The telecom industry is undergoing some major changes, due to advances in big data. Companies that rely heavily on telephone services should recognize this trend and use big data to get the most value from their services. One way that big data can be especially helpful is by monitoring the ROI of toll-free services. Real-time analytics sheds some insights into this, which helps businesses decide whether it is worth the investment.
Using Real-time Analytics to Understand the Value of Toll-free Call Services
Toll-free numbers can provide a business with a great avenue for communicating with customers. You can set up support hotlines, product lines, and more with these versatile services. On the other hand, a traditional toll number may be the best choice for your business. Which is better? Cheaper? Which one should you use for your business? Real-time analytics technology can help answer these questions.
What Is Your Call Volume Per Month?
The first thing to consider when asking which is better for your business is what call volume you?re working with. Toll-free numbers are generally for businesses with high call volumes, as they require staff to operate and a startup cost to get them running. If you?re simply dealing with a few hundred calls per month, then a traditional toll number such as an office landline might be the best option for your business. These numbers are extremely easy to obtain, and there are literally hundreds of call packages to choose from. If you?ve got a significantly higher call volume each month, in the thousands, then a toll-free number may be the best choice for you to help direct and organize some of that call traffic. You can utilize automated services to help direct calls to the proper departments and cut wait times down to avoid customer frustration. Real-time analytics helps monitor regular call volume. These data analytics tools can also use predictive analytics algorithms to forecast the value of a hypothetical call center with toll-free service.
Do You Need A Dedicated Support Line?
Real-time analytics tools also monitor the resources needed to manage call support. They can help you determine the amount of staff necessary to maintain the service. Once you reach a certain level of business, dedicated customer support or technical support becomes a necessity. To have an entire department dedicated to only customer support is a requirement when you?re dealing with large purchases and high sales numbers. If you?re finding that your office phone is flooded with customer support requests and the single operator is unable to keep up, it may be time to adopt a toll-free number for support services. This will not only alleviate some of the call volumes but also show the customer that their satisfaction is indeed important to you. Happy customers mean greater loyalty, and therefore more purchases and recommendations. One of the major factors that set businesses apart from their competition is customer service. When it?s difficult to reach the business for support questions, customers tend to write off the business as being apathetic to their plight. Don?t lose customers to the competition if you have the ability to set up a dedicated support line.
Can You Afford The Cost of a Toll-Free Number?
You?re probably thinking: ?wait a minute, a toll-free number is free, isn?t it?? Well, that?s not exactly true, though for the customer it is. A toll-free number?s cost is covered by the business who owns it, so any outgoing or incoming calls are paid for by you. Not only are you paying for the calls, but you?ll need to hire staff to run the call center, which can be costly if you need more than just a few operators. In addition to hiring operators, the startup cost, including all of the equipment, falls on you as well. The only thing you get when you obtain a toll-free number is the number itself. Everything else has to be paid for by the business who acquired the phone number. If you?re a small business looking to upgrade your call services, this is certainly an important factor to consider beforehand. Your toll-free number is a way to thank the customer or potential customers for their business. Providing an easy avenue for the customer to reach you shows them you care about their business and that good customer service is a priority.
Which Is More Expensive?
Big data is especially helpful for determining the cost-effectiveness of any given solution. Real-time analytics helps you capture the changing cost structure of a call support service. This can be a tricky question since a toll-free number is usually charged by the minute. You can purchase as many minutes per month as you need, but these can add up quickly when call volumes start to increase as your business grows. On the other hands, a traditional toll line or office landline is likely tied to a monthly unlimited calling plan via your service provider. There may be long distance and international charges attached to your bill if you?re taking calls from around the world, however. This may be a good indicator that you need a toll-free line for your business. When it comes to toll vs toll-free cost, it all depends on how and when you?re using the numbers. With high call volumes, toll-free will cost per minute but can handle those high call volumes, whereas office landlines quickly become clogged with callers.
What If I Switch Providers?
If you?ve found a cheaper rate with a different phone service provider, you?re probably wondering if your number can come with you, or if the business will need an entirely new number. This can be frustrating for both the business and the customer when the means of contact suddenly changes. Luckily, both types of numbers are portable, or able to be ported over to a new service provider. You don?t have to worry about securing a brand-new number and you?ll be able to avoid the angry customers you?d likely encounter with a number change.
Real-time Analytics Addresses Call Support Challenges in 2019
Essentially the decision between toll and toll-free comes down to the needs of your business. Large businesses tend to adopt toll-free numbers for simplicity and the ability to direct calls as necessary. If you?re a small business but can?t quite afford the cost of a toll-free service, you may want to consider virtual phone numbers or other alternatives.