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Category: How To’s

What is Average Call Duration? (How to Measure & Optimize)

23rd July 2024 blog
Average call duration guide

Even though digital communication channels are growing, a surprising 65% of potential customers still prefer reaching brands by phone. This makes phone calls a critical touchpoint for businesses. However, lengthy …Read More »

How Healthcare Organizations Use Virtual Numbers (9 Use Cases)

25th June 2024 blog
how healthcare organizations use virtual numbers

A staggering 88% of healthcare appointments are booked by phone, indicating that calling remains the preferred way of scheduling appointments and receiving other assistance. Because of this, healthcare organizations need …Read More »

Offering 24/7 Global Support as a Travel Company

24th June 2024 blog
24/7 customer support for a travel company

Are you in the travel and hospitality business, striving to enhance global support? Imagine offering round-the-clock assistance to your global clientele, leveraging the latest in cloud telephony. Travel companies face …Read More »

Calling the Middle East (Everything You Need to Know)

5th June 2024 blog
Making outbound calls to the Middle East.

If you do business with the Middle East often, you’ll have noticed that certain communication services (like VoIP) and apps (like WhatsApp, Skype, etc) are restricted across GCC regions. This …Read More »

4 Key Problems with Multi-Carrier Phone Services

4th June 2024 blog
4 problems with using multiple carriers for business phone service

Having multiple phone service carriers catering to various global communication needs sounds like a good idea, right? But it is a complex landscape, especially for organizations operating across diverse regions …Read More »

Importance of Reliable Voice Phone Services for Businesses

3rd June 2024 blog
The importance of Reliable Voice Phone Services for Businesses.

In business, where every interaction counts, the role of reliable communication cannot be overstated. At the heart of customer trust lies positive customer experiences, and your business phone service serves …Read More »

Zoiper Softphone Not Working? How To Fix

9th August 2019 How To's

Do you pay for Zoiper softphone for your commercial business to reach local or international clients? Is your Zoiper softphone not working? If so, you’re not alone. Here at Global Call Forwarding, we hear complaints about this type of software all the time. And, we have a solution for business owners who want a better way to do business with a VOIP phone number.

What is Zoiper?

Zoiper is a softphone application. It is a software people can download to make phone calls using a VoIP phone number. Essentially, outbound calling utilizing the internet delivers greater speed, quality connection, and better international calling prices. Initially, software programs operated on desktop computers. However, you can download Zoiper’s application to nearly any device, making it more popular than most VoIP phone service providers.

Benefits of a Softphone Software Application

Certainly, Zoiper is a convenient and easy choice for many business owners to make. This is because this softphone application offers many benefits:

Ease of Use: Many reviews say they like how easy Zoiper is to use. You simply pull up the application on your phone or desktop computer to begin making your outbound calls. The initial startup is a process involving connecting the software system with your current phone systems. It can take a little while, but most people find the Zoiper softphone pretty simple to navigate.

Cutting Costs: Certainly, one of the main reasons to invest in this type of software is to save costs. Because Zoiper uses the internet to place VoIP phone calls, it can help to reduce charges for international calls. You can use local VoIP phone numbers, which are charged at local costs, rather than at international rates. So, especially if your business does plenty of outbound, international calling, some type of VoIP software is relevant to your needs.

Stay Connected: The Zoiper softphone is an application you can download to any smartphone device. And, it pairs your office business phone system with that of your employees’ cell phones (or work-assigned mobile phones). So, when employees are out of the office, they can still receive and make phone calls, becoming virtually reachable anywhere they go! This can improve customer satisfaction and even increase sales as there are more opportunities for closing.

Zoiper Softphone Not Working
Source: Stockphoto.com O#23559 ID#100042598709

Zoiper Softphone Not Working? Common Issues with Zoiper

While this application is certainly a hit, many people have issues with this softphone app. Some of the common complaints include:

General Problems: For whatever reason, sometimes the application just doesn’t work. This can be entirely frustrating, especially if you’re trying to make important business calls and you can’t figure out how to do so.

