One-time password (OTP) scams are a growing threat to businesses and consumers alike.

In 2021, US consumers lost a staggering $13.9 billion to fraud, with OTP scams accounting for a significant portion of these losses. This rising trend poses serious financial and reputational risks for businesses.

But what exactly is OTP fraud, and how do scammers exploit it? Let’s see.

What is OTP fraud?

An OTP is sent to individuals by mobile phone or email. It’s used to authenticate transactions, such as logging into accounts or making payments.

Fraudsters, however, exploit this security feature through various tactics. These include SIM swapping, phishing emails, fake tech support calls, and social engineering. They design each of these methods to trick individuals into revealing their OTPs.

How does OTP fraud work?

OTP fraud takes place when an attacker uses the OTP system to gain unauthorized access to someone’s financial accounts or online profiles. Here’s how it works:

1. Targeting victims: Fraudsters often select targets based on their online behavior, weak points in communication methods like SMS or email, or publicly shared information on social media.
2. Launching the attack: They employ phishing techniques to impersonate legitimate organizations, such as banks or e-commerce platforms. They focus on creating a sense of urgency through emails, SMS, or phone calls to trick targets into taking action.
3. Collecting personal information: The phishing messages lead to fake websites that look like trusted ones. Here, targets unknowingly provide personal details like usernames and passwords.
4. Trapping with OTPs: The fake website triggers the OTP and sends it to the target’s phone. Fraudsters then use various methods to steal the OTP, such as:

• Social engineering: The attacker may try to convince the individual to share the OTP, claiming it is for account verification.
• Malware Interception: If malware infects the individual’s device, it intercepts and captures the OTP without the user’s knowledge.

5. Taking over the account: With the user credentials and OTP, the fraudster can access the account. This allows them to perform unauthorized transactions, steal data, or take control of future OTPs.

Common methods used by scammers

OTP phishing attacks take many forms, each targeting different vulnerabilities in users.

Below are some common OTP fraud tactics:

Smishing

Smishing is a term that combines “SMS” and “phishing.” Here, fraudsters use fake text messages to trick individuals into downloading malware or sharing sensitive information, like OTPs.

Smishing attacks have become more common. In 2023, 75% of organizations reported facing these types of attacks.

Scammers often hide their identity by spoofing phone numbers or sending texts from email accounts. For example, smishing texts often include links or attachments that seem safe but lead to fake websites.

These imitation sites look like real financial or service provider portals, where users may unknowingly enter their login credentials and OTPs. This gives scammers access to real accounts.

SIM swapping

SIM swapping occurs when fraudsters trick a mobile carrier into transferring a victim's phone number.

Here’s how it works:

• Attackers gather personal information like names, addresses, or answers to security questions, often through phishing, data breaches, or dark web purchases.
• This information is used to impersonate the victim and contact the mobile carrier, claiming that the scammers lost or damaged the SIM card. They then ask the carrier to transfer the victim's phone number to a new SIM.
• If the carrier fails to verify the request, the fraudster takes control of the number. From there, they intercept calls, texts, and verification codes, allowing them to bypass security and access sensitive accounts.

This growing problem has had a significant financial impact.

In 2023 alone, SIM swapping fraud caused over $48 million in losses, targeting both individuals and companies

So, to protect your business from SIM-swapping attacks, combining the right technology with a proven approach is essential.

Using Plivo, you can validate phone numbers smoothly, ensuring fraudsters can’t take advantage of SIM swaps.

The Plivo Lookup API helps detect SIM swaps in real time. It offers phone number validation and key analytics to assess risks. Some of the critical data it provides includes:

• Current and original network details
• Roaming status and network changes
• Risk scores and unusual patterns that indicate fraud

Businesses can spot suspicious activity and take action before any harm occurs with these insights.

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SMS pumping

SMS pumping, or artificially inflated traffic (AIT), is a cybercrime aimed at businesses that rely on SMS for sending OTPs or app download links.

In this type of attack, bots fill out a company’s online forms with fake phone numbers controlled by attackers. Believing these to be real requests, the business sends out SMS messages to these fake numbers.

