Your browser does not support JavaScript!

The Best SaaS Sales Strategy Proven to Convert

Source: DepositPhotos.com - O#22734395 ID#27446420

SaaS sales, or software as a service sales, is a specific niche that offers specific applications to various industries. Software as a service meets specific needs and is a niche. So, it can be challenging to understand how to best sell these services to potential clients. In this article, we dive into three of the most profitable SaaS business sales strategies. This way, software as a service companies can get the most out of their sales procedures. And, turn as many sales into conversions as possible.

Establishing a Price for Your SaaS

Before you can go about establishing the best SaaS sales practice for business, you have to understand your SaaS pricepoint. Surely, it takes money to run, operate, and maintain any type of software system. So, before selling, you have to identify what this cost is. And, what the price should be. This way, you make a profit and can afford the overhead of maintaining these services. So, before even thinking of how you’re going to sell your SaaS, consider how much the service will cost future clients. This way, you know what to advertise and how to market to your clients. And, you do so before you even determine a Saas sales strategy.

Keeping Sales Personal With Actual People

SaaS companies are known for running and operating their services entirely on the internet. But, that doesn’t mean that businesses want to always deal with the internet. Especially, every time they have a question or concern about your software. Not only keeping the sales but also the customer service aspect of your SaaS business in the hands of actual humans can go a long way. This is because people are more likely to stay with a SaaS service if they can feel heard. Thus, giving them someone to actually hear them out is a huge plus. When considering a SaaS sales strategy for your support, sales, and marketing departments, make sure you invest in hiring actual representatives. This way, your SaaS interfaces with your clientele base on a personal level but offers the effectiveness of the internet at your client’s disposal.

Offering a Way for Customers to Self Serve

Obviously, it’s important to provide business clients a way to speak to actual human beings whenever they want. But, many people in today’s world would rather click through web-based support options to get what they want. So, if you want to be a leading SaaS business, you’ll offer both customer-facing and self-service solutions. When it comes to marketing and support, you can offer alternative ways in which current and prospective clients can interface with your company via your website. This way, your client/potential client can accomplish or access what they need with only a few clicks of their mouse. For example, you may choose to offer self-service complaint forms and support tools installed on the company website.

Best SaaS Sales Strategy Proven to Convert
Source: DepositPhotos.com – O#153054968 ID#27446420

Converting More Meaningful Sales with Enterprise Selling

While you can always offer your SaaS cloud computing services to people over your website, enterprise selling involves selling to a niche. Typically, these sales involve high payouts as they require more customized solutions. However, they’re more likely to require the most time to sell. When it comes to an enterprise selling a SaaS application, make sure you’re ready with complete proposals, in-depth contracts, and a complete sales pitch. Plus, make sure the potential client understands that their account is your highest priority. So, make sure they understand their higher price point also includes invoicing, customer service, and a more in-tune business to business relationship.

Closing: Giving Your SaaS Customers More with Virtual Phone Numbers

Need to gain more SaaS sales and potential clients but no one is answering the phone? There’s a better way to call customer audiences that aren’t in your area. With virtual phone numbers from United World Telecom, you can pick local or international phone numbers for your business at an affordable rate. And, you can then pair them up with your current business phone solutions. To get your very own local or international business numbers fora  SaaS sales strategy, contact us today.

Free Phone Number vs Paid Phone Number: The Pros and Cons

Source: Depositphotos.com Lic#160910328 ID#141801810

It’s only natural that many business owners want to cut costs on nearly every aspect of their business. Consequently, businesses try to cut corners in terms of their phone service, looking at such alternatives as Whatsapp and Google Voice. This may work as a stop-gap measure, particularly for bootstrapped small businesses and startups, however, not without some serious drawbacks. In this article, we’ll look at some important aspects of a free phone number vs a paid phone number.

