Right now, staying connected internationally as a business has been proven to be the key to becoming more competitive. Even though it seems to be a tough task with several challenges, research shows that having a continental business call can ease the whole process. With it, enterprises can seamlessly gain better visibility by reaching out to customers about services rendered.
In light of this continental company call, it’s highly important to get a new business phone number from a reliable source. Be it a landline, virtual line, or toll-free number, the system must be one that helps achieve your business goals and needs. While deciding, remember Call Center Studio and Cloud Call Center Software have numbers full of all these unlimited benefits.
Here in this article, we shall be going through the following questions:
- What are the best types of business phone numbers?
- How can you format international business phone numbers?
- Which country codes are needed for continental calls?
- The various tips for handling international business calls
Let’s go take a look at this complete guide to the above point together!
What are the Best Phone Numbers for Businesses?
With an overall look, there are various kinds of business phone numbers with each having its pros and cons. Knowing the best for your company depends on your needs and goals. Hence, you can choose for yourself the one of best fit as follows:
Local Phone Numbers
Local numbers sometimes referred to as geographic numbers, are digital lines commonly linked to a specific geographic area or location. They are numbers having digital structures associated with particular cities or towns offering more precise presence that are cost-effective. Most times, these numbers have regional codes such as 91 for Madrid, 212 for New York, 020 for London, and lots more.
International Phone Number
While there are specific location numbers, there are also telephone numbers designed for each country. Most of them often have unique starting numbers called country codes e.g. +44 for the UK, +1 for the USA, +34 for Spain etc. On most occasions, these international numbers help businesses attain global reach while building trust in foreign markets.
Toll-free Phone Number
Aside from being local or International, there is also a type of number called toll-free. These numbers allow a customer to make a call without being charged a penny for it. In these cases, the businesses are always responsible for the cost of the calls—green toll-free.
Sometimes, depending on the type of toll-free number—blue toll-free—both ends may share call cost. Although these numbers’ structure may vary, you likely see them with 3-digit prefixes starting with 8 like 800, 833, 888, and so on.
Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Number
VoIP numbers are another type of telephone line designed by a service provider for communicating over the Internet. They are numbers that can be assigned to virtual phone number systems, smartphones, computers, and other VoIP-enabled devices. It provides flexible, scalable, and feature-rich communication methods that you can use to empower efficient operation.
How to Format International Phone Numbers for Business?
Even though you have the best international phone number for your business, it’s important to format it correctly. To do this, you need to take the E.164 standard which fuels a wealth of service and success.
Thus, here is a complete guide on how to format international phone numbers:
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- Start with the country code: First and foremost, to ensure compatible calls across different networks, you need to use the plus sign followed by the country code. For instance:
- +1 (201) 345-875
- +44 20 3412 2002.
- Include the city or regional code (if necessary): After setting the national code, the next thing you need to do is to include the regional code. In order to do this, you may have to differentiate the code with parentheses, hyphens, or trunk prefixes depending on the country’s dialing rules.
- Type the local number in the right format: Unto the next, you are to appropriately type the local number according to the formatting conventions of the specific country. As several countries have different local formatting rules, it’s crucial you do research and follow them accurately. Take for instance:
- USA: +1 345-429-5630
- Russia: +7 423 673-80-54
- Spain: +34 567 239 900
- Start with the country code: First and foremost, to ensure compatible calls across different networks, you need to use the plus sign followed by the country code. For instance:
- Add extensions (if needed): Assuming you want to reach out to a specific person or department, adding an extension number at the end may be needed. In doing this, you need to be mindful of the space and use “x” or “ext” for clarification.
- Include the International access code: While formatting the number, forget not to dial the location continental access code for outbound calls before the country code.
Quickly, let us move to the next!
What are the Key Country Codes you Need to Know for International Calls?
At times, while formatting your international call number, understanding country codes for your business can help you ease the process. Even though there are several countries with unique calling codes, there are also some key country codes to keep in mind. Some of these are:
- United Kingdom (UK): +44
- United States of America (USA): +1
- Germany: +49
- Spain: +34
- China: +86
- Russia: +7
- Australia: +61
- France: +33
- India: +91
- Turkey: +90
- Saudi Arabia: 966
- Nigeria: +234
etc.
Furthermore, despite these codes coming first in all numbers, you may also need to dial an international call prefix depending on the country. Although most countries use “00”, it’s good to use prefixes the specific country authorizes.
What Tips can Help you Effectively Handle International Business Calls?
Achieving the best of international business calls requires having concrete before, during, and after plans that aid swift communication. Hence, if you are yet to have one, here are effective tips for handling international business calls:
- Preparing for the call tips
- Get the desired business international number ready
- Keep security in mind and check line credibility
- Carry out a thorough call-test
- Set a well-prepared agenda beforehand
- During the international calls
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- Greet and introduce yourself
- Speaking fluently and clearly
- Listening actively
- Politely raise questions and treat misunderstandings with care
- Wrap up the call with a summary
- Round up the call warmly
- After the calls
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- Thoroughly evaluate your discussions
- Follow up on every call
Final Thoughts
Reaching out to customers across different borders with international phone numbers is a great lever that can take your business to the peak. Be it going for a toll-free number or virtual line, you can obtain all forms at ease from a reliable VoIP service. Hence, if looking for one, Call Center Studio has you covered. Sign up with us today to experience all-round transformation!
