Call routing is a telecom service offered with virtual phone numbers to help businesses stay connected irrespective of geographical boundaries. Call routing has been used by multinational companies to communicate across multiple markets as well as small businesses to expand to new markets. Here are some ways companies can use call routing and international call forwarding for international business communication and keeping remote and global teams connected:
1. Time-based routing
Route incoming calls from one location to another during certain times of the day or days of the week. When your main office closes for the day or week, you can provide business continuity by routing calls to employees in a different time zone, remote agents, an offshore call center, and more.
2. Location-based routing
This type of routing forwards calls from one location to another based on the location of the caller. This is a valuable feature for businesses with offices and customers in multiple locations, time zones, and regions. With this type of routing, you can route calls to remote teams or satellite offices in different regions and offer support in your customers’ time zone and language.
3. Skill-based routing
This type of routing helps callers reach the right department and agent. When customers call, they interact with an IVR system that helps determine the caller’s need and then transfers them to the appropriate agent located anywhere. Skills needed include specific languages, customer’s past interactions, agent expertise, etc.
4. Simultaneous ringing
Ring multiple phones with one number with the simultaneous ringing feature. This type of routing rings an incoming call on multiple phone numbers within a predetermined group. You can add and remove users in the group as and when needed. By ringing on multiple phones simultaneously, your business increases the chances of calls being answered and reduces the number of missed or unanswered calls.
5. Follow the Sun customer support model
All these types of call routing make it possible for a company to adopt a Follow the Sun customer service model where your business offers customer support 24/7 irrespective of its location. This is because you can route calls to different locations during certain times or based on the caller’s location and needs.