Free Phone Number Vs Paid Phone Number: Consider the Limited Functionality

When it comes to using free phone services, you get what you pay for. This is typically fine for basic everyday calls. However, what happens when you want to use it for your business and need to scale its functionality? The truth is that a lot of these free phone services build their revenue model around roping in initial users. Once reliant on the service, it becomes harder and pricier to do what paid phone services do.

By contrast, using United World Telecom’s subscription services enables users to:

  • Instantly adjust their telephone-based communications via United World Telecom’s easy-to-use dashboard interface.
  • Augment their capabilities with add-ons and enhanced functionalities, such as PBX directories (Private Branch Exchange), white/blacklisting, simultaneous ringing, etc.
  • The ability to record and store inbound and outbound conversations with the add-on ”call recording.” While Google Voice allows users to record incoming calls, it doesn’t allow you to record outgoing calls.
  • Use more sophisticated features, such as setting up a directory system.
Free Phone Number vs Paid Phone Number
Source: Depositphotos.com Lic#160911162 ID#73480493

Porting and Transferring Your Phone Number

When it comes time to upgrade your service by selecting another service provider rather than the free options, you may hit a few snags. Porting and transferring your phone number to a new provider comes with costs and a bit of tech know-how.

By the time you’ve established your business/ personal contacts with a phone number, you will notice a few problems. First, you may need to endure porting/transferring fees from a service provider. (Note: United World Telecom offers relatively low porting fees) Second, customers familiar with your phone number now have to adjust, which can lead to lost revenue or frustration.

Wifi Dependency

Another common problem that free phone service like Google Voice has is reliance on Wi-Fi service. The issue is that it is easily interrupted. This presents a certain level of inconvenient for someone who has access, however, your phone will not work in areas with minimal/slow Wi-Fi access.

In fact, a lot of users of free phone service end up purchasing a hotspot or data plan to meet their communication needs. This ends up negating the savings they intended from the get-go.

Customer Support

Ever try getting in contact with Google or Whatsapp by phone to resolve a service issue? Chances are, you’ve ended up frustrated and had to browse online forums just to get an answer. You may find it troubling when you’ve got business deals to finalize or time-sensitive issues that need resolving ASAP.

Instead, the customer service representatives at United World Telecom are specially trained to handle any problem you may encounter. They offer 24/7/365 availability to assist you with anything from resolving a technical issue to recommending a service plan that fits your business usage.

In Conclusion

As you can see, a paid phone number is simply superior to a free phone option. To find out more about the paid phone service from United World Telecom, visit United World Telecom’s homepage or call us to begin learning about the advantages of subscribing today.

Starting a Customer Call Center for Your SaaS Business

Source: DepositPhotos.com - O#76343593 ID#27446420

Software-as-a-Service, or SaaS, is an emerging business model for today’s technological business landscape. Typically, most SaaS businesses operate solely over the Internet. However, most customers prefer having customer service agents available to handle their unique concerns. Luckily, United World Telecom offers numerous ways to accommodate these needs. With the versatility of virtual phone numbers, you can easily and efficiently set up a top-performing customer call center.

In this article, we will cover numerous aspects of starting a customer call center for your SaaS business, including:

  • Hiring & Training Talent
  • Accommodating Customers
  • Enhancing Inbound and Outbound Calls
  • Getting the Word Out

Hiring & Training Talent

Your call center needs qualified individuals to man the phones. You’ll want to select qualified individuals that display the best qualities to carry out your company’s mission. While starting a customer call center may seem daunting, United World Telecom makes the process incredibly simple.

Virtual Numbers Offer Great Versatility

First, virtual phone numbers can be used with any device that has Internet and audio capabilities. This includes laptops, smartphones, headsets, landlines, tablets, and more. Employees who are familiar with any of these devices can begin using virtual phone numbers immediately.

A User-Friendly Option for Call Centers

Second, virtual phone numbers from United World Telecom require very little technical expertise. Thanks to an intuitive dashboard interface, your customer call center representatives will not need significant training to use it. This means that your organization spends less time training, resulting in cost reductions in overheads.

