Your Guide to Location-Based Call Tracking

Marketing approaches and strategies keep on changing, becoming more flexible and diverse. Businesses must be agile to invent new marketing campaign concepts and implement innovative strategies to perform better than competitors. In some cases, it means combining several strategies to reach their marketing goals: get customers’ attention, bring in more high-intent leads, receive required data, and track incoming and outgoing calls effectively.

No doubt, mobile telephones and their increasing popularity have made call location tracking more sophisticated and commonly used than ever before. Just think about it: what used to be considered a privilege for law enforcement personnel has now become available for business owners, marketers, call centres, and sales managers.

One of the modern call tracking approaches combines trackable phone numbers, location-based tracking and dynamic tracking. The biggest value here is that the companies can close the gap between their offline and online customer experiences, remain creative with their digital activities, and obtain exact data on the performance of the campaigns.

If you are interested in using call location tracking and implementing telephone number tracking for your business, you’ll get it here. This article will discuss all you need to know about call tracking,  location-based tracking, and what benefits it brings for businesses.

How To Track a Phone Call Location

For business purposes, call location tracking can get you valuable data about the callers and, most importantly, the source where they found the number they dialled.

However, it’s important to acknowledge that while it is possible to discover an app or service that allows people to search for the location of a phone number, doing so may have major privacy implications and consequences. So here, you’ll get detailed information on how to track a call efficiently and correctly.

If you’ve missed our recent article on new consumer data regulations, explaining how to access and process sensitive information, check it out here.

In this post, an essential topic for companies will be discussed: how to track a call lawfully and get the required information to improve marketing and sales tactics using the right tools.

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The Use of Location-Based Tracking

Businesses of all sizes and industries must understand how to track a call. Using technology like GPS, store locators, Wi-Fi, QR codes, and more, location-based marketing can assist businesses in monitoring the movements of local clients and callers.

To operate properly, every mobile device must communicate with other devices and hubs, including towers, routers, and satellites. Devices can cross-reference their exact location since they ping several communication hubs. As a result, companies can use various call location tracking tools and techniques to locate a phone number precisely.

Location-based tracking is a strategy for connecting opted-in, privacy-compliant smartphone location data to locations of interest, such as grocery stores or shopping malls. This data can be further used by marketers to create location-specific audiences. Furthermore, it enables the targeting of certain audiences to supply them with more relevant adverts and content.

As a part of location-based strategy, brands can use the following techniques:

GPS This function allows the device to communicate with at least four satellites. Satellites rely on signal delay to establish where the signal originated. This mechanism enables mobile devices to identify the position of consumers or calls and deliver turn-by-turn navigation.
Wi-Fi Each network has its IP address that informs the rest of the web network where it is, and that data will be transferred across the infrastructure. So, as soon as the device connects to a Wi-Fi network, the prone will pair with the network’s physical IP address, allowing it to track the phone number location or a caller’s current location.
Store locator A website or app feature enables users to locate specific physical retail shops, businesses, or other organisations with physical locations they may need to visit. For example, Facebook offers to include the same functionality in the brands’ instant forms for lead ads. This allows them to identify customers who are more likely to convert in a certain location.
QR codes Once the user scans the QR code, the info about the scan is saved. After that, the physical location of the QR code, as well as the location of the potential customer, can be recorded.

There is no doubt that location-based tracking is an efficient tool for retailers, local restaurants or other small businesses. However, it cannot be treated as a comprehensive tracking solution as it only collects some of the crucial customer data.

However, using call tracking software or even an all-in-one marketing automation solution can bring more benefits to brands. They will get more insights into phone conversations, tap into interactions with customers, identify a call location, and trace the number location in a few minutes.

So, let’s look closely at what a call tracking solution is and how it can boost sales and business growth.

What Is Call Tracking?

Brands need to understand how they can track call locations and have the ability to get and access crucial call information.

Call tracking solutions help marketers monitor phone calls and receive and store data from call conversations with clients. Later, this information will help to check which marketing strategy or campaign triggered every call and what the call’s result was. For instance, if you dial a company number that uses call tracking, they can easily identify which ads, web pages, and even keywords motivated you to make a call.

 

When the consumer is on the phone, businesses can employ conversational analytics to examine spoken words and identify whether callers purchased something, received a quote, or scheduled an appointment.

The graphic representation of how call tracking works, starting with the lead seeing the ad online and ending with the call tracking provider capturing the essential call data and delivering it to the business.

To increase the number of high-quality leads and high-intent customers that call, brands can utilise the data to optimise web pages, paid advertisements, social media campaigns, and other digital output.

Marketers can use dynamic call tracking to route calls to the endpoint (usually a contact centre) and assign distinct phone numbers to each product, ad, region, or any other segment they choose. Additionally, it facilitates transforming a trackable phone number into a referral source that tracks and evaluates quality leads.

How To Set Up Call Tracking

If you are interested in the phone tracking process and want to integrate the solution, start with your website and the phone number your callers will dial. Mind that your website’s header, homepage, landing pages, advertisements, or “Contact Us” page should all prominently display these numbers.

To make it work, you need to implement a marketing automation solution. For example, Call Logic – Phonexa’s call tracking and distribution platform – will help you efficiently manage incoming calls, enhance lead flow and customer interaction, and generate a trackable phone number and a code snippet.

 

The process includes incorporating the code script into your website’s code. In this case, a tracking number will be added to your website, and all incoming calls will be redirected to the original business number. The only difference is that each call will be traced and entered into the tracking program.

Furthermore, marketers can generate many links and receive call tracking numbers for various digital entities their customers might encounter. In other words, Phonexa’s call tracking software allows businesses to track customer journeys and pinpoint call locations by tracing each client’s travel to their websites and phone lines.

Phonexa’s all-in-one marketing automation solution for calls, leads, clicks, email, SMS, accounting, and more includes a comprehensive call intelligence platform, which allows brands to record phone calls, leverage call analytics, and put call data to work through its predictive modelling feature.

 

Finally, using a call tracking solution enables organisations to discover how tracking the customer journey reveals which steps contribute to a customer’s conversion, giving them insights into where they convert the most and which portions of their sales funnel have leaks that need to be addressed.

Choosing a Call Tracking Service

The technologies are rapidly developing; thus, planning, executing and tracking every digital effort and marketing channel to improve business growth is crucial. Consequently, companies are starting to implement different marketing techniques and tools to track call locations accurately, analyse the data, and optimise their digital effors.

The call tracking solutions though can become a turning point for any brand by bridging the gap between call-based campaigns, data-driven forecasts, team productivity, lead conversions.

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When selecting a call tracking service, the following are some of the most crucial elements to take into account:

Reliability

When selecting the best solution, the first thing to consider is reliability.

Call data is one of the most critical parts of any activity-tracking system, and ensuring its security should be the top concern. If the system fails occasionally, the organisation should address the issue immediately without losing data.

Customer Service

Customer service and support are the next important points to pay attention to. If you have any complaints, technical issues, or queries about the program, the company should respond to them immediately.

Customisation

An effective call tracking system should include a flexible plan. Each organisation has its own set of criteria and functions in its manner. As a result, each strategy should be adaptive to the organisation’s size and requirements.

Cost

When selecting the right software, consider the price as well. You must assess whether the product’s prices correspond to the capabilities and services offered.

Integration

Integrating a call tracking system with other CRM solutions lets organisations gain additional information about calls, prospects, and clicks. It can also help brands gain a better grasp of the full sales process.

The Benefits of Call Tracking

Today, brands are looking to create and optimise their online and offline marketing campaigns accurately and effectively. As these campaigns have a direct impact on sales numbers and marketing ROI, the capabilities and value of a call tracking solution should not be underestimated.

The big benefits call tracking users see are the following:

Getting familiar with your audience To satisfy your customers’ demands, you need to understand their core needs, demographics, and behaviours, as well as what call recording can assist you with. Once you know your audience and how they interact with your business, you’ll get a key to improve customer happiness and, consequently, increase conversions.
Granular campaign insights Granular reporting is a critical component of call tracking. The recorded data includes crucial information about the target audience, including call locations and duration. Additionally, reporting helps to identify blind spots, collect useful data, trace a phone conversation, and efficiently apply information and insight into which channels, landing pages, or keywords drive incoming calls.
Improved caller experience IVR and automatic call distribution capabilities help small businesses and corporations manage incoming calls more efficiently. Furthermore, brands can benefit from lead prioritisation using the software’s advanced filter settings.
Detailed call transcript analysis By analysing and evaluating call transcripts, marketers can learn about their customers’ pain points, needs, and where their efforts should be focused. As a result, this product feature enables marketing professionals to detect and fill gaps in their ad campaigns in real-time, allowing them to solve issues as they arise.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How does phone location work?

Wi-Fi is one of the most accurate methods for call location tracking. A smartphone scans for Wi-Fi access points, subsequently used to identify the device’s location.

How can you track a phone number?

Call tracking allows businesses to understand which ad sources callers see in real-time and their identity and history with the brand. Using dynamic number insertion (DNI) technology, marketers can link session data to offline calls and texts by automatically swapping tracking numbers on a company’s webpage.

Can I track any cell phone by number?

You cannot identify a person’s location just by using cell phone numbers. The most effective way to get someone’s location is via mobile phone tracking software or an app. Remember that it is not legal and may have serious consequences. Tracking cell phone calls is achievable, provided you use call tracking software that complies with all consumer protection standards.

Ultimate Guide to Virtual Phone Numbers for Businesses

With digital communication and cloud computing on the rise, users do not have to save data on their devices or download programs and documents to communicate and exchange information. One of the ways to manage that for businesses is to have a hosted phone system instead of a traditional one.

Aside from compromising your security, receiving business calls on a personal number can be a great inconvenience. Furthermore, it only makes sense when more people are part of the team.

As a result, most entrepreneurs, affiliate marketers, lead generators, and brands use performance marketing software to streamline manual tasks and get dedicated business phone numbers.

While there are multiple ways to get virtual phone numbers for marketers and brands, choosing the most suitable ones may be challenging. The best VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) solutions, however, will be competitively priced, easy to use, and supported by a team of experts.

What Are Virtual Phone Numbers?

A virtual phone number is a number not associated with a physical telephone line. It is connected to a VoIP service, which allows users to use the phone over the internet to make and receive calls.

Virtual phone numbers are gaining popularity as they offer numerous benefits over traditional landline numbers. They are less expensive, more versatile, and can be used to receive and make calls from anywhere globally. They are also safer since calls are routed online instead of a physical phone line.

Virtual numbers are typically used by organisations and businesses that need to communicate with local and foreign clients and customers. The virtual numbers are also used by individuals looking to keep their individual numbers private. This way, they can receive and make calls without revealing the actual number they possess.

So, how do virtual numbers work? When an individual dials a virtual number, the provider of the VoIP service routes the call to the caller’s device. The user can then receive and answer the call as if it were a standard phone call.

Graphic representation of how call routing works

A virtual telephone number does not belong to any specific network; calls to this direct inward dialling (DID) number are routed to a specified phone number. Brands often use virtual phone numbers to provide their customers with a local or toll-free number to reach them.

A Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service company is a business that hosts virtual phone numbers. The VoIP service company will provide a new number to the customer and route all the calls to that number. Calls received to this virtual number can be routed to any number they wish, whether landline, mobile, or another virtual number.

When Using Virtual Numbers Makes Sense for Businesses

It is often mistakenly believed that only enterprises can benefit from using virtual numbers. But virtual numbers can be useful for businesses of any size in a variety of contexts, including companies running international operations, agencies with toll-free service phone lines, and established firms with outdated infrastructure.

Virtual numbers are desirable for startups, small companies, and solopreneurs for low initial and ongoing expenses, simplicity of use, and on-demand scalability.

Build your plan now, or book a demo to learn how Phonexa can help you grow your business and get virtual phone numbers with local area codes.

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How to Obtain a Virtual Phone Number

A few options are available to buy virtual telephone numbers. Virtual phone numbers can be included in an ongoing Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) package by your supplier. The cost ranges between £10 and £15 a month.

With an investment in a virtual PBX, a single virtual phone number and a specified number of extensions and talk time can be yours. The duration of a call on the “business line” will dictate the number of minutes consumed. One or two virtual numbers with 200 to 500 minutes run £12 to £15 a month, and two with 1,500 to 4,000 minutes run £20 to £50 a month.

Phonexa’s Call Logic Features & Phone Number Management Price

  Lite Suite Premium Suite Enterprise Suite
Phone No. Porting Fee (In/Out) £10 £10 £10
Phone Number Management Fee: 800 TOLL FREE (Imported) £2.50 £2.50 £2.50
Phone Number Management Fee: 800 TOLL FREE (Leased) £2.50 £2.50 £2.50
Phone Number Management Fee: 845 TOLL FREE (Leased) £1.25 £1.25 £1.25
Phone Number Management Fee: 872 TOLL FREE (Leased) £1.25 £1.25 £1.25
Call price (per minute) £0.045 £0.04 £0.035 
Publisher User Limit 10 50
Buyer Count Limit 10 30
Campaign Count Limit 40 120

Learn more about the features and pricing here.

Phonexa’s Call Logic and Cloud PBX offer the best of both worlds — combining the important aspects of on-site PBX systems with a comprehensive call tracking and routing solution designed to fine-tune your pay-per-call and inbound call operations.

“What Phonexa does best is giving you the robust capabilities not only to do call tracking in a silo or lead tracking and distribution in a silo but everything from every customer interaction while also doing the payouts for those publishers. You can handle payments on our platform and manage all of your affiliate marketing programs with Phonexa’s all-in-one performance marketing software suite.”Talar Malakian

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Having a cloud-hosted virtual PBX phone system means businesses can leave hardware damage, repairs, and security compromises in the past because the vendor bears complete responsibility for every element of the system.

