What are Dedicated Virtual Numbers and How Can these Improve Your Customer Engagement with a global audience?

With its direct, personal, and universal nature, it is self-evident that SMS is part of a powerful tool for businesses to connect to today’s global audiences — across demographics and geographies.

According to this report, 30% of consumers will respond to your SMS messages and nearly 50% of these responders will purchase if it was sent via text/SMS as opposed to email. This is because people believe the text messages they receive from businesses serve a purpose and are more likely to open them. They can respond with a text, click on a link, or send a numerical response — making SMS a genuinely two-way medium that works at their convenience.

What are Dedicated Virtual Numbers?

A Virtual Number (also referred to as a Dedicated Number) can be either a four-digit shortcode or a long code of up to 16 digits with a full-length phone number. It is unique to your business and only requires that the correct country codes have been added to these phone numbers.

For businesses with a global audience in countries like the US, Canada, or other areas with specific restrictions (placed to avoid phishing attempts where the sender IDs could be easily labeled to deceive unsuspecting recipients), it is mandatory to use virtual or dedicated numbers to engage your audience in these regions. These can be assigned to any device, a hardware desk IP phone, or a mobile application — think of it as your own unique phone number that customers can recognize (and use to respond to you).

Virtual Numbers are essential to have a truly effective two-way messaging, and also are very affordable. However, purchase must be from an SMS provider — this is automatically handled by the Number Rental Feature on Termii.

How dedicated virtual numbers can enhance your customer engagement

For mature businesses that aim to build a vibrant brand and boost customer acquisition, dedicated numbers are particularly advantageous and can be used in the following ways:

• For support or queries. Customers can send and receive messages, that is, have conversations with your business directly through 2-way messaging.
• Easily automate reminders, product notices, bookings, and other specific notifications all through the same number.
• There is a single point of contact and a consistent number for customers to text. Also, communications will all appear within the same text message or thread, instead of from random numbers.
• It simplifies the customer journey by allowing them to adjust an order, give you feedback or even buy a product.

How do I acquire a virtual number?

Once you login to your Termii account, there is a section in the dashboard where it is possible to easily rent/unrent and generally manage virtual dedicated numbers to reach your customers easily in other regions by using numbers with their country code.

As shown in the video above, the Virtual Dedicated Numbers on Termii can be used for:

SMS: Customers looking to reach their global audience in other regions that do not support the use of sender IDs can rent a virtual number with the specific country code and communicate with their customers.

Two-way Messaging via WhatsApp API (high volume route): Messaging integration requires a phone number that’s not already in use on WhatsApp. However, if you do not want to change anything about your business number or its service on WhatsApp, and don’t want to run your messages through your existing number, then you have the option of getting a separate virtual number specifically to engage your audience.

We have simplified the process and you can opt-in to automatically renew your subscription all from the dashboard

Termii has an intuitive messaging interface, world-class technical support, and a delivery rate of over 90 % on average. If you don’t have an account yet, you can create a free account in less than two minutes here or contact sales@termii.com

Cecilia Abegunde

Digital Support Termii Inc.