Accommodating Customers

Remember that customers can reach your business from around the world with virtual phone numbers. This can give your SaaS business a wider international reach that wouldn’t be possible through other means. By setting up a toll free number, you accommodate customers that wouldn’t ordinarily be able to reach you. Similarly, you can use United World Telecom’s international toll free numbers (i.e. ITFS, UIFNs, mobile accessible numbers). With these, you alleviate any obstacles that may prevent customers from reaching your customer call center.

Customer call center for Saas business
Source: DepositPhotos.com – O#18206847 ID#27446420

Enhancing Inbound and Outbound Calls

United World Telecom’s add-ons and features, paired with virtual phone numbers, can greatly enhance how your call center functions. United World Telecom offers some of the following add-ons:

One example of how you can increase the functionality of your communications is by using the popular add-on CallMe Click. It enables website visitors to reach your call center simply by clicking on a link (i.e. button, phone number). This instantly bridges the gap and makes it simple to resolve issues, finalize transactions, and provide important information. This creates a seamless experience for interested customers that would otherwise require dialing a number manually.

Getting the Word Out

It’s necessary to have a customer call center for your SaaS business. Though, if no one knows how to reach you, it’s useless, right?

Once you’ve virtual obtained phone numbers for your call center, it is time to make it known to your clients and potential customers. You should mention that your organization has an available call center wherever it is relevant. Be sure to display the phone number on your website(s), advertising, and promotional materials. This ensures customers are aware that you have a customer call center, and they know you are ready to help.

Get Virtual Numbers for Your SaaS Company from United World Telecom

As you can see, United World Telecom offers the easiest way to fortify your customer call center for your SaaS business. With virtual phone numbers available in over 140 countries, your company gains endless ways to establish a customer call center for your SaaS business. Signing up with United World Telecom is simple and can be completed within minutes, giving you access within 24 hours or less to start serving your customers today!

Is it Friday yet? The Psychology Behind the 9 to 5 Work Week

Source: Depositphotos.com ID#10338012 Lic#160458410

If you’ve ever worked a 9 to 5 job, you understand what it’s like longing for Friday. But, have Americans always had to ask, “is it Friday yet?” The experience of having a 9 to 5 job has long been an acceptable standard as far as workplace scheduling. But, as the world is changing, many have been questioning this way of living. And, contemplating the psychological effects of this type of work schedule.

The History of the 40-Hour Work Week

Before we can understand the psychological effects of the 40-hour, 5-day work week, we have to understand its history. The truth is that this type of work schedule hasn’t always been the standard in the USA. In fact, in the 1890s, factory workers were known for being forced to work 100 hours a week or more. Fortunately, after years of activist work and many people fighting the powers that be, change began. But, it wasn’t until 1940 when Congress signed the Fair Labor Standards Act that the 9 to 5 workweek was officially held up by law.

Should the 5 Day Work Week be the Standard?

We’re certainly lucky to have people from the past who have fought for labor rights. However, many believe we’re still not where we need to be as a nation as far as labor expectations go. For example, there was recently a worldwide survey of over 3,000 individuals working 8-hour workdays. Findings show that half of these individuals believe they can do their jobs using only 5-hour days. This means they think they’d be more productive if they worked fewer hours instead of more. Or, a four day work week instead of five. Which, poses the argument that working 8-hour days and 40-hour weeks aren’t necessary or even effective. And, that constantly asking, “is it Friday yet?” may not be what most people want.

Is it Friday yet? The Psychology Behind the 9 to 5 Work Wee
Source: Depositphotos.com ID#102487924 Lic#160467418

The Standard of the Work Week Schedule is Changing

Many people still work and may even expect a 5-day workweek. But, the truth is that it’s not as standard as it once was. In all reality, besides the people with standard 9 to 5s, there are two types of workers. On the one hand, some people work more than the standard 40-hour workweeks. They’re slaves to their salary jobs which require them to work at any time. Thus, these people often work more than the typical 40-hour workweek.

