interact with your business.
Here we will discuss what national numbers are, how they work, and their benefits.
Understanding National Phone Numbers
National phone numbers are a type of international virtual phone number that lets businesses connect with people in different countries. You can get a national number for a target country and allow locals to communicate with you at low and reasonable rates, instead of high long-distance charges.
A national phone number is a premium international phone number from specific countries around the world. These numbers are assigned to the country as a whole instead of specific local cities or states. Because of this, a country’s national number is associated with the country and reachable from any part of the world.
How Do National Numbers Work?
National numbers are called shared cost numbers because the cost of a call is shared between the caller (customer) and the receiver (business). This means that customers within the target country can call your company for low local calling rates, even if your business is outside the country.
While the cost of these numbers is higher than regular numbers, the overcall call rates are lower since the costs are shared.
Additionally, your business or teams do not have to be present in the country to use its national number. You can forward incoming calls to your main office or satellite offices located elsewhere.
Who Uses National Numbers?
Any business preparing to expand to new countries or regions can use a national number to make it easy to communicate with customers. But how? Customers in that country recognize the number as a local number and know that the cost to call is low. This encourages them to reach out to your business for sales or support reasons.
You can display your national number as the local caller ID when making calls to customers in the country. Since they recognize the number as a local one, they are more likely to answer your call.
And so, if you have customers and interested prospects in a neighboring country, then you will find national numbers useful.
Different countries have different formats for their national numbers. However, generally, the national number format includes the country code, trunk prefix (0 – if applicable), city or state area code, and the subscriber number:
(+ country code) + (0) + (national code) + SN.
Easier documentation required to acquire the numbers
Easy for global customers to contact your company
Wide variety of call management features.
How to Buy National Phone Numbers
Global Call Forwarding offers national numbers from a wide range of countries. You can browse through our inventory on our Pricing page and buy national numbers as needed.
You can also buy national numbers in bulk for multiple target countries. Start by purchasing the first number and setting up your account. Once you are connected with a dedicated account manager, you can let them know about your additional needs, and they’ll get you set up!
Buy National Numbers
Ready to buy new numbers today or want to simply learn more? Chat with experts online or call us at +1 (561) 908-6171 to get custom voice solutions for your business.
Between video calls, live chat, and automated customer service solutions, the office desk phone seems less of a requirement within your office setup. This begs the question: Can we do without the desk phone? The short answer: yes, if you want to.
Are Office Desk Phones Still a Thing?
It was commonplace to see an office desk phone on every employee’s desk. After all, that was the primary form of communication for the longest time — whether for internal communication or sales or customer support.
But slowly, we’ve found new solutions to replace traditional office phones—internal chat, email, live chat and customer chat solutions.
So, what is leading to the death of the office desk phone?
1. The Rise of Cloud Communication
The main reason desk phones are becoming obsolete is the growing popularity of cloud computing and cloud telephony. With these solutions, users can use the internet to connect with teammates and customers; this generally includes email, chat, and video conferencing.
One of the main reasons to transition to cloud communication is the ability to communicate from any location and device. And as remote working and telecommuting become the norm, cloud communications make it possible for teams to stay connected no matter where they are located. In other words, they do not need to be attached to an office desk phone.
2. Diverse Communication Options
Communication technology has come a long way since its advent. We now have several advanced and diverse ways of communicating with people near and far—chat, messengers, voice calls, video calls, conferencing, and email.
With these options, your business can open up new channels of contact with customers and business partners spread across the globe. Voice, text, and video communication over the internet has increased drastically with the introduction of apps like Google Chat and Meet, Video Conferencing, and more. We are no longer limited to one geographic location or device.
3. Softphones Over SIP and VoIP
A softphone (or web phone) is a software-based communication app that lets users make and receive calls over the internet and from any device. In other words, you can make business calls from your computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. This means that you do not need an additional office desk phone to make business calls. Simply download the softphone on any device and use it along with your VoIP phone service.
PSTN replacement services allow you to replace your public switched telephone network (PSTN) with alternative IP-based solutions instead. Companies may choose to do this for a variety of reasons:
Upgrade office phone system to a more reliable one
Add global voice coverage through a stable and global network
Increasing scalability and flexibility
A PSTN replacement brings cloud calling to your business phone system without needing a total makeover or purchase of additional equipment. Want to learn more? Check out our PSTN replacement guide.
A New Era for Office Communications
You don’t have to give up your office desk phone if you don’t want to. But when updating your phone system, you might find it more convenient to have all communication-related services within one device. And a cloud phone system lets you do just that.
Want to learn more about upgrading legacy systems and bringing cloud communications to your office phone system? Speak with our telecom experts. We’re here to help you find the right tools and features to communicate effectively with teammates and customers, no matter where everyone is located. Chat with us online or call us at 1-888-908-6171 today!
Well-designed and efficient calls flows can help your business offer uninterrupted and reliable service when your customers need it the most. We’ve put together 6 call flow templates and examples to help you understand the different ways your business can manage incoming calls.
A call flow is a map of what happens to a customer call made to your business phone system. In other words, when a customer calls your business, how does the call move within the system? You want calls to move in an efficient way that helps the customer. This means fewer interruptions, less wait times, and accurate routing.
The purpose of call flows: to help the customers resolve their questions or queries quickly and in the easiest way possible.
It is important to pay attention to how calls flow within your business so that you can improve caller experience and provide better customer service to your customers.