No Live Support: Experiencing a Zoiper softphone not working? Well, you won’t be able to talk to an actual human being about the issue and resolve it quickly. That’s because the company doesn’t offer live support, which can make your Zoiper smartphone not working an even bigger issue than it already is.

Connectivity Issues: Even when the softphone application opens up and works, many people experience connection issues from their mobile phones to their work phones. This poses a problem as it’s best to have the option to utilize the features that were already paid for in the office like call recording, voicemail, etc.

An Alternative to Zoiper

Is your ZoiPer softphone not working and you’re sick of running into all the issues without a live support department to help? There is an easier way to get and manage a VoIP phone number. At Global Call Forwarding, you can utilize our online platform to buy as many VoIP phone numbers as needed. Whether you need local, international, or toll-free numbers, you can get them accordingly. And, you will still benefit from great pricing so that you save money overall. Plus, you will be able to use a range of great phone line features in accordance. To learn more about getting started with a VoIP phone service that puts its customers first, contact us today!

How to Get a Toll Free Number for KaiOS

2nd August 2019 How To's

KaiOS is an emerging phone software system. It allows people to use smartphone applications in locations where they would otherwise not be able to. With this emerging software comes the need for various calling features that toll free numbers provide. So, how do people with these types of phone systems get a toll free number for KaiOS? In this article, we determine what KaiOS is and its benefits across the world. We will also cover how people with this phone software can benefit from and use toll free numbers for KaiOS.

What is KaiOS?

KaiOS is a phone software system that is intended to help people across the world get the most from their cellular devices. In many countries, smartphones are still not accessible to every person. For example, in India, most people have cell phones that aren’t touch screen and use a standard keypad. Seeing that these individuals don’t have access to internet applications and search accessibility, Google wanted to provide a new software system with the option of uploading onto these phones. So, with a fund of $22 million, the KaiOS software was developed. Since its beginning, the software system has brought more applications to people who would otherwise not be able to access these types of platforms. And, it continues to grow as a leading software system in India and other countries. In these countries, it has even surpassed Apple IOS systems.

The Benefits of a Toll Free Number for KaiOS

This software can be uploaded to outdated and non-smartphones because it doesn’t take nearly as much memory as other software; only 256MB. This means almost anyone who has a phone can download the software to begin using web-focused applications like WhatsApp, even though they don’t own a smartphone device. Plus, it can connect through various connection options like 4G, LTE, and can even process payments using NFC. Additionally, it can pair devices so they may utilize WIFI. It even has the option of being SIM card compatible. Finally, phones downloaded with the KaiOS system are relatively affordable. So, almost anyone can benefit from using the internet on their phones without having to fork over high monthly fees. For example, one KaiOS option in India called the Reliance’s JioPhone costs only around $20.

The Growth of the KaiOS System

Just like other software systems, KaiOS has an application play store that’s built by HTML5. This allows for the building of various applications that can be utilized on this software system. This allows applications to be created and utilized without a high demand for additional resources. Plus, since KoiOS can work across a number of phones like Nokia, Alcatel, and Reliance, their applications can be universally downloaded. So, app builders only have to make one type of application for it to work on any of the types of phones that KaiOS supports.

Toll Free Number for KaiOS
Source: Stockphoto.com O#23559 ID#100071739333

The Applications Used on KaiOS Systems

(PSo, what types of applications can the KaiOS system support? While the same applications we use on our smartphones may not look or act like the same on KaiOS, the basics of these applications are still there. Some examples of applications you’d recognize on both smartphones and phones with KaiOS software may include:

  • Youtube
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google Maps
  • Google Assistant
  • WhatsApp
  • And even some games like Danger Dash

In addition to these applications that you’d recognize, there are some applications built specifically for the KaiOS system. Some of these include weather checking applications and even a QR scanner for help with barcode scanning.