Basically, people stay with their salary jobs in hopes to receive promotions, raises, and bonuses. But, all too often, their loyalty and hard work are only taken advantage of. And, corporate greed coerces these individuals to do the work of more than one person. Hence, making labor cheaper. On the other hand, there are individuals who see that a 40-hour workweek may not be optimal. And, they take alternative routes to ensuring they don’t have to work 8-hour days and 9 to 5 jobs.

Non 9 to 5 Jobs: Alternatives to the 40-Hour Workweek

Are you one of the millions of individuals who are tired of asking, “is it Friday yet?” If so, there is hope in not having to work another 9 to 5 job ever again. With advancing technologies and the expansion of the internet, more and more job opportunities present themselves with each new year. For instance, stay at home jobs online that allow people to create their own schedules. Additionally, a freelance job at a virtual office that doesn’t require you to physically work at any specific physical location. So, while most of the country still believes that the 9 to 5 workweek is standard, you don’t have to settle. There are opportunities to find work in the world of technology and the world wide web that don’t require set schedules or even full-time work to succeed financially.

Help for Non-Standard Work Schedule Environments

Most of the jobs that don’t require their employees to work a standard 9 to 5 day utilize the internet. So, they don’t have a physical location with the plain old telephone service that you’d expect from most businesses. However, a virtual phone service provider like United World Telecom can help to provide the functional customer service features needed to run a successful business. These include phone systems that connect to employee mobile devices to create a network of business phone solutions for clients. Certainly, in order to adapt to changing work schedules that virtual offices create, adjusting business solutions is a must. So, if you’re looking to start your own type of virtual office, remember to provide your business with the solutions you’ll need.

Environmental Issues, Their Impact on Business, and How to Mitigate to Turn Crisis into Opportunity

Source: Stockphoto.com - O#100043608845 ID#100186088462

Our planet is plagued by environmental issues that are depleting our natural resources and putting an enormous strain on our livelihoods. If left unchecked, many of these issues will impact businesses directly and indirectly. In many instances, they are already doing so. Some of the primary environmental issues that are affecting businesses today include pollution, waste disposal, water quality, and water supply issues, and climate change.

Business Impact

Pollution is one of the world’s biggest environmental issues. The business impact due to pollution stretches far and wide, with just one example pointing to how pollution affects the health of people which then impacts medical costs and loss of productivity. Heavily polluted areas, for example, have a difficult time hiring and retaining workers. Waste disposal is another issue, with improper disposal resulting in foul smells, leaching into water supplies, and air pollution.

Climate Change Will Affect Everyone

Climate change is a global issue with serious implications including environmental, social, economic, and political. Factors like coastal flooding can have a major impact on businesses, leading to operational disruption and losses for organizations. Climate change can also create a higher demand for energy as the temperatures get warmer and there is a higher demand for air conditioning use. This means higher costs overall to businesses. Higher demand for energy also translates into increased use of natural resources like water and fossil fuels, which can then turn into a lack of resources for companies to turn into products. Many businesses have already started to implement automated response systems to combat these negative effects.

Climate change also has negative impacts on the agricultural sector, which directly impacts the population in regards to food availability and safety. The impact of environmental issues on water supplies can result in harm to agriculture, a decrease in productivity, and higher costs.

Mitigating Risk

Environmental issues that we face today make it clear that solving as many of these complex issues as we can best serve all sectors. It will also require the cooperation of all sectors. Environmental issues affect every individual, community, organization, and country. We must all become environmental stewards to keep the economy moving, surviving, and thriving.