What to Keep in Mind When Creating Custom Call Flows
How you set up your call flows depends on why people call your business. So, before you get started, you need to first identify what callers need from your business and how you intend to offer that.
Most call flows are simple and follow a standard structure. For example, if you have customers calling only for customer support, then your call flow is simple:
But if you have people calling for different reasons, you might need to create an IVR menu with options and a flow for each option:
A call coming into your business can move down different routes based on what your caller needs and what your business wants to provide over the phone. Here is an example of some call flow options available:
1.
The caller dials the number
2.
Caller hears a welcome greeting. ▾
Caller immediately connects with a person (receptionist). ▾
All lines are busy ▾
3.
The IVR menu offers options for caller input
Caller connects with the receptionist or available agent.
Caller needs to be transferred to the right person or department
Callers questions are answered
Caller is routed to voicemail
4.
Caller chooses an option and the call is routed to the desired department or agent.
Callers questions are answered
Callers questions are answered
End of call
5.
Callers questions are answered
End of call
End of call
6.
End of call
But this structure may be limiting for companies with more complicated communication systems, such as international companies and businesses with remote, distributed teams.
However, advanced cloud telephony tools and call routing techniques give businesses more options and flexibility to improve caller experience. These features let you add different call flow and routing rules to a business phone line so you can help callers reach the right department sooner.
You can use a call flow builder to control better how calls flow within your system.
6 Call Flow Templates to Help You Set Up Your Business Communication System
As we mentioned earlier, how you set up your call flows determines how customers interact with your business, which in turn improves customer satisfaction rates.
Let’s look at 6 call flow templates that can help with efficient call management:
Standard call flows
IVR user menu
Time-based routing
Geographic call routing
Holiday call routing
Advanced routing systems
1. Standard Call Flows
A standard call flow is a basic, simple, and straightforward flow structure. Here, your business may only have one business phone number and want to use phone support for customer service and sales.
You can set up the call flow to send the caller to either your main office or customer support center, where they interact with an agent. You may also only need someone to transfer the caller to the right department within the company. And if your teams are busy, you can set a backup that sends the caller to your voicemail box.
Use cases: Companies with small in-house and in-office teams (solopreneurs, start-ups) or small-to-medium-sized businesses.
2. IVR / Voice Menu
If you have to route calls to 2 or more departments and across locations, then you will need a more complex call flow with an IVR menu. An IVR system is an automated interactive voice response system that answers the call, welcomes the callers, determines the purpose of the call, and transfers them to the appropriate department or person.
You can set up the call flow to start with the IVR greeting, followed by menu options such as press 1 for sales, press 2 for customer support, and so on. Then, based on the caller’s input (the number they press), they will branch out into the next part of the call flow.
In the below example, the IVR call flow is set up as:
To make appointments, press 1 > send call to the main office > if call fails to connect (line is busy), send calls to remote office as per time of day (TOD) routing rules
For customer service, press 2 > send call to offshore call center
For company hours and location information, press 3 > play pre-recorded message (announcement) with updated hours and location
To leave a voicemail, press 4 > play pre-recorded voicemail message (after-hours message) and send voicemail to designated email.
This way, callers can choose the help they need, and be transferred to the right person or message.
Use cases: Companies with global customers or local and remote teams spread across different locations.
3. Time-Based Routing
Businesses that have customers and teams spread across different locations and time zones will need to route calls from one location to the other effectively. These businesses might have different phone numbers for the countries or regions where they offer services and support. And you do not want your customers calling the wrong number or calling during off-hours and not getting support.
This is where time-based routing (also known as time of day routing) comes into play. You can use time-based routing to route calls to different locations and numbers based on the time the call comes in. Let’s work this through an example:
Your company’s main customer service is located in the US in the Eastern Standard Time EST (GMT-4). But you have customers in other US time zones such as Central Standard Time CST (GMT-5), Mountain Standard Time MST (GMT-7), and Pacific Standard Time PST (GMT-7).
If customers from these time zones call during their business hours, your customer service team might receive calls outside of their working hours. What happens to these calls? You have a couple of options. You can hire remote agents who handle calls made during off-hours. You can then forward incoming calls during those times to your remote agent list. Or, you can send those calls straight to voicemail with a message “Sorry, we’re closed for today but please leave a voicemail and we will get back to you soon.”
This way, customers calling at any time can still get some form of support.
Use cases: Companies with global customers or local and remote teams spread across different locations.
4. Caller ID Routing / Geographic Call Routing
Caller ID routing (also known as geographic call routing, location-based routing, and geo-routing) routes calls based on the caller’s location and caller ID. Businesses with global coverage will find this feature and call flow template helpful in organizing their calls effectively.
With caller ID routing, you can decide what happens to customers calling from specific countries, cities, or regions. In the below example, we demonstrate what happens to calls coming in from different countries:
Calls with an Indian caller ID (dialing code +91) > send the calls to the APAC office
Calls with an Australian caller ID (dialing code +61) > send the calls to the Australian office
Calls with an UK caller ID (dialing code +44) > send the calls to the UK office
Calls with an US caller ID (dialing code +1) > send the calls to the US office
And for all calls, if the call fails to connect (i.e. lines or agents are busy), we play a pre-recorded voicemail message (after-hours / busy message) and send voicemail to the team’s email.
This way, callers get support in a time zone and even language they prefer.
Use cases: Companies with global customers or local and remote teams spread across different locations.
5. Holiday Schedules and Routing
Holiday call routing lets your business create holiday schedules and call flows. In other words, you decide what happens to your calls when your teams are on holiday. This can be national holidays observed by countries or a particular employee’s vacation.