A graphic representation of how hosted PBX works

Here’s how Phonexa’s Cloud PBX can help brands and marketers:

  • Outbound call control: Calling the potential clients who provide their information online can increase the odds that they will buy from you.
  • Reliable service without downtime: An employee’s ability to make calls from any location using a cloud-based telephone system is just one method for ensuring business resilience during unexpected disruptions.
  • Call scoring system: Keep agents’ productivity at a high level by tracking and measuring calls and keywords used during telephone conversations.
  • Simple and low-cost setup: Reduced initial investment and upkeep costs are only a few of the many benefits of making the transition to Phonexa’s Cloud PBX.

 

Phonexa’s Cloud PBX works hand-in-hand with lead distribution through LMS Sync, call tracking via Call Logic, and click tracking through Lynx.

Using Phonexa’s performance marketing software suite, brands, affiliate marketers, and lead generators can optimise the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and properly track and attribute their calls to their respective marketing channels.

 

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Alternatively, a robust virtual business telephone number from a well-known operator that supports that bandwidth is your best bet if you require international calling (without the high call prices), more sophisticated call routing, and other advanced features and services.

That a virtual phone number lacks a relation to any physical location is a main distinction from a regular phone number. Let’s examine other distinctions more closely.

  Traditional Phone Number Virtual Phone Number
Placement Placed on premises Placed on cloud or virtual servers
Call Handling Handles 1 call at a time Handles concurrent calls
Maintenance High maintenance Low maintenance
Installation/Updates Requires manual installation or update No physical phone lines, easy management
Additional Features No additional features Multiple features like routing, tracking, etc.
Flexibility No flexibility Customisable, flexible, and scalable
Integration Options No integration options Multiple integration options

Virtual phone numbers enable the caller and receiver to be anywhere in the world at the same time. That’s extremely useful for businesses with global customers or target markets.

Google Voice is just one of numerous virtual personal number services available on the Internet for free. You can immediately use your virtual telephone number when you sign up for an account using your service provider of choice and select an area code. Virtual phone companies commonly offer free virtual phone numbers to individuals but charge for their business offerings.

Is It Possible to Change a Physical Phone Number to a Virtual One?

Your existing physical phone number can be converted to a virtual one. Most virtual phone number providers allow the transfer between users, which is also known as porting.

In Which Countries Can One Get a Virtual Phone Number?

Virtual numbers are available everywhere. Some providers even claim their service is available in over fifty countries.

When Dialing a Phone Number, How Long Do You Have to Press the Number?

A virtual number is just like a normal landline number in 10 digits and has the same initial 3-digit area code. You do not need to have a physical presence in the same general vicinity as the area code to buy a virtual phone number. That means that companies everywhere in the world can use it to make it appear that they are locally based in some area.

What Is the Purpose of a Virtual Number?

A significant benefit of virtual UK telephone numbers is that they make you accessible around the clock, irrespective of where you are in the world. Google Voice and other virtual services appreciate the ease of communication with friends, relatives, colleagues, and customers. Smartphones, tablets, PCs, and other Internet-connected devices grant unlimited access to instant messaging on the same floor or different continents.

Despite the fact that more individuals work remotely than ever, companies do not need to be concerned about a decline in the stability of their communication. With virtual phone numbers, you won’t miss a call again because they provide network-wide notifications. Your laptop will be nearby, and you’ll still be reachable, even if you have misplaced your phone.

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Cost-Effective Solution for Businesses of Any Size

With the proper provider, a small business that uses only a few lines a month might pay only a few hundred dollars a month. Yet, communications expenses have a habit of skyrocketing once companies expand to employ hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people. Throw in a spread of sites across international borders, and monthly telephone bills can abruptly enter the thousands.

Regardless of the size of a business, switching to a virtual phone number can reduce monthly telephone bills significantly. Getting an Internet number also means you don’t need to spend money on costly, multiline corded hardware. You can even get one or more free virtual phone numbers depending on the subscription package you settle on. To put the icing on the cake, receiving calls within the UK is generally free, and international calls are low-cost.

A virtual phone number offers a cost-effective option for businesses of any size.

Keep Some Space Apart

Some individuals are uncomfortable providing personal contact details to potential customers or business partners. It’s easy since virtual phone numbers can be linked to a single telephone number without compromising anonymity. This option is perfect for sole owners who consider privacy important but require a business phone line.

What Makes a Virtual Number Different From a Regular One?

Irrespective of location or the necessity of a SIM card, anyone can utilise virtual phone numbers. Virtual number calls are directed via VoIP instead. In simple words, it is the same old reliable technology powering services like WhatsApp, iMessage, and Google Voice.

All your calls are digitised and passed over the Internet and traditional phone companies. Number porting is how you make your business phone number portable among various VoIP service providers.

Therefore, placing calls needs a reliable data connection, like 4G LTE or WiFi. With a virtual phone number, you can receive calls on your cell phone.

Top 5 Benefits of a Virtual Phone Number

Fitted with an internet connection rather than a working phone jack, businesses should consider the following five reasons for investing in virtual number solutions.

Benefit Description
No Wires Required VoIP is a completely digital method and doesn’t require any physical infrastructure, which makes it easy to use and manage. Virtual numbers for multiple lines do not require physical infrastructure changes and have the advantage of easy online control over number assignment and reassignment.
Easily Transferred Virtual numbers are mobile, making them available to customers. Representatives of a firm can stay connected with customers even when away from the office.
Accessible at All Times Virtual numbers provide a robust call routing mechanism whereby businesses don’t miss any of the incoming calls from potential customers. This also includes business flexibility for agents as they can perform their jobs from anywhere remotely.
Great Local Presence Virtual numbers allow multinational companies to pretend to be local, which helps in building trust with the locals. Assigning a different number to each location will enable companies to analyse regional call data so that they can better train their representatives to respond to local needs and provide more relevant service.This technique keeps the customer remembering your brand and adds more credibility to your business. People are more likely to pick up the phone and speak with a caller who is calling their area code than with someone from another nation.
Saves On Costs Virtual numbers eliminate the need for costly infrastructures like telephone lines, periodic maintenance, more employees, and after-hours maintenance. Instead, businesses pay a service provider a subscription fee to access these features. The “pay as you use” concept lets companies control their expenditures as they grow.

Which Three Types of Virtual Phone Numbers Are There?

Virtual Private Branch Exchange (Non-Voip)

Currently, this virtual phone system is the most exceptional of its kind. There are numerous advantages to employing this format. Initially, it is crucial to emphasise that this is not a VoIP service. Nevertheless, certain companies integrate cloud-based PBX with conventional VoIP technology. We will discuss them shortly.

Thus, cloud-hosted PBX solutions do not demand an always-on Internet connection as in VoIP. After you have set it all up to your specifications, you will not need Internet (cellular or WiFi) much unless you go into your online control panel to modify configurations.

Note that “cloud-hosted” is a fairly generic term at this time.

Depending on the phone type in use, the calls will be routed via either the cellular network or the public switched telephone network (PSTN).

No special phones are required to use this service. Any phone that is assigned a single phone number and has a valid service plan will do. One of the best things about this kind of system is that no special equipment is required.

It’s inexpensive and simple to install and provides everything that a conventional business phone system offers.

Virtual System Based on Voice Over IP

This is among the most popular virtual phone systems, and also some of the most commonly criticised. VoIP has been in existence and has been utilised by the majority of organisations since it has been the optimal solution for the majority of companies.

The only problem is that too many companies still use them, which is incorrect, owing to the assumption that virtual systems are not available as an alternative to the cloud-hosted PBX we already talked about.

VoIP systems are great with organisations because they are dependable. This advantage, however, has an exception. Their functionality occurs online, and reliability is subject to your office’s Internet connectivity.

There are currently services that virtualise next-generation systems, but employ VoIP. Though the above-mentioned virtual PBX did not need Internet access, virtual systems based on VoIP do. There are several ways that this needs to be addressed.

Most importantly, the quality of your connection and calls may suffer due to inadequate bandwidth or a subpar Internet connection supplied by your Internet service provider. In light of this, it will be necessary to establish a separate Internet connection for your handsets and any additional equipment.

The provider may even demand that you employ particular handsets. A virtual VoIP service is possible if you meet all these criteria, but the expense involved can add up very rapidly.  A complete cloud-based virtual PBX solution is your ideal choice for a highly featured virtual phone system.

Caregiver Replacement Apps

These services are pervasive, are the lowest level of virtual infrastructure, and are inexpensive. People are drawn in numbers by app-based services because they are low-cost, so there is stiff competition.

That might be okay for a short time if your new company just requires a basic phone line to take incoming calls. But it won’t scale with you. Such applications are specifically designed for smartphones and would not operate smoothly on any other phone.

Most of these services also demand more fundamental features like call waiting, call forwarding, and voicemail. Another thing that must be remembered is that there are generally issues with customer service and support. Numerous customers have complained about the poor quality of customer service and a lack of access to a live operator through these cellular phone applications.

Since your business will ultimately need to invest in a suitable phone system as it grows, there could be better options available.

Synergise Your Web Lead Campaigns and Phone Calls With Phonexa

A virtual phone number is an excellent way to stay in touch with your colleagues and clients. You can call and receive calls anywhere and make sure that communication is smooth with your business associates and leads. 

“An important aspect to closing more B2B sales is having a shared definition of all the players that influence the purchase decision. Chances are, there are conversations where the decision-maker is bringing in three other people into the next demo, and they’re all talking about what they need. If you’ve got those recordings, you can watch those sales calls to review what those other people are asking and how marketing influences people coming into the room at a later stage or an earlier stage.Use those sales calls to define who the influencers are in the decision, document it, and review it with sales. Make sure that the shared pool of meaning is there. Then sales are going to have the bank of stuff to use. It might as well be that the sales only feel confident talking to that guy because they don’t have enough guidance on how to talk to all the other people, because it’s just not documented right, or maybe not actioned in a way that they feel can help them close the deal. At the end of the day, the sales need to see value in going after the other ICPs, and marketing can help them do that.”Talar Malakian

With the virtual phone number and the right martech stack, you can close your sales goals while capturing all the data required to convert callers.

 

Get your all-in-one performance marketing software suite at a single price (online price calculator):

LMS Sync Lead tracking & distribution software
Call Logic Call tracking & distribution software
E-Delivery Bulk email & SMS marketing software
Cloud PBX Cloud phone system
Lynx Click tracking software
Opt-Intel Suppression list management solution
HitMetrix User behaviour recording & CRO software
Books360 Automated accounting software

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Frequently Asked Questions

How secure are virtual telephone numbers?

A virtual telephone number can be useful for your job, but you have to know about the security threats of using any digital product.

Virtual phone numbers are generally more secure than their regular counterparts because they do not rely on a traditional telephone connection that someone can access or hack. Messages and calls in and out of virtual phone numbers are often encrypted over the internet so that they cannot be eavesdropped on.

Can toll-free virtual phone numbers be bought?

The virtual number operates exactly like the toll-free one.

The toll-free numbers are the numbers for which the recipient, as opposed to the caller, has to pay applicable fees. It bears an area code indicating that it is a local number.

However, a virtual number is a kind of DID number that involves no changes to your current phone plan. It achieves this without demanding any call-forward fee or foreign IP telephony, and can send calls to one of the numbers you prefer. It assists in making the company have an international online presence. These numbers are country-specific.

Vanity phone numbers are the solution. Toll-free vanity numbers are common. Business companies prefer phone numbers beginning with toll-free numbers 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877, or 888. Dialing these phone numbers is free for the caller, and therefore they are known as “toll-free.” The caller won’t be charged because the company possesses the telephone number. That’s a great advantage to provide customers, clients, and anyone else who may wish to do business with your business over the phone.

Is it possible to purchase multiple virtual numbers from a single vendor?

There typically is not a restriction on the number of virtual phone numbers that can be purchased from a single virtual number provider.

Does a virtual number reroute incoming calls?

You are able to direct calls anywhere at any time based on the hour and other factors from one convenient location. Calls to virtual numbers can be redirected to landlines, VoIP, cell phones, and other cloud-based telephony. You’ll have full control over managing your communications any way you’d like, and the option of redirecting your calls anywhere and anytime. You are able to make a lot of choices available that make call forwarding simple through a virtual phone number.

How to route calls via a virtual phone number in the best possible manner?

Location-based routing is an advanced IVR feature. An interactive voice response (IVR) system receives incoming calls, analyses the nature of the call, and directs the caller to the destination.

Based on location, a call forwarding and routing IVR system can route calls. You can, for instance, route incoming calls from specific locations to specific numbers. This helps ensure that callers get customer care that is linguistically and culturally appropriate.

How do I choose a company offering virtual phone numbers?

Choosing a virtual phone number provider has some prerequisites. Knowing their significance will make the selection straightforward. If any of the following apply, consider them prior to purchase:

  • Setup time: Well-established organisations need rapid onboarding. To make this change seamless, virtual phone number businesses must provide team onboarding. Call interruption by most companies is costly. It will be lost revenue, opportunities, and customer relationships.

Avoid virtual phone number providers that have lengthy onboarding. Solopreneurs establishing a business line have minimal setup time. They can receive mobile calls while setting up.

  • Hardware obligations: Virtual phone number businesses provide customers with hardware, software, or both. Startups prefer software services alone. New entrepreneurs require only some of the equipment, so onboarding is less complex.

