The world has truly become globalized. It’s not only easier to offshore your call center to a different country to take advantage of cost-saving opportunities, but it’s also possible to reach and serve clients anywhere in the world. However, this does bring up an interesting question: what is the best way to serve customers in their local markets when your contact center is based in an entirely different country?

Boundaries don’t restrict email and chat communications, but phone numbers are precise to a location, and customers may be much less inclined to answer an outbound phone call from a foreign country than a local number.

That’s where International or Virtual Phone Numbers come into play.

What Are Virtual Phone Numbers?

Virtual phone numbers are domestic numbers used for each country where your business operates. They resemble local phone numbers and are not subject to hefty international call rates - customers can also call the business at standard or toll-free rates. The phone is connected to a device like an IP phone, mobile phone, or computer via the Internet, not a standard fixed phone line, although it can also be forwarded to a PSTN number.

What Are the Benefits of Having a Local Number in Each Market?

There are several benefits to having a virtual phone number, including improving customer service, building trust, and cost-saving benefits. Here are a few of the ways local numbers can really boost your call center performance:

Calls can be made by and to customers from anywhere globally, at the same rate as a local number. There is no need for customers to subscribe to an international dialing plan.

Customers may be worried about additional costs if they see that an international number is calling them. They are also more likely to answer a call from a familiar, local dialing code than an unknown international number. Your local number will boost your local brand presence and build trust between your customers and your business by simply being "close to home."

Compared to setting up traditional phone lines for your international calls, your virtual phone line costs a fraction of the price. A small monthly fee gives you access to the entire local market at affordable rates.

Building a global presence isn’t limited to the biggest and wealthiest companies in the world. With a virtual number, any business (even a small business) can reach out to customers from different countries and expand its operations. There is no need to set up a call center or phone line to have some visibility. Your international phone number makes it seem like you have a fully-fledged office in each country, which builds a positive image of your company with customers.

Businesses have none of the restrictions and complications associated with acquiring additional numbers. Companies can hold many local phone numbers for several countries or different numbers for their sales and support departments. The business can have as many numbers as they’d like without completing laborious application processes and paying exorbitant fees.

A virtual phone system can do more than just provide a local virtual number. It can enable inbound and outbound calls from anywhere globally, enabling remote working for any agent with access to a laptop or other mobile device.

Call Queuing: Create customized call queues that sort calls based on rules set in the app to direct them appropriately.

Call Recording: Automatically record calls for compliance or training purposes.

Interactive Voice Response (IVR): Create an IVR menu to help your callers find the correct department or agent for their query.

SMS/Text Messaging: Don’t depend purely on the phone for communication. Send text messages to individuals or groups with ease.

Conclusion

A local number will significantly improve productivity for your contact center by boosting connectivity rates, providing customer insights, and building a robust and global presence for your business.