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Category: Learn

9 Best US Toll-Free Number Providers in 2024

17th November 2021 blog
US toll free number providers

Looking for a new toll-free number provider? It is easy to get overwhelmed among the many US toll-free number providers out there. How do you choose one, and what should …Read More »

What is a VoIP Infrastructure?

17th November 2021 blog, VoIP
What is VoIP Infrastructure?

An in-depth guide to VoIP infrastructure for business communication. Learn how an efficient VoIP architecture can set your business up for success by making voice calling reliable, crystal-clear, and cost-effective. …Read More »

How Much Does Call Tracking Cost?

15th November 2021 blog
How much does call tracking cost?

Tracking where your calls come from can give you valuable insights into where your customers are located and expand the reach of your marketing efforts. But how can you track …Read More »

What is a No-Code Contact Center?

12th November 2021 blog, Call Management
no code contact centers

No-code platforms have grown in popularity as they let businesses adopt new services and features without the hassle of hiring a full-fledged IT team and coding software from scratch. This …Read More »

Understanding Rate Centers and Local Calling

11th November 2021 blog, Sales
rate centers and local calling

If your business deals with customers from different parts of the country, then you need to pay attention to the areas covered by rate centers to provide accessible and affordable …Read More »

6 Ways to Prepare Your Business for the Holidays

3rd November 2021 blog, Call Management
How to prepare your business for the holidays

The holidays are just around the corner. In many countries, they’ve already begun! As we move into the second half of the year filled with celebrations and festivals, you need …Read More »

4 Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business in the 2nd Half of 2017

26th July 2017 Learn, Tips

We hope that 2017 has been good to your business so far. But no matter what happened, there is still time to grow in the 2nd half of the year.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasted that global growth would recover from the slowdown in 2016. Halfway through the year, 2017’s outlook remains optimistic, particularly for emerging economies in Asia and the Pacific.

There are plenty of opportunities to grow your business, but you should be using the right marketing strategies. Here are our top 4 marketing strategies to grow your business in the 2nd half of 2017:

1. Mobile Advertising – Marketing Strategies

According to the independent web analytics company StatCounter, mobile exceeded desktop by internet usage, for the first time ever in October 2016. If you make no other changes your business in 2017, you should ensure that your website is mobile-friendly.

Websites benefit from mobile-responsiveness for two key reasons. First, conversions typically increase when mobile users can navigate more easily. Second, Google favors responsive websites in its mobile search results. Check out Google’s Mobile Playbook!

Not sure if your website is mobile-friendly? Test this by grabbing the right side of your browser window and dragging it to the left. Responsive websites will properly deliver your content, while content on an unresponsive website will look cut off or jumbled.

You can also test the mobile responsiveness of your website and view statistics for mobile traffic with Google Analytics. This can be a good way to gauge the responsiveness of your website and identify any necessary changes.

However, success in today’s mobile-centric marketplace requires more than just having a responsive website. New technologies and marketing platforms come out every day and there is great untapped potential as businesses start to adapt. We identified two trending ideas in 2017:

Mobile app: creating an app is more affordable than ever and the potential uses are unlimited. Sell goods and services or improve your overall mobile experience with an app.

Mobile payments: enable customers to pay you with a simple tap on their smartphone. Mobile payment services like Google Wallet, PayPal and Apple Pay are becoming more popular this year.

2. International Marketing Strategies

The global gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow 3.5 percent in 2017. The Asia-Pacific region in particular, is estimated to grow at 5.5 percent. Meanwhile, there are booming economies and lots of money to be made all over the world.

New technologies and marketing tools enable businesses to transact with foreign market like never before. International marketing can offer a huge ROI – when it’s done correctly.

Brand awareness is crucial. However, building brand awareness doesn’t necessarily require a major investment – if you have a website. Considering its massive worldwide reach, advertising on search engines and social media is relatively inexpensive. You might also want to try international SEO.

Accessibility is also important when doing business internationally. We wrote about the top reasons to get a virtual phone number for your business, and accessibility is the first reason. Customers feel more comfortable transacting with a business when the business offers a local phone number or support hotline.

Companies use international call forwarding to offer a contact point to customers and prospects in foreign markets. A local or toll free virtual number can serve as a sales or booking hotline or it can serve to let customers know that your business is reachable over the phone. Confused about international call forwarding? Allow us to explain.

Opportunities exist all over the world and there are new marketing strategies to grow your business internationally.

3. Email Marketing Strategies

Email marketing isn’t a new strategy by any means, but it can still bring in new business.
The key to a successful email marketing campaign is providing relevant, valuable and helpful information (think DIY guides, industry news, and blog content). Email marketing should not be used to blast out unwanted sales pitches.

With the help of eMailmonday.com, we identified four top email marketing trends for the 2nd half of 2017:

  • Responsive emails
    It depends on your industry and target market, but anywhere from 20-75% of emails get opened on a mobile device. By sending mobile friendly emails, you can reduce barriers to engagement.
    Adapt to the mobile trend by attaching by attaching interactive photo sliders and image galleries to your emails. It’s also useful to include promotional offers and implement buy-it-now functionality in your outbound emails.
  • Deliver an omnichannel experience
    An omnichannel experience builds brand familiarity and helps customers connect with your business. It involves an integrated multi-channel approach that allows customers to easily transition from emails to shopping online, on a desktop or mobile device.Walgreens and Starbucks deliver a consistent experience through email, websites and mobile apps.
  • HTML5 video attachments
    HTML5 video attachments help companies build connections with their audiences through providing high-value content.
  • Automation
    14.2% of people surveyed by a 2017 Litmus study believe that 2017 will be the year of automated emails. There are some tools like MailChimp and Active Campaign to help with email automation.
    Welcome emails and abandoned carts emails can generate a big chunk of revenue for a lot of companies.