For businesses, SMS pumping increases messaging costs, wastes resources, and can overwhelm systems.

Plus, if customers see too many unnecessary OTPs, it may damage their trust in the company.

Fraud Shield, part of Plivo’s Verify API, offers a strong defense against these losses. It helps businesses reduce SMS pumping by more than 95%.

With geo permissions, you can control which countries receive your SMS messages using an approved list based on factors like past fraud cases and local regulations.

Fraud Shield also includes fraud thresholds, which limit the number of messages sent per hour to these approved countries. Plivo frequently updates these thresholds to reflect the latest risks, ensuring your business stays secure.

If a threshold breaches, Fraud Shield lets you choose how to respond — by blocking the message, sending an alert, or notifying specific team members.

Voice phishing (vishing)

Vishing, or voice phishing, is a type of scam where fraudsters use phone calls to trick people into sharing sensitive information, like login details, credit card numbers, or bank account info. Scammers exploit this data for identity theft and financial fraud, making vishing widespread and costly.

In 2023, over 56 million U.S. adults — about 21% of the population — fell victim to phone scams, resulting in losses totaling $25.4 billion.

In vishing scams, attackers often impersonate trusted organizations and use phone calls to create a sense of urgency and trust. They also build a personal connection over the phone, reacting to what the victim says and using emotional cues.

How OTP scams impact businesses

Here’s how scammers misuse OTPs and why this should be a major concern for businesses:

Account takeovers

Stealing or tricking users into sharing their OTP allows fraudsters to bypass security, gain control of accounts, and access private information or funds.

This can harm trust and cause legal problems for businesses, especially those handling sensitive data or finances.

In fact, the average cost of a data breach in 2023 was $4.45 million, underscoring the serious financial impact of such security failures.

Unauthorized transactions

With OTPs, scammers can authorize fraudulent transactions. If they gain access to a customer’s account, they can make purchases, transfer funds, or exploit stored payment methods.

As a result, businesses may face chargebacks, financial losses, and increased scrutiny from payment providers due to such fraudulent activities​.

Fake account registration and spamming

Some scammers use stolen OTPs to create fake accounts on business platforms, taking advantage of promotional offers or testing one-time passcode security.

Fake registrations can distort the numbers, affect data accuracy, and lead to spam, resulting in unnecessary management overload.

Spreading malware or phishing attacks

If scammers access your business email or social media accounts, they can send phishing messages or malware links to your contacts.

Scammers make these messages look authentic, so recipients are more likely to trust and open them. This spreads the scam further and damages your reputation. It also puts your clients, partners, and employees at risk.

Practical tips for protecting against OTP fraud

To effectively protect your business from OTP fraud, it's important to take a proactive approach. Implementing strong security measures can significantly reduce risks.

Here are some practical tips for businesses to safeguard against OTP fraud:

Implement 2FA with fraud prevention

Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an important layer of security by requiring both a password and an OTP.

However, despite its effectiveness, many organizations are still not fully adopting this security measure. In fact, a recent survey found that 64% of organizations haven't fully adopted multi-factor authentication (MFA).

This is concerning because research shows that MFA can block over 99.9% of account takeover attacks. Without MFA, businesses are leaving their accounts — and their customers — vulnerable to fraud.

Plivo's 2FA/OTP capabilities can help overcome OTP verification vulnerabilities. Adding these extra layers of security prevent account takeovers, reduce fraud risks, and secure high-value transactions.

Additionally, Plivo provides several advanced features to further enhance security:

• Geo permission management: Control which countries your Plivo account can send SMS or make calls to, blocking high-risk areas.
• International toll fraud protection: Manage connections to premium numbers and set blacklists to prevent toll fraud.
• Pattern-based alerts: Get notified about unusual SMS or voice activity, like sudden drops in delivery rates, to detect potential fraud early.

Given the growing risk of cyberattacks, it’s more important than ever to implement 2FA. By doing so, you can better protect your business and customers from fraud.

Monitor and track OTP delivery effectiveness

Delays or failed OTP deliveries can frustrate users, damage trust, and open doors for attackers to exploit system weaknesses.