Large companies that have a physical office are likely to use hardware or hybrid services. It could be more practical for staff members to hold conference calls via mobile phone only. Virtual phone number equipment at offices makes them appear more professional.

  • Team size: It does matter. Virtual phone number providers tend to charge per user and are differentiated by size. Choose one that supports huge teams. Choose one with user-based pricing. User-based pricing schemes are ideal for teams of dozens of users. Small businesses can choose virtual phone number providers for their audiences. Such teams prefer usage-based pricing. Low call volumes save your team money.

Can I set up more than one phone number for my business?

You can purchase quite a few phone numbers and install them with not a lot of hassle if you are willing to pay for them. Benefits are:

  • Good first impression: Potential customers may see that your company has the potential to offer a variety of features that your business needs. Solutions adopted to offer great customer service reflect the stability, reliability, and professionalism of your company. Including a few lines in other than local locations where you also operate, even though the calls find their way to your hub or mobile phone, is good for your business.
  • Effective marketing of local businesses: Non-local calls are rare. Numbers within regions you are calling make you seem more credible. You can target a group you’d likely lose if your customers can confidently call you.
  • Increased call volume: Customers can feel frustrated if, while calling a business, they have to endure persistent busy tones. With multiple phone numbers, rerouting incoming calls is easy when lines are in use, and using your cloud phone system to manage vast volumes of calls without compromising client trust.
 

Call Queuing: What It Is & How It Works [+ Best Practices]

The quality over quantity principle highlights the importance of concentrating on quality сustomer experiences instead of transactions. This is particularly true for customer-facing businesses and dedicated call centres.

“Customers remember the service a lot longer than they remember the price.” Lauren Freedman

Despite introducing other contact methods for handling multiple customer inquiries, like chatbots, most customers would rather dial up a call. The Userlike survey indicated that approximately 60% of customers needed help from a human versus a chatbot.

AI call agents, in particular, are changing the face of customer service. When customers reach the call centre or interact with an IVR system enhanced with AI, businesses now strive to offer immediate support and foster emotionally intelligent interactions.

Not all customers choose to be placed on hold and wait for the agent to pick up, and the call queuing dynamics introduce a level of complexity to the math. Added to this is the peak time when the number of customer calls exceeds the number of agents available.

So, how fast can businesses handle the calls without compromising the quality of service? How does call queuing minimise wait times? The conflict between efficiency and customer satisfaction takes centre stage in such situations. Call centers must manage the phone queues effectively, and every client must be provided with the required time.

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Let’s explore the call queues, which call for a mix of tech and employee performance, and ways to enhance call queue management to deliver high-quality service.

What Is a Call Queue?

Call queues are virtual waiting areas where several callers wait for assistance in line. The core purpose is to fix every client’s issue by collecting and routing incoming calls, making sure no stone is left unturned in the quest for customer satisfaction.

How do call queues work? Modern call queuing systems have features that can be customised, like hold music, announcements, and estimated waiting times. These systems aim to keep the customer entertained during their wait.

Graphic representation of the call queuing process with average time, calls in queue, and available agents

If you’re a business owner requiring call flow optimisation, efficient call tracking and distribution software is the key to a seamless process. Properly managed phone queues ensure efficient call handling, reduce caller frustration, and increase agent productivity.

“One thing I’ve noticed in the last few years is companies wanting more calls. Gone are the days when companies get a bunch of lead forms in, they have to call the people back, and then they can’t get a hold of them: the contact rate is pathetic, and the lead quality isn’t always great. But when you’re driving calls, you’re getting towards the business objectives a lot quicker. You’re connecting the consumer directly with the call centre they can do business with.” Evan Weber, an expert in B2C and B2B digital marketing and online advertising

Call tracking and distribution software is essential for companies processing a high volume of calls. Call Logic, Phonexa’s call tracking and distribution software, can help you make the most of your call-based campaigns.

 

With the help of such features as intelligent call routing, AI Call Agents, and an IVR system, businesses can qualify leads and elevate support while delivering personalised, seamless experiences to callers at scale.

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While a call queue system is a great tool, it doesn’t exactly allow the real-time visibility of wait times and queue sizes to make effective resource allocation possible. However, having the right performance marketing software in place can help you manage call queues, automate advanced functions, prevent missed calls, improve customer satisfaction, and ultimately, streamline business processes.

How a Call Queue Works

Simply put, the main function of a call queue is to put incoming calls on hold until an operator is available. With call queuing, there are two options: it can frustrate the customers, or it can shorten queue times while providing a smooth experience.

Graphic representation of call queuing in four basic steps, including call routing through the PBX, adding callers to a queue, callers hearing music while waiting, agent connecting and handling customer requests.

A phone queue is like a virtual waiting room — a crucial aspect of effective customer service management, as it:

  • Minimises wait times
  • Optimises agent productivity
  • Decreases abandonment rates
  • Enhances overall customer satisfaction

As an addition to your martech stack, call queuing can help you efficiently manage high volumes of calls by organising them into virtual queues. In times of high call volume compared to the number of agents available, calls are put on hold to prevent so-called “call drops.”

In a call queue system, business calls are queued as they come in, fostering equity and efficiency in processing. Such a system can also help you distribute the workload evenly among call centre agents.

More sophisticated systems include features like priority routing and automatic caller information collection. Administrators can configure parameters like queue size and timeout values to manage call traffic effectively.

The call queuing process progresses through four stages:

Graphic representation of four stages of call queuing, including call arrival, queue management, hold time, and agent allocation.

  1. Call arrival: Clients listen to a recorded message or an automated menu when they call, and they select options or leave information about the nature of their inquiries. After going through the menu, they wait in a virtual line until someone’s turn to help them.
  2. Queue management: Managers of call centres can make a range of decisions about who they serve first and who answers the call. They can prioritise critical calls first or ensure that the call gets to the right agent with the appropriate skills, thereby decreasing the difficulty of resolving issues for the first time.
  3. Hold time: Customers are on hold until the agent can help them. During hold time, they might hear music or announcements. Some call centre software also allows customers to ask to be called back while on hold so they don’t lose their position and get called back when there is an available agent.
  4. Agent allocation: Routing incoming calls to available agents best suited to respond to them. This distribution depends on various parameters such as the agents’ competencies, availability, etc. Advanced call queueing and routing features can adjust agent assignment with varying rates of calls.

Why Is Queue Management in Call Centres Important?

Callers prefer speedy responses from customer service, as 90% consider immediate assistance crucial for their inquiries. Furthermore, around 40% of callers indicated frustration after waiting on hold for merely five minutes. Long waiting times or unsatisfactory responses after getting connected to an agent are the reasons for a negative customer service experience.

via GIPHY

Phone queues are also critical in managing incoming calls and improving customer experience. The most critical benefits of call queuing for companies and contact centres are:

Reduced customer wait time Efficient call queue management is a win-win for customers and call centres alike, decreasing wait times and providing timely service. Research indicates that over 70% of customers become most annoyed when they feel companies waste their time.  Two-thirds of customers are only willing to wait for a maximum of two minutes, so it’s crucial to minimise waiting times. The shorter the waiting time, the greater the customer satisfaction.
Improved First Call Resolution (FCR) rates By escalating FCR rates, your agents can resolve customer issues in the first contact. The quicker you get clients to experienced agents, the higher your FCR.Why is First Call Resolution significant?It significantly builds customer loyalty, as nearly 70% of losing customers would’ve stayed if their issues were solved on the first try.An increase of 1% FCR equals 1% more customer satisfaction and 1% lower operating cost.Increased FCR can increase spending by up to 11% and increase cross-selling revenues by up to 20%.
Optimised resource allocation An effective call queue management system will assist you in utilising your company’s human resources to their fullest potential. Distribute incoming calls and assign them to agents.Better queuing of calls not only saves call centre costs by efficiently managing incoming calls but also reduces landline utilisation during waiting time. All this translates to more streamlined operations in the call centre, with the call centre operating like clockwork.
Lowered call abandonment rates The call abandonment rate calculates the number of callers who hang up while waiting for an agent or during a call before resolving their issue. The primary reasons for this include lengthy IVR menus and long holds. Don’t anticipate customers to call back once they hang up — about 70% don’t.Optimised routing in a virtual call queue provides quicker connections to the appropriate agent, cutting hand-ups and increasing deal closure and customer satisfaction.
Improved brand reputation A well-managed telephone queue system assists in customer trust-building and company reputation enhancement. Positive experiences with friendly and knowledgeable agents go a long way in customer loyalty generation.
Data-driven process improvement Modern call queuing software provides you with valuable information on customer interactions. When you analyse call data for your company, you will discover trends, notice the areas of improvement, and discover opportunities for service quality improvement.
Competitive differentiation Effective customer service is a necessity in a highly competitive market. Implementing innovative call queue management techniques can give you the edge you require to stay ahead of the competition.
Enhanced agent productivity Efficient phone queues keep agents on task and minimise turnover by providing an even distribution of calls. Queue optimisation enables you to minimise average call handling time (AHT) and deliver a fair distribution of calls in queues.In addition, call queue reports help determine peak times, allowing staffing adjustments, and maintaining agents’ motivation and confidence.

Moreover, call queues enable SMBs and enterprises to optimise available resources, such as agents, without undertaking major recruitments when calls are heavy.

The Interactive Voice Response (IVR) feature can boost the efficiency of call queues by placing callers into the most appropriate queues based on their questions, language preferences, or issues. It helps callers reach the representatives quickly, ensuring efficient interactions and enhanced customer satisfaction.

 

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Types of Call Queuing Systems

Let’s explore the four kinds of call centre queuing systems:

Linear Call Queuing

Graphic representation Linear call queuing

Linear call queuing establishes connections based on arrival order to ensure equality and fairness in dealing with customers. The scheme is easy to blend with basic service models. It is very simple to manage and has minimal requirements for setting up, especially for organisations with uncomplicated customer services and no VIP customer level.

Circular Call Queuing

Graphic representation of Circular Call Queuing

Circular call queues allow for fair agent workloads, where all team members are engaged in calls equally. They are best used by teams trying to balance call assignments among agents or teams with similar skill levels.

Circular call routing provides agents with a wrap-up process and note-taking time following each call to ensure equity between representatives.

Priority Call Queuing

Priority call queues differentiate between certain calls based on predefined criteria, granting priority service to priority clients or high-priority matters, working with diverse customers with multiple customer needs, and needing quick support.

Priority call queues allow enterprises to deliver exclusive service to influential customers and get their problems fixed immediately. So, they need an expert team to handle critical cases and instant focus, overcoming the standard telephone queue.

Graphic representation of Priority Call Queuing

Skills-Based Call Queuing

Skill-based call queuing routes them to agents with specific skill sets, optimising first-call resolution and eliminating knowledge gaps. Call queues are vital for intricate service environments requiring specialised support.

Graphic representation of Skills-Based Call Queuing

Ring All, Least Recent, and Fewest Calls are other queue routing techniques. 

  • Ring All: It alerts every available agent simultaneously, connecting the caller to the first one who answers.
  • Least Recent: This technique assigns higher priority to an agent who has been least recently in a call.
  • Fewest Calls: It forwards calls to the agent with the fewest completed calls.

What are The Reasons Behind Call Queues?

For companies to be able to offer the best services to their customers, they must know the causes of long call queues:

  1. Insufficient team: With fewer agents, customers have a longer waiting time, which negatively impacts service quality. Even the best employees get bogged down with all the calls when the office is not adequately staffed. Hire enough agents to handle customer needs. Some businesses outsource, while others modify their schedules.
  2. High call volumes: Excessive incoming calls, especially during peak times or some marketing campaigns, can be more than call centres can manage. Peak hours could also fall within specific days, weeks, or months based on working hours, meal times, or public holidays. Your agents must be prepared for such peak call periods. The collection and analysis of data enhances the ability to balance out such issues.
  3. Inefficient processes: Burdensome systems make calls longer, pushing patience to its limits, and inefficiency. Streamline processes by embracing contemporary technology, such as chatbots or artificial intelligence (AI).
  4. Poor agent training: Lack of proper training can lead to time waste and delays. Online and onsite training resources that are accessible make call centre training more convenient and continuous, allowing teams to keep pace with changing customer service requirements.
  5. Lack of administration: Despite highly qualified staff, inefficient administration systems can lead to too many or too few agents to handle calls. Admin may not be the most exciting part of business, but it is important for guaranteeing business efficiency and equipment availability.
  6. Confused call routing: Inefficiently developed systems produce unbalanced call distribution and unsatisfactory customer-representative matches. Streamlining and balancing call distribution through optimised call routing systems yields efficient call routing.
  7. Dated technology: Budgets are different for different companies, affecting the capacity to replace call queue systems. Older systems that require more callback features or are likely to lose calls lead to frustrations and longer waiting times. Once more, you must switch to newer technology to increase reliability and customer satisfaction.
  8. Insufficiency of self-help: Fewer self-service choices make the customers rely on call support; hence, the waiting time for calls increases. 40% of customers prefer using it over live agent conversations. Integrating self-help options like FAQs, chatbots, or web portals allows them to answer questions themselves, thus reducing the load in call centres.

 

Call Queue Best Practices: Short Guide to Successful Call Queuing

Having a separate call centre platform simplifies setting up a call queue. Once the decision is made, follow the steps below to set up your call queue without hassle.

Here are a few ways of effective call queue management:

Install an Automated Phone Greeting for Call Queues

A unique, not generic, automated greeting is required to greet the calls in call queues. Instead of regular phone rings, businesses prefer pre-recorded messages with pre-recorded greetings. This displays a company’s personality and provides customers with personalised options.