Who Does KaiOS Benefit?

Essentially, this phone software system was developed to get people web-based applications in countries where smartphones still aren’t the norm. But, it can also work well for those who don’t like the functionality of a touch screen. Or, those who simply don’t want to hop on the mainstream smartphone wave. With a toll free number for KaiOS, you get all the regular applications you would use on a smartphone. An additional benefit is a functional device that still offers many conveniences.

Additionally, many people like this type of software for their grandparents or kids. This is because it’s easy to use and regulate for older and younger generations. If you’re worried that your children may spend too much time on their smartphone or that your parent/grandparent may be confused by all the options on a smartphone, a KaiOS phone may be your easiest and most effective solution.

Getting a Toll Free Number for KaiOS Phones

If you do business from a phone that runs off of KaiOS, you may want to take advantage of the features of a toll free number. Virtual phone numbers allow you to make calls from an 800 number. They also ensure that the people you call don’t have to pay a thing. Plus, these numbers are customizable, so you can choose one that is easy to remember and that helps to brand your company.

Choosing Global Call Forwarding for Your Toll Free Numbers

Getting a toll free number on your cellular phone with KaiOS is as easy as giving us a call and getting started today! Choose your telephone number and we’ll route it to your cell phone in minutes! Contact us today if you have additional questions about our toll free numbers for KaiOS phones!

Managing and Motivating a Powerful Sales Team

26th July 2019 How To's

Your sales team is the engine that drives your business to success. So, if you want to maintain a great business or do more business, you need to start with your sales department. Without a properly managed and motivated sales team, your business will have problems closing sales leads and selling your products or services. And, eventually, this may lead to the collapse of your business.

If you’re a sales manager or a part of a sales management team, you know that managing a sales department, employee expectations, and a sales-driven environment can be a challenge. So, you may be looking for tips or tricks to stimulate sales motivation and keep your team driven towards success. You’re probably also aiming to provide the optimal environment for cultivating more closed sales. Fortunately, there are a few tips for managing a team of salespeople you can take advantage of. This way, you can set your team of selling professionals up for success, and your business too! Read on to learn the process of Managing and Motivating a Powerful Sales Team.

Stay Away From too Many Rules

The more you restrict your sales team, the more they may not perform. Salespeople are generally strong-willed and authoritative. So they may not take well to restricting freedom. Rather than set rules for these individuals to follow, try removing obstacles that may be in their way. For example, instead of demanding that your sales team stick to a script, allow them to develop their own verbiage by providing your team with information on creating their own unique sales pitch.

Don’t be a Dictator; Be a Team Player

Rather than demanding things from your sales team, encourage them to perform tasks. While this may be easy to accomplish for meeting daily objectives, it also means finding creative solutions to common office problems. For example, instead of providing one solution to an issue that your team feels they have no choice about, provide several options and let your team choose between them.

Managing Motivating Powerful Sale Team
Source: Stockphoto.com – O#100077798280 ID#100186088462

Recognize Your Team Success

People do best when their hard work is recognized. In fact, for many people, money isn’t even the best motivator. As a sales manager, it’s your job to find out what motivates every person on your team. This way, you can recognize each person in their own way when they’ve had success. Try to incorporate meetings in which the sole purpose is to recognize your top performers for the day, week, or month. And give respect where it’s due to keep your sales team at peace!

Have Your Team do What They Do Best

Not every person on your team of sales professionals will have the same experience, knowledge, or gift of gab. But, each person plays a role in the department to make things happen. So, find out what each person is best at, and let them do their own part. For example, if some people are better at closing incoming leads than others, let them be in charge of the incoming leads. Or, if some people are better at writing sales contracts and filing paperwork, let them do that. Whatever it is that an employee is best at, make sure they understand their role in your department and are motivated to do their tasks the way they know-how.

 Closing: Thinking of Starting Your Own Sales Department?

