A phone hunt group is a phone call distribution method in telephony. It distributes calls made to one phone number to a group of multiple phone lines. Most businesses use a hunt group phone because it is efficient and it improves the customer experience.
Having a satisfied customer and maintaining your business’ reputation becomes much easier with phone hunt groups. Small business owners can use it to make their business look like a large-scale one. It has many benefits, and it’s fairly easy to set up with the right solution.
Your business is almost there, with a little help it will be on top of its game. So, keep reading to find out:
- What are hunt groups exactly?
- Types of calls hunting.
- How to set up a hunt group phone?
- What are the benefits of a hunt group phone?
- Phone hunt group pricing for business owners
How does a hunt group work?
A phone hunt group set-up uses one phone number that receives calls hunting for phone lines in the group. Simply said, your customers call your official phone number, the hunting number begins hunting calls. It searches for the first hunt group number available from the phone hunt group.
Hunting calls relies on an algorithm that is created alongside a hunt group phone. The phone can contain multiple groups within one hunt group based on the number of extensions you provide. It can forward calls to an extension that leads to sales, tech, customer service, etc. where members are waiting to answer.
Members are the agents sitting at the end of every line waiting to answer calls. Who answers the call depends on the method you choose for the hunt group phone. It also depends on what kind of phone you use, a landline or a VoIP phone.
Since most successful companies use VoIP phone systems that are toll free, the type of calls hunting depends on your choice. Phone hunt group types are a more complex method of call forwarding, in a moment you’ll understand why.
Types of calls hunting
When you’re choosing how your hunt group is hunting phone calls, you want to know the types. This way you’ll pick the right one for your business. No call will be left unanswered and every customer will be satisfied.
Hunt group phone systems can distribute calls in 4 different ways:
- The most common form – linear hunting when a call is forwarded to the first line, then if busy, the second line, etc. Extremely busy, no worries! With the call hunter mobile phones can be reached too.
- Members waiting a long time – longest-idle hunting calls are delivered to the line that is waiting the longest. It will continue to do so with other incoming call, with no calls unanswered.
- The round-robin type – circular hunting calls are distributed to the first line, then the second, then the third, etc. and each next call continues that way until the circle is complete. Only the numbers that are still busy with a previous call are skipped.
- Phone hunt group broadcast – simultaneous hunting calls trigger all the phones in a phone hunt group. All members get a chance to pick up the phone.
The types are more or less self-explanatory and easy to understand. Now that you know how they work, let’s show you how to set them up and jump-start your business.
How to set up and manage hunt groups?
Most software or web-based apps function in a similar manner. You configure the hunt group in several steps:
- Create the group by adding members to it.
- You can create several groups depending on the department.
- You add the numbers, keep in mind that with a call hunter mobile numbers can be reached too.
- Create business hours and set up call handling to reach different groups according to your preference.
- Choose the type of hunting calls.
From creating a group to assigning incoming calls to a phone hunt group, it can take quite some time. The steps are comprehensive, not difficult and fairly easy.
It seems simple enough, but you shouldn’t overthink it when there are solutions that provide an easier setup. Ringblaze offers an easy interface and call forwarding feature that lets you set it up in 15 minutes.
You already have your hunting number, it’s the number customers dial when they click on the call widget on your website. This Ringblaze feature allows your customers to ask questions while they are on your site in real time.
If you feel that your customers need more accessibility, you can add the click-to-call link anywhere, e.g. your email signature. It will still call your hunting number.
The next thing you need to do is to add team members. No difficult steps, no headache, you simply enter your profile, click on settings and click on the ‘plus’ button. You’ll be able to add new members effortlessly.
You’ll be able to see the department box at the bottom of the tab, this is the name of one phone hunt group. Add your members and create another phone hunt group. As simple as can be, the next steps are even easier.
Click on ‘Your account’ and you’ll see the option that says ‘Call forwarding’, enter the name of your phone hunt group and you’re all set. Incoming calls will be regulated and forwarded to the group with just a few clicks of your mouse button.
With the Ringblaze solution set up, you will be able to know and care for your customers easily. Our solution can bring significant advantages to your business, and our dashboard feature lets you have everything at the tip of your fingers. So, let’s discuss the benefits.
What are the benefits of a hunt group phone?
A hunting number is an automated system that can reduce the cost of labor as you won’t need a person to reroute incoming calls. It distributes calls fairly and reduces the time a customer spends on the phone.
Imagine how you feel when you are kept waiting on the phone. A phone hunt group makes this feeling go away and gives satisfaction to your customer. This is the power of hunting calls, the adaptivity technology offers for exquisite customer service.
Another situation a call center should not allow is a call dropped. When you call customer service and you don’t get an answer to your question, you get no satisfaction. This is where a hunt group phone comes in.
The key benefit is that a hunt group phone significantly decreases the number of unanswered calls. Remember, this is the year customer service really comes to life.
Adapt your business to new challenges this year with Ringblaze and our winning features that will keep your customers happy and you at ease. Your investment makes the difference, and it’s minimal compared to the revenue boost you get in return.
Phone hunt group pricing for business owners
You no longer have to worry about different providers and different pricing solutions that contain various features. Ringblaze has only one pricing plan, and it contains all the features that your business needs to get ahead of the game.
One price, no surprises! The call forwarding feature lets you create your phone hunt group in no time.
Hunting calls has never been easier.
With the ‘call widget’ on your website, you have an easy-to-access hunting number for your customers. Plus, all the options are accessible through our dashboard feature:
- Manually assign calls to whomever you’d like.
- Record calls for call quality review.
- Put down text comments so the next member would know how to respond to the needs of that customer appropriately.
- SMS, voicemail and mobile app will soon be available.
- Click-to-call widget on your business’ website. A unique feature of Ringblaze.
Our system supports phone numbers in 22 countries. You can have unlimited numbers all over the world and answer them from one place. By comparison, it’s more affordable than similar tools. Last but not least, the visitors of your website can call your business free of charge from anywhere in the world.
Conclusion
What is a hunt group for your business? A powerful tool that can significantly boost your revenue. A solution that reduces labor costs and provides room for improving your customer service. It separates your business from your competitors and makes you one of the big fishes.
How does Ringblaze’s solution improve customer experience? It reduces call drop off, because no calls should be left unanswered. No customer gets that frustrating feeling when waiting on the phone for a long time. The right person gets the right call.
The setup is astonishingly easy using our dashboard and call forwarding feature. So if you’d like to give it a try, start using Ringblaze at one price with no surprises and watch your business develop its full potential.