These messages should contain:

  • Business name and business hours
  • IVR systems to capture information
  • Availability of agents at present
  • Language preference
  • Play messages such as “Your call is important to us. Please stay on the line.”

Use Interactive Voice Response

IVR is particularly suitable for the simplification of call routing. An automated menu enables clients to input pertinent information and enables guided connections. IVR features encompass capturing customer account data, ID verification, and providing basic assistance.

Graphic representation of interactive voice response

IVR is an automated system designed to shorten the length of your caller conversations so you can handle more calls overall and convert more callers each hour. 

The interactive voice response system welcomes them with a voice message and provides menu choices to route their call, such as “press 1 for sales” or “press 2 for financing”, etc. IVR can steer the callers through multilevel menus to extract more information and connect them to the appropriate department.

What are the advantages that you can derive from IVR systems? It automates call routing and improves customer satisfaction. IVR is used along with call distribution and ACD solutions, depending on information gathered from callers. The process reduces wait times and maximises call handling efficiency.

IVR has transcended basic call routing; most IVR features now offer plenty of self-service functionality.

Determine Call Center Hours

One must define the working hours to manage a call queue. For instance, if 9-5 is when live agents are working, configure the system to take calls within these times. Further, the customer queue system must have distinctions before or during working hours, weekdays and weekends, and break times.

Structure the Team of Agents

Another important step is to group the agents by their specialised skill sets and department affiliations, such as billing or fault finding, so the customer questions process can proceed and minimise the requirement for frequent transfer.

Optimise your team members with Workforce Management (WFM) solutions that streamline workflows, boost productivity, and prevent bottlenecks with improved organisation.

WFM platforms are most valuable for call queue management because they ensure an appropriate number of agents with different skill levels can work during the day. This simplifies scheduling and keeps high-quality service at your business at all times. These applications eliminate several issues, including too-long call queues because of understaffing and the inability to forecast peak call times.

Provide a Callback Option for Phone Queues

Having a callback can genuinely enhance your customer satisfaction in your call centre. Instead of leaving them waiting, have a callback function in your call queue system, like delivering a silver lining in a tempestuous sky. Why?

If you provide a callback option for your customers, you can eliminate on-hold frustration. Studies have proved that callbacks can reduce abandonment rates by up to 32%, thereby maximising customer retention.

Use Automated Call Distribution (ACD)

This solution efficiently directs incoming calls to the proper customer service representative according to the First In, First Out (FIFO) basis. Unlike IVR systems, which collect caller data for call routing, ACD deals with routing calls based on this data, such as sorting mail into different slots.

Manage Effective Call Routing

The ACD system employs call routing techniques to determine which agent receives each call. It does this because it determines with whom the caller will speak.

Graphic representation of five call routing strategies, including list-based, skills-based, time-based, round-robin, and least occupied routing.

The ACD system efficiently directs the calls to suitable agents for effective customer-agent interaction. There are five most popular and efficient call routing techniques:

  1. Sequential (list-based) routing: The incoming calls are routed in a list, and the calls start again from the first agent each time. It proves useful in the scenario of minor teams or where there exists an interval between the availability of agents.
  2. Skills-based routing: Calls are directed to agents based on their skills, training, and experience. For instance, billing inquiries are routed to the billing department, and technical support questions are routed to the customer service queue.
  3. Time-based routing: The incoming calls are routed to available agents in their time zone. It is also useful for geographically dispersed teams at different locations and for small teams.
  4. Round-robin routing: Calls rotate among agents and company reps, each getting their turn. This method works well for sales teams.
  5. Least occupied routing: Routing to the least busy agent means calls are routed to the expert who has been the longest without customer engagement. It helps in keeping the workers productive.

 

Delivering quick, personalised service over the phone is priority number one when customers reach out to businesses. 

Just as efficiency is necessary in customer inquiry management, it’s also required in lead generation. Phonexa’s LMS Sync offers accurate attribution, streamlined lead identification and tracking, and an optimised ping tree, automating your process so that you can build a more efficient workflow and reduce customer wait times.

 

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Future Trends in Call Centres and Call Queuing

Because of quick technological developments, call centres are changing fast and dramatically from manual calling to sophisticated telephony systems. The UK call centre market is anticipated to reach a market value of US$ 36.90 billion by 2031, maintaining a CAGR of 7.6% during 2023-2031. As the centres continue expanding, what is the future?

Source: Astute Analytica

The following are some trends to watch out for:

  1. AI and automation: AI makes processes easier in different departments by enhancing call tracking and distribution solutions with features like AI Call Agents, personalised recommendations, etc.
  2. Omnichannel communication: They eliminate redundant explanations of conversations while transforming call centres. They allow customers to interact through several channels — phone, chat, email, or social media— and never lose context.
  3. Personalised services: Call centres can win customers by delivering personalised experiences from past data. By offering customised deals and being accessible at all times, any company can increase loyalty and gain valuable insights.
  4. Remote work: Convenience and flexibility of working from home benefit employees and redefine the working process in call centres. Remote work brings in global talent and increases cost savings for companies.
  5. Video chats: Video conferencing is gaining popularity. Such chats enhance customer satisfaction by resolving complicated issues and reducing repeat calls. This improves overall service quality and loyalty, too.

 

Maximising Customer Satisfaction With Innovative Call Tracking Solutions

Customer satisfaction can make or break a business, and call queuing is critical in ensuring seamless client experiences. The journey from dial tone to a real-time human connection is more than just a wait — it’s a fusion of technology, strategy, and human touch.

Discover how Phonexa can take your call tracking and lead management to the next level. 

 

Get Phonexa’s performance marketing software suite at a single price (online price calculator):

LMS Sync Lead tracking & distribution software
Call Logic Call tracking & distribution software
E-Delivery Bulk email & SMS marketing software
Cloud PBX Cloud phone system
Lynx Click tracking software
Opt-Intel Suppression list management solution
HitMetrix User behaviour recording & CRO software
Books360 Automated accounting software

 

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is contact centre queuing?

Call queue or call queuing is like a virtual waiting room for phone calls, where customers are left on hold till a suitable support agent is found. Call queuing systems are applied to manage the volume of incoming calls by grouping them based on arrival time or customer priority.

How to effectively manage call queues

Phone call queue management for businesses involves the following:

  • Installing automatic greetings and Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems to handle call routing and provide callers with the right information.
  • Categorising agents based on their experience and expertise to efficiently handle customer inquiries.
  • Including a callback feature in the system of calling queues to reduce waiting times.
  • Ensuring efficient call routing using sequential distribution, skill-based routing, etc., to achieve efficient agent-customer connections.

How does the call queuing system assist different departments?

The different departments can use the call queuing systems in many different ways.

  1. Customer service achieves improved efficiency and customer satisfaction through reduced wait times.
  2. Sales teams can handle potential leads more effectively, leading to better conversions.
  3. Technical support may give priority to critical problems, upholding customer confidence.
  4. Administration derives useful insights from call information for making effective decisions.

 

How does the call queuing system work with other components of business phone systems?

The call queue system is combined with other elements of business telephony systems through coordination and integration. How? It provides seamless interaction between modules like IVR or ACD and call routing strategies. Such integration makes it possible to manage calls, ensure intelligent call routing and handling, and increase customer satisfaction.

Marketer’s Guide to the Best IVR Software

We have created this IVR software guide to help you tap into the power of call routing and speech recognition and discover the best IVR service providers. The best IVR vendors listed in this guide have been ranked and rated according to the research done by our team.

The history of Interactive Voice Response (IVR) goes back to the 1930s.In the past, the IVR solutions were unquestionably infuriating and not designed with customer experience in mind. Thankfully, all that has changed with time, and so has the function of IVR technology.

While selecting an ideal IVR system may prove daunting, its benefits and impact on operational efficiency and customer experience are difficult to ignore. Equipped with the right IVR software, wait times are minimised, call routing is fine-tuned, and customer support has been improved. 

But how do you sift through the numerous possibilities to identify the best IVR service provider actually capable of meeting your company’s needs? The solution lies in finding IVR software with specific features and capabilities, such as powerful analytics, various integrations, and great customer support.

Let’s explore what IVR software is, how it works, and its major benefits, and take a closer look at the most detailed comparison review of top-rated IVR companies.

What Exactly Is IVR Software?

IVR is indeed one of the most valued tools for enterprises, mid-sized companies, or small businesses handling numerous calls.

Present-day IVR technology is known for decreasing employee burden, reducing expenses, and minimising wait time. But what is an IVR system, and why would it matter?

 

In simple words, IVR is a menu system that you interact with by selecting via a keypad or responding with your voice. In general, IVRs are pretty common in customer support and call centres. Whenever you call into a business and follow that short menu prompting you to enter information so your call may be routed properly, you have dealt directly with an IVR solution for call centres.

Hosted IVRs allow callers to access information through pre-recorded messages, without having to interact with an agent, multiple menus through touch-tone keypad selection, or IVR speech recognition, all the way through to routing through their calls to specific departments and/or call centre agents.

How IVR Software Operates

IVR software involves callers interacting with pre-recorded voice messages before the call goes through to a live operator. Some IVR services can also identify caller voices and are built on artificial intelligence technologies that allow them to respond appropriately to a given answer.

IVR speech recognition also supports DTMF tones, that is, telephone touch tones; besides, phone trees with a cloud-based IVR solution integrated into them make it possible to attend to many more calls by a call centre. Meanwhile, the option for speech recognition allows callers to communicate in their native language by responding to some kind of voice prompt.

Graphic representation of how IVR software works

Artificial intelligence for calls has started making its way into the contact centres, where callers no longer need to juggle long menus. With artificial intelligence in place, IVR vendors can get the callers routed directly to the portion of the calling centre they want information from or even get them routed directly to a live agent.

The settings of the IVR software can be modified and customised to fit the brand’s needs. Here is a basic single-level setup where three options are given to the callers:

Graphic representation of a single-level IVR software setup

Nowadays, a business that handles high call volume can no longer rely solely on a receptionist or a call centre. 

Implementing the right marketing automation solutions is the best way to personalise conversations, collect all necessary call data, improve customer experience, and fine-tune sales funnels. Therefore, businesses look for comprehensive solutions that include IVR software.

Phonexa offers IVR software as part of Call Logic — its call tracking, distribution, and intelligence platform — making every caller happier and more likely to convert. 

 

Why Use Phonexa’s IVR Cloud-Based Solution

Here is what Phonexa’s interactive voice response tool gives to brands and affiliate marketers alike:

Better Customer Service This is where businesses can be sure each caller is instantly connected to the IVR, where only helpful information is provided, improving the call experience.
Increased call capacity With Phonexa’s IVR system, the duration of each call can be shortened, thus enabling more calls to be handled and more potential clients to be converted.
Established brand image Using the Phonexa IVR constructor, businesses can gain several IVR voice professionals to customise and represent their brand voice.
Refined call flows The hosted IVR software will enable brands to identify call flow issues using surveys and information captured. Using Phonexa’s IVR tool, brands can optimise their call flows, reshape customer experiences, increase support service performance, and track customer satisfaction rates.
Optimised sales funnel With Phonexa, businesses can look at the customer journey, find leaks, and work on fine-tuning the sales funnels by optimising the IVRs.

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Comparative Overview of IVR Software

We have drawn up a comparison chart to help you analyse what each IVR software provider has to offer, compare features, and ultimately decide upon the best IVR software that will meet your business requirements.

So, without any further ado, let’s take a detailed look at the top 10 hosted IVR software providers:

IVR Software Providers — Comprehensive Comparison

 

Rating: 5

Avg Rating: 4.5

Rating: 4.9

Avg Rating: 4.8

Speech recognition ⏷ 

The speech recognition technology, part of Phonexa’s IVR software, allows comsumers make voice inquiries and receive assistance from the company representatives. Unlike touch-tone menus, this technology uses the caller’s native language to address specific issues, answer questions, and deliver an unmatched customer experience.

9 out of 9 other hosted IVR systems offer this feature.

Score

5 out of 5

4 out of 5

Voice recording ⏷

The voice recording feature provides access to pre-recorded voice messages that greet callers while giving them information about your business. Voice recordings can be done internally or by a professional voice recording company.

9 out of 9 other IVR providers offer this feature.

Score

3 out of 3

2 out of 3

Call analytics & reporting ⏷

Phonexa’s call analytics provides real-time analysis and capturing of specific call information. The IVR software and call analytics work hand-in-hand to provide businesses with data-analyzing resources and streamline the process of creating and optimizing call campaigns. 

9 out of 9 other IVR providers offer this basic feature.

Score

5 out of 5

3 out of 5

Personalization capability ⏷

🧩

Phonexa’s IVR software allows clients to view and personalize the list of IVR Flows. Phonexa’s clients can create new flows, configure settings, and manage them throught the IVR Constructor.

On top of that, the IVR software allows to edit the existing IVR schema and/or create a new schema using the description of available IVR blocks.

6 out of 9 other IVR vendors offer this feature.

Score

5 out of 5

3 out of 5

Customer identification ⏷

🧩

iClear’s Caller Identity service enables you to perform real-time validation of an customer’s first and last name, address, and other information by a provided phone number. The service uses a third-party database for that.

6 out of 9 other IVR vendors offer this feature.

Score

4 out of 5

2 out of 5

Outbound calling ⏷

Phonexa’s Cloud PBX words hand-in-hand with the IVR software to whitelist phone numbers reserved in the system for outbound dialing and to monitor and maintain a decent reputation for these phone numbers and make sure these numbers are not marked as spam.

9 out of 9 other IVR companies offer this feature.

Score

5 out of 5

4 out of 5

Call center scheduling ⏷

Call center scheduling allows to automate the availability of agents by enabling them to set specific dates and times.