If you’re looking to start up your own sales-driven business, you’ll need to understand the process of managing and motivating a powerful sales seam. And while understanding these tips to better managing and motivating your team is helpful, you’ll also need the proper tools that will allow your staff to reach for success. At Global Call Forwarding, we offer a number of communication services that can equip your sales business with the technology needed to close sales efficiently and effectively.

Whether you need virtual phone numbers for each employee line, international phone numbers, number parking, outbound VoIP, or Call Me Click services, we can help set up and manage your sales communication needs. To learn more about how we can prepare your sales business for better success, contact us today.

Giving Proper Credit to Employees and Building Trust

16th May 2019 How To's

If customers are the backbone of any successful company, then employees are the foundation. When an employee doesn’t trust the company that they work for, then your company will not succeed. This is why building trust with your team is an important aspect of running your business. Employees do not want to give 100% to a company they do not trust. Your employees may just be giving the bare minimum not to get fired. When an employee likes the company that they work for, you will find that they are acting with more passion and enthusiasm for the job.

Building Trust within your Team

So how do you establish trust with your employees? There are plenty of steps to take to earn the trust of your employees.

1. Establish initial trust with employees
Since managers are in direct communication with their employees, the first step is to be sure that the managers are doing everything they can to establish trust with their employees. Managers can do this by just being honest with their employees. They must be effective communicators who offer help and support. Managers should not only be helpful, but they need to have a friendly and professional relationship with their team. Consider taking your team to lunch once a week to establish a better connection.

2. Engage your employees
The easiest way to get to know your team is to ask them questions. That’s all it takes. Once you open up communication, you can begin building trust in your relationships. If you’re not sure how to establish communication with members of your team, ask them what you can do to be better. Take this feedback and then acknowledge and act upon it.

3. Listen to your team
Now that you are getting good at asking your employees about what they feel and want, you must listen to what your employees are answering. In this regard, you must take a more in-depth look, because more often than not, your employees will sugar-coat things with surface-level conversations. It is your job as the manager to dive deeper into these conversations and find out what it is your employees are too shy to ask for.

Building Trust with your Team
Source: Stockphoto.com O#23559 ID#:100223779788

4. Respect your employees
Don’t try to scare your employees with surprise reviews. If you have something serious to discuss with an employee, let them know that it is coming so they have time to prepare. Schedule your time with employees so that way you’re not bursting in on an important project they’re working on with bad news. It is better for the overall health of your business to be completely transparent with your employees.

5. Let your team know that you trust them
An easy way to show your team that you are building trust in them is to give them a project and let them run with it. If you don’t believe they could do a difficult task without your help, start with an easy task. Try not to micromanage their lives and you’ll find that once you start showing trust to your team, they will begin to demonstrate confidence in return.

6. Treat them like humans
When you’re a manager, you may come off as intimidating to your employees without even realizing it. Although you want to maintain a reasonable amount of respect, don’t forget to show that you’re a human too. Little things like making eye contact, greeting your employees every day and listening to them can make a big difference.

7. Build up your team
Show that you have confidence in your employees by taking an interest in your employees’ personal lives. Of course, this must be done on a respectful and professional level, but it’s important to know when your employees may be struggling so you can provide support during these times. For example, if you recognize that one of your employees is going through a divorce or is having another issue at home, you might notice that it is affecting their work performance. When you can provide sympathy and take an interest in their personal lives during these downtimes your employees will feel supported and ready to give their all again. On the other side, when things are going well, don’t forget to celebrate!

10 Things You Should Never Say During a Customer Service Call

15th May 2019 How To's, Tips

Working in customer service can be very rewarding, but it can also be very demanding. Most customer service agents must deal with angry customers daily. Customer service representatives must be able to take these unhappy people and turn them into satisfied and loyal customers. During a customer service call, this is no easy feat when a person enters the conversation angry or upset.