Environmental Crisis

The environmental factors that are affecting business and will continue to affect production and the economy. Such issues as major storms, loss of resources, inflation, and scarcity of food and water – are creating serious detriments. However, solving these complex issues requires the cooperation of individual sectors. It is apparent that the environmental crisis we are facing calls on all business leaders to consider the environmental impact that their companies have and also calls on business leaders to take action to ensure that they meet all compliance needs and regulations.

environmental impact
Source: Stockphoto.com – O# 100274938752 ID#100186088462

Opportunity

Though the situation is difficult, environmental issues also present an opportunity for businesses to step up and show their employees and markets where they stand and what they are willing to do to mitigate the risks. Employees, for example, perform better when they are healthy. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulates work environments and most businesses do not have an issue with meeting OSHA standards. Businesses, however, should remain aware of current events and how they may affect their employees. An example is if the employees of a company are working outside and there are extremely high temperatures. Companies will sometimes provide a toll-free phone number to support employees that want to request time off. The break times required by OSHA may not be sufficient enough for the health, safety, and well-being of employees.

Environmental Action is Marketable

The cultural demands of consumers are another area that presents an opportunity concerning businesses and environmental issues. Consumers are increasingly opting to align themselves with companies that have a strong positive environmental mission. Business leaders taking action to mitigate risks involved with environmental issues and promoting sustainable practices will benefit the company. Marketing campaigns are being used as a platform to inform the public of the efforts companies are making to address environmental issues. They are also being used to inform the public of efforts that are planned for the future.

Environmental Action is Good for All, Especially Businesses

Once upon a time, the sole objective of business owners was to build a company that would generate revenues and continuously increases profits. As environmental issues, their impact on business and the world, and the risks to the future of all life have become more prevalent across the globe. The effects can be measured with environmental performance software and the need for immediate action is now. It is the responsibility of business owners to take a full inventory of their choices and examine how those choices affect the environment. It is time to make modifications where necessary. Some effects are more subtle than others, but all modifications contribute to the greater good of our planet.

How Can United World Telecom Help?

There are a few different ways that you can business can go green and become more socially responsible. Start by:

  • Educating employees and encouraging them to adopt ‘green habits’
  • Choosing cloud communications services
  • Upgrading to energy-efficient products
  • Offering remote and telecommuting
  • Investing in ‘green IT’ solutions.

We can help get you set up with a virtual communication system that connects users from any location and device, with minimal setup and downtime. Want to get started? Speak with on of our representatives today!

Sales Management: Business Phone Systems for Small Business

Source: Stockphoto.com - O#100191557818 ID#100186088462

Small businesses have different needs and requirements than other types of businesses. So, if you’re thinking of starting your own small business or wondering how you can better manage the small business you already have, you may want to consider different types of phone line systems to choose from. Especially if your small business is sales-driven, you’re going to need your phone to close leads and keep your customers happy. With these business phone systems for small businesses, you can ensure that your sales management efforts won’t go in vain. And, that your customers and employees will be happy with their communication abilities.

Traditional Landlines for Small Business Sales Management

Certainly, you can choose a traditional landline for your small business phone. But, if you want to be able to transfer calls to different employee extensions, it’ll need to be a PBX landline system. This means a public branch exchange, which is the capability of routing to different destinations. Otherwise, you’d only be able to answer one call at a time from one specific phone unit.

A Trusted Source of Communication

Landline phones are your traditional phone lines which are installed and managed by your local telephone provider. Calls are run through copper wiring that eventually runs them to a local exchange, which then routes the call to the desired location. Traditional phone lines may work for your new startup if you don’t have internet, as they are one of the only types of systems that currently don’t require a broadband connection. And, they do offer some standard features like caller ID, call waiting, voicemail, and even conference calling.

VoIP for Small Business Sales Management

If you have an internet connection for your small business, you can benefit from a broader range in a selection of phone line systems, including VoIP. This type of business phone system is one of the most versatile, as it doesn’t need to use copper wiring and phone lines to carry phone calls to their destinations. Rather, it uses the internet. This allows VoIP systems to boast many unique benefits including ease of use, advanced features like SMS to email and call attendant and is even compatible with various business software tools like CRMs. Not to mention, VoIP systems are typically dramatically less expensive than traditional phone lines, which can help your small business sales management team by providing more money for sales incentives!