3 out of 9 other IVR vendors offer this feature.

Score

0 out of 3

2 out of 3

Queue management ⏷

The call queuing feature allows to keep customers engaged by using such options as holding music, estimated wait times, specific announcements, etc.

Phonexa’s call queue management grants access to real-time data on queue sizes, wait times, and resources available for call handling.

9 out of 9 other IVR vendors offer this feature.

Score

4 out of 5

4 out of 5

Customer support ⏷

Phonexa offers 24/7 customer support determine to resolve technical issues and access to a dedicated customer success representative.


Phonexa offers the following support options:


  • Online chat
  • 24/7 (Live rep)
  • Knowledge Base
  • FAQs/Forum
  • Phone Support
  • Email/Help Desk

9 out of 9 other IVR vendors offer access to dedicated help centers, live chat, etc.

Score

5 out of 5

5 out of 5

Time-based routing ⏷

🧩

Phonexa doesn’t offer time-based routing.

7 out of 9 other IVR software providers offer this feature.

Score

0 out of 3

2 out of 3

Custom IVR message ⏷

🧩

Phonexa’s IVR system allows creating and customizing IVR prompts, greetings, menus, and messages. 

5 out of 9 other software providers offer this feature.

Score

3 out of 3 

2 out of 3

Usability 

Score

4 out of 5

4 out of 5

Call routing builder ⏷

Call routing builder allows to create intuitive multi-level IVRs to successfully route callers to the departments and individual agents best suited to address their questions, reducing the call handling times.

Phonexa’s IVR software allows clients to actually listen to their customers and seamllessly manage customer and prospect conversations.

9 out of 9 other IVR vendors offer this feature.

Score

4 out of 5

3 out of 5

Call recording and transcription ⏷

🧩

Phonexa enables clients to record and transcribe phone interactions. This feature helps clients evaluate agent performance, highlight areas for improvement, and gain access to valuable call data.

6 out of 9 other IVR software providers offer this feature.

2 providers offer only call recordings.

Score

3 out of 3

2 out of 3

Mobile app ⏷

🧩

Phonexa offers clients access to its IVR software as part of a single operating solution for partner and performance marketing across iOS, Android, and macOS.

8 out of 9 other IVR vendors offer this feature.

Score

3 out of 3

2 out of 3

Integrations ⏷

From 40 to ∞

30+

Phonexa’s software offers a flexible Ping URL integration, supporting authorization, headers, and a twig engine that allows customers to build literally any integration they require.The integration list includes but is not limited to the following integration options:
  • Google Ads
  • VICIdial
  • Add to DNPL
  • Five9
  • Claim Lead
  • Export To Cloud PBX
  • Facebook Conversion
  • Google Sheets
  • Ping Url
  • Pixel
  • SMTP
  • Send Slack Message
  • Add contact to E-Delivery
  • Add contact to Opt-intel
  • Trusted Form Claim
  • Twilio
  • Acqualify
  • Address Validation
  • Anura
  • Basic Phone Number Validation
  • Phone Number Analysis Do Not Call check
  • Email Hygiene
  • Geo By Phone
  • iClaim
  • iClear: Caller Identity
  • ImpressionWise Email Lookup
  • IP Analysis
  • IP Lookup IP Analysis with Client Credentials
  • Jornaya Authentication API
  • Jornaya Lead Age
  • Jornaya TCPA Guardian
  • Litigant Alert
  • Litigator Database Lookup
  • Phone Number Analysis
  • iClear: Phone Number Analysis with Client Credentials
  • The Blacklist Alliance
  • Trusted Form
  • Trusted Form Ping
  • Trusted Form Retrieve Insights
  • TrustedForm v4.0
  • US ZIP Code validation
  • XVerify Email Lookup

9 out of 9 other IVR companies offer multiple integration options.

Score

5 out of 5

4 out of 5

AI ⏷

Phonexa combines specific AI technologies to provide a single operating solution for partner and performance marketing that ties revenue to channels, networks, campaigns, and publishers.

9 out of 9 other IVR software providers offer this feature. 

Score

5 out of 5

4 out of 5

Voicemail ⏷

Phonexa offers users a Voicemail Summary report. This report provides an overview of voicemail activities within the Cloud PBX that works hand-in-hand with the IVR system. It allows to track key metrics such as the number of voicemails received, their duration, and status,

4 out of 9 other IVR service providers offer this feature. 

Score

5 out of 5

3 out of 5

Additional features

Customization and a variety of features

Value for price

Overall Score (out of 93)

83

67.5

Eight solutions, one ecosystem, total visibility. Book a demo and get a personalized consultation right away!

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Why Use the IVR Software From Phonexa?

A business often requires an advanced IVR system that could employ both keypads and voice to keep things seamless.

Some marketers have had experience with the ineffective IVRs of the past; the earlier technologies did not understand the caller’s instructions and created a poor caller experience. IVR technology has advanced significantly recently and has greatly improved these systems for consumers and enterprises.

Even though installing IVR software is the sure-shot method of optimising call centre efficiency, some customers still believe IVR could worsen interaction with the business.

Let’s explore the pros and cons of using an interactive voice response.

Advantages of IVR

The following are some key benefits of utilising an interactive voice response system:

Resolution time IVR accelerates the resolution of issues. Your clients call, inform the system what they need, and receive the information immediately. You can set up your IVR system to split the calls into various groups or categories and have multiple agents for each category if you handle an exceptionally large number of calls. IVR reduces hold times and increases the speed at which the issues are resolved.
Efficiency Most individuals are familiar with the situation when they call the business and are switched from one operator to another. It is a loss of precious time for the caller and the company. An effectively functioning IVR system automatically redirects the client to the required specialist.
Self-service Customers don’t wait for an operator: problems are solved without getting in touch with one. Sometimes, a person only wishes to inquire about the scope of services or payment options. Thus, there’s no reason for an agent to attend to the customer as the automated system can address their questions.
Non-stop Operational Hours of Service Achieving excellent customer service is largely dependent on assistance being available 24/7. However, only some companies have the staffing levels to provide such constant support. With the configured unique FAQs, the IVR can assist customers in resolving problems outside business hours. That’s a plus for businesses: less phone time lost to unneeded calls and shorter wait times in business hours.
Measures of the customer experience IVR software prompts callers to respond to a quality of service (QoS) question after a call, which enhances the overall quality of the customer service.
Team effectiveness Employee mental pressure from high call volumes may result in longer wait times for misrouted consumers, which might negatively affect customer care services. With the automatic routing offered by the IVR system, the likelihood of making a mistake while guiding a customer to their destination is greatly reduced.

 

Graphic representation of the benefits the IVR software offers

Typical Mistakes When Setting the IVR

IVR systems can be an excellent means of routing customer calls appropriately to the right operators. However, when utilising such systems, it is very easy to make a mistake and end up losing customers.

  • Monotony: Endlessly long menus that lead to submenus are frustrating customers. That would normally signify that the customer wants to switch to a live operator as soon as possible, bypassing the self-service. To avoid that, try hard to make the menu simple.
  • Updates: Your company’s needs change, and so should the IVR. A simple error to make is that the company expands and matures, but the IVR menu does not. The consequence is that the menu is outdated: it lacks suitable options or, worse yet, contains options that no longer exist.
  • No customer experience metrics: Put surveys at the end of the call where customers can leave feedback on service quality and grade service quality. That will allow your business to improve the service quality.
  • Complete automation: Some companies try to automate operators entirely using artificial intelligence. A very complex IVR system like this will not work without rigorous testing. It is advisable to create a basic design that can answer some questions first and then enhance the complexity level step by step.
  • Long waits: The more the customers are pleased with the self-service system, the better. That means operators must deal with fewer customers, which will reduce the average wait time.
  • Overwhelming menu: Companies must avoid adding extra unnecessary options to the menu. Eliminate the redundant routes if more than one option or branch takes one to the same place.
  • Locking customers in IVR with no callback option: No necessity to transform an IVR into a locked box with no door. You still won’t take all the calls, so it’s always better to offer customers the possibility of reaching a live operator or asking for a callback.
  • Redirecting the clients to the website: It is never a good plan to send customers back to whence they came. But if that has to be done to redirect them, marketing messages must be well-considered and correctly positioned.

Voice Recognition in Interactive Voice Response Software

Voice recognition is a relatively new IVR option. This type of IVR technology enables one to respond to particular questions based on voice response, and such is simpler compared to menu navigation.

With correct implementation, voice recognition can inform callers about zones where their inquiries will be thoroughly answered. What’s the result? Reduced disappointments.

Answering using the native language to respond to callers’ queries provides an unbelievable customer experience relative to touch tones.

Advantages of Voice Recognition IVR System

  • Speech-to-text: Any voice that is recognised can be decoded as text and stored. From there, a lot of new things can be accomplished with this text storage. A caller can use normal conversation to instruct the system, and then receive it saved back as text into a variable to search databases and other data storage.
  • Text-to-speech: With this technology, a computer can use text to produce a human-like voice. It can be used to create prompts that callers will hear in real-time rather than recording them beforehand, which is helpful and part of a translation method. In addition, it highly improves the flexibility, ease of use, and simplicity of contact centre modification.

Disadvantages of IVR System With Voice Recognition

The advanced interactive voice recognition software, phone line connection on the caller’s part, and the caller’s diction affect how accurately the system can identify the speaker.

An interactive voice recognition system has its work cut out if your target audience is likely to use various accents. Recognition will generally fail if your customers are phoning from mobile phones with questionable connectivity.

If the system continues to fail to recognise your callers, you can find that significantly more calls than previously existed before the implementation of this technology will be routed to a human agent to be answered.

Integration of IVR Speech Recognition and Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence is the latest upgrade to Interactive Voice Response. The IVR technology introduces native language comprehension into the call centre to streamline and increase the customer experience.

AI combines speech recognition technology with advanced processing and call history or account status. AI and IVR can accurately identify a caller’s intent and respond appropriately.

At the end of the day, it’s worth knowing that not all IVRs are created equal.

Personalise Your IVR Using Phonexa

Why would a company bother to create a personalised greeting via its IVR? What’s the point if you just want to transfer the call quickly?

You can have this done as a branding and identity move. Significant branding benefits result from the consumer calling in and hearing a custom message. This one small thing can deliver a lot of value to your callers so they don’t think they are receiving information from a machine.

Here are some benefits that result from implementing personalised IVRs as part of an end-to-end marketing automation solution:

  • Effective call distribution: IVRs enable call prioritisation. IVRs assist brands in handling the process and offer their customers customised IVRs, allowing to speak with a live agent or bypass to self-service. With a customised IVR, a company can immediately split calls into certain categories and redistribute customers between IVR sections of an automated version and live over-the-phone customer support. From a company’s perspective, you can ensure your top agents receive the appropriate calls, giving priority to the top agents.
  • Call prioritisation: Companies can rank their incoming daily calls using tailored IVRs. Every incoming call offers companies an opportunity to convert and maximise the value of leads. Personalised IVR can identify individual customers and give priority to their service requests. Companies can divide customers into levels, say repeat customers or club members, consumers with past brand experience, or even strategic value customers.
  • Satisfied customers: IVRs’ best advantage is enhanced customer service. Satisfied customers tend to give repeat business to a company when they need a similar thing again after buying from them once. Customers will get an improved calling experience if companies implement custom IVRs, which properly sort and prioritise calls based on different standards. Callers receive assistance if they do, without delay, and save time, thereby staying content.
  • Collecting vital data: IVR software collects data about your customers. They also forward the calls to the most appropriate agent or department. If your IVR is not transferring that information collected to the agent handling the call, and the caller needs to re-utter it to them, that can be extremely annoying. Ultimately, your aim should be to offer a beautiful experience to the caller.

Begin Leveraging the IVR Software Capability

The most valuable feature of any phone system is its IVR functionality. Comprehensive and dynamic IVR technology allows bigger businesses to no longer have to forward their calls manually.

Here are the eight proprietary solutions you can get at a single price:

LMS Sync Lead tracking & distribution software
Call Logic Call tracking & distribution software
E-Delivery Email & SMS marketing software
Cloud PBX Cloud phone system
Lynx Click tracking software
Opt-Intel Suppression list management solution
HitMetrix User behaviour recording & CRO software
Books360 Automated accounting software

 

Build your plan now, or book a free demo to learn more about Phonexa.

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Pay-Per-Call Advertising: Your Best Source of Qualified Leads

It’s no secret that phone calls are powerful: compared to web ads that only convert around 3% of users, phone calls can convert up to 50% of callers. Pay-per-call advertising has a low entry threshold and enables you to predict ROI based on previous campaigns and historical data. 

No less importantly, it benefits every party involved: brokers, affiliate networks, call centres, pay-per-call networks, and end clients themselves. However, this win-win is only achievable if you’ve managed to set up your pay-per-call marketing campaign properly.

via GIPHY

Without any further ado, let’s dig into pay-per-call advertising and how to generate and convert more leads who come from your pay-per-call ads.

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What Is Pay-Per-Call Advertising?

Pay-per-call advertising is a marketing model in which merchants purchase phone calls from affiliates and publishers directly or – much more often – through a pay-per-call network.

Here’s how pay-per-call advertising works:

The visualization of how pay-per-call advertising works

The only variable in this equation is a pay-per-call network. However, although pay-per-call affiliate marketing networks charge for their services, the benefits of such partnerships usually outweigh the costs since you get access to a large pool of partners, robust security, pay-per-call tracking software, and impartial dispute resolution if required.

