A lot has been written in the past few years about virtual phone numbers, its significance, and what it has to offer to a business.
It won’t be wrong to say that this popularity largely arises out of two facts:
How essential it is for businesses to empower their team to work from dispersed locations while remaining a cohesive unit and performing with ease and efficiency.
The role of a virtual phone number in bringing advancement in customer service, something businesses just can’t deny.
With the advent of virtual phone systems, businesses have experienced a significant change and so its usage has been evident across the sectors, countries and organization sizes.
Given their rising popularity, I thought it would be wise to summarize all the relevant information on virtual numbers for businesses planning to opt for one.
Here’s presenting a list of questions and answers to give better clarity on virtual numbers and help you make an informed decision about its implementation for your business communication.
What is the meaning of virtual number?
Virtual phone number is an online display number rather than a terrestrial phone line fixed to a permanent handset.
It is a front number with multiple phone numbers mapped behind it, invisible to your callers while they are dialling your virtual number.
Calls coming on the virtual number are routed simultaneously to the preset phone numbers mapped behind them.
Call routing on virtual phone numbers can be automatic or based on the caller’s input (IVR menu), to be decided as per the number of subscribers.
Phone numbers of any locality can be mapped behind it with no restriction of geography or need for agents to be in office only.
A virtual phone number can be a fancy looking number (vanity number), a toll free number, or a 10 digit mobile number, all with similar attributes.
What are the benefits of a virtual number?
The adoption of a virtual phone number has several advantages compared to remaining bound to the conventional ones.
1. A virtual number empowers your business to attend multiple calls parallelly as your agents can attend different calls at the same time from their respective mobile phones.
2. Different virtual numbers assigned to different platforms can be used for business marketing enabling your marketers to get a better picture of their marketing ROI.
3. Virtual phone numbers bring mobility and ease to your agent’s call handling (and most of all reduce their stress level) as their need to remain glued to office landlines to receive calls is eliminated.
4. You can even take your customer service to another level by extending your office hours, or go all the way and provide round-the-clock assistance. This would be doable as your agents can easily attend the calls from their homes directly.
5. Customers expect to get informed & capable assistance at first go. A virtual number, when attached with an IVR, makes it easier for your callers to connect with their concerned agent with just a click on the keypad.
In case of a few providers, a virtual phone number also comes with a dashboard providing you features like tracking, recording, and reporting of your customer calls. And, this becomes even more important here as you’ll be handling a remote team of agents, especially after the office hours.
How does a virtual phone number works?
1. When the call is placed on a virtual phone number, an IVR is played and the callers can select the menu option as their requirement.
2. The call is routed to the number mapped behind that selected menu option.
3. The personal phone number of the caller and the agent will not be visible to either side and masked behind the virtual number.
4. As the call is connected with the agent, the call is tracked, recorded and updated real-time on the panel (only if the number is provided by MyOperator).
What are the types of virtual number?
Tollfree numbers
A tollfree number is a display number with all the above-mentioned features of a virtual number. However, when a call is placed on the tollfree number, it is free of cost for the caller. The tollfree number subscriber will pay the calling charges of both the ends. A tollfree virtual phone number helps in increasing the reputation of a brand in front of its potential customers by facilitating them with free calling.
Mobile numbers
This kind of virtual numbers looks like regular 10 digit mobile numbers, obviously, with the advanced attributes and advantages. Calls placed on these numbers are chargeable for callers while the number subscriber will only have to pay the call forwarding cost. A number like this simply makes it easier for your team to manage high call volume easily and eliminate the need to publish different numbers for different branches separately.
Vanity numbers
Vanity numbers are nothing but fancy and easy-to-recall numbers. These fancy vanity numbers can be a mobile number or tollfree number but will function with the traits of a virtual number. Vanity numbers significantly increase the brand recall value and recognition amongst the potential audience.
Which is the best virtual number provider?
There are many virtual number providers out there, and while they may seem similar at first, be sure to compare them. Perhaps take advantage of some free trials.
While looking for a virtual number, there are many things which come into the picture. Additional features, pricing, subscription model, credibility of the company, customer support etc to name a few!
Launched in 2013, MyOperator has been one of the leading virtual number providers owing to its fulfilment of the above parameters. It caters to business needs of all types and levels and has a successful history of satisfying its customers with the most appropriate solution as well as service.
1. Easy setup
The process of setting up our virtual phone system is easy and swift. It will only take a handful of minutes, a simple login on the panel and your number (and system) is ready to use. Certainly, the process is much less harrowing than setting up a traditional PBX in your office.
2. Exclusive features
Along with your virtual number, you’ll get additional features like live panel comprising call tracking, recording, reporting, IVR solution and more. You’ll be entitled to real-time reporting and monitoring of your customer calls with a virtual number provided by MyOperator.
3. 24*7 customer support
Your dedicated Account manager will be there for you whenever you face even a tad of difficulty or tiny doubts about MyOperator use and application. Assistance will be provided in all cases, as we firmly believe in the complete satisfaction of our customers.
4. Pay-as-you-go
We provide customized and best-possible pricing as per your business needs and call volume, without any installation or maintenance charges. The subscription will be done on a yearly basis subject to renewal afterwards.
5. Data security
We’ve implemented the finest industry Data Security measures which are built with unbreakable privacy and safety barriers. Our servers are protected with multi-level layers of safety and ensure 99.9% upload time.
6. 30-day refund policy
With clear refunding and transparent billing system, we ensure that you’ll never face product/service dissatisfaction.
7. Flexible scalability
Virtual number and system are easy to scale, even on short notice. Adding or removing users to your account is simple and doable with just a few clicks. The interface of the panel is extremely simple, yet advanced and can be adapted by teams of any background.
8. Advanced integrations
MyOperator system will even integrate with other CRMs in order to provide you with a streamlined process. Rather than expecting your team to master several programs, all with different functions, you can integrate our system with your rest of the panels and we’ll make all your data accessible on a single panel.
Can I get virtual number services on my existing mobile number?
Yes. With MyOperator you can get all the features of a virtual number on your existing mobile number as well. Just the following steps would be required:
>> Call forwarding would be enabled from your mobile phone to our provided virtual number.
>> All your incoming calls on your mobile number will be landing on our virtual number without any delay in call connection or notification to your callers.
>> Your callers will directly hear the IVR and the following process will carry on as usual.
We guarantee you that have got all the ways covered to assist our customers to improve their customer service!
How can I buy a virtual number for my business?
Now that everything is made clear, from importance to the features of a virtual phone number. And, the features of the best virtual number provider around you ;), you can now move to the next step!
Take a demo of virtual phone number with MyOperator to better understand the features and its suitability as per your business requirements.
Sign up here. Or, call us on 92129 92129 or email us at hello@myoperator.com, we’ll be happy to serve you!