Business Phone Systems for Small Business
Source: Stockphoto.com – O#100100911520 ID#100186088462

Virtual Call Services for Small Business Sales Management

Finally, one of the last small business phone systems to consider as a new startup is a virtual call service. This entails purchasing and managing a business phone line right over the internet. So, you don’t need to purchase costly phone equipment, as other systems may require. Typically, when small businesses choose this type of phone system, they route their business number to an already existing phone, whether a business landline or a smartphone. Essentially, a virtual call service is an extension or a feature that you can add to an already established phone line. This allows you to have a personal number and a business phone line combined.

If you have a small business, like a virtual call center, you can use a virtual call service as a way to provide your remote sales employees with their own extensions, voicemail boxes, and customized greetings.

Getting Your Small Business Phone Number Through United World Telecom

Now that you know about the various business phone systems to choose from for your new or already established small business, you can choose your own business phone number.

Whether you need a local number to reach a specific customer audience or you want to provide customers with a customized toll free vanity phone number, United World Telecom can help! Our business phone numbers can be packaged to specifically meet your small business needs. This way, you aren’t paying for things you don’t need. And, you can use the savings to better motivate and manage your sales team. To learn more about how we can help to set up your new small business phone number, contact us today.

Using Virtual Phone Numbers for Political Campaign Outreach

Source: Stockphoto.com - O#100038918967 ID#100186088462

Political campaigns consist of organized efforts aiming to influence decision-making within a group. Voter outreach is a critical factor in increasing voter turnout and actively sharing information with the public about the voting process. Whether this relates to the process involved in becoming a registered voter or the different ways in which constituents are able to submit their votes, actively reaching out to voters is a must. It should be done through as many targeted and personalized ways as possible, as this is key in ensuring a campaign informs their target audience and gets the public engaged in their efforts. Here is a run-down of how using virtual phone numbers for political campaign outreach is a good idea.

A Strategy for Communication is Necessary

Having a firm idea of goals and a plan in place that is aimed at attaining those goals is essential as it relates to a political campaign. Outlining this strategy well in advance gives more time to implement strategies, evaluate, and make changes as necessary. This is essential to moving the campaign forward.

How You Communicate During Campaigns is Exceptionally Important

Using the right voice and tone, as well as using virtual phone numbers for political campaign outreach can have a huge impact on the ultimate success of a political campaign. Face-to-face conversations are arguably the most impactful for voter outreach. Talking to voters about why it is important to vote and having open-ended conversations versus being forceful with positions and opinions is also much more effective. However, when face-to-face conversations are not possible, phone conversations can also be highly effective. This is where using virtual phone numbers for political campaign outreach can be very useful.

Gaining the Attention of Your Voters

Other methods used for political campaign outreach include text messaging, social media and traditional media such as TV, radio, and newspaper advertisements. All of these methods have the power to capture the attention of voters, helping to spread awareness and promote a campaign.

Enlist Volunteers for the Cause

Volunteers are an important part of political campaign efforts. Recruiting volunteers and training them is an extremely important task. It is necessary that they have the essential know-how to reach voters to have the campaign’s message resonate. Phone banking with volunteers is a common tactic. Using virtual phone numbers for political campaign outreach is beneficial because those running the campaign can purchase local virtual phone numbers for whichever geographic areas they are targeting. Those receiving calls are more likely to answer a call to a local phone number than a long-distance or toll-free phone number. Virtual phone numbers are also cost-effective and calls made to them can be forwarded to other phone numbers, if necessary. Political campaigns can be intense and there is a lot on the line, so missing important calls is not an attractive option for those running a campaign.

Virtual phone numbers political campaign Outreach
Source: Stockphoto.com O# 100174670114 ID#100200144052

 Keeping the Campaign Agile with Virtual Numbers

Another reason why using virtual phone numbers for political campaign outreach is a good strategy is because campaigns demand adaptability. Virtual phone numbers offer adaptability. While working on a campaign, it is common to walk into the workday with one to-do list and spend the day focused on a completely different set of things. This is because situations emerge and change everything. Imagine a news story that breaks, which requires everyone’s immediate attention. Policy announcements may need to be postponed, email campaigns launched, and call times expanded. A candidate may need to spend the day on the phone with news reporters in order to respond to the news. A new geographic area may need more attention. This can be stressful and things need to shift quickly. Using virtual phone numbers for political campaign outreach allows for the entire call center to shift to a new geographic location immediately without having to physically move anywhere. Being able to shift and execute another plan fairly seamlessly could make all of the difference.