With Plivo’s real time delivery reports, businesses can monitor OTP performance globally. This helps track delivery rates and identify potential issues. 

Businesses can use this data to quickly address problems and ensure they deliver OTPs promptly and securely.

Limiting OTP validity and attempt frequency

Setting a time limit for OTP validity and limiting the number of attempts helps prevent misuse and reduces fraud risk.

Businesses can also lower the chances of attackers guessing or intercepting valid codes. This ensures that only legitimate users can complete the authentication process within the allowed time.

Regularly update your security protocols and stay compliant

Staying compliant with security standards ensures that businesses are using the latest practices to protect data. This helps guard against new fraud techniques and reduces the risk of breaches.

Choose a OTP service provider, such as Plivo, that ensures continuous compliance with security standards. Plivo designs its OTP solutions to adhere to regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

With advanced security features and detailed reporting, Plivo makes it easier for businesses to stay compliant and protect sensitive user data.

Choose a secure algorithm

Use strong algorithms like HMAC-based one-time passwords (HOTP) or time-based one-time passwords (TOTP).

These options are reliable because they generate unique and hard-to-predict OTPs. Their cryptographic methods help protect against common attacks, ensuring secure authentication.

Provide multiple delivery options

Flexibility is important for OTP delivery. Offering choices like SMS, email, or voice ensures users can receive their OTPs in the way that suits them best. 

This also improves user experience and offers a backup if one method doesn't work.

Educate users on security best practices 

Teaching users about security best practices for OTPs reduces the risk of fraud and strengthens overall protection. Encourage users to create strong, unique passwords, avoid sharing OTPs, and recognize phishing attempts.

Regularly remind them about the importance of safeguarding their accounts and following secure authentication processes to prevent unauthorized access.

Prevent OTP fraud with the help of Plivo today

When selecting an OTP provider, it's important to choose one that offers both robust security and user-friendly features. Plivo provides a secure and adaptable OTP solution, designed to fit your unique needs.

Plivo’s OTP services simplify the authentication process, offering global SMS delivery, instant reporting, and customizable templates for easy implementation.

Whether it's safeguarding transactions, verifying users, or securing sensitive information, Plivo’s OTP services offer the reliability and flexibility necessary for your security needs.

Want to see how Plivo can assist in preventing OTP fraud? Contact us today.

A voice API is a tool that software developers use to make and receive phone calls programmatically. With a voice API, they can use various channels, phones, browsers, and virtual assistants.

 It connects web or mobile applications to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), enabling seamless voice communication without needing extensive telecom expertise, time, and developer resources.

Voice APIs are highly configurable, easily integrated, and scalable tools, providing cost-effective communication for businesses.

‍How much does a voice API cost? 

A voice API costs typically range from $0.003 to $0.014 per minute for outbound calls and $0.003 to $0.022 per minute for inbound calls, depending on call type, provider, and features. 

Prices may differ due to factors like infrastructure, service quality, and additional features like real-time analytics or automated routing. 

Using a voice API makes more financial and logistical sense for businesses than investing resources into developing advanced voice calling features from scratch. By choosing a best-in-class voice API provider, companies can integrate various voice capabilities with a shorter development span and achieve a better ROI. 

Plivo offers cost-effective solutions with competitive pricing while maintaining high-quality services.

Here’s a quick comparison of pricing for each type of voice call between Plivo and Twilio to give an idea of voice API cost structures and offerings.

‍How can a voice API give customers a better experience? 

Integrating a voice API enables businesses to offer personalized, efficient customer support services on browsers or apps with advanced voice features. It can help reduce voice call traffic and wait times in contact centers. These APIs can route calls efficiently through the phone network, including toll-free phone numbers, ensuring smooth call handling.

Unlike older inflexible phone network systems, a programmable voice API supports AI-powered virtual assistants that can receive calls 24/7, understand user requests, and guide customers through their queries as effectively as human agents. With voice recognition and text-to-speech features, customers can express themselves naturally and receive the assistance they need without delay.

