In the past, phone numbers were tied to physical locations. To obtain a phone number you needed to install a physical phone line at the actual location of the business. As the internet became a larger part of our lives and a major source for shopping, new solutions emerged. Phone numbers became more flexible in order to reach a wider oudience. Virtual phone numbers allow costumers from around the world to reach their destinations faster and with greater ease.
What is a virtual phone number and how does it work?
A virtual number is a standard telephone number that is not associated with a phone line. Virtual numbers are typically used to forward calls to existing numbers. A subscriber can have multiple telephone numbers without the need to buy an additional hardware. The service is usually available for a monthly fee to the communication provider.
Historically, this solution gained popularity as organizations extended their presence to other countries. A virtual number can be set to any area code in any country, and allow costumers to contact businesses without the need to pay long distance rates. This method of communication allows companies to be more active in other locations, even if they don't have a physical presence there. Good examples to such services are call centers, online service providers and e-commerce websites. A costumer dials a local or toll-free number, for lower rates or for free, which is automatically re routed to a different pre-determind number. As a result people from various locations around the globe can easily connect with service providers in US and other countries.
Examination of global shopping tendencies reveale that many costumers will choose to dial a local or a familiar toll-free number due to the high cost of long distance calls. Also a familiar virtual phone number reduces the enxiety of being answered in a different language or of being misunderstood by the service provider.
How a virtual number can help boost business effectivness?
Many companies use different marketing campaigns to boost sales and increase leads. The main challenge is usually to measure the exact number of phone calls received via promotional activity. To measure the level of success a company can asaign different phone numbers to various campaigns and track the exact number of incoming phone calls. All the calls can be received via pre existing phone lines without the need to install additional phones or lines.
A virtual number can also improve the impression you leave on costumers that are looking you up online. International or toll free numbers can help businesses to appear as more established and add more credibility.
Whether you are using a regular or cloud based phone system, virtual numbers can help you reach customers online.