4. Digital Advertising

Advertising across several digital channels is one of the top marketing strategies in 2017. This is commonly referred to as cross-channel advertising, and it can be done through direct deals with publishers (think Google AdWords, Facebook for Business) and with cross-channel advertising software.

Top digital advertising mediums include paid search, social media and mobile ads. Paid search puts your product in front of a huge audience with high conversion rates, since visitors are already searching for similar products. Social media advertising is a fast-growing segment that can significantly expand your reach and boost brand awareness. We predict Facebook’s continued ascent as a major marketing outlet in 2017. Lastly, mobile ads like banner ads, mobile video ads and in-app ads are becoming more targeted.

No matter what your digital advertising strategy, here are some things to keep in mind:

    • Cohesive data: it is important to document all available data points to form a cohesive, integrated consumer database across multiple channels
    • Consistent message: it is important to deliver a consistent message to build familiarity with prospective customers.

What marketing strategies do you use to grow your business?

3 Ways Airlines Use Call Forwarding to Increase Sales

17th May 2017 Learn

I published an article a few weeks back, ranking the top 10 budget airlines in Asia and how to reach them. I noticed a trend amongst best in Asia: 60% of these airlines offer international phone numbers. The trend continues even further to major global airlines like Qatar Airways and American Airlines!

In this post, we take a look at how airlines use call forwarding to increase sales.

It can be expensive and complicated to make international calls. Your customers don’t want to dial a long-distance phone number just to book their flight. Instead, they are almost 3x more likely to make free calls.

Due to the industry’s nature, the customer base of any travel company is typically spread across many countries. The AirAsia Group, for example, services affiliates in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thai, India, Japan and the Philippines. (Source: AirAsia Corporate Profile)

Smart airlines provide local phone numbers in their target markets and forward inbound calls internationally. For example, Air Asia offers a local contact number in 15+ countries. This enables their business to maximize its potential in Asia – Pacific markets.

Click here to see how AirAsia makes themselves more accessible to customers.

airlines call forwarding
Source: Shutterstock D#208776862 – Standard License

3 Ways Airlines Use Call Forwarding as a Marketing and Sales Tool:

Call forwarding is a cost-effective marketing tool used by top airlines across the globe to increase sales. Airlines that list local or free phone numbers as a call to action in advertisements are guaranteed to receive more calls. The calls can then be forwarded internationally to any destination in the world.

Here are 3 ways airlines use local numbers as a marketing tool:

  1.        Mobile: booking hotline

A local phone number can be used as a reservations hotline to attract more traffic from any target country. Many airlines offer booking hotlines that direct customer inquiries to call centres or sales offices. 

  1.       Print advertisement: billboards, signs, kiosks

Print advertisements are still very efficient at reaching mobile consumers in 2017. Especially in Asia, airlines advertise their free phone number on public transportation, billboards, kiosks and signs. As you might see in the image, a free phone number is an effective call-to-action. 

  1.       B2B sales and customer support

Travel agencies and corporate customers shouldn’t have to pay to call you. A local direct line can have a tremendous impact on B2B sales and customer support. Business contacts prefer a phone number that is easy to call.

Local or toll free contact numbers can be advertised on the website to make an airline more accessible and provide better customer support.

Set Up a Call Forwarding Service for Your Airline in 3 Steps:

Global Call Forwarding offers a 15-day free trial to corporate users, so they can test as many as three local or toll-free phone numbers risk-free. Here are 3 steps for airlines that want to set up a call forwarding service:

  1.       Identify target markets and view rates

Which countries do most of your passengers come from? Airlines should offer local contact numbers in at least their top 3-5 markets. We can provide international toll free numbers from many of the 195 countries worldwide.

  1.        Choose the best call forwarding service provider.

The best providers offer free trials and a money-back guarantee. A call forwarding service provider will package the local/toll free number and forwarding service as one monthly fee.

  1.       Forward incoming calls

Forward incoming calls to any destination in the world – sales offices, call centers, cell phones or business headquarters. The potential is virtually unlimited.

Getting an 833 Number – How Much Does it Cost?

10th May 2017 Learn

After the FCC announced 833 numbers, the latest prefix addition to US toll free numbers, Global Call Forwarding received numerous requests from customers. We have provided toll free numbers for many years, and it has become one of our specialties. In this article, we discuss these numbers and answer some of the inquiries we received.

You have probably heard about toll free numbers. Collect calling has been around since the 1960s, and toll free numbers are a great marketing tool because they’re free to call. Rather, the toll free subscriber, or the called party, bears the cost of the call.

Free phone numbers are so effective and in such high demand, that many 1-800 number combinations are already taken. As a result, the FCC has introduced new toll free prefixes over the years, like 844, 855, 888, 877 and 866 numbers. Most recently, the FCC announced that new 833 numbers will be released on June 3rd, 2017.

A lot of our customers want to learn more about the prefix 833 – their capabilities, functionality and how much they cost. We’re happy to help you with the process and ensure that you have the best options for obtaining the U.S. toll free number you desire.