Here’s what pay-per-call marketing comes down to for advertisers and affiliates:

Visualization of differences between advertisers and affiliates in the pay-per-call marketing

How Pay-Per-Call Advertising Benefits Affiliates

Limitless Marketing Potential Pay-per-call advertising is a goldmine for affiliates, covering high-ticket niches like finance, insurance, home services, and solar energy.
Ready-Made Promotional Materials Most pay-per-call affiliate programmes provide creative materials and call-tracking software so publishers can get more conversions with less effort.
Higher Revenue Per Lead Since phone calls typically cost more than web leads, affiliates can focus their efforts on the quality of their pay-per-call lead generation.

How Pay-Per-Call Advertising Benefits Advertisers

Driving High-Intent, High-Value Clients at Scale Well-designed pay-per-call programmes almost guarantee a flow of purchase-prone clients who may only need a little nudge. And these high-quality call leads usually bring a higher cheque.
Tapping into Complex Products Complex products like insurance are much easier to sell over the phone than through text conversation.
Predictable ROI Pay-per-call advertising provides an accurate estimate of future earnings, especially if you partner with a trustworthy affiliate network and pay-per-call service provider.

Pro tip: Advertisers and affiliates usually aren’t aware of each other’s customer acquisition costs on a pay-per-call platform, which gives an affiliate network room for manoeuvre. Affiliates can leverage free pay-per-call advertising channels to minimise spending while selling their leads at a high price, whereas advertisers try to minimise the cost per call.

Where Do You Get Leads for Pay-Per-Call Marketing?

The rule of thumb is that marketers who use multiple traffic sources come on top because they can diversify their traffic flows and risks:

  • Affiliates can create Google pay-per-call advertising campaigns using email marketing, in-app promos, and other digital marketing strategies that suit a chosen programme. They can even promote the link on social media through techniques such as pay-per-call Facebook ads.
  • Advertisers can develop detailed campaign guidelines, including preferred promotional methods and traffic sources. 

Speaking of possible affiliate program limitations, as a publisher, you should carefully review the affiliate agreement to ensure your promotion methods and traffic channels are allowed. Some advertisers may restrict social media traffic (such as TikTok or Facebook pay-per-call ads) or traffic from non-compliant affiliates.

Ready to take your marketing efforts to the next level? Select your subscription plan now, or book a demo to learn more about Phonexa’s inbound call management platform.

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Crafting a Pay-Per-Call Advertising Campaign in 5 Steps

Whether you’re an affiliate or advertiser, there’s plenty of work to be done before you can launch a pay-per-call ads campaign. You need to determine your target audience, choose pay-per-call service providers, optimise your traffic, and ensure you can effectively analyse your leads with the tracking software you choose.

Let’s take a look at how you can create a pay-per-call ads campaign in 5 simple steps:

Step 1 – Determine Your Target Audience

You need to be aware of the actual needs of your callers to create engaging advertising for pay-per-call affiliate campaigns. Qualified leads are highly likely to convert, while reaching unqualified and cold leads may take forever.

Start by thoroughly segmenting your customer base into as many categories as possible. Later, adjust campaigns over time to reflect market changes and the insights you gather from your affiliate network or call-tracking software.

Let’s examine a potential real-life example:

Imagine that you are launching a pay-per-call ads campaign for a kitchen renovation business to find out that most callers are simply interested in general information about home improvement. They don’t want to renovate their kitchen, as they are just curious readers.

Situations like this can happen when you miscalculate the demographics or misinterpret client interaction patterns.

To resolve this, reassess your campaign data. You may need to refocus on high-value callers actively searching for kitchen remodelling contractors. Typically, pay-per-call services have tracking tools that help you data in detail to modify future promotional activities. 

Step 2 – Choose the Right Pay-Per-Call Tracking Software

The difference between successful and failed pay-per-call advertising campaigns lies in your ability to track and analyse users’ actions. Use robust tracking software to collect as much data as possible. From the initial ad impression to the end of the call, there is a wealth of actionable data to explore and use to your advantage in your pay-per-call lead generation.

Phonexa offers the exclusive Call Logic product to uncover valuable caller insights

 

Comprehensive call intelligence systems like Call Logic improve the caller’s experience while capturing all relevant data within legal boundaries. You get a fully compliant system that directs callers to the most suitable buyer – whether internal or external – and works coordinates with other marketing channels within Phonexa’s all-in-one performance marketing software suite.

Step 3 – Craft Compelling Pay-Per-Call Ads

When it comes to pay-per-call ads, you’ve got endless options. From Bing and Google pay-per-call ads (AdWords) to social media platforms, a pay-per-call promotion has many ways to connect to potential customers online.

But it’s important to remember that success doesn’t happen overnight. Each success story is the result of careful planning and testing and smooth execution. For instance, what works for B2B might not be the best fit for retail. Viral and fun TikTok posts that work with Zoomers are highly unlikely to show the same results with Gen X or boomers.

Step 4 – Optimise Your Traffic Sources for Conversions

Here’s how you can make them accept the call:

  • Make your content easy to follow: Properly structure the content, demonstrating the benefits of your product. Take a closer look at your CTAs; they should seamlessly fit into content while being memorable and highly contextualised.
  • Appeal to the caller’s emotions: Any purchase is an emotional decision. So don’t be afraid to explain how the product or service will change the caller’s life. To some extent, you can use tricks like FOMO, loss aversion, and reciprocity to nudge them toward a sale.

Step 5 – Track and Analyse Your Pay-Per-Call Campaigns

Once you’ve launched your pay-per-call lead gen campaign, ensure you have the right tools to analyze it inside out. For instance, you may discover that you need to improve ad channel effectiveness, modify agent responses to eliminate bottlenecks, change call timing, etc.

From the empirical evidence, Wednesday is the most effective day for business calls, while the most productive time for calls is between 16:00 and 17:00. On a similar note, it’s a good strategy to wait a little while before calling again – this gives the customer space to decide if they still want to engage, leading to more thoughtful responses later.

Here are some vital metrics used in pay-per-call advertising:

Call Duration With the average client call lasting around 3-5 minutes, you can compare your call lengths with conversion rates to uncover whether shorter or longer conversations are more profitable.
Call Abandonment Rate Call abandonment rate helps you ensure that most of your callers successfully connect to advertisers. The average call abandonment rate typically ranges from 5% to 8%.A higher call abandonment rate can indicate, for example, delays in agent responses, bad call quality, or some other issues.
Caller Data By collecting detailed demographic (age, gender, location, etc.) and psychographics (interests, behaviours, motivations, etc.) data, you can identify your most profitable callers and customise your pay-per-call advertising accordingly.

The great thing about live calls is that you’re always engaging with leads at the height of their interest. With Phonexa, you can also make sure all inbound calls are tracked, recorded, and analyzed deeply so you can get the most value out of every conversation.

Pay-Per-Call Marketing Toolkit To Generate Leads and Sales

Real-Time Bidding Software

As a publisher, your goal with pay-per-call ads is to sell your calls to the most relevant or highest-bidding advertiser. Real-time bidding software simplifies this process.

➥ Real-time bidding software, based on ping tree technology, guides callers to the optimal buyer based on various factors, such as call duration, bid, demographics, etc. As a result, pay-per-call publishers can sell their leads at the highest price.

Real-time bidding is a standout feature for most pay-per-call networks. The distribution process typically takes less than a second, without significantly impacting experience. In the long run, these pay-per-call ads enable the best match for the affiliate, the advertiser, and the caller.

Pay-Per-Call Networks

Pay-per-call networks not only handle call distribution and tracking but also connect you to a network of partners that would otherwise be out of reach for individual advertisers or affiliates. In addition to providing pay-per-call affiliate software, these networks can extend your global reach, save you tons of time, and lower your financial risks.

Here’s how a pay-per-call network works:

Visualization at how a pay-per-call network works

Programmatic Advertising

Ever wondered why two people browsing the same website at the same moment from the same location might see completely different pay-per-call ads? This is usually because the website uses programmatic ads.

Here’s how programmatic advertising works:

  • Advertisers and affiliates leverage a demand-side platform (DSP) to set targeting criteria, such as demographics, interests, location, and bids. Publishers provide ad space, and when a user matches both parties’ criteria, a real-time auction selects the winning ad, which is displayed instantly to the user.

These split-second auctions ensure fully automated pay-per-call advertising processes and wide-reaching campaign capabilities. For advertisers, programmatic advertising offers transparency on ad performance and placement, enabling precise ROI forecasting.

Interactive Voice Response

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technology guides callers through their journey before connecting them to the appropriate sales agent (e.g., press “1” to connect to a sales agent, press “2” for customer support).

Call processing example with Phonexa

While forwarding all paid calls to the sales department may seem intuitive, you may get better results if you decide to pre-qualify callers and redirect some to customer support representatives instead. Pay-per-call networks and providers also use IVR to direct callers to the most suitable advertisers (e.g., press “1” for a nearby shop, press “2” for a global chain).

How To Grow Your Pay-Per-Call Profits

Screen at least a few pay-per-call networks As a publisher, you can explore how much affiliate programs offer per call and then, all things being equal, choose the most profitable affiliate program.
Leverage your strengths Better call quality, higher conversion rates, or standout caller demographics can all help you secure a better price per call.
Maintain flexibility with call-tracking software Ensure you have your own call-tracking solution to maintain independence if you switch from your current pay-per-call service provider or network.

Supercharge Your Pay-Per-Call Advertising Campaigns With Phonexa

Phonexa is one of the few pay-per-call service providers that does it all, from tracking and analysing to automating all processes while synchronising call and web lead acquisitions. Thanks to tools like LMS Sync, Call Logic, and six other performance marketing solutions working in real-time, your web and call marketing campaigns will be fully covered.

The future of pay-per-call advertising and lead acquisition is at your fingertips:

 

Here are the eight proprietary solutions you get at a single price (online price calculator):

LMS Sync Lead tracking & distribution software
Call Logic Call tracking & distribution software
E-Delivery Email & SMS marketing software
Cloud PBX Cloud phone system
Lynx Click tracking software
Opt-Intel Suppression list management software
HitMetrix User behaviour recording & analytics software
Books360 Automated accounting software

Build your plan now, or take a product tour to see how Phonexa can transform your pay-per-call campaigns.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is pay-per-call marketing?

It is a performance-based advertising model in which advertisers pay affiliates or networks to generate phone calls from potential customers. Affiliates use various predetermined criteria to show pay-per-call ads only to interested users. The advertiser pays only when a call meets predefined conditions.

What is a pay-per-call number?

It’s a unique phone number used in performance-based marketing. In this model, advertisers pay for each call generated by ads. By using unique numbers in pay-per-call ads, merchants can track campaign performance, linking numbers to specific affiliates.

Who are pay-per-call leads?

These are potential customers who call a business after engaging with marketing efforts. These high-intent leads are generated through pay-per-call advertising campaigns and are valuable for businesses that want to connect with customers directly.

Dynamic Call Tracking: Core Principles & Practical Applications

The number of phone calls generated by call-based campaigns reflects their effectiveness, or does it? If you have used various marketing strategies for your business, you are most likely generating a large number of leads. However, you might be missing out on valuable call data that could help you improve the quality of leads and bring in even more calls.

Many brands run into roadblocks caused by the lack of customer data, inefficiency of business processes, misunderstanding finances, and low productivity. Brands also have a hard time tracking the success of their marketing efforts since they can’t always identify sources of inbound leads.

Optimising ROI and quantifying the performance of your advertising campaigns depend on understanding which digital channels and interactions bring in the most inbound calls and leads. That is when dynamic phone number insertion (DNI) and phone lead tracking come into play. This article will examine how dynamic call tracking can transform your company, how call tracking works, and how brands use it to track calls.

What Does Dynamic Call Tracking Mean?

Dynamic call tracking is a tracking technology that helps businesses determine which marketing campaigns bring in quality leads. To do that, tracking phone numbers are displayed for advertising purposes. These numbers are designated to specific online campaigns and audiences in various regions.

 

Generating leads is exciting, but it’s even more important to know where they come from. With call tracking software, brands may determine the call and lead sources, which allows them to ramp up their campaigns for an even better ROI from their digital marketing spend.

 

How Does Call Tracking Operate?

Call tracking works when an individual or a company utilises call tracking software, which provides detailed attribution for all inbound call traffic. Businesses may use it to gauge how well marketing channels are working and eventually boost revenue. Call tracking, which is based on dynamic phone number insertion, is intended to provide comprehensive call data using the following methods:

  • Campaign-level call tracking: This entails the acquisition of a pool of trackable phone numbers, each of which is then linked to a specific advertising campaign. This method applies to offline and online campaigns.
  • Visitor-level call tracking: With this method, you may use a single set of phone numbers that vary with each new visitor to track every marketing source that sends customers to your website.
  • Source-level call tracking: In order to monitor calls at the source level, businesses need to have a new trackable phone number for each campaign source, such as billboards, online or offline magazines, or Google PPC advertisements. Companies are able to see the source of a customer’s referral when customers phone those call tracking numbers.

Companies often search for the appropriate call tracking software. Why is that? Dynamic call tracking enables marketers to prove that their paid advertising generates new inbound leads and see more clearly how their efforts affect the bottom line by assigning website users with dynamic phone numbers.

However, by using a marketing automation solution, companies may demonstrate that their call tracking efforts generate revenue.

Call tracking systems can ultimately be employed by small businesses and enterprises to demonstrate which keywords, digital channels, campaigns, and ad units drive the most inbound calls. It can also help to get more clarity on a business’s marketing ROI and ROAS.

How Does Call Tracking Software Operate?

Dynamic call tracking technology employs dynamic number insertion to display different phone numbers to a variety of audiences and campaigns. With this technology, marketers can immediately tell which campaigns generate inbound calls.