Each provider has this set up differently. With Global Call Forwarding, you start by creating holiday lists and schedules where you want specific call routing rules to apply. Then, you use our time of day routing feature, to decide what happens to calls within that particular holiday list.
In the below example, we create two holiday lists:
Summer hours (specific hours during specific time of the year)
National holidays (US-based national holidays).
Then, we decide what happens to the calls that come during the summer hours or national holidays. We can either route calls to:
Remote offices open during the summer hours
Agents in other countries who do not observe national holidays
Pre-recorded voice message informing them about the online knowledge base or support center
Voicemail
With this call flow, customers who need help even during a holiday can quickly get the support they need.
Use cases: Companies with global customers or local and remote teams spread across different locations.
6. Advanced Routing Systems
You can add advanced routing features to any of the above call flows. These features work alongside hunt groups or call groups. In other words, you can decide what happens once a call connects to a particular department or group.
You start with creating a group or list for each team or department — separate groups for each department or remote teams. Each group will have a series of numbers or phone lines, both in-house and remote. And then, you set call forwarding rules for that team.
Here are the top advanced call routing solutions:
Sequential call flows — Incoming calls move down a predetermined list of available agents or employees. Every new call starts from the top of the line.
Round robin — Incoming calls also move down a predetermined list but every new call goes to the next person in line.
Simultaneous ring — Incoming calls ring on multiple phones and lines, which is everyone within a hunt group.
Adding these routing rules will help your teams manage incoming calls effectively and provide support quickly and accurately.
Improve Call Management with Call Flows
Ready to think about your business’ call flows and where you can improve call management? Start here! Global Call Forwarding has a call flow builder tool that can help you visualize and design realistic call flows (simple or complicated) to support your virtual phone system. Speak with our representatives or chat with them online to learn more!
The type of business phone number(s) your business uses determines how easy it is for customers to connect and interact with your sales and customer service teams. And there is a wide variety of phone number types to choose from.
Here we compare geographic versus non-geographic numbers, so you have a better idea of what type of number(s) your business needs.
Understanding the Difference Between Geographic and Non-Geographic Numbers
Both geographic and non-geographic numbers are associated with the country they are assigned to. Each country has a variety of geographic and non-geographic phone numbers within its numbering system. These numbers start with specific codes, followed by the subscriber number.
Your business can use these numbers to connect with local customers and vendors within a country, even if your headquarters and teams are located outside the country. A cloud phone service provider like Global Call Forwarding offers cloud-based phone numbers to help companies connect with customers in different countries. And, you can route incoming calls from these numbers to your main office or satellite offices located anywhere globally.
So the question is: Geographic versus non-geographic, which is right for your business?
What are Geographic Numbers?
Geographic phone numbers are local numbers with designated local area codes. These numbers are part of a country’s internal numbering system and are recognizable by locals.
Costs: Calls to these numbers are charged local calling rates. Cost depends on where the call is made from/to.
Coverage: Geographic numbers can receive calls from within and outside the country, making them a suitable regional contact number (i.e., customers in neighboring countries can call these numbers)
Distinction: Geographic phone numbers have specific local area codes for each city or state.
Accessible from anywhere within the country and neighboring countries.
What are Non-Geographic Numbers?
Non-geographic phone numbers are tied to the country as a whole instead of specific cities or states. In other words, you can use this one number to answer calls from anywhere in the country. These virtual numbers are also reachable from anywhere in the world.
Costs: Costs shared between the caller and the number subscriber
Coverage: Non-geographic numbers are generally accessible country-wide and reachable from mobile phones and payphones anywhere in the world. These numbers can be dialed from other countries.
Distinction: Non-geographic phone numbers have specific national codes assigned to the country.
So, what type of business phone number is right for your business?
Both geographic and non-geographic numbers benefit businesses that want a better communication channel with their customers in different parts of the world. You can purchase local or national numbers in bulk and use them for multiple target countries. But what number you need depends on what your business does, who your target audience is, and your international expansion strategies.
1. Comfort of local numbers
Many companies prefer the comfort and convenience of local geographic numbers because they make your business appear as a local one. Customers might think your business is located within the same or neighboring city/state and can offer quick support.
Plus, local numbers cost regular local rates, which are often low. In fact, in some countries, local calls might even be free to call from landlines and mobiles since they count as inclusive minutes in a phone plan.
2. Limitations of a local prefix
One main limitation of a geographic number is that customers may mistake your business for operating only in one area; that is, the area of your area code. Depending on the distance, this may deter some customers from interacting with your business.
3. National presence of national numbers
National prefixes are also recognizable as a local number, establishing a national presence for your business. Customers are less likely to ignore a number they recognize than a prefix they don’t. A non-geographic number works as a central national phone number that does not need to be changed if your business relocates.
4. Easy-to-work-with documentation for non-geographic numbers
One of the main reasons some companies prefer non-geographic numbers over geographic ones is that they cannot provide the required local documentation to activate their number. For every number you purchase, you will need to provide documentation (personal or governmental ID, proof of business address, etc.). Depending on how your business is set up, you may or may not fulfill all the requirements. But national numbers have relatively easier documentation requirements that work better for most companies.
5. Using both number types
One possible solution is to have both geographic and non-geographic numbers and forward all incoming calls to your main office (or wherever you need them). This way, you can have that national presence and make customers in specific regions feel more comfortable using a local number to call your business.
