Companies with a presence in foreign markets can greatly benefit from international virtual phone numbers. These numbers give local people the impression you operate domestically while funneling calls and leads to your sales teams or customer service reps anywhere in the world.
This article explores how to expand your reach with international virtual phone numbers. It looks at the benefits of owning them, how to get them, and some of the top providers in this industry. Here’s everything you need to know:
Expand Your Reach with an International Virtual Phone Number
Expanding your reach with an international virtual phone number is a top priority once you begin operating in overseas markets. Systems use Voice over Internet Protocols (VoIP) without needing landlines or mobile networks while providing you with area codes relevant to the local cities where you operate.
Numerous high-profile companies, including airlines, technology brands, and automakers, use international virtual phone numbers. However, you don’t need to be a multi-national company to benefit. Many firms relying on these systems are small-scale startups seeking cheap alternatives to conventional landlines, enabling them to set up in new locations for less.
International virtual phone numbers come with voice call capabilities and a host of additional features, like call forwarding/recording, multi-ring capabilities, transcription, and voicemail. These are often native to the underlying VoIP system, allowing agents to monitor conversations from a single dashboard. As such, many companies view international virtual phone numbers as a strategic asset. Services can expand customer reach globally without the usual investment footprint.
Benefits of Having an International Virtual Number
So, what are the primary benefits of owning an international virtual number?
Lower Costs
First, international virtual phone numbers let you lower your telecommunications costs substantially. Implementations eliminate the need for costly landline installations or mobile phone contracts by providing all services via an internet connection.
“Virtual” in this context means that the phone number appears tied to a specific location when, in reality, it is not. Your audience believes you have local contact options when, in fact, you are simply routing communication data to a central location, lowering expenditure.
This technology means you can avoid international calling rates and roaming charges. Like email, the cost of communication is independent of the origin.
Greater Market Presence
Market presence is another profound benefit of using international virtual numbers. You can set them up anywhere in the globe, whether or not you have offices or buildings there.
This increased market presence allows you to build trust in ways other international brands can’t. Your leads believe you serve people like them specifically, making them more likely to pick up the phone and call you.
Improved Customer Service
Finally, international virtual phone numbers let you improve customer service. With them, you can:
- Forward clients to agents best equipped to manage their needs through location screening
- Provide customer service reps who speak their language
- Collect and consolidate call data on a single dashboard, regardless of where calls originate
- Provide a standardized communication template across geographies that supports your branding
- Route or customize calls to make them suitable for local markets
Overall, you have more tools to make customers feel happier and more satisfied. VoIP technology gives you extra flexibility you don’t get through standard landline implementations.
How to Get Virtual International Phone Numbers
Virtual international phone numbers are easy to obtain these days, thanks to the numerous services available. These brands set up your system so you don’t have to worry about technicalities, with many offering plug-and-play services.
To get a virtual international phone number, you need to:
- Find a cloud telephony service that offers the type of virtual phone numbers your business requires
- Select numbers from countries you want (usually you will have a large or unlimited selection of locations)
- Buy the numbers you require
To repeat, virtual phone numbers don’t require any physical installation or the presence of a SIM card in the target country. Instead, they rely on the Internet, making them ideal for companies looking to consolidate calls at a single office location.
Yes, brands need to be aware of the risks. Sometimes, integration with existing systems can be challenging. Virtual numbers may not fit with existing setups, leading to additional technical issues and setup hiccups. But, in general, these are easy to overcome.
Top Providers for International Virtual Numbers
So, who should you go to for international virtual numbers? Here are some options:
SMS-BUS
SMS-BUS is one of the most popular services internationally, serving clients in the U.S., Russia, China, and beyond. It allows businesses to obtain phone numbers without purchasing SIM cards, allowing them to sign up for social media accounts with ease.
This service currently operates more than one million numbers in more than thirty countries. It offers flexible payment options and the ability to top-up accounts via e-wallets, cryptocurrency, or conventional bank cards. It adds new numbers daily, making it ideal for companies looking for true location-independent operations.
Ringover
Ringover is another option based primarily in the UK. This service provides landline and mobile numbers across sixty-five global destinations, allowing sales teams to leverage local numbers while prospecting.
One of the service’s primary draws is instant activation. This feature means businesses can use their preferred international numbers immediately instead of waiting. It also offers toll-free virtual numbers to encourage inquiries and calls.
CloudTalk
CloudTalk is a larger virtual international number provider with calling options from over 160 countries. It offers local identities, cost-effectiveness, and global reach with additional AI functionality for call routing.
Unlike some services, it believes international numbers are best for outbound sales calls. It says they help with pick-up rates and growing your pipelines. Additional features include virtual caller ID, number porting (if you have an existing landline you want to keep), and toll-free numbers for easy call-backs.
CallHippo
Some international brands also use CallHippo. The service makes it simple to get numbers in over fifty emerging and developed countries, including Norway, New Zealand, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Netherlands, Estonia, and Canada. It offers flexibility and operational efficiency, ensuring you can reach the leads most likely to buy from you.
CallHippo has a three-step process to acquire an international mobile number. First, sign up, then, select the country from which you want your number, and finally pay securely.
Freshworks
Lastly, some international brands use Freshworks, a relatively new VoIP service provider. It promises to help corporate clients save on their phone bills, even when making or receiving calls internationally.
The service prioritizes helpful business-related call features, like sending callers to voicemail or adding them to queues. These systems permit smart routing and voicemail greetings, increasing the usability of the service.
Features to Look for in International Virtual Phone Numbers
International virtual phone numbers are helpful by themselves. But they are even more useful when you consider all the extra business-friendly features they offer. Here’s what to look for next time you’re shopping for a carrier:
- User-friendly interfaces – The best services collate incoming calls from diverse geographies into a single cloud-based dashboard that anyone in your organization can use. Online management is simplified through a configurable dashboard offering number management and analytics
- Security – Top virtual phone number services also provide a high level of security to comply with local laws and protect customer data. End-to-end encryption is standard, with specific features that comply with GDPR and other rules.
- Integration – The best services offer integration capabilities, allowing you to slot them into your existing workflow. For example, they fit with CRMs like Salesforce and Zoho while also working alongside your standard collaboration tools, like Slack or Microsoft Teams. Such services let you create a single point of truth in your organization for all stakeholders, reducing confusion and enhancing customer service.
- Advanced communication tools – Top services provide you with numerous ways to enhance how you communicate with clients, including the ability to send and receive SMS, video calling, and call analytics that measure things like volume and duration (ideal for call centers).
- Reliability – The best services offer highly reliable systems that won’t let you down just when you need them most. These services implement backend features that reduce latency, cut the risk of dropped calls, and provide background redundancy to reduce the risk of lost uptime. Global infrastructure management is part and parcel of what they offer.
- Local customization options – Finally, the top services offer local and toll-free options for added client trust. Extensive country coverage should be standard, particularly across the best-known markets, with custom caller ID for outbound interactions.
Cost-Effective Solutions for International Communication
In summary, international virtual phone numbers are a cost-effective cross-country communication option. With services like SMS-BUS, reaching leads overseas is a breeze. Benefits include greater trust, more local customization, and the ability to avoid international roaming and SIM costs. What could be better than that?
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