The voice bot can also record calls and collect contextual data to prepare agents to resolve the issue when they take over quickly. This streamlined process saves time and preserves the unique, personal touch of voice calling.

Features like click-to-call, voice control, and hands-free interactions also increase flexibility, allowing users to have an interactive and engaging call. 

Wouldn’t it be nice to simply say the query out loud and receive a clear response instantly?

A voice API makes this possible by enabling your company to answer customers' questions instantly without navigating through endless clicks. Voice API seamlessly integrates voice solutions into browsers or apps to transform the customer experience. 

There’s more to it:

• Interactive and hands-free features: Customers can use click-to-call, voice commands, or hands-free interactions, enhancing convenience.
• Personalized customer support services: Offer tailored assistance with AI-powered virtual assistants and voice recognition features. These tools help customers articulate requests naturally and get relevant responses.
• 24/7 availability: AI-powered virtual assistants answer calls anytime, providing immediate assistance, even outside business hours.
• Enhanced agent support: Voice bots can record calls, gather context, and equip agents with the information they need to resolve issues swiftly when human intervention is required.

Voice APIs streamline communication and create a memorable, user-friendly experience that fosters trust and loyalty.

How can a voice API streamline communication processes?

A voice API makes interactions more efficient and aligned with business goals and needs. Here's how:

• Makes it easy for customers to connect: Unlike traditional voice calls confined to phone networks, a programmable voice API extends voice capabilities to an app or website. Users can use a click-to-call feature directly within an app or site.
• Adds efficiency to your team: Automating routine customer interactions allows voice bots to handle a significant portion of inbound calls. This reduces call traffic in the contact center, freeing human agents to manage complex or high-priority cases.
• Scales with business: As businesses grow, you can seamlessly expand voice-enabled services, ensuring consistent voice call handling without sacrificing quality. For example, businesses can use voice APIs to automate phone calls for marketing campaigns or appointment reminders.
• Supports developers: From a developer's perspective, a voice API integrates smoothly with other APIs and communication platforms. 
• Offers robust security: Programmable voice APIs often come with robust security features, including encryption and secure call record storage, in compliance with regulations like GDPR or HIPAA. 

Take, for example, CallHub.

They use Plivo's voice API to simplify communication for political campaigns, offering tools like power and predictive dialers. These features let campaigns reach voters efficiently, connecting them directly with representatives or leaving messages without manual effort. Browser-based calling also ensures volunteers' privacy, making it secure and straightforward for customers to interact.

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Choosing a voice API provider

Programmable voice APIs can range from basic functionality to feature-rich platforms that handle complex voice call flows and integrations. Here’s what to look for when evaluating a voice API provider:

Comprehensive call management features

A strong voice API should include fundamental voice call management functions to make, receive, and record calls, and global audio conferences. To ensure effective communication, look for APIs that offer configurable conference experiences, such as muting/unmuting participants, automatic call termination, and host controls.

Text-to-speech and accessibility options

Text-to-speech (TTS) is essential for both accessibility and user convenience. It converts text into spoken output, making automated systems more user-friendly, especially for multitasking or on-the-go customers. 

Ensure your provider's TTS capabilities support multiple languages and accents to cater to diverse customer needs.

Smart interactive voice response (IVR) systems

A voice API should enable the creation of intelligent, multi-level interactive voice response (IVR) systems that route calls efficiently. 

Smart IVRs can handle straightforward customer service tasks autonomously, incorporating:

• AI technologies for interactive experiences
• Intelligent call routing
• Integration with multiple channels
• Call recording and TTS capabilities

These capabilities help build customer-first IVR solutions that guide users seamlessly to the right department or agent.

Real-time call handling and notifications

Real-time features such as Answering Machine Detection (AMD) are invaluable for optimizing call strategies based on the type of response received. 

AMD helps identify whether an outgoing call is answered by a human or voicemail, which is especially beneficial for tasks such as lead follow-ups, customer updates, and automated voice surveys.

Integration with existing systems

The right voice API should facilitate integration with communication systems, including SIP-enabled hardware and software. 

This adaptability allows your business to