What Is an 833 Number?

Simply put, 833 numbers are being auctioned because of the high demand for toll free numbers. 833 toll free numbers are just like 800 numbers, the only difference is the prefix. This just means that callers must dial 1-833 instead of 1-800.

Like any other toll free number, 833 numbers are a great marketing tool. They are accessible within the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. In fact, 833 numbers are free to call from these countries!

Vanity Numbers

Vanity numbers with the 833 prefix are customized toll free numbers with a specific string of digits that you request. Companies will typically request vanity numbers with their company name, slogan or products/services to better communicate their business. For example, a company that sells dog food might request 1-833-DOG-FOOD.

We expect that 833 vanity numbers will be in high demand once the new prefix becomes available. Global Call Forwarding can help you reserve the right 833 vanity numbers.
Photo of 833 toll free number.

How to Get an 833 Toll Free Number?

You will be able to get an 833 toll free number starting on June 3rd, 2017. Contact a call forwarding service provider to get an 833 number. Providers are already taking requests for these numbers, and the numbers are provided on a first-come, first-serve basis. Here are some things to keep in mind:

  • The allocation process for 833 numbers is updated from the previous process
  • Each provider is only allocated a maximum of 2,000 numbers up front, no matter their size. (i.e. Sprint, Global Call Forwarding, and Verizon each get a maximum of 2,000 numbers)
  • You can still get an 833 number after the release date, but the availability of certain vanity numbers might be limited

How Much Does an 833 Number Cost?

There are many toll free service providers in 2020, and the cost of 833 numbers varies among providers. Most providers offer 833 at a monthly rate. The package will typically include the 833 number, the forwarding service (to route calls to your desired destination) and a set number of minutes to use throughout the month. The provider might charge a per-minute rate if you exceed your set number of minutes.

In addition to the cost of the number, it’s important to look at the reputation of the service provider. Be wary of hidden charges, and providers that require you to sign a contract. The service should be offered on a month-to-month basis with no termination fees.

Bottom Line

833’s are the latest toll free prefix. Call Global Call Forwarding today to reserve your number! We offer free consultations over the phone and a free trial program in 2020. We would love to help your business grow.

Top 7 Destinations for Medical Tourism in the World

14th March 2017 Learn

Overview

Tourism has existed for a very long time. However, medical tourism has become increasingly popular in recent times and this is because a lot of people are now looking towards the industry to deal with issues that affect their health.

Medical tourism is the process of traveling from your home country to another country in order to seek medical care. According to a study completed by the Medical Tourism Association, more Americans are traveling abroad in order to seek medical attention elsewhere. Most people travel for medical care because the cost for treatment is less expensive in foreign countries than in their home country. Others embark on medical trips because they want to undergo a process that is illegal in their home country. There are lots of medical procedures that people undergo while traveling abroad. However, the most common treatments are plastic surgery, heart surgery, and even dentistry.

Why Medical Tourism?

There are lots of reasons why people embark on medical tourism. A few of them are discussed below.

  1. It is Cost Efficient: This is probably the number one reason why most people decide to go overseas for medical treatment. By seeking help abroad, this saves on cost for elective procedures. For instance, the price for a particular treatment may be 50% less expensive in another country. Some procedures cost more than $10,000 in the United States, meaning that medical tourists can save $5,000 or more.
  2. Quality Service: It is human nature to assume that if something is cheap then it is likely to be of lower quality, but for a well-planned medical tour, the situation is always different. Most people embark on medical tourism to receive quality services from world renowned medical centers. Most medical tourist centers have been accredited by the JCI; (Joint Commission International) which means the quality standards of medical services delivered will be one of the best any patient can ever receive.
  3. Professional Treatment: Another reason why people go abroad on medical trips is to receive treatment from top professionals. Most of the surgeons who treat international patients have been trained in some of the best medical schools in the world. The hospitals in these countries offer state of-the-art facilities with services to international patients that are equal or greater to the services that are offered in their home country.
  4. Latest Technology: International patients have attested to the fact that they had greater access to treatments using the latest technology in the medical industry. Numerous medical tourism hubs offer tourists across the world the benefits of quality medical facilities at lower costs.
  5. Opportunity to Travel Abroad: Medical tourism allows patients an opportunity to travel abroad and experience life in other countries. Some people may even choose to recuperate in the country where they received the medical treatment.

Top 7 Worldwide Medical Tourism Destinations

More countries across the world are opening up their health systems to medical tourists by providing affordable costs; combining the experience with comfortable accommodations. The following 7 countries are known for providing the best medical care for international patients. Note that these medical tourism destinations have been properly scrutinized and rest assured that the clinics in many of these countries have been awarded JCI accreditation.