When someone is already upset, it is easy for problems to snowball. One wrong word from a customer service agent could mean the loss of a customer forever. However, customer service call agents cannot just placate customers; they do have problems to solve, and some issues cannot be resolved. Customer service agents should be able to walk a fine line between being stern and being friendly. All words that are exchanged over a customer service line carry weight. If you are a good customer service agent or are training agents for your business, be careful to avoid these common verbal slip-ups that may ruin a customer’s experience.

  1. I can’t help you with that
    Sometimes a customer service call agent has to follow a specific protocol, and some things will be outside of their jurisdiction. When you realize that you cannot help the person over the phone, it is best to forward them to a more senior person on the team or management. The answer should never be that they can’t be helped.
  2. That’s just our policy
    Telling your customers that you can’t help them is terrible, but not giving them a reason for why you can’t help them is even worse. Saying, “sorry, that’s our policy” is basically you shrugging your shoulders at them and tossing their inquiries away. It isn’t an acceptable answer to an angry or confused customer. This customer is only interested in the problem being resolved. To be that short with a customer gives the impression that your company doesn’t care about its customers.
  3. Unfortunately, no
    No is negative; it does not matter how its phrased. Saying, unfortunately, might make you think that you are mitigating the severity of the word, no, but you are not. Do not lead with a negative when speaking to an angry customer. If you are unable to help them in the way that they want you to, use a different phrase such as, “here’s what we can do for you.”
  4. Interrupting a rant
    If you are a customer service representative, you have probably had to sit through a rant or two in your time. The critical thing to remember when dealing with an angry customer is to let them get it all out. When they come up for air, that is when you can start talking to them. Never interrupt and never tell a customer they are unreasonable, even if they are.
  5. What not to say say during a customer service call.
    Source: Stockphoto.com O#100168438628 ID#100200144052

    I don’t know
    A call center agent should always have an answer to a customer’s issues. Answering with I don’t know is unacceptable and should never be uttered by an agent. Customers call companies and speak to representatives because they want to be helped, and an incompetent agent cannot help them.

  6. Give me a second
    A second is a vague measurement of time that should not be given on the phone. If you are looking into something for a customer, it’s better to be honest about how long they will be waiting for you to look things up.
  7. Actually, it’s this
    Don’t even bother correcting a customer on a name or pronunciation or anything. It will be taken as condescending, and you will put the customer off or make them feel embarrassed.
  8. I’m sorry
    Don’t get me wrong, it is important to apologize to upset customers, but it is best to avoid it if you don’t mean it. It won’t carry the same significance if you actually do not care and are just repeating this overused phrase.
  9. I have to put you on hold
    A customer does not want to be placed on hold, and this should be avoided at all costs. However, sometimes it is unavoidable, and in those cases, you must ask the customer if it is okay that you put them on hold and be sure to explain your reasons for doing so.
  10. I don’t see your account information here
    Never announce this to the person that you are helping on the other line. More than likely you are missing their name in the database or you input the wrong information. Humans make errors, and you should never assume that the customer called you by mistake. It certainly happens, but until you’ve exhausted every possible way to find their information, they do not need to hear this phrase uttered.

Related: 23 Incredible Customer Service Tips

5 Ways to Increase Your Sales with a Business Phone Number

14th May 2019 How To's, Tips

Communication is critical in all relationships across the board; not only does that include your mom, your coworker, and your spouse; it also includes your customers. How is your business communicating with your customers? Are you offering your customers multiple ways to get in contact with you? Do you think that an email address is sufficient? Learn five different ways to increase your sales with a business phone number.

Businesses have been changing a lot in recent years in order to keep up with the ever-evolving digital landscape. One thing that hasn’t changed is the need for a business phone number. Nothing will ever replace speaking one-on-one with another human being who knows your business, in and out. If your company does not have its own phone number, then you may be missing out.