 Virtual Numbers Are a Valuable Tool for Political Campaigning

As days pass during a campaign and it gets closer to an election, things intensify and strategy is everything. Having tried and proven methods in place to handle even the most chaotic of situations is essential in having a political campaign result in success. Using virtual phone numbers for political campaign outreach is a tried, tested, and proven method that contributes to the success of a campaign and helps to keep campaign staff on task versus having to worry about changing locations or missing important calls if one has to leave campaign headquarters for any reason. Virtual phone numbers are also very competitively priced, which is also important since political campaigns are traditionally costly. For the most effective results when contacting voters that you are unable to reach in person, virtual phone numbers are essential!

Virtual Phone Numbers for Environmental Groups and Organizations

Source: Stockphoto.com O#100015534987 - ID#100067081677

Any type of organization can benefit from the use of virtual phone numbers. Cost savings are important to all types of organizations, no matter the size or sector. However, a smaller organization may initially be drawn to the significant cost-savings benefit at first glance.

Virtual Phone Numbers Are an Environmental-Friendly Approach

The fact that there is no need for any bulky hardware may also be an immediate draw for environmental groups and organizations that promote cutting back on the use of plastics, metals, and other materials used in creating hardware systems. These are just two of many benefits when it comes to the use of virtual phone numbers for environmental groups and organizations.

Virtual Numbers Are the Perfect Option for Groups & Organizations

Virtual phone numbers are like any other phone number, except they are not tied down to any specific phone and location. When someone calls a virtual phone number, the owner of the virtual phone number may have the calls going to a landline or a cell phone of their choosing. Many different features can be activated to work with virtual phone numbers for environmental groups and organizations. Calls may be answered with a pre-recorded greeting. Calls can be forwarded to an extension within the organization. Time of day routing can also be used so calls are forwarded to different call centers depending on the time of day when they are received. This ensures that calls are not missed and the organization can essentially be operational 24 hours a day.

Virtual Numbers Are a Flexible Option for All Businesses

Virtual phone numbers can grow along with the organization. While the organization may not need extensions at first, extensions can be added later as more staff gets hired. This helps manage call volume when call routing to different staff members becomes necessary for efficiency and better service.

Environmental Groups using Virtual Phone Numbers
Source: Stockphoto.com O#100121057898 – ID#100067081677

Choose Local to Connect with Communities

Choosing a local phone number may help to create trust and credibility for a smaller, locally run organization while a toll free or vanity phone number may help an organization more quickly establish a national or international image. These capabilities help to strengthen a brand. Using virtual phone numbers allows the organization to be based in one state, yet have local phone numbers for many areas within the United States or even abroad. The ability to do this allows for the organization to reach these markets without incurring high financial costs in travel, relocation, training and more that is required to open different physical locations. That alone is a huge benefit to any organization that aims to expand without necessarily having the budget for expensive expansion.

Virtual Numbers Reduce Costs

The organization is also able to accept incoming calls without having the caller incur long-distance fees if the phone number is local or toll free. Calls can be routed and rerouted to a number of call centers in different locations and this helps to minimize the risk of missing any important calls. Another benefit is that using virtual phone numbers requires minimum set-up and training to get started. Using virtual phone numbers can be a significant step in scaling efforts and growth operation.

Numbers Can be Accentuated with Additional Features

Added features, such as call recording can prove to be extremely helpful in recording interactions with callers to use for training purposes or for accountability and tracking purposes. Accountability is becoming a more common standard used by organizations of all sizes to ensure best practices are being put to work and only improved upon as time goes on.