  1. India: You are probably wondering why India of all countries should make the list since it is known for ancient medicine. However, if you are looking for one of the best destinations for medical treatment, India should always come to mind. There are many trained and qualified medical professionals who are capable of treating some of the worst ailments in the world today. Indian doctors work very fast to diagnose you and start treatment immediately – which means a shorter waiting time for patients. The costs are also very affordable when compared to other countries.
  2. Singapore: Over the years, Singapore has been able to come up with formidable policies that have resulted in a massive boost to its economy. This has helped it establish its place as one of the most developed countries in the world. Singapore boasts world class medical centers that are operated by some of the best professionals you will find in the medical field. The country has received awards for its state-of-the-art medical service delivery. When considering a country to travel to for medical treatment, Singapore should come to mind.
  3. South Korea: South Korea is also one of the countries of the world that has experienced massive development in recent times. It boasts some of the best medical centers in the world. Hospitals in South Korea have a reputation not only in cosmetic surgery but for treating chronic injuries that people sustain when they get involved in serious accidents.
  4. Costa Rica: Though Costa Rica is more famous for having some of the best tourist attractions in the world, it has also cemented its place as one of the best medical tourism destinations in the world. Cost Rica provides social stability and transparency for its patients and provides them treatment using the latest healthcare technology.
  5. Thailand: Thailand has been able to build its reputation as one of the best medical tourism centers in the world. The quality of service delivery in Thailand is excellent and the health costs are low; which makes it one of the most affordable destinations for medical treatment.
  6. Germany: Germany also ranks in as one of the best countries to visit for medical treatment. They have excellent medical equipment, a wide range of specialized medical professionals, and some of the best medical facilities in the world, which has made it one of the best tourism destinations.
  7. United Arab Emirates: UAE is gradually building its reputation as one of the best providers of high-class health services. They boast of the best medical professionals and expertise that specializes in plastic surgery, abdominal surgery, dental care and many others. This makes them one of the favorite destinations to consider when planning for your next medical trip.

Whichever country you choose in your medical travels, take into consideration that destination is not more important than finding the right treatment for a certain condition. There is no compromise on care just to visit a certain country.

What is a Toll Free Number?

1st March 2017 History, Learn

Toll-free numbers can help bring more customers and clients to your company by providing them with an easy and free way to connect. A toll-free number helps you reach a wider audience, both locally and internationally.

Here is a comprehensive guide to toll-free numbers for business and their benefits.

Toll-Free Number: Definition and How it Works?

A toll-free number is a business phone number that customers can call for free. These numbers have a distinct code as their prefix to distinguish them from other number types.

For example, the US has 888, 877, 866, 855, 844, 833, and 800 numbers, while the UK has 0808 and 0800 freephone numbers. Other countries use different toll-free number prefixes. However, an 800 number is the most common prefix used across the globe.

To use such a number, businesses subscribe to a toll-free forwarding service that can forward incoming calls from anywhere to any device or location. This way, businesses bear inexpensive calling costs while giving customers a free calling option.

History of Toll-Free Services

AT&T introduced automated 800 services in 1966 for intrastate calls and in 1967 for interstate calls through a system called Inward Wide Area Telephone Service (InWATS).

The issuance of US Patent 4191860A on March 4, 1980, to Roy P Weber of Bell Telephone Laboratories, allowed AT&T to replace the InWATS system. The FCC is responsible for regulating the use of such free calling numbers.

At the time, long-distance calls were expensive. However, this new processing method reduced costs significantly. Further, it allowed small businesses to subscribe to 800 services. As advancements in telecommunications continued, toll-free international calls using call forwarding became available to businesses.

What Are Hosted Toll-Free Numbers?

Virtual or hosted toll-free numbers use international call forwarding to route calls via the internet. Through this process, businesses are able to connect with international clientele through international toll-free numbers (ITFN) without paying expensive international calling rates.

The following steps outline the process for connecting virtual 800 calls.

  1. The caller makes the call by dialing the number.
  2. The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) or call forwarding service receives the call.
  3. This call is then routed to a different line or number based on predetermined rules set by you or the account manager.
  4. Finally, the call reaches the designated destination.

Different Types of Toll-Free Numbers

There are a few different types of toll-free numbers. All of these numbers do the same thing: they encourage customers to call for free. However, there are a few differences in terms of how they reach customers:

1. Vanity 800 Numbers

A vanity 800 number uses patterns or letters to create a memorable and easy-to-recognize phone number. Popular examples are 800-GOT-JUNK, 1-800-T-MOBILE, or 1-800-WALGREENS. Vanity numbers with patterns would look like this: 800-222-2223 or 888-465-4655. The point is to use a business number creatively to make a strong impression on viewers.

2. Domestic Toll-Free Numbers

A domestic toll-free number of a country is accessible to callers from within that country. These are often called true “800 numbers” and enable toll-free calling within a country. For example, Australian residents can call an 1800 Australian toll-free number for free from inside the country. Additionally, domestic toll-free numbers do not incur additional fees when called from mobile or payphones.

3. International Toll Free Numbers (ITFNs)

ITFNs or ITFS numbers are toll free numbers for different countries. You can get an international toll-free number for almost any country or market you want to expand operations to. Incoming calls to these numbers can be forwarded to any device or location of your choice through international call forwarding. This is a helpful option for companies with a wide international reach or those that want to take their business global.

For example, say your company is located in the US, but you want to connect with UK or Singapore customers. You can purchase UK or Singapore toll-free numbers from a toll-free number provider like Global Call Forwarding. With these numbers, residents from these countries can call your business for free, even if you are not located in or have field offices in those countries. And incoming calls will ring at your main office in the US.

Related: How Much Does an International Toll-Free Number Cost? [2023]

4. Universal International Freephone Numbers

Many business owners want to know if they can purchase toll-free numbers that are free to call from anywhere in the world. Unfortunately, global toll-free numbers, in this sense, do not exist.

However, companies have the option of using a universal international freephone number (UIFN). This is a single toll-free number for multiple countries (up to 65) that participate in the UIFN program, organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

There are a few restrictions and complications involved in getting a UIFN; speak with our representatives to learn more.