  1. Uphold your brand’s image
    When customers stumble upon your website, before purchasing they will often look to see if there is a contact number on the site. This ensures that if there is a problem with the order or product, they will be able to get in contact with someone who can solve their issue. Email addresses are okay, but having a phone number is much better because it lets your customers know that they can get in contact with you at any time of the day that may be convenient for them. Think of your friends; the ones that are the easiest to get a hold of are the ones that you are going to spend the most time with. As you would build a relationship with a friend, you can also create a relationship with your customers.
  2. Use your business number as a marketing tool
    A business phone number can not only be used as a tool to communicate and make a sales call, but you can also use it to track your marketing efforts. Wherever you advertise your business phone number, whether it is on your website or business cards, you can track where the phone calls are coming from. If you decide to use more than one number or change the extensions, you can place different numbers across each marketing effort. For example, if you were to create a billboard with one of your business numbers, you could track all the phone traffic from that particular number and compare it to the business phone number that is advertised on a flyer.
  3. 5 Ways to Increase Your Sales with a Business Phone Number
    Source: Stockphoto.com O#100179306428 – ID#10020014405

    Use it to solve complex problems
    The best way to solve a customer’s problem is in person or over the phone. It is easy when you have this voice-to-voice interaction because a customer can explain their problem in detail. They also will not have to endure long wait times during a chat space or over email. One phone call can solve many issues in a short period of time.

  4. Build a relationship
    Outbound calls aren’t the easiest way to make a sale, but it is still possible to do so today. When you make a sales call to a customer, you are able to listen to them directly. You hear what they have to say, how they say it, and you clearly can decipher what they want and what they need from your business. When you can gauge your customers on this personal level, you are able to create a better product to suit your customers’ needs. You will need to invest your time into making these outbound calls and forging these relationships, but it will be worth it to create a better product and see it sold to your original customers and the customers you gain through word of mouth.
  5. Easy to remember
    When choosing a business phone number, it is better to choose something easy to remember. A phone number that sticks in the mind of your customers will ensure that you have a steady stream of calls from customers. You can make your phone number easier to remember by purchasing a toll free number or a vanity number, or if you already have a number, think about adding a jingle to the number in commercials and web ads. Adding a business phone number will help you increase your sales.

Effective Problem Solving to Build Customer Confidence

14th May 2019 How To's, Tips

Having your own business is a competitive environment. One wrong move and you could be losing customers to your competition. That’s why it is essential that your business focuses on problem-solving to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. But what happens when your company makes a mistake, such as not allowing a customer to return a damaged product or putting your customer on hold for a lengthy amount of time? Your customers may take that very personally.

Building Confidence while Problem Solving for Customer Satisfaction

Your business should be focused on keeping the customers’ confidence because once you lose the confidence of a customer, you can lose everything that you’ve worked for. According to marketwatch.com, Comcast, Wells Fargo, American Airlines are the companies with the worst reputations. How did they get placed on that list? The reasons range from poor customer service, cutting employees’ salaries, cutting jobs, and in the case of BP, it is still reeling from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, which tarnished their reputation beyond repair. If you have found that your business is suffering from poor customer service reviews, public relations, or consistency, you could be in danger of losing your customers. When you lose your customer’s confidence, it can cost you everything. If you think you may be at risk of losing customers, you need to inject trust back into the relationship.

Loyal customers can make or break a business because returning customers account for much of your profits. Additionally, they are great for word-of-mouth marketing. Losing the trust of a customer who pays money for your product or service means that you could permanently damage the reputation of your company. If you’ve made a single mistake or just suffered a miscommunication, there may be a way to win your customers’ trust back. If you don’t want to see the end of your business, here are some key tactics to execute to regain that trust.

1. Effective problem-solving techniques

To begin problem-solving, you must find out where the leak is. Once you have figured out the source of your issues, you can take steps to rectify the problems. Sometimes you will get customers that are open about the issues that they have and will voice their opinions directly to you. However, many customers will simply switch to your competitor without saying a thing. You can find out feedback from these customers by asking customers to fill out surveys, following up with your customers after a purchase, scanning Yelp for reviews, and reaching out to once-regular customers who haven’t purchased in a while.

