ChannelVision Magazine

from lower implementation costs as well as better operational connectivity. Spe - cifically, international DIDs can help sup - port remote workers and connect busi - ness branches across different coun - tries. By leveraging these international numbers to connect business branches and employees, businesses can stream - line operations and increase brand rec - ognition and trust on a local level. A company that expands its global presence through international DIDs can establish credibility and trust with customers by its use of inclusive ser - vice and local numbers. DIDs offer local numbers, formatted with local caller ID. By utilizing these local caller IDs, businesses can increase the likelihood of customers reaching out to the business, as local numbers are often perceived as more reliable and not associated with spam. Additionally, customers who call a business using DIDs are charged a local rate, as op - posed to steeper rates typically asso - ciated with international calls. More intelligent approach to planning Cloud-based DIDs are data rich. They provide real-time information about call volume, caller demographics, peak calling hours, calls missed, time duration, etc. This data can then be used to measure which specific geog - raphy is driving the most calls, so that contact centers can align accordingly. Contact centers can determine specific language skills employees should have, how many agents to have onsite at spe - cific times of the day, where and how to route calls, etc., thereby improving overall customer support. By learning the local preferences and tendencies, businesses are able to better serve a local audience or customer base. In addition to these benefits, DIDs allow contact centers to apply intel - ligent routing protocols. For example, incoming calls from a specific region or country are automatically routed to an agent (or team of agents) who is best equipped to help them. Criteria may include local laws, language, time zones, culture or product offerings. Routing calls to appropriate agents is a vital part of delivering personalized customer care and can play a vital role in customer retention. Partnering with cloud CSPs and carriers can help businesses ensure their organizations are equipped to operate on a competitive international scale. Deployment of international DIDs offer benefits to providers, enter - prises and end users by streamlining interactions, while at the same time improving the quality of global commu - nication and collaboration. Lastly, enterprises that implement international DIDs can see increased profitability and ROI on their IT invest - ments as they reach new customers and expand their presence to compete in the global market. o Sascha Mehlhase is the senior director of product management for West Telecom Services and Flow- route, now part of Intrado. INTERNATIONAL AGENTS 39 March - April, 2020 | CHANNEL VISION