Benefits of Toll-Free Numbers

So, why does your business need 800 numbers?

Communication and marketing studies have consistently shown that ITFS numbers are beneficial to businesses by enabling them to maintain connections with customers from across the world. An 800 number gives a business the opportunity to create a virtual or local presence in various cities, states, and countries.

Customers have one easy-to-dial and free number to call, and the calls reach the appropriate destinations quickly via call forwarding. This encourages interested prospects and long-term customers to maintain contact with a business. Such communication is necessary for continued sales growth.

Additionally, virtual toll-free numbers come packed with useful communication tools such as:

  • Call forwarding options like simultaneous or sequential ringing, select country forwarding, time-based forwarding, etc.
  • Inbound and outbound call recording
  • IVR systems and extensions
  • Outbound calling with a dynamic caller ID

Do Toll-Free Numbers Work Internationally?

Businesses that wish to expand globally or provide customer support to their international clientele can use 800 numbers and ITFNs that work internationally. With these 800 numbers, your customers in target countries will be able to call your business without any charge to them. Instead, your company pays for the cost of the call.

In other words, a business can get a toll-free number for a different country (say, the US) and route incoming calls to their main office in another country (say, France).  Callers from within the US can call this ITFN for free, and they won’t know that they are being routed to a representative in France.

If you were to use a France-based phone number to contact US customers, they might be reluctant to answer your call or call you back, fearing long-distance rates. They would also have to deal with complicated long-distance calling codes. Market research shows that these two factors will reduce your customer communications, decrease your leads, and cut your revenue.

This is where ITFNs provide useful and cost-efficient. In this case, you can avoid the problem by purchasing a US toll-free number from a provider like Global Call Forwarding. Your US customers can call you for free, and all calls will be easily redirected to your satellite office, customer service center in the US, or your main office in France.

This is a great way to expand your business throughout the world because it provides an inexpensive and efficient way to increase your communication and marketing. Plus, you make it much easier for clients to contact you and they will appreciate it.

How a Toll-Free Service Can Improve your Metrics

The important thing to remember when you buy international toll-free numbers is to make each one serve its own purpose. In this way, you can track the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns. For example, let’s say you are advertising your product or service in several places simultaneously. These are:

  • Your website
  • Television
  • Newspaper
  • Email newsletter
  • Social media
  • Offline marketing platforms

You could use a different toll-free number for each of these mediums. That way, you would be able to track each lead to its original source. Armed with this information, you can adjust your marketing strategies to be more effective where necessary. You will also need to find out any restrictions before you purchase a new number, such as whether the phone number will work with mobile phones or not.

Choosing a Toll-Free Number for Your Company

Effective business and sales communication lead to increased customer satisfaction, which results in more sales. While social media, email, and live chat are important elements of a business’ identity, many clients and customers still prefer direct telephone contact. Based on your business and your goals, it is imperative to choose the right business toll-free number. To learn more or get your own 800 phone number, call us at 1 (888) 908 6171 today!

Things to Add to Your Marketing Strategy for the Hotel and Hospitality Industry

15th February 2017 Learn, Tips

Hotel and Hospitality Overview

There has been record-breaking growth in the travel and hospitality industry in recent years. In 2015, business travel grossed $1.2 trillion, five percent more than in 2014. In the US, the growth rate of leisure bookings was significantly better than that of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This was due to renewed consumer confidence and a shift in household spending from goods to services. Deloitte projects travel and hotel industry growth to continue through 2017.

Factors that are helping to reshape the travel landscape include global economic shifts, innovation, geopolitical turmoil, pandemics, and rising consumer demands. In 2016, major hotel groups, including Marriott, Hilton and InterContinental, reported steady earnings. However, online purveyors, such as Airbnb, will present significant challenges to sectors of the industry sustaining growth in 2017.

Cyber attacks and data breaches are expected to increase. Food safety incidents in hotel restaurants, will also be more common due to the demand for locally sourced, organic foods. Hotel personnel should expect consumers to have increased expectations in the coming year. Non-travel brands like Amazon, Starbucks and Seamless feature innovation and speedy services to consumers, and they will be expecting the same from their travel hosts.

Hotels need to harness the power of mobile for their guests to remove pain points and improve their travel experience. Streamlining business processes will help in that regard and result in reduced operating costs. In addition, hotels should shift to enabling technologies to benefit from the Internet of Things (IoT), which is the internetworking of connected and mobile devices, smart devices, sensors, electronics, computers, machines, etc.

Stay Connected to Your Markets

Stay connected to your markets using virtual phone numbers. Virtual phone numbers are local phone numbers and toll free numbers. Your customers call these numbers, and international call forwarding services connect those calls to your virtual call center or virtual phone number.

Global Call Forwarding provides its core service to various luxury hotel brands. One particular subscriber has two toll free numbers in North America and six local phone numbers servicing the following areas around the world.

  • Caribbean, Mexico, and Central and South America
  • Europe, Middle East and Africa
  • Asia Pacific
  • China
  • India
  • Japan

When club members call local phone numbers or toll free numbers, they feel they are dealing locally. However, they may be connecting to virtual call centers or virtual phone systems halfway around the globe, through the “magic” of international call forwarding.

Global Hotel Rankings by Rooms

In 2016, Marriott acquired Starwood Hotels giving Marriott the largest number of rooms in the world. The following table shows the top 10 hotel groups worldwide at the end of 2016 and their respective number of rooms.