2. Take responsibility

Once you’ve found out where you’ve gone wrong with a customer, it’s time to own up to your mistake. Never get defensive with a customer or blame the issue on something else. Apologize so you and the customer can move on. Think about it, if you were the unsatisfied customer, would you want to the company you’re giving your money to, to get defensive when you contact them with a problem? Absolutely not. Apologizing is always the best solution.

3. Remedy the situation

While an apology is the first step to begin to remedy a situation, the next task is to rebuild the trust. Be sure that you do this by ensuring the problem never happens again. There might be a flaw in one aspect of your business, and if you do not fix this issue, you may have future problems with other customers. Retain feedback while you source out the issues and make the appropriate changes, that way you know that your business is on the right track.

4. Offer the customer something for their troubles

Problem-solving issues, so it never happens again may help you to retain other customers and help you offer excellent customer service. But if the problem was very bad, then you may have to do more to regain the customer’s confidence. Provide the customer a gift along with your apologies such as a discount or a free sample. This little act of giving shows to your customers that your business will go above and beyond for their customers’ happiness.

Your Toll Free Number is BORING – Here’s How to Fix It

14th May 2019 How To's, Tips

It’s not a secret that it’s much easier for people to remember vanity numbers over the average phone number or toll-free number. Vanity numbers are making a comeback in popularity for large and small businesses alike. Any business can benefit from using a vanity number, so here is a deeper look at what they are and what they offer. If your toll-free number is boring and you are ready for an upgrade, read on!

If your toll-free number is boring – Use a vanity number!

Vanity numbers work exactly like toll-free numbers, only you can customize the number to reflect your business or products. For example, 1-800-Flowers lets you know exactly what you’re getting when you dial them.

Vanity numbers have all of the benefits of a toll-free number, plus they are easy for people to remember. The more people who know your number by heart, the more often you will receive calls, and the more sales you can make. Vanity numbers are still at no cost to the customer, and they can be used for marketing purposes. Vanity numbers can be placed on billboards, and the drivers whizzing by can read your ad and remember your number on their commute to work. You should also be advertising your number on your website and business cards. Customers and clients prefer the companies they do business with to have a phone number. This is because they know that they can reach your company at any time and be greeted and helped.

Why are words easier to memorize?

According to cognitive neuroscientists, when a customer wants to remember a telephone number they heard or saw, they will use their “working memory,” which is the “voice” inside of their head. The one you hear when repeating something to yourself silently, so you do not forget. However, repeating something over and over to yourself does not guarantee that you will remember it. While your brain works to try to memorize a number, anything can come along to distract you. Whether it is a crying baby, a barking dog, or a car horn honk, things are always around to distract you from what you want to be doing. This is why we will forget a sequence of numbers no matter how hard we try to remember them. The best way to remember a telephone number is to link the number to something meaningful or memorable. This puts the number into our long-term memories, instead of the short-term ones, which are quickly forgotten. For example, if you associate a phone number with a word, then that word will bring up a picture in your head, which is precisely how vanity numbers work.

Oddly enough, some sequences of numbers are easier to remember for humans than other number sequences. Many American citizens have an easier time remembering a number using the series 1776, as that is the year that America gained independence from Great Britain. A citizen that is not from the US will not have that ability, unless they studied American history or it is important to them for another reason, like a date of birth. If your toll-free number is boring, it won’t stick as much as a number with a more familiar number sequence.

Now that you understand how vanity numbers can work for your business, you can begin your research into choosing the right one for your business. So how do you go about finding the number that you want? It can be tricky, because some of the best number and word associations are already claimed, such as 1-800-CONTACTS. Nonetheless, you can still find a vanity number that will get the job done for you. The first step is to brainstorm a list of numbers and words that would work for your business, and then you can search for these numbers. Some of them may already be taken, but Global Call Forwarding will work with you to find you the best number. One way Global Call Forwarding looks out for its customers is that they offer other toll-free prefixes. So if you won’t budge on a word, then you can make an exception from 1-800 to other alternatives such as 1-855 or 1-866. The popularity of alternate toll-free prefixes is rising, and more people are becoming aware that 1-800 isn’t the only toll-free option. All you need to do is use a little bit of creativity, and you will be on the fast track to success.

