When it comes to communicating with customers in real-time, there’s no better way to engage in conversation than by having a voice call with them.
Many entrepreneurs retain their personal number that’s tied to their local area code as a main answer point to take on customer queries.
While this method can work at the start, it can limit your business’s growth potential considerably.
If you intend to be recognised as a full-fledged and legitimate business, then it might be the right move to consider switching to a 1300 number.
From answering more customers to nationwide calling, there are many reasons why switching to this number type is the best choice for your business.
This article will lay out seven reasons why a 1300 number can help you grow your Australian business.
Let’s jump right in!
1 – It Reinforces a Professional Front
Every business wants to have a competitive edge that allows them to stand out, especially if they’re surrounded by a sea of competitors.
A 1300 number allows just that, particularly during the initial calling stage. This number is nationally-recognised and holds a distinct weight to it.
Its image can instill a sense of trust and credibility that can compel customers to choose to call your business over a competitor who may only have a local area code number.
This can ultimately lead to more opportunities, helping you gain greater market share against your competitors and further establish your business.
2 – It Allows You To Answer Multiple Callers Simultaneously
One of the primary reasons why businesses choose to get a 1300 number is that it can accommodate multiple callers.
When your business is on the verge of unprecedented growth, or if you have a lot of subscribers who may need assistance at any given time, this can lead to a surge of callers inquiring about your product or service offerings.
A personal number is an end-to-end system that has a capacity of one caller. During peak times, this can cause callers who are not on the line to be met with a “busy” response—which is undoubtedly a frustrating experience.
Retaining a personal number when your business is booming can be a major bottleneck for answering calls.
A 1300 number, on the other hand, fixes this issue as it allows you to reroute calls to available customer service representatives—ensuring that no call goes unanswered.
3 – It Can Be Scaled Up or Down Depending on Business Needs
Running a business can expose owners to a fair share of highs and lows.
One month it could be booming with a tonne of customers, but the next month it could be experiencing an unprecedented drought.
During these times, you’d want to adjust your processes seamlessly to ensure that you meet demands or budget constraints.
A 1300 number offers that level of flexibility, as you can pare back features or upgrade as needed to meet demand efficiently.
To adjust your plan, you simply have to go to your 1300 number service provider’s website and request a switch of your plan.
They’re fairly responsive and make the process easy and quick due to a lack of a year-long binding contract, which isn’t the case for personal phone numbers.
This scalability ensures that your business remains agile and adaptable to changing market conditions.
4 – It Simplifies Nationwide Communication
In Australia, each territory has its own local area code for numbers registered within it, as mandated by the Australian Communications Authority. Sydney, for instance, has a local number ‘02’, whereas Melbourne has a local number ‘03’.
Unlike local numbers, a 1300 number is recognised nationwide.
Calling this number uses only local toll rates, so the cost of calling this number is split between the caller and the business. This makes it easier for individuals from other territories to call you as they know what to expect as far as payment goes.
That said, using a 1300 number doesn’t only allow businesses to be called from anywhere in the country, but it also allows them to receive calls from anywhere in Australia.
So, for instance, if you want to switch your base of operations from Melbourne to Sydney, then you can simply set up and use the same 1300 number to answer calls in your Sydney office.
This removes the need to get a Sydney-based phone number when in Sydney.
More importantly, it also keeps you from losing a big portion of your customers who have saved your past number. This makes it easier to build your brand while still retaining your past customers.
5 – It Allows Vanity Numbers for Easy Recall
Do you often see advertisements that feature numbers with text on them? Those are vanity numbers. These numbers are excellent ways to get your customers to easily recall your business number.
1300 number providers can tailor-fit your number to match a sequence of words that you can use to market or advertise your business. Some examples of 1300 numbers using a vanity number are 1300 CALLUS or 1300 PRINTS.
The sequence of letters you plan on using is ultimately up to you—but when done right, it could be a big help in enhancing brand recall. Just know in advance that the maximum letter count following a 1300 sequence is six letters.
6 – It Provides In-Depth Call Handling Features
Getting a 1300 number is more than just having the number itself; it also provides comprehensive call-handling features that can influence how you and your customers communicate with each other.
For instance, if every phone line is occupied—a 1300 number can be set up to have a call-queuing feature that plays a message and music before they get connected to an open line.
Furthermore, customer service agents can view customer information such as their geographic location before they pick up the line. This can help your team better cater to their needs before both parties even engage in a phone conversation.
Besides that, you can also set up an IVR (interactive voice response) system to streamline communications and make it easier for callers to connect to their intended department more seamlessly.
In short, 1300 numbers empower your company to take control over how you engage in customer service. This can help you systemise and improve your customer service interactions, which can boost your brand’s image and help you maintain customer loyalty.
7 – It Gathers Useful Data Insights
Customer and market data is crucial for businesses. It provides vital insights into your customer profile—and owning a 1300 number gives you access to a dashboard that gathers these crucial data points.
These types of data points include things like call volume, average call duration, demographics, customer geographical location, and gender.
In essence, these numbers give your business insights into customer preferences and call behaviour—which can help you refine customer experiences and product offerings.
But beyond that, these metrics also provide an opportunity for customer service teams to track and improve their processes. KPI metrics found in the 1300 number dashboard that tracks individual agent productivity include average response time, first call resolution, and solved tickets.
These variables can serve as KPI metrics to help supervisors know the top-performing candidates in their team, or team-wide issues that can be strengthened. This information can help businesses know their weaknesses and make a plan of action to tackle them.