Hotel Group Number of Rooms
Marriott + Starwood 1,108,852
Hilton Worldwide 751,350
IHG 744,368
Wyndham Hotel Group 678,042
Jin Jiang + Plateno + Vienna Hotel Group 572,340
Accor Hotels + & FRHI 554,517
Choice 507,483
Home Inns 321,802
Best Western 311,870
Huazhu 278,843

Tourism Outlook for Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and the United States

Here are the latest projections for these hot tourism areas.

Philippines

Business Mirror projects an upward trend of the hospitality industry in the Philippines until 2018. A vibrant influx of foreign investment is partially fueling this trend. According to the Department of Tourism, foreign tourist arrivals have been rising since 2015. Much of the increase is due to Korean and American travelers.

Business and domestic market travel are also increasing. The business portion is due to meetings, conventions and exhibitions. The gaming industry is also generating growth. For example, Entertainment City in Parañaque City by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation is helping to make the Philippines a top tourist destination in the world.

Foreign hotel brands are moving into the country to capitalize on this business increase. The aggregate supply of rooms may reach 18,000 in 2017 and 20,000 by 2018.

Indonesia

Indonesia has 12 major hotel markets: Bali, Bandung, Bintan, Bogor, Jakarta, Lombok, Makassar, Medan, Palembang, Semarang, Surabaya, and Yogyakarta. Market performance varies from market to market. However, from 2015 to 2016, Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) had been declining because room supply was outpacing demand.

However, HVS Indonesia Hotel Watch 2016 predicts that demand will surpass incoming room supply in the leisure and upscale market segments. For Jakarta and Bali market segments, the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) in RevPAR was 5.1% and 5.8%, respectively. Secondary markets (Bogor, Makassar and Surabaya) will suffer a RevPAR performance dip due to the addition of branded midscale and budget rooms. Bandung, Lombok and Palembang will become hot markets due to their short-term demand outlook. Considering all Indonesian markets, room supply in 2015 was 71,970 rooms. In 2018, there will be 93,930 available rooms. That is a 14.2% increase in CAGR.

Thailand

According to the US News and World Report, Thailand ranks high in the following categories: Business Opportunities, Heritage, Best Country for Investment, Adventure, and Rising Economy. Thailand is Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy because of tourist spending mainly from China. The six major airports in Thailand are handling a record number of travelers. Furthermore, for newcomers to Bangkok, Ritz Carlton Residence Bangkok, Waldorf Astoria, and Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 will be adding 5,500 additional rooms to the city.

United States

STR Hospitality Net sees slower growth for the US hotel industry through 2017. Projections suggest a drop in occupancy but increases in demand, supply, RevPAR, and Average Daily Rate (ADR) for rooms.

Have you had good experiences traveling to these countries? Any travel plans for 2017? We would love to hear your thoughts.

Small Business Marketing Trends

8th February 2017 Learn, Tips

The year 2017 promises to be an exciting year for small businesses, and small business owners will need to prepare for changing marketing trends. This article discusses some marketing strategies that companies will use this year. Some of these may be perfect for your business.

Mobile Friendly Websites

In recent years, more people search and use websites on mobile devices than on desktops. Therefore, your websites should be mobile-centric, i.e. optimized for mobile use. Better yet, get a mobile app for your business. There are many available DIY app builders. Take a look at this list of the Best App Makers of 2017.With them, you can build an inexpensive mobile app. A Gallup poll reported that 75% of Americans check their mobiles hourly and use apps 90% of the time.

Consumers are becoming comfortable making mobile payments using mobile pay services. You may want to advertise and offer this service.

New marketing channels that are available to small businesses are mobile-only, downloaded apps such as Periscope, Instagram or Snapchat. These apps are not available on desktops, but they are very popular and have a wide audience.

Email Marketing

Email marketing is not a new trend. However, it continues to be one of the most effective techniques for getting and retaining customers. In a March 2016 survey of US SMB Retail Professionals, over 80% of respondents rated email over other marketing methods for acquisition and retention of customers. Furthermore, a 2014 Email Marketing Industry Census found that 68% of respondent companies rated email marketing over SEO (organic search), content marketing, paid search, offline direct marketing, social media, affiliate marketing, mobile marketing, and online display advertising.

Video Content

Consumers prefer to watch videos than to read text. Videos increase the reach and duration of marketing content, drive leads and sales and, as a result, contribute to the bottom line. In fact, predictions are that global mobile video traffic will increase exponentially from 3.6 million terabytes per month in 2016 to 23 million terabytes per month in 2019. Small business owners should consider increasing the video content on their web pages as well as adding videos to their social media.

Improvement of Blogs

SEO practices affect blog writing. However, if a blog is not useful or informative, readers are likely to leave the website. Therefore, this year is a good time to improve the content of your blogs. Use industry experts or professionals for writing and make sure the content is topical and on point. Your business will benefit from the changes.

International Call Forwarding Service

Global Call Forwarding (GCF) provides an international call forwarding service used by many successful global businesses, both big and small. We provide toll free numbers and local phone numbers to clients in over 150 countries and thousands of cities. We have an advanced network structure and provide customers with 24/7 technical support.

Using either local phone numbers or toll free numbers, your business will have a virtual office in your global marketplaces. The local phone numbers and toll free numbers portray a local presence to your customers. GCF forwards calls made to those numbers to specified destinations. It is a toll free call.