Related: Examples of Popular Vanity Phone Numbers

How To Run A Business From Home

29th August 2018 How To's, Learn

America’s small business owners create jobs, original products, and services, and these entrepreneurs make things happen for their companies – even during the rough times. What you might not know about half of small businesses, though, according to the Small Business Administration, is that they are run from home.

How to Start a Business From Home

Running a business from home can be a simple undertaking if you take the right steps to start. There is no end to the types of businesses that are run from homes, and they can range from providing financial services to selling art and antiques on Etsy or eBay. In all honesty, you are very much unlimited when it comes to the type of business you want to run from your home. In order to execute it, the most important aspects are to have the right tools to reach the right audiences, while also having the best tools to actually run the business.

Virtual Tools for Maximum Efficiency

If you are one of numerous Americans who run their small business from home or if you’re thinking about starting a small business from home, there are a few ways that Global Call Forwarding can help your business grow.

Purchasing virtual phone numbers from Global Call Forwarding can help small businesses establish a presence in places the business cannot physically be in. The numbers act as a point of contact between customers and businesses. The following includes a list of ways virtual numbers can benefit your business from home with maximum efficiency.

Keep Your Professional Life and Personal Life Separate

Having a virtual phone number attached to your home phone, cell phone, desktop, or tablet gives you the freedom to take work calls on your personal devices without having to give out your personal phone number. Now you have the choice and ability to walk away from your office phone without eliminating communications.

Set Business Hours

No one can be available 24 hours a day, but having a virtual phone number gives you access to many features. You can choose what time your business hours are, and then you can set up a voicemail message to let your customers know what time those business hours are or direct them to leave a message. Not only can you set up a personalized business voicemail, but you can also set your hours by visiting your account page and updating your settings. That way you won’t have to be bothered when you’re sitting down to dinner.

Put Them On Hold

Your customers won’t think its professional that you have a crying toddler in the background or a barking dog every time the mailman walks up to the house. If you run a business from home you may run into problems occasionally, and luckily that’s what the Hold Button is for. Once you’ve soothed your crying toddler or saw the mailman safely make his way to the next house, you can return to your call. You also have the option to transfer the call to another phone. If you run your business with another person or have someone working for you, you can simply dial their extension and forward the call over. Your small business will seem like it has all the bells and whistles of a large corporation.

Change Up Your Ringtone

Global Call Forwarding offers local ringback tones for anywhere in the country. The familiar ringing tones in each country are different from one to the next. Customers calling from other countries will prefer to hear their local ringtone, and you can customize your phone line to give them exactly that.

Call Recording

The Call Recording features will benefit your business in numerous ways. Being able to record calls and play them back will help you with your customer service skills. You will start to learn what works and doesn’t work and change your approach accordingly. It also helps when training a team of people, that way everyone can have a script of what they will say to customers. In the event of a legal situation, which is an unfortunate situation that businesses may have to deal with at some point, you can use the recorded phone call as evidence on your behalf.

Time of Day Routing

This feature allows you to route your calls to the device of your choosing when convenient. For example, if you normally work at a desk in your home, but step out to go to lunch or pick your children up from school, you can get your phone calls routed to your cell phone when you are away from your desk. You can also reroute your calls to an automatic voicemail message if you like to work within certain business hours. This automatic rerouting allows you to be present with your business as much as you would like to be, at your convenience.

Running a Business From Your Home

Running a small business from your home has never been easier than it is today. Your time is precious, and you deserve the freedom to work from wherever you want to be. Global Call Forwarding will help you on your way to expanding your business while looking professional and making the most of your time.