Choosing the Right Type of Business Phone Numbers
To choose the right phone number for your business, you need to first identify your needs. What do you want to achieve with these numbers? What kind of coverage would your particular business benefit from? Our experts at Global Call Forwarding can help you determine the best cloud telephony solutions for your communications needs. Chat with us online or call us at +1 (561) 908-6171!
Looking for a new business call forwarding service? While there are many call forwarding services in the market, you need to choose one that meets your communications needs and fits your IT budget.
Here we compare 11 best call forwarding services, so you know where to start when choosing a provider in 2024.
Choosing the Right Call Forwarding Service
Call forwarding is a cloud telephony solution that lets users automatically forward incoming calls to a different number, phone line, or location of choice. This enables employees and distributed teams to answer calls from any location or device and stay connected.
Call forwarding services give businesses the ability to communicate across geographical borders while expanding their reach and connecting with new customers.
What to Look for Business Call Forwarding Services
Choosing a call forwarding service can prove tricky when you are not entirely familiar with how the service works and what makes it reliable.
So, what makes a good business call forwarding service? Here are the top forwarding features to look for in your new call forwarding provider:
Note that most call forwarding features come free within a plan. So, watch for providers that attempt to charge highly for basic forwarding features.
How to Compare Best Call Forwarding Services
Since there are many call forwarding services out there, you need a system to determine which one works best for your business communication needs. When comparing the best call forwarding services for small business, consider the following:
Geographical coverage: If you have teams and customers in different locations, you need to ensure your service provider has reliable coverage and geographical numbers in those areas.
Pricing and subscription: Monthly fee for your number (if buying a new number) and forwarding service. This may include monthly calling minutes or talk time.
Forwarding rates: This is the additional rate per minute for forwarding a call. It is not included in your monthly calling minutes and is typically a small additional charge.
Feature set: The suite of features and tools offered.
Setup fees: Additional charges to set up your forwarding system.
11 Best Call Forwarding Services for Business
Here we list the 11 best call forwarding services for businesses with information about features and pricing so that you can make an informed decision:
Global Call Forwarding
Grasshopper
GoTo
Talkdesk
Google Voice
Dialpad
Freedomvoice
Talkroute
Ringcentral
Numberbarn
800.com
*Note: Costs mentioned in this article are current at the time of publishing and may be subject to changes.
1. Global Call Forwarding
Global Call Forwarding is the best call forwarding service provider in 2023.
The company has been in business since 1996 with thousands of satisfied long-term clients. Users can set up call forwarding and a suite of features with any of our virtual phone number plans. In addition, all corporate clients are assigned dedicated account reps with customers success managers and access to 24/7 live tech support.
Features
Call forwarding
Advanced routing
Time-based routing
Geographic routing
Sequential forwarding
Simultaneous ring
Holiday call routing
Call flow builder and IVR manager
Call masking and caller ID management
Business phone numbers
Local and international toll-free service
Inbound call management
Advanced cloud IVR and ACD
Softphone mobile and desktop app, and more
Pricing
Toll-free numbers starting at $12.95/month
Local phone numbers starting at $7.95/month
2. Grasshopper
You can get call forwarding from Grasshopper when you subscribe to one of their business phone service plans. With call forwarding, you can route incoming calls to multiple phones or lines as needed.
Features
Call forwarding
Simultaneous call handling
Mobile and desktop apps
Business phone numbers
Business texting
VoIP calling
Virtual fax
Voicemail
Extensions
Custom greetings
Call transfers
Reporting, and more
Pricing
Solo — $29/month — 1 phone number and 3 extensions
Partner — $49/month — 3 phone numbers and 6 extensions
Small Business — $89/month — 5 phone numbers and unlimited extensions
Additional phone numbers can be added, post-purchase, for $10/month each
3. GoTo Connect
GoTo Connect offers call forwarding as a part of its unified business phone solution. Their cloud phone system comes with built-in voice, chat, and video conferencing functionality. You can forward calls from one device to another or one line to another, as needed, with their call forwarding and routing capabilities.
Features
Call forwarding
Smart call routing
Existing number porting
Local, toll-free, and vanity numbers
Unlimited extensions
Auto-attendant recorded greetings
Customizable dial plans
Ring groups
Call queues
Voicemail to email, and more
Pricing
Basic — $24/user/month
Standard — $26/user/month
Premium — $39/user/month
4. Talkdesk
Talkdesk offers call forwarding within its AI-powered contact center solution, along with other features and tools. Talkdesk’s solutions focus on creating better customer experiences through communication. To take advantage of their call forwarding service, you will need to subscribe to one of their CX solutions.
Features
Forward-to-phone
Automatic call distributor
No answer call forwarding
IVR
Click-to-call
Call monitoring and barging
Local caller ID, and more
Pricing
CX Cloud Essentials — $75/user/month
CX Cloud Elevate — $95/user/month
CX Cloud Elite — $125/user/month
Experience Clouds — Request quote
5. Google Voice
Google Voice offers call forwarding as part of their voice and phone solutions for individuals and businesses. For businesses, Google Voice is built for Google Workspace, giving you a wholesome business communication platform.
Features
Call forwarding
Free calling
Unlimited SMS in US
Google Fi compatible
Google apps integration
Ring groups, and more
Pricing
Starter — $10/user/month
Standard — $20/user/month
Premier — $30/user/month
6. Dialpad
Dialpad provides customers with a full-fledged business communications solution that includes calling, messaging, and meeting features. They offer call forwarding and other call controls within each communication plan. You can try their service for free with a 14-day trial.