In addition to the many standard features that one expects, such as voice mail, customized greetings, and rollover minutes, GCF’s international call forwarding service provides service features that help small businesses manage call flows. These specialized features are Advanced Call Forwarding, Interactive Voice Response (IVR), and Auto-Attendant.

Advanced Call Forwarding

Incoming calls can be directed to standard landlines, mobile phones, or computers using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). The destination can be anywhere in the world. Subscribers to the international call forwarding service can customize receiving phones based on time of day, day of the week, holiday schedules, etc. The combinations are unlimited. Calls from non-English speakers (such as Thai, Tagalog, Cantonese or Mandarin) can be routed to agents that speak those languages. Advanced call forwarding is a very useful tool for small businesses.

Interactive Voice Response (IVR)

The IVR is a computerized system that greets incoming callers and transfers their calls to the proper department or extension. You can program the IVR to meet your specific business needs. Customization includes greetings, announcements, prompts, extensions, and email destinations. A free PBX service is part of the IVR. This is what allows customers to establish a private telephone network, which connects incoming calls to the appropriate extension.

Auto-Attendant

The auto-attendant answers incoming calls and gives a pre-recorded message. Users can program it based on their needs. Often, an auto-attendant gives the following options:

  • If you know the extension, dial it.
  • A list of departments and a number to dial to reach that department
  • Dial “0” for operator.
  • An option to repeat the above menu

Global Expansion

Through the use international call forwarding services and by subscribing to local phone numbers or toll free numbers, even a small business can maintain a global posture. Consider the possibilities of being able to tap into markets in Singapore, Hong Kong, or Thailand. If you own a business in those countries, provide local phone numbers or toll free number to your customers or prospects in North America, South America or Europe and then reap the benefits.

Perhaps 2017 will continue to be a year of growth for small businesses around the world. The Dow has already eclipsed 20,000 for the first time in history. Why not try some of the above marketing trends and supercharge your business.

5 Call Center Features You Need for an Inbound Sales Team

25th January 2017 Learn

Inbound call center agents handle incoming calls for your company, usually in large volumes. Traditionally, call centers take on product orders or provide customer service during hours when your office is not available.

Call centers will typically use international toll-free numbers when the call center is located outside the country. They are especially beneficial in areas where labor is less expensive. For example, you may have a few call centers setup in the Philippines or India. Depending on your industry, you may even have call centers specified just for bringing in new sales opportunities.

International call forwarding services are imperative to sales teams. Whether you are the owner of a call center in the Philippines or India, a toll free call forwarding service provider can get your enterprise set up with a call center phone system so you can increase sales at your company. We highlighted 5 key features that can increase the effectiveness of your inbound call center.

Your Inbound Sales Team

Inbound sales, by definition, is the budding relationship between a potential client that reaches out to your company and a salesperson from your organization. Because the digital realm has transformed the way companies interact with consumers and make sales, enterprises have now included digital phone numbers, or virtual phone numbers, to streamline the process.

When these features are integrated into your processes, your inbound call center can be more effective than ever. Global Call Forwarding is able to help you attract the revenue you want with new and more modern techniques than ever before.

Below you can read about 5 of the top call center phone system features that can improve the performance of your inbound sales team.

1. Call Recording

Call recording is a feature that allows you to record any inbound calls automatically. Simply select the number you want to record and enable or disable the feature as needed. With this in place, you can monitor your international call center’s conversations and understand how to improve the sales process. As a manager or business owner, you may find that after listening in on a few calls, you will have just the right knowledge to help out your employees. You can also use these recordings to train new sales staff.

When you keep and store these calls from your personalized Control Panel, you can also recover lost information from previous calls in case that you need to remember important details about your prospects. Let’s say, for example, a prospective client has spoken to a salesman in your India call center. However, when the same client calls back a week later, your salesman is either out of town, on vacation, or no longer working for your company. To find out information about this specific client, you can access your Control Panel and pull important information from their previous conversations. Now you will be able to hand off the inbound client to another member of your call center in India without worry. This can be a useful add-on to your current plan with Global Call Forwarding.

2. Call Transfer

This feature is just like having an auto-attendant or virtual assistant! Call transfer allows you to make a transition immediately or place a person on hold while you brief the individual on the other line. This can be done even if all three parties are in different countries or area codes.

How does this help your inbound sales? If a potential client contacts your call center in the Philippines and has reached your virtual assistant, your assistant can place that person on hold while they brief the salesman. This allows your salesman the opportunity to quickly research the client’s needs or requirements. This is especially useful if a salesman would like to offer unique products or services that are even better than the competition.

3. Simultaneous Ringing

There are many reasons to have simultaneous ringing in a call center. With this feature, you can forward calls from your line to two or more numbers through your inbound call center. Even though they will ring at the same time, the call will only be connected to the first salesman to answer it.

This is useful if you have a sales team that is not always in the office or at their desk. Perhaps they frequently travel and meet with different business partners. With simultaneous ringing, they could get calls transferred to their personal cell phones if this is a more convenient option for them. This ensures your team does not miss out on important communication while they are away.

4. Interactive Voice Response (IVR)

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) gives your callers a computer greeting and directs them to the appropriate line for their needs. All of this is automated for their convenience as well as yours. All they have to do is navigate through the menu system through their voice and keypad. Best of all, this system is customized to your needs. Within your IVR, you can include company announcements and new deals. This even gives you another opportunity to sell!