Furthermore, by displaying defined DNI phone numbers on the landing pages, this technology also tracks the progress of marketing campaigns.

Companies looking to keep their campaign logic focused, make educated decisions, and create customisable call journeys often use call tracking technology as part of a complete marketing automation solution.

Brands using Call Logic, Phonexa’s call tracking and distribution software, make the most of its sophisticated features, like call distribution, dynamic phone number insertion, predictive modelling, ping tree, and Ping Post Calls 2.0. These features are all designed to skyrocket to increase conversions and refine call tracking initiatives.

 

Ping Post Calls 2.0 helps affiliate networks, publishers, and buyers sell calls across all lead flows, reinventing real-time distribution. It increases real-time control over data, boosts publisher and buyer satisfaction, and helps bid on just the best call data attributes of both static and dynamic campaigns.

Retention, conversion, and ROI rates may be accurately measured with the help of high-quality call tracking services, which enable offline to online attribution. To find the best leads and prospects and make sure that each of their dollars spent on marketing can have a bigger impact, companies and marketing agencies employ enterprise call tracking software.

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Using call tracking for lead generation is also essential for businesses since lead generation campaigns often encourage prospective customers to demonstrate their interest by calling a company.

Marketing phone numbers may be programmed to associate online actions, such as page views or clicks, with phone calls. This allows marketers to see which interactions bring in the most call traffic to their website, keywords that generate significant engagement, and which conversations lead to conversions.

Here are five of the essential benefits of call tracking software for entrepreneurs and marketers.

Benefits Description
1. Learn how customers find you Rather than requiring your customer support or sales team to search for answers, call tracking phone numbers can assist you in determining which advertising campaign or medium brought the most prospects. Once the dedicated teams and agents possess this information, they will leverage it to their advantage when conversing with the leads.
2. Realise the most consistent ROI reporting   Every marketer is concerned about the accuracy of the campaign’s ROI calculation in the absence of information about lead sources. With dynamic call tracking, marketing executives always have a clear understanding of exactly what keywords and landing pages perform best, what ads prompt the calls, and which campaigns generate the best ROI.
3. Assure effective resource allocation No marketing executive or business owner wishes to waste money on campaigns that are failing or underperforming. Therefore, the most reliable way to figure out where the company’s marketing dollars should go is online call tracking.
4. Create and solidify customer relationships Phone call tracking software also has features like call recording in addition to dynamic phone numbers. Call recordings can be employed by customer support and sales teams to go back to recordings and examine customer conversations. In this manner, they may find relevant information to enhance their connection with the target audience, establish trust, and develop long-term relationships with clients.
5. Improve business management  In order to change and scale their business, every brand must face shortcomings. With the implementation of call tracking for digital marketing, brands can assess their operations and audience engagement. This will enable companies to discover the need for martech tools, identify improvement opportunities, and delineate the necessary actions to increase revenue.

Now that we have established why call tracking is important for marketers, let’s examine dynamic number insertion and how it may be used for call-based campaigns.

What Is DNI, or Dynamic Number Insertion?

A dynamic phone number insertion is a call tracking feature that allows marketers to follow online behaviour via cookies and analyse offline client behaviours by tying a unique phone number to each ad source.

How Does Dynamic Number Insertion Operate?

The primary objective of DNI is to generate tracking numbers for every online lead source, such as a content piece or an online advertisement that is highly ranked in SERP.

Depending on your advertising campaign, you may display phone numbers that allow dynamic number tracking in advertisements, search results, or your website.

Fundamentally, dynamic phone number insertion is a simple concept that implies associating unique, trackable phone numbers with a lead source, ad, or campaign. Any subsequent inbound calls to dynamic numbers are traced back to lead sources, campaigns, or specific ads.

Of course, if your business concentrates only on several marketing channels and lead sources, it works well. The majority of marketing professionals work on a bigger scale these days, however, and need a large pool of dynamic tracking numbers.

To further grasp how DNI tracking works, let’s examine an example.

Imagine that your current focus is on tracking website calls at the source level. Upon clicking on your advertisement, prospects are redirected to your company’s website, where they may see a specific call tracking number. Dynamic number swapping, in this case, will ensure that the numbers will differ depending on the source of potential customers.

Although setting up dynamic phone number tracking may seem a complicated technical process, it is really rather simple. It involves linking different phone numbers to sources of leads and including a JavaScript line on all pages of your website.

The JavaScript will show a predefined phone number to the visitor after identifying the lead source/location, allowing you to track the campaigns that generate calls easily.

Benefits of Dynamic Number Insertion

The core of call tracking is dynamic number insertion, so in order to get the best results, marketers must implement dynamic number insertion within their call tracking software or Cloud PBX

 

The insertion of a dynamic phone number has the following advantages:

Create a Local Presence Through Local Call Tracking

DNI enables the display of a local phone number for your business on any active online marketing campaigns and allows call tracing for local websites.

For instance, if you have offices in London, Birmingham, and Liverpool, and you have ad campaigns or specific ad groups for those locations, you can display visitors from different regions’ local phone numbers.

Boost Your Budget in Real Time

In order to improve your lead generation efforts, it is essential to stay knowledgeable of your keywords and optimise them when managing an online marketing budget.

Through dynamic phone number insertion, it is possible to track the impact of different paid search campaigns to determine which ones generate the most leads.

Track the Metrics of Social Media

The primary growth metrics in social media are follows and likes. By showing specific phone numbers across multiple campaigns, dynamic phone number insertion enables you to achieve granularity in social media marketing tracking.

That way, you can determine which social media campaigns have a positive effect on your bottom line.

Use Toll-free International Numbers

You may use international phone tracking toll-free numbers to market your company to prospects in different countries. It will not be necessary to tie every number to a specific lead source.

You might, instead, relate them to particular countries. Upon completion, the JavaScript code will display the correct number and, based on their IP addresses, reveal the location of the leads.

Wrapping Up

Dynamic phone number insertion enables you to learn more about your customers, including which online channels they came through, who they are and what keywords they used.

Dynamic call tracking is an effective way of optimising marketing campaigns. You are provided with valuable information regarding which campaigns are more effective in driving customers to your business and which do not show the desired results.

Book a demo and discover how Phonexa’s Call Logic can assist you in leveraging call tracking to drive business growth.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Dynamic phone number insertion is what?

It is a call-tracking feature that facilitates dynamic phone number tracking. It helps find out which campaigns or sources that bring in the most call and web leads.

Exactly what is dynamic marketing?

The technique known as dynamic marketing uses user data to produce adaptable marketing initiatives and decisions. By reacting to shifting client preferences in the online environment, it frequently prioritises the user experience.

What is a DNI number?

The DNI phone number is the link between online actions and inbound phone contacts. It aids marketers to determine the campaign, source, or ad unit that brought the most visitors to their website.

What can be accomplished through dynamic call tracking?

Dynamic call tracking is an excellent method to optimise the efficacy of your marketing efforts. It furnishes essential information regarding initiatives that attract additional customers to your business and which ones don’t.

For marketing, how can I make use of a call-tracking service?

Call tracking digital marketing has several applications ways, such as the following:

  • Use and capture in-depth customer data
  • Empower marketing analysis that is based on call tracking metrics, including call duration, call history, geolocation, etc.
  • Manage the distribution of business resources
  • Listen to call recordings and acquire insights from customer interactions
  • Keep track of keywords, identify those that generate inbound calls, and build your subsequent call campaigns around them.

A Comprehensive Guide to Pay-Per-Call Lead Generation

Pay-per-call lead generation has become one of the key strategies for businesses seeking to boost customer acquisition in today’s ever-changing digital marketing world. This performance-based method connects marketers with small and medium-sized companies and organisations where direct contact has a significant impact on customer decisions.

Pay-per-call lead generation adds a human component to digital marketing by prioritising phone interactions above clicks and impressions. Advertisers can use sophisticated pay-per-call tracking tools to thoroughly analyse call sources, length, and caller intent before investing in this high-converting strategy. This guide covers the pay-per-call lead generation topic, including its basics, as well as best practices instructing how to start.

What Is Pay-Per-Call Lead Generation?

The technology of pay-per-call lead generation allows the use of various marketing sources to get new leads that are interested in exact goods and services and thus lead prone calls to businesses. With 98% of the UK adult population owning a mobile phone, the potential audience for these marketing campaigns is enormous. According to this performance-based approach, the publisher receives payment from the advertiser for the generated pay-per-call leads that meet certain criteria.

the dynamic of the percentage of people who own a smartphone in the UK in recent years

Source: Uswitch

For businesses and sectors like home improvement, insurance, or legal services, where calls bring a bigger number of leads, pay-per-call lead generation might be more effective. The marketer can encourage high-intent clients to call by using pay-per-call marketing. The approach, to put it simply, connects two parties and generates leads that may convert more effectively than some other types of digital advertising.

Call Logic from Phonexa is a useful tool for businesses that use pay-per-call marketing. Businesses may efficiently handle and distribute the leads and obtain useful call data with the aid of call tracking and ping post technologies. Pay-per-call marketing companies can add improvements to their strategies and campaigns for increased conversion rates by providing thorough data on caller behaviour.

How Does Pay-Per-Call Lead Generation Work?

When you use pay-per-call software, every call is tracked to guarantee that it meets specific criteria, including quality and duration, ensuring that advertisers get high-quality leads.

This software is beneficial for advertisers to accurately evaluate the ROI of their campaigns by providing comprehensive analytics on each contact, such as the caller’s location, the duration of the call, and the outcome. 

Are you ready to take control of your pay-per-call lead generation? Select your subscription plan, or book a demo to discover more about Phonexa’s inbound call management platform.

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When it comes to lead management, Phonexa’s LMS Sync simplifies the process of managing and distributing pay-per-call leads, increasing marketers’ opportunities for success in the pay-per-call lead-generating arena. It does more than just trace sources and track user journeys; its innovative ping tree technology effectively identifies hidden chances in previously denied pay-per-call leads.

 

Publishers promote the advertiser’s services via numerous channels, and potential clients make calls, which are then logged and analysed for quality. The publisher receives compensation for creating high-quality pay-per-call leads if a call qualifies.

Using a direct connection with interested consumers, the pay-per-call approach helps advertisers by increasing conversion rates. It enables publishers to profit from their promotional activities, creating superior pay-per-call leads.

A graphic representation of the step-by-step pay-per-call process

What Advantages Do Advertisers Get from Pay-Per-Call Lead Generation?

Pay-per-call advertising grants a lot of benefits to advertisers aiming to improve their pay-per-call lead creation and conversion processes. Let’s have a look at the main advantages:

  • Greater conversion rates: Pay-per-call leads who initiate the call are often further along in the purchasing process, resulting in greater intent to buy and higher conversion rates than standard digital leads.
  • Effective lead generation: Advertisers can pre-qualify each call using particular parameters such as call duration, geographic location, and caller intent. Using a pay-per-call service provider guarantees that advertisers only pay for those leads that match their specific requirements.
  • Personalised customer interaction: Pay-per-call advertising enables direct, real-time communication between the customer and the advertiser. Clients become frustrated when they cannot access live help over the phone. Globally, 30% of respondents think it’s the most frustrating aspect of bad customer service.
  • Measurable ROI: With detailed statistics on call volumes, call durations, conversion rates, and other crucial parameters, advertisers can effectively quantify the return on investment for their campaigns.

What Advantages Do Publishers Get From Pay-Per-Call Lead Generation for Publishers?

No doubt, publishers play an essential role in the system of pay-per-call lead generation. Their job is to connect advertisers with potential clients using their promotional skills and tools. Let’s have a look at what benefits pay-per-call lead generation can bring to publishers:

  • Higher revenue potential: Pay-per-call leads typically generate higher payouts than standard pay-per-click (PPC) models since conversion rates are unusually high, occasionally exceeding 50%, whereas click conversion rates average about 2%.
  • Marketing strategy flexibility: Pay-per-call advertisements give SEO, email marketing, social media, and other marketing platforms the ability to generate leads and give them creative freedom at the same time.
  • Greater user engagement: To link consumers and marketers, publishers offer pay-per-call services. Publishers can significantly improve user engagement and conversions by producing interesting content. Publishers can convert 42% more visitors into pay-per-call leads by personalising content calls to action (CTAs).
  • Improved tracking and optimisation: Using call tracking software, publishers can find out how specific SEO marketing keywords generate high-quality pay-per-call leads. Publishers can focus on SEO and cut down on less effective channels if this is more effective than email marketing or social media advertising.

Top 5 Industries To Use Pay-Per-Call Marketing

Some industries might be more suitable for pay-per-call marketing, as they might be more urgent or complicated, requiring immediate and direct contact. Pay-per-call marketing may not be very profitable for services and goods that are not as urgent, or that can be purchased online with little assistance. In certain industries, the pay-per-call approach works well because of the value of human interaction and the requirement for thorough information.

  • Home services: These include locksmith, HVAC, and plumbing services, where customers call for prompt resolutions due to urgent needs. 
  • Legal counsel: People are likely to use direct calls to set up sessions when seeking legal assistance on criminal defence or personal injury.
  • Financial services: Since customers want personalised guidance on complicated financial products, the mortgage, loan, and insurance sectors profit from direct calls.
  • Healthcare: Appointments and consultations require immediate attention, especially in specialised fields like dental services or elective surgery.
  • Emergency services: Towing, roadside assistance, and emergency repair services commonly must be solved immediately.

What Differentiates Pay-Per-Call Lead Generation From Other Strategies?