Features
Call routing
Call summaries
IVR
Department lines
Device switching
Call transfer
Built-in messaging
App integrations, and more
Pricing
Standard — $15/user/month
Pro — $25/user/month
Enterprise — Contact for quote
7. FreedomVoice
FreedomVoice is a professional forwarding number service that forwards incoming calls to any device(s) as needed. They have a free mobile app that lets users make and receive business calls and check business messages on the go.
Features
Call forward to multiple phones
One at a time
Rotating for each new call
Simultaneously ring
Business phone numbers
Auto-attendant
Voicemail and fax
Mobile app
Caller ID
VoIP number porting
Text messaging
Unlimited extensions
Call queue and rotation
Ring groups, and more
Pricing
Starting at $9.95/month
8. Talkroute
Talkroute brings you call forwarding and routing with each of their business phone service plans. You can sign up one their website or choose an alternative.
Features
Call forwarding and routing
Simultaneous ring
Scheduled call forwarding
Business phone numbers
Unlimited calling
Call menu
Cloud call recording
Reporting
Voice studio
Text messaging, and more
Pricing
Basic — $19/month for 1 user; $5 per additional user
Plus — $39/month for 3 users;
Pro — $59/month
Enterprise — Contact for quote
9. RingCentral
RingCentral offers voice, video, and contact center solutions to help businesses improve how they communicate with their customers. They include advanced call forwarding as part of their RingCentral MVP (messaging, video, and phone) package.
Features
Advanced call forwarding
Route calls based on day, time, caller ID
Sequential or simultaneous forwarding
Multi-level IVR
Business phone numbers
Call recording
Unlimited fax
Team messaging
Call log reports, and more
Pricing
Essentials — $19.99/user/month
Standard — $27.99/user/month
Premium — $34.99/user/month
Ultimate — $59.99/user/month
10. NumberBarn
Numberbarn lets you forward calls to any phone number, whether landline or mobile. You can transfer your existing number to their service or get a new forwarding number.
Features
Call forwarding
Vanity numbers
Text messaging
Auto-attendant
Call blocking
Outbound calling, and more
Pricing
Forward — $6/number/month for 300 minutes
Unlimited Forwarding — $19/number/month for unlimited minutes
Port in fee $5
New numbers start at $5 per number
11. 800.com
800.com provides toll-free numbers that can forward calls to cell phones, landlines, and other lines. You can use these features along with top call management features features to improve caller experience.
Features
Call forwarding
Call blocking
Voicemail to email
Call notes
Call recording
Reports (call and fax)
Caller ID, and more
Pricing
Personal — $23/month for 1000 minutes and 1 toll-free number
Unlimited — $59/month for unlimited minutes and 1 toll-free number
Pro — $239/month for unlimited seats (includes 5000 minutes) for 5 toll-free numbers
Choosing Global Call Forwarding
Part of reviewing best call forwarding services is to reach out to their teams and understand how exactly they can help your business run efficiently. To learn more about the international call forwarding service offered by Global Call Forwarding, speak with our experts today! Call us at +1 (561) 908-6171 or chat with us online.
As a business, one of your primary goals is to make people comfortable with your products and services, staff, and company. And part of creating that environment of comfort and reliability is making it easy for them to connect with you.
This is why it is crucial to effectively manage incoming calls. A caller waiting in line for an hour or lost within an automated menu will lead to a disgruntled and unsatisfied customer. And your business cannot afford that.
You can avoid this by preparing for it. How? Create custom and efficient call flows to help callers move down the call flow process and arrive at the right destination.
Understanding Your Business’ Call Flow
Taking time to understand your business’ call flow can help you manage incoming calls more smoothly and improve caller experience. But how?
First, let’s start with: What is a call flow?
A call flow is a map or diagram of how incoming calls will be managed once they enter your business phone system. In other words, a call flow details what happens when a customer or prospect calls your business and how they move down the call process to the right person for assistance.
This process or flow varies based on what options a business wants to offer its callers. For example, are people calling only for customer support, or are they looking for more departments? Do you have multiple offices to route calls to? Do you need to route phone calls based on the caller’s location?
A call flow can help you map out the most effective way calls should move within the system so that your callers have the best experience.
What is the Purpose of a Call Flow?
The main purpose of designing a call flow is to manage incoming calls effectively by helping callers reach the right individual or department and get assistance quickly.
Customers calling a business do not want to be waiting in a call queue for a long time, and they definitely do not want to be bounced around from one department to another to resolve an issue. They want quick service with accurate information. It is your responsibility, as a business, to have the right tools in place to give them this uninterrupted and reliable service.
Mapping out your call flows will help you create an efficient call management system that works for both your business and your customers.
What Does a Call Flow Contain?
A call flow contains a variety of actions and interactions that decide how a call is handled. A call flow builder (cloud telephony feature) will let you control these actions and triggers so that you can create custom call flows for different business numbers and lines. Most call flows contain the following actions and interactions:
Announcements
Automated and attended call transfers
IVR menus
Advanced routing features
Send calls to voicemail
Send faxes to emails, etc.
You can use these different call flow features and triggers to design call flows that let your business offer reliable customer service, no matter where your teams or customers are located.
When you start to design a call flow, you need to consider the following steps to determine how calls will move within your phone system:
Different phone numbers and lines involved
What happens when the line connects? Will callers hear an announcement or welcome message or an IVR menu with input options for different departments and scenarios?
What will the caller be required to do after the welcome message or IVR message?