Another feature that can be added is extensions that can automatically forward calls to a department or specific staff member within an organization. SMS forwarding, sequential forwarding, simultaneous ringing, fax to email, local ring-back tones, voicemail to email, and failover forwarding are additional features that can boost the effectiveness of virtual phone numbers.

United World Telecom Has All of Your Virtual Number Needs Covered

United World Telecom also offers rollover minutes, so if all minutes are not used in a month, they are not lost and will automatically rollover to the next month.

Despite the advances in modern communication methods, the ability to be able to speak to a live person is still highly regarded. If someone is setting up an organization and wishes to be available to whoever they are working within the community or worldwide, using virtual phone numbers for environmental groups and organizations is a low-cost alternative to setting up brick and mortar locations while allowing the organization to easily access different markets. Setup with United World Telecom is quick and easy, enabling organizations to get started quickly and take advantage of all of the benefits immediately.

How To Create a Call Center Business Plan

Source: Stockphoto.com O# 100221373798 - ID#100067081677

Starting your own business can be an exciting but frightening endeavor. You know that you want to be your own boss, manage your schedule, and may even want to work from home. But you may feel challenged in choosing a successful way to write a business plan that allows for all this. Creating your own call center gives you the business opportunity to make money from any setting, whether home or office. And allows you to create your own schedule to manage your income how you see fit using various call center solutions. So, how does one get started on writing a business plan to open a call center? Additionally, what does one need to ensure success right off the bat?

Determining What Your Call Center will Do

Call centers are used by many industries for a number of things. Call centers can help to increase sales production, offer customer service, set appointments, provide debt collection, and more. Call center agents can pick up inbound calls or may make hundreds of cold calls a day. To best determine how to go about starting your new call center business, you’ll first need to decide what your center will do by determining what you’ll offer.

Considering the Number of Employees You’ll Need

Before opening a call center of your own, you’ll need to determine the number of agents needed to manage the business successfully. There are centers of all sizes, but you don’t want to begin with too many agents, as you’ll quickly drown in overhead. On the other hand, you don’t want to hire less agents than you need, as you’ll struggle to accommodate all of your client needs. Think about your customer needs, how many consumers you plan to help on a daily basis, and how long it takes to help one customer on average to best determine how many agents you may need.

Furthermore, consider employment numbers in the future. So, if you plan for your call center to grow substantially, make accommodations for this before the hiring process begins. You don’t want new employees getting to your workspace to find they don’t have desks or phone lines. So, if it’s in your business plan to add agents down the line, make sure that’s something you can afford and are prepared for.

Business plan for call centers
Source: Stockphoto.com O#100174295798 – ID#100067081677

Choosing an Office Space or Home

Whether or not you’ll be hiring agents who work from home or accommodating them with a business space is important when determining a call center business plan. For example, if most of your agents have offshore contracts, you may not need the office space you initially planned for. Choose your office space based on the number of employees you know you’ll need to work in-house. On the other hand, if you know you want to provide your employees with a place to work, make sure you consider the location. Opening an office near the company brand can help to promote brand fluidity and trust in employees. Furthermore, it’s obviously helpful to choose an office space that’s near more employees. A shorter commute makes things easier for all.

Determining Call Center Solutions

Call companies have their own needs as they provide specific services. So, one of the final things you’ll need to consider when determining your business plan is your solutions. Choose solutions which can best help provide for your consumers. For example, if you’re opening a call center business that provides customer service support for a third party, you might want to implement call recording. This allows you to record all company calls to determine if your customer service strategies are working. Another example is if your company is an outbound cold calling center, you may want to purchase virtual toll numbers. This allows consumers to answer calls for free and forward them to any type of line!

Closing: Help with Starting Your Call Center Business

United World Telecom offers a number of call center solutions which can help to take your business plan to the next level. If you want your new business to succeed, you can help prepare yourself for success with our top-rated phone features and virtual phone number solutions. To learn more about how we can equip your new call center business with the solutions you need, contact us today.