One of the outstanding characteristics of the pay-per-call method is that it sets up immediate and direct connections between customers and companies.  It is especially useful for those services that need quick decision-making or comprehensive consultations.

  • Direct interaction vs. digital forms: Unlike digital techniques focused on clicks or form submissions, the pay-per-call strategy creates direct interaction, receiving pay-per-call leads via real phone calls, which shows a higher level of intent.
  • Higher intent verification: Pay-per-call leads typically have a higher degree of intent than leads produced by clicking on internet ads. Someone who visits a law office for a consultation is probably more ready to use services than someone who just looks at the website of a law company.
  • Quality over quantity: While pay-per-click campaigns and search engine optimisation draw a lot of users to websites, the pay-per-call technique concentrates on drawing a smaller but more involved audience. This method ensures higher conversion rates for specifically targeted services, for instance, healthcare consultations.
  • Personalised service: This strategy offers in-depth, personalised interactions that can be adapted to the caller’s needs in real time. This is in contrast to typical email marketing efforts, which do not have this level of customisation.

How To Get Started With Pay-Per-Call Lead Generation

Specify Your Target Audience

Why is it needed?  Firstly, no one wants to spend time, money, and effort on someone who is not interested in your services or product. The second reason is that they feel exactly the same! About 91% of customers will purchase from companies that identify and understand their pain points and thus provide relevant offers.

Your target audience is already looking for you; now, all you have to do is start looking for them. If your company specialises in emergency plumbing repairs for homeowners, your marketing efforts should concentrate on areas with high homeownership rates and emphasise quick, reliable support. This specificity means that your pay-per-call advertising targets those leads who are most likely to convert, optimising your investment and improving campaign performance.

The first step on the list is always identifying the target audience since the knowledge you discover will determine your next actions, from selecting the best keywords to choosing the most successful marketing channels.

Produce Engaging Ads

Knowing who your target audience is will help you customise the ad’s location, style, and message to better appeal to prospective pay-per-call leads and increase the chances that they will call.

Pay-per-call leads will see your ads for the first time, so they need to be convincing enough to make them take action. A brief description of the service or product, its potential benefits to the user, and, to some extent, its advantages over competitors should also be included in an advertisement.

Be persuasive, but don’t overplay with language.  Note that visual components commonly have a major impact on ad engagement. Make use of high-quality photos or graphics that are applicable to the services you offer. The layout should direct your pay-per-call leads towards the main message and call to action, and the design should be attractive without being overbearing.

The call-to-action is when you ask the viewer to make the call. It must stand out and say it all sometimes, prompting with, let’s say, ‘Get in touch today’ or ‘Cal now’. Ensure that the phone number is readable and easily noticeable.

Select the Right Pay-Per-Call Lead Generation Platform

Different platforms have distinct advantages, making them appropriate for various businesses and marketing strategies. Pay-per-call can be more beneficial for banking, healthcare, and insurance companies, where customers frequently prefer phone conversations before making decisions. According to statistics, calls in these businesses have a 10-12 times higher conversion rate than other lead types.

When evaluating pay-per-call platforms, it is critical to consider the channels that produce the best results for pay-per-call campaigns. Options include:

  • Paid search.
  • Organic search.
  • Mobile search.
  • Social Media
  • Display advertisements.
  • Traditional channels (print, radio, etc.)

Each of these channels targets different audience groups and has varying levels of engagement and conversion potential.

Managing and measuring campaign effectiveness is also important when selecting a platform. Pay-per-call programs provide specific insights about industry trends and client behaviour, essential for customising marketing messages and optimising offerings. To maximise their return on investment, businesses should select a platform with powerful analytics and tracking features.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to determining which platform works best for pay-per-call lead generation. The decision should be based on your target audience, industry and the desired level of involvement. Careful examination of these factors, together with the usage of relevant data and insights, will assist you in choosing the best platform for your pay-per-call lead generation.

Create Budgets and Bid Strategies

Budgets should be planned based on the average cost per lead (CPL) and projected return. Pay-per-call CPLs are greater because these leads have a high intent and conversion rate. This performance-based method charges only for calls that meet specific criteria, such as length or caller location. In the end, this strategy is cost-effective.

The bid strategy must align with your company’s goals and target audience. This includes selecting the appropriate service categories and locations for your advertisements, as well as determining your CPL. Higher bids may result in more pay-per-call leads, but you should weigh your budget and work value. Improve ROI by using real-time analytics to assess campaign success and make necessary changes.

Track and Analyse Results

Monitoring and analysing marketing effectiveness is essential for pay-per-call lead generation, as well as any other marketing campaign you want to enhance or keep doing well. A Nestlé case study illustrates the time-saving benefits of using data tracking and analytics. According to this case, their team reduced marketing reporting time by 80% by using marketing data analytics, freeing up more time for productive tasks.

Pay-per-call campaigns bring better visibility and insights by presenting detailed profiles of the leads and distinct trends in customer behaviour and preferences. The advantage of these insights is that they help to adjust campaign strategy and target exact customers to increase conversion rates. Businesses can ensure they target the correct audience and produce high-quality pay-per-call leads by regularly evaluating and modifying their campaigns. 

How Much Should You Charge for Pay-Per-Call Leads?

When you need to define the pricing for pay-per-call leads, several aspects should be considered, including the industry, competition, and the quality and quantity of your target audience. These factors can have a significant impact on the cost per lead. For example, sectors with greater competition or those that provide high-value services frequently have higher CPL due to the extra effort required to obtain high-quality pay-per-call leads.

The CPL might also significantly vary depending on the industries. Businesses in areas with high job values, such as banking, healthcare, legal, and home services (like plumbing or HVAC), are likely to spend more per lead. In contrast, industries with lower job values, such as windscreen replacement, will likely have lower CPLs. To calculate your CPL, use this simple calculation:

A graphic representation of the Cost Per Lead (CPL) formula

Also, there are various pricing methods for pay-per-call lead generation. Some networks may have set pricing, which is a more rigid method, but others may have different price systems.

To determine the proper rate for pay-per-call leads, we’ll break it down into three steps:

  • Measure your industry’s average CPL
  • Check the competitive level
  • Evaluate the value of the services that you’re advertising

Each company and industry will have unique requirements, so you must adjust your approach accordingly.

Pay-Per-Call Leads vs. Pay-Per-Lead: What To Select?

When selecting between pay-per-call and pay-per-lead marketing, businesses have to analyse their unique requirements, the nature of their industry, the value of their services, and the preferred customer journey.

The table below highlights the most important differences that can help you make a decision:

Aspect Pay-Per-Call Marketing Pay-Per-Lead Marketing
Payment Structure Businesses pay for inbound phone calls from potential clients Businesses pay for every lead generated, commonly via online actions (e.g. form submissions).
Lead Quality
Leads are of higher quality as potential clients are more intent to buy.
Lead quality differs as leads can be in earlier stages of the buying journey.
Conversion Rates Higher conversion rates: 25-40% of leads become clients. Commonly lower conversion rates 
Return on Ad Spend Generally higher; call-based leads are more likely to convert. Can vary depending on the effectiveness of the digital campaign and lead nurturing.
Customer Value Call-based customers are likely to spend more and have higher retention rates. Customer value might be lower 
Industry Fit It is especially effective for service-based industries that require direct interaction. Suitable for a wider range of industries, mainly where direct interaction is less crucial.
Level of Interaction Involves direct human interaction. More dependent on digital actions and less on direct human interaction. 

Effective Pay-Per-Call Traffic Sources

Pay-per-call traffic sources help businesses get inbound phone calls from potential customers. These sources are effective because they may target leads that are more likely to convert over the phone. Let’s have a closer look at some of the most popular pay-per-call traffic sources:

➥ Google Ads can be very effective because of its broad reach and ability to target people based on their search intent. When people search for specific services or products, ads targeting those enquiries can encourage them to call.

Advertisers use keywords to target visitors who are likely to make a purchase. For example, someone who is looking for “emergency plumbing services”  most likely needs a plumber immediately, thus making them an ideal candidate for a pay-per-call campaign.

➥ Social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram) allows advertisers to set up advanced targeting based on demographics, interests, and behaviours, allowing them to reach specific audience groups.

Advertisers can design ads that provide a direct CTA to make a call to a company. For instance,  a Facebook ad for a local dental clinic can target viewers in a specific area, prompting them to contact for an appointment.

➥ SEO directs organic traffic to a company’s website, where potential clients will find a phone number to contact. This method is cost-effective because it relies on unpaid search results.

Businesses that optimise their website for relevant keywords might appear higher in search results, improving their chances of receiving calls. A law practice that optimises for a “personal injury attorney” can attract people looking for legal help in this area.

➥ YouTube’s large user base and the engaging nature of its video content make it an ideal platform for pay-per-call advertising. And its popularity cannot be overestimated. Between 2024 and 2029, the global YouTube user base is predicted to grow by 232.5 million.

The graph showing the growth of YouTube users from 2020 to 2029

Source: Statista

Businesses can use CTA overlays in their videos or in the video description to motivate viewers to call. For example, a tutorial video on house repairs can end with a recommendation to seek expert help.

➥ Traditional channels (radio, print, and direct mail) effectively target local audiences or specific demographics. Advertisements on these channels include a call to action (CTA) and a phone number. A radio commercial for an insurance business may encourage listeners to contact for a free quote.

The success of the traffic sources depends on their power to reach potential customers at different stages of the buying process – from those actively searching for a service to those who may be persuaded to call based on targeted advertising. Combining these channels allows organisations to efficiently drive high-intent calls, resulting in increased conversion rates and ROI.

Compliance in Pay-Per-Call Lead Generation

Compliance in pay-per-call lead generation is primarily related to the adherence to regulations that control consumer privacy and telemarketing. A critical component of this compliance is adhering to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), which requires the explicit consent of individuals before marketing communications via telephone. This legislation guarantees that businesses adhere to consumer privacy and preferences, thereby decreasing the frequency of unsolicited and potentially intrusive marketing calls.

Additionally, companies that generate pay-per-call leads must be vigilant regarding their leads’ quality and source. This means ensuring that the leads are generated ethically and that the marketing practices do not mislead or provide deceptive information to consumers. Failure to follow these compliance standards may lead to legal consequences, such as a tarnished brand image and fines.

Key Features to Optimise Your Pay-Per-Call Lead Generation

Several important elements help improve your pay-per-call leads generation and campaign performance.

A graphic representation of the inbound call becoming a lead

They help with the understanding of consumer needs, the customisation of your strategy, and the generation of high-quality pay-per-call leads:

Call tracking & recording Tracking and recording are important instruments for collecting and analysis of call data. Call recordings are a valuable resource for determining whether a contact resulted in a sale or appointment, as well as for quality control and training. Additionally, they provide useful consumer information.
Call transcriptions This tool helps you better understand discussions and saves time. Call transcripts can be searched and filtered to find particular conversations or calls that meet predetermined standards.
Call capping If your buyer has a limit on the number of pay-per-call leads they can purchase, call capping can help. It limits the number of leads that a buyer receives.
Call whispers This function notifies your buyer that the pay-per-call lead call originated from your campaign. Your client hears a call whispering before answering to prepare for the engagement.
Automated lead tagging This feature lets you tag call leads and add them to your ad account conversions. It is necessary for real-time campaign optimisation.
Email notifications Set up email notifications for missed lead calls if the buyer does not respond.

Improve Your Pay-Per-Call Lead Generation With Phonexa

Pay-per-call lead generation is appropriate for industries where personal connections have a significant impact on consumer decisions due to its direct customer involvement and high conversion rates. This approach personalises digital marketing by prioritising voice interactions and allowing advertisers to evaluate call sources, length, and intent closely.

Pay-per-call enhances conversion rates and ensures that marketers only target high-intent per-call leads. Publishers benefit from increased revenues and marketing flexibility. This lead-generation method blends digital accuracy and direct communication to produce a dynamic and effective marketing tool.

 

Get your performance marketing software suite today, or book a demo to learn how Phonexa can help you change your pay-per-call lead generation efforts.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is pay-per-call profitable?

Pay-per-call lead creation is effective for businesses that value personal communication. Pay-per-call leads typically convert better than other lead generation strategies since they target high-intent clients, making them an attractive investment for many companies.

Why use pay-per-call lead generation?

Pay-per-call lead generation helps you increase conversion rates by targeting high-intent clients. Many service-oriented businesses rely on direct contact and personalised communication with potential customers to understand consumer needs and close sales.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of pay-per-call versus commission-based advertising?

Pay-per-call advertising is ideal for businesses that value personalisation due to its high conversion rates and direct client interaction. These leads could be more expensive. Commission-based techniques have lower initial costs and promote success but may lack control and direct client interaction.

How is a call eligible for a commission?

The advertiser determines commissions for pay-per-call advertising. These often include the length of the call, the time and date, the caller’s location, and, on occasion, the call’s outcome, such as a sale or an appointment booking. Missed calls and unrelated questions typically do not qualify for a commission.

Can calls be routed to numerous phone numbers or locations?

Yes, pay-per-call campaigns can direct calls to various numbers or locations. This feature allows additional flexibility when routing incoming calls based on caller location, time, or client preferences. Such routing improves both the customer experience and the efficiency of service responses.

How does the pay-per-call model affect the customer experience?

The customer experience with pay-per-call advertising is often smooth and similar to direct business calls; customers call a company from an ad without realising it is a tracking number. This personalised relationship enhances client engagement and service.

How does a tracking number work?

The tracking number in pay-per-call advertising is a unique phone number assigned to each campaign. Customers that call this number are forwarded to the actual business number, but the system records the call’s origin. This enables precise campaign efficiency tracking and identification of call-generating advertising.