Which options will be made available to the caller? Examples: speak with an employee, verify identity, activate/renew a service, leave a voicemail, etc.
Do you need any advanced routing systems in place? Geo-routing, time-based routing, round robin call routing, etc.
What departments will be included in the call flow? And what happens if the caller needs a department not listed or if they enter the wrong number?
What should happen if one of the options or triggers fails? Example: What if the desired team is busy and no one answers the phone for 5 minutes?
Here’s an example of steps included in a call flow:
Not sure where to start? Check out these call flow templates before you start mapping your own call flows.
Building Call Flows to enhance Caller Experience
Use the Global Call Forwarding call flow designer and IVR manager to create custom call flows for your virtual phone system. We provide this feature for free with our cloud phone number plans. Browse through our features or speak with our experts to learn more! Call us at +1 (561) 908-6171 or chat with us online.
Phone number masking is a popular cloud communication feature being used by companies around the world for various reasons. In this post, we will go through different examples of number masking in use. In other words, how are companies using this service, and how do they benefit from it?
But first, we need to understand what number masking is and how it works.
Let’s dive in.
What is Number Masking?
Number masking, also known as call masking, is a VoIP feature that allows you to hide or “mask” your phone number. You can choose to completely hide the number from displaying on caller IDs or replace it with a different number, which is called caller ID override.
How Does a Number Masking Solution Work?
Once subscribed to a cloud phone service provider, you can set up call masking within their features. This will let you hide or display another phone number in place of your original or personal number. Then, when you call someone, they will see your masked number and won’t be privy to the actual number.
You can get a call masking service from a cloud phone number provider like Global Call Forwarding that has the capability to hide or display specific phone numbers.
If you have a phone number plan with Global Call Forwarding, you can update your caller ID and use call masking in all three ways mentioned above.
Note: FCC rules prohibit anyone from using phone number masking with the intent to defraud, cause harm or wrongly obtain anything of value. We reserve the right to cooperate with legal authorities and/or injured third parties in the investigation of any suspected crime or civil wrong.
Who Uses Masked Numbers? Use Cases
Why use a masked number? From individuals to businesses, many different users would want to mask their number and avoid displaying their original phone number. Here are some use cases of number masking:
1. Remote Teams
Number masking comes in handy when your employees work remotely and need to make customer calls from their own phones. By masking their phone number, they can protect their personal information and make calls from the business number instead. This way, they appear professional and maintain credibility when calling customers.
2. Global Reach
Like with remote teams, global teams can use call masking when placing calls to customers in different regions and countries. Here, instead of hiding the number, they can show a local phone number that your business owns for a particular region or country. For example, an employee in the US calling a customer in Mexico can override the caller ID to display a local Mexico phone number instead of their personal US number. Customers are more likely to answer when they see calls coming from a local caller ID.
3. Vendor-Buyer Interactions
When managing vendor and buyer interactions — such as with a delivery service or online marketplace — it is essential to track leads and maintain excellent customer service. And part of this is facilitating vendor-buyer relationships in a comfortable and secure manner.
Masking the phone numbers of your vendors and customers ensures their privacy and protection. They can contact each other during the time of the order and not outside of that. This makes sure no one is bothered on their personal line outside of the business interaction.
You can use number masking to manage vendor-buyer interactions and driver-customer communication. Some common examples for where number masking proves helpful:
Ride sharing apps like Uber, Lyft
Delivery services like Doordash, Uber Eats, FedEX
Online marketplaces like Etsy, Amazon
Pet sitting like Rover, Spruce
Other services like TaskRabbit, ChoreRelief
Number Masking Solution from Global Call Forwarding
You can get phone number masking with our Outbound Calling software. Simply add this service to your existing phone plan or purchase a phone plan with us.
Check our pricing page for more details, or talk to an expert today!
Many network infrastructure professionals wonder if the PSTN is still relevant in 2024.
Some modern organizations have already replaced the PSTN altogether with alternative IP-based solutions. This is known as a PSTN replacement. The service has major benefits, including:
But what exactly is the PSTN and how can replacing it help your business?
What Is the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network)?
Before diving into PSTN replacement services and how these solutions work, it’s important to understand what the PSTN is and its purpose past 2024.
PSTN stands for ‘Public Switched Telephone Network.’ It is essentially an aggregate of the world’s circuit-switched telephone networks. The PSTN is based on outdated infrastructure that is mostly being replaced globally.
These copper-based networks around the world are operated by national, regional, and local carriers.
Phasing out the PSTN by 2025
Analysts believe that Europe will have completely replaced the PSTN by 2025. As cloud communications solutions become more cost-effective, reliable, and scalable, the rest of the world is soon to follow suit and replace the PSTN.
To prepare for when public telecom networks become obsolete, modern telecom companies have started helping businesses migrate their voice communications to the cloud.
A PSTN replacement essentially provides reliable cloud calling for a specific country or region.
A full PSTN replacement service should include the following:
Inbound and outbound calling
Local, mobile, toll-free, and national number availability.
number masking for outbound calls.
Access to emergency services such as 911.
Access to in-country toll-free numbers.
Number portability.
DTMF signaling
Global businesses may use a PSTN replacement service or global telephony provider to consolidate their international phone numbers and voice infrastructure into one easy-to-manage portal. This allows them to buy local phone numbers in multiple countries without having to manage contracts with more than one local operator.
Not all features like E911 and DTF are available through most providers.
The PSTN is already being phased out. There is a pressing need for companies to transform their telecom infrastructure and upgrade legacy phone systems.