IVR also saves your employees time and effort if there are individuals who tend to call your company for a simple, specific reason. For example, if a customer contacts your India call center because they only need to receive their account information, your Interactive Voice Response can do it for them!

5. Black and white lists

Filtering calls is now easier than ever. Reject numbers coming in from specific area codes to maximize your efficiency. No more unwanted or unsolicited calls!

If your call center in the Philippines is getting hounded by spam, for example, you can integrate black and white lists with toll-free forwarding services. Your “Black List” blocks unwanted callers while a “White List” places preferences on those you want to hear from.

Improve Your Inbound Sales Team

These are just a few of the call center technologies that can improve the performance of an inbound call center sales team. It is incredibly important, now more than ever, that your sales teams remain consistent in the way you provide service.

How a Coworking Office Space Can Improve Your Startup

23rd November 2016 Learn

The past few years have been remarkable for the technology industry. It seems like every week that another tech startup is valued in the billions of dollars. With private market valuations of technology companies continuing to grow, more and more entrepreneurs are looking to get in the startup business. How many entrepreneurs would rather have a monotonous desk job than own their sure-fire startup?

A “Unicorn” is a startup company with a valuation exceeding $1 billion. In the past decade, unicorn startups like Airbnb (Founded: 2008, valuation: $25.5B), Uber (2009, $68B), and Snapchat (2011, $17.8B), have all seen a massive inflow of funds from private tech investors.

California is home to numerous technology corporations, and Silicon Valley is probably the first place that comes to mind when you think about startups. Venture Beat pointed out that almost half of the startup “unicorns” are in California. They also show, however, that unicorns are scattered across the globe, with headquarters in China, Germany, India and Canada.

These days, an entrepreneur can open his own startup anywhere. Email and phone forwarding enables you to run a business effectively from anywhere in the world. As a result, coworking spaces have popped up in major cities around the world.

Where Can Entrepreneurs Find Cheap Alternatives to Office Space?

Deskmag gives a great definition of a coworking office: “Every workspace with flexible structures that is designed for and by people with atypical, new types of work – that is not exclusively for people from one certain company.”

Before the rise of coworking spaces, entrepreneurs had very few options apart from leasing office space. Sure, you could set up shop in a (cramped?) home office, but every business needs an address. Nowadays, entrepreneurs can occupy coworking spaces on a membership basis.

The major economic reason why an entrepreneur will use a coworking space is to save time and money. Coworking space operators will usually offer flexible terms that allow renters to move in and out and upgrade or downgrade their pre-furnished offices as the renters please. But a coworking space has value that extends beyond what a business can save on rent.

Coworking spaces deliver value-added benefits that are difficult to quantify in dollar terms. The first benefit is the networking opportunities. The second benefit is helping your business project a more professional appearance.

The first major benefit of a coworking space is the opportunity to network with like-minded people. In the entrepreneurial world, who you know can be equally important as what you know. A great coworking space is a congregation of minds who share similar aspirations. Every person who walks in the door is a professional, and a coworking space is an ideal place to bounce ideas off your peers and create long-lasting business relationships

In addition to networking, a coworking space can help entrepreneurs project a more professional image for their business. Just like a toll-free number is more effective as a branding tool than a personal phone number, a coworking space will make a business look more established than a home office. A business address and phone number will show clients and investors that an enterprise is well-established.

Coworking Trends

These days, it is the small customer, or small group, that supplies the highest amount of demand for office space. There are more small groups looking for office solutions than there are large groups looking to lease an entire building or entire floor.

We look for this trend to continue as large corporations downsize. In addition, we expect coworking operators to modify their approach in order to attract more clients.

We expect four themes to emerge during 2017 with regards to coworking: niche communities, corporate partnerships, around-the-clock renting and added services. First, operators will appeal to specific groups and professional sectors to create a stronger community. Second, coworking providers have started to form partnerships with corporations. Third, the shared-space concept will be extended into living arrangements. Finally, look for some operators to experiment with concierge services, travel offerings, etc. in order to entice renters.

How to Choose the Right Coworking Space

The coworking market currently has thousands of players. Locations have sprung up in huge numbers in cities like New York, Hong Kong and Singapore while operators are designing new service offerings and rental models. Entrepreneurs, especially those with web-based businesses, are able to work in whatever country they choose thanks to virtual phone numbers and offices. No matter which country you reside in, there are several important factors to focus on when choosing a coworking space.

  • Focus on community

Networking is one of the greatest benefits that come with a shared office space. We advise you to consider the types of businesses that occupy the space and decide if these peers will help your business grow

  • Focus on function

What goals does your business have for the future? Some coworking providers have programs to accelerate the growth of occupants. For example, the Hive in Southeast Asia offers partnership opportunities for member companies, along with other great programs. You want a coworking space that will support your business.

  • Focus on location

If your virtual office is far away from where you live, chances are you won’t spend much time there. We recommend choosing an office that is close to your home.

  • Focus on utilities

High-speed internet is a requirement for doing business in today’s internet environment. The facility should come equipped with Wi-Fi, a fax machine and conference rooms. Some locations have a kitchen and free coffee and snacks. Others offers 24/7 access to the office. The utilities you want to look for will depend on the needs of your business.

 

Do you have experience with coworking? How did your business benefit from joining a coworking space? Do you recommend any particular locations? Share your comments below.