The use of virtual numbers, both non-geographical e.g. 0800
numbers and geographic numbers terminating to a single mobile phone
number has long been a feature of the small feature of the small
business and start up business market, but with the radical reduction in
mobile termination rates in recent times now means that small
businesses and business start-ups can take advantage of 'local presence'
or virtual/'ghost' numbers to be the primary telephone number used in
the business e.g. Virtual London 0207/0208 type numbers.
More intelligence can be delivered onto the virtual geographic numbers than on standard PSTN telephone numbers. The major benefits of this approach:-
1. No requirement for full blown telephone switch facility as calls can be routed to multiple mobile destinations, simultaneously, negating the need for expensive reception staff. When coupled via IVR this has the look and feel of a large company.
2. Small Businesses can be seen as having multiple offices, stealing a march on their competitors, by using numbers that are classified as outside of their local area
3. Online statistics, retrievable via I-phone application can also be supplemented by missed call alerts and emails sent straight to the user's email address with the Caller's Line I.D. (Telephone number). This means calls may never have to be missed again.
4. Specific additional marketing campaigns can be determined when the number of calls can measured. Additional marketing monies can be targeted to the right area of the budget, thereby negating the need to waste valuable financial resources.
5. By having multiple mobile numbers in the plan, it is now possible to have a service called MultiCall which allows the first available 'agent'/employee to receive the call, thereby radically improving the response time, otherwise known as the time-to-answer.
6. Virtual numbers can deliver a sales and marketing plan which extends way beyond the company's geographic boundaries and thereby creating much needed additional revenues, often at its competitors expense.
An 0800 Number can also deliver the same benefits, but clearly whilst calls being terminated on the mobile networks has fallen the costs of consumers to call these numbers has not, but it is understood that this may very well change in the near future, so watch this space.
Small Businesses and start up businesses do not have the financial resources to be able to purchase or lease full blown telephone switchboard facilities so to have a virtual geographic presence is the most cost effective way for them to achieve their desired aims of having wider coverage and a large company feel.
It is now possible to have over 4000 International city codes and 600 UK city codes to choose from and all of these calls can be terminated directly onto the mobile for a not considerable cost of 7p per minute. Clearly, this is going to have a major effect on the small business market and its felt that it is now no longer a requirement to have a BT telephone number for your business.
More intelligence can be delivered onto the virtual geographic numbers than on standard PSTN telephone numbers. The major benefits of this approach:-
1. No requirement for full blown telephone switch facility as calls can be routed to multiple mobile destinations, simultaneously, negating the need for expensive reception staff. When coupled via IVR this has the look and feel of a large company.
2. Small Businesses can be seen as having multiple offices, stealing a march on their competitors, by using numbers that are classified as outside of their local area
3. Online statistics, retrievable via I-phone application can also be supplemented by missed call alerts and emails sent straight to the user's email address with the Caller's Line I.D. (Telephone number). This means calls may never have to be missed again.
4. Specific additional marketing campaigns can be determined when the number of calls can measured. Additional marketing monies can be targeted to the right area of the budget, thereby negating the need to waste valuable financial resources.
5. By having multiple mobile numbers in the plan, it is now possible to have a service called MultiCall which allows the first available 'agent'/employee to receive the call, thereby radically improving the response time, otherwise known as the time-to-answer.
6. Virtual numbers can deliver a sales and marketing plan which extends way beyond the company's geographic boundaries and thereby creating much needed additional revenues, often at its competitors expense.
An 0800 Number can also deliver the same benefits, but clearly whilst calls being terminated on the mobile networks has fallen the costs of consumers to call these numbers has not, but it is understood that this may very well change in the near future, so watch this space.
Small Businesses and start up businesses do not have the financial resources to be able to purchase or lease full blown telephone switchboard facilities so to have a virtual geographic presence is the most cost effective way for them to achieve their desired aims of having wider coverage and a large company feel.
It is now possible to have over 4000 International city codes and 600 UK city codes to choose from and all of these calls can be terminated directly onto the mobile for a not considerable cost of 7p per minute. Clearly, this is going to have a major effect on the small business market and its felt that it is now no longer a requirement to have a BT telephone number for your business.
Noel Liverton is the Marketing Director of Intelesis Limited
Article Source:
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