Meanwhile, cloud telephony through VoIP and SIP has proven benefits compared to the traditional PSTN.
Eliminates the need to set up and manage agreements with local operators.
Saves time spent dealing with legal and contractual agreements.
Unlimited scale; no need for additional technical infrastructure and all its associated costs.
By using a PSTN replacement, companies benefit from a tried and tested global infrastructure with layers of redundancy. Other benefits include network security and uptime.
What Goes into Replacing the PSTN?
Replacing the PSTN might seem like a complex process, but the process is in fact rather simple. You can accomplish the transition in just a few steps.
Choose a reliable provider.
Audit your existing equipment.
Consider the feasibility of a switch.
Once you complete these steps, your business can start implementing the necessary changes.
Two Things to Consider When Choosing a PSTN Alternative
The main two things to consider when choosing an alternative to PSTN are carrier compliance and whether they impose contracts. In general, you should stay away from non-compliant carriers that impose long-term contracts. You want the PSTN replacement service to speak for itself. Having options to switch at any time will put the onus on your carrier to continue offering excellent service.
What’s the Difference Between PSTN and SIP?
PSTN uses copper-based circuit switching networks to deliver calls. On the other hand, SIP (session initiation protocol) uses IP-based protocols to terminate calls. That is the main difference between the two.
Is VoIP/SIP Better than PSTN?
Each service has benefits and drawbacks. In general, modern companies are opting for VoIP/SIP instead of PSTN.
The reasons for doing so are as follows:
SIP is more reliable. It is possible to implement failover options.
Generally, lower costs compared to PSTN.
Greater potential for global expansion and scalability.
Our Global Voice Platform as an Alternative to PSTN
Our global voice network is one of the best options for replacing the PSTN.
We boast a global infrastructure with multiple layers of carrier redundancy. In addition, we have long-lasting partnerships with local and regional operators. These partnerships enable us to offer competitive rates, compliant service, and unmatched flexibility.
Finally, we have been in business for more than 28 years. During this time, we have accumulated extensive experience with VoIP/SIP, PSTN, and other types of business communications. Our solution does not guarantee access to E911 and domestic toll free numbers. In addition, it is not offered as a full service for certain countries around the world.
Talk to one of our experts today and learn more about alternatives to PSTN.
With the wide adoption of cloud computing and technology, companies have enjoyed greater versatility and efficiency by incorporating the cloud into their functionality.
What is cloud telephony? Cloud telephony is a cloud-based phone system that works through your internet connection.
It is a type of unified communications as a service UCaaS that brings all your business communication needs in one place. It lets businesses move their phone service to the cloud with the help of cloud PBX to make the process seamless while providing high-quality voice service.
Other names for cloud telephony include cloud calling, cloud communications, and cloud phone systems. A cloud telephony system consists of:
VoIP phone service — to transmit calls with high quality
Cloud or virtual phone numbers — from various countries globally
Softphones — to convert any device into a business phone
Outbound calling — to make outgoing calls with specific caller IDs
When you choose cloud telephony for your business, you can say goodbye to poor call quality and latency issues, as well as logistical problems such as long-distance fees, service network blockages, network restrictions, and more.
Cloud telephony uses VoIP to transmit calls via the internet. It is not attached to one specific location, making it easy for users to make and receive calls from any location and through any device. By doing so, your business can expand beyond its immediate geographic boundaries and enter new markets cost-effectively.
But what does this look like within your business? You can integrate cloud telephony within your existing system. This means you do not have to purchase new equipment or hardware. In fact, you can even use a softphone on your computer or tablet instead of using desk phones.
The best part about using a cloud phone system is that you can control the service from any location through an online control panel. Here, you will have access to all features and full control over your phone numbers. You can add new numbers or users, make changes, add new rules, and more.
Example of Using Cloud Communications for Business
Suppose you run a business located in the US but want to expand your operations to Singapore. Traditionally, you would decide to set up a local office in Singapore. This could take weeks of preparation: filling out paperwork, hiring local agents to handle licensing and legal matters, investing capital in the country, leasing property, hiring staff, and more.
Alternatively, you can buy Singapore virtual phone numbers with an outbound calling service. This lets you call local customers and businesses with a local caller ID, even when calling from the US. And when you are ready to set up a local office, you can easily expand your cloud telephony system to cover the Singapore office as well. Or, you can operate solely on digital channels.
Benefits of Using a Cloud Telephony Service
What is cloud-based telephony used for? Different types of businesses—SMBs, startups, large enterprises, and individuals —benefit from when using cloud telephony for their business phone service:
Here are 5 reasons why your business should get a cloud telephony service:
Quick and Easy Implementation
Taking Your Business to the Cloud
Expand Globally in a Cost-Effective Way
Access to Advanced Call Management Features
Flexibility for Your Business
1. Quick and Easy Implementation
Since cloud phone systems don’t need additional on-site hardware, you can get it running pretty quickly without technical support or installation. Your cloud telephony provider will take care of most of the implementation, leaving your employees to continue working without any downtime.
2. Taking Your Business to the Cloud
We’ve seen a rise in cloud-based apps and software such as project management systems, HR software, headless CMS, CRMs, phone service, and more. These apps and solutions let us conduct business from any location and device—a boon during the pandemic as most people had to quickly switch to working from home.
And so, your business will miss out if it does not adopt cloud-based business solutions. It is also important to note that cloud-based solutions are often more reliable and secure, making them a good fit for businesses.
3. Expand Globally in a Cost-Effective Way
Cloud communications allow your small-to-medium-sized business to grow globally. You do not have to be physically present in a country to sell products and offer customer service. Simply buy a local or toll free number for that country specifically and route calls to your office located elsewhere. You can do the same with other countries and regions within your expansion plan. Scale your business at your own pace with flexible and advanced phone solutions.
4. Access to Advanced Call Management Features
What makes a cloud communication system worth it is the array of features, services, and add-ons you get to use. Different providers will offer you different feature sets. When choosing a provider, it helps to determine what you need from your cloud telephony system.
For instance: Do you need to automate call routing? Do you need to record all or some calls for customer research purposes? Do you need to override your caller ID when calling internationally?
Here are the top features and services you can get:
Cloud phone numbers (local and toll free numbers)
International call forwarding
Cloud IVR
Advanced call routing (follow the sun routing and geo-routing)
Outbound calling
Cloud contact center solutions
SIP trunking
Call recording
Call masking
View a list of features offered by Global Call Forwarding.
5. Flexibility for Your Business
Switching to the cloud opens up a lot of avenues for a business. Traditionally, entering a new market meant opening a brick-and-mortar store or local office. However, depending on your business model, you might find it cost-effective to run everything virtually. That is, instead of developing a physical presence, you can manage operations from your headquarters, located in another country. And cloud telephony makes it possible to do this.
You can sell your products and services online and ship them internationally. And for customer service, you can direct calls from this new market to your headquarters or a remote agent. This reduces the need to create an expensive and resource-intensive branch office to interact with customers.
Source: Stockphoto.com O#23559 ID#100033099327
How to Choose a Cloud Telephony Provider?
Choosing a global telephony provider for your business’ cloud communications can be tricky. There are many providers out there claiming to offer high-quality service for low rates. But you need to find one that you can rely on and works within your budget.
Here are 7 tips to consider when choosing a cloud telephony provider:
Proven Reliability and Reputation
Service Quality and Certifications
Cost of the Service
Features and Integrations
Contract Lock-In and Migration Support
Customer Support and Account Management
Customer Reviews and Testimonials
1. Proven Reliability and Reputation
The first thing you want to know about your provider is their reliability. Consider these:
How long have they been doing business?
What are customers saying about their service?
What certifications and awards do they have?
Are their employees experts in the industry?
Do they have a proven track record of providing high-quality service?
Dig deep with your research and compare providers to see which one is more reliable.
2. Service Quality and Certifications
High uptime, low downtime, and excellent voice quality are required for any successful cloud phone system. Your cloud phone service provider should provide redundancy and failover forwarding so that you can maintain business continuity, even during a crisis.
Also, look closely at their service level agreement (SLA). This should outline their service objectives, exceptions and exclusions, remediation policies, and so on. To get the most out of your service, you want to choose a provider that promises 99.99% uptime with multiple layers of redundancy.
You may also want to look at their security and industry compliance. Ideally, your new provider will have some of these certifications in place:
HIPAA Compliance: For healthcare service providers.
ISO/IEC 20071: Global standard for security threat responses.
SOC 2 Compliance: Incident response plans to protect privacy and data.
Transport Layer Security (TLS) and Secure Real-time Transport Protocol (SRTP): Enterprise-grade security in every call.
3. Cost of the Service
Next, you want to understand what your service entails and what is included in your bill. In other words, what exactly are you paying for? You want to pick a provider who has transparent pricing with no hidden fees. Look for pricing specifics like:
Type of pricing: Per month / per user per month / per line per month
Number of users on the plan
Monthly vs annual pricing and discounts
Technology and equipment requirements
Flexibility and scalability: Is it easy to change or adjust your plan?
Costs for inbound and outbound calls: For different number types
Additional per minute rate
Cost of additional features, add-ons, and integrations
Other fees: installation or setup fees, mandatory taxes, service fees, cancellation fees, etc.
We offer full transparency on our pricing page, so you know what is and isn’t included in your phone service plan.
4. Features and Integrations
The main reason for choosing a new provider is to have a better business communication system. And so, it is essential that this new provider offers your features and add-ons that help you achieve your goals. Review their features and integrations to see if they make a good fit for your needs.
5. Contract Lock-In and Migration Support
If, for whatever reason, this provider does not satisfy your needs, you do not want to be locked into a long-term contract and struggle to cancel or face any complications when migrating to cloud communications. Review the contract carefully for lock-in clauses and the cancellation policy.
6. Customer Reviews and Testimonials
Customer testimonials and reviews are a great place to gauge how customers like you use this provider’s service and what, if any, problems exist. You can also see how the provider responds to bad reviews and what they do to resolve an issue.
Want to know how our customers use our service? Check out our customer testimonials.
Customer Support and Account Management
Since your phone service is crucial to the successful running of your business, you should be able to get assistance quickly, in case something goes wrong. So, you need to evaluate your provider’s customer support:
Is it fast and responsive?
Do they offer 24/7 support?
Are they available on live chat, email, call?
Do they respond to trouble tickets within 24 hours?
Will you have a dedicated account manager to manage your account?
You can test their customer support during the free trial process or ask about what options they offer beforehand.
Switch to Cloud Telephony with Global Call Forwarding
As you can see, cloud telephony is the future of business communication as remote working becomes more common and companies are looking to expand globally. With a cloud phone system, you can expand and scale while keeping costs low and managing your teams through one central system.
Want to know more about the cloud telephony solution offered at Global Call Forwarding? Book a demo today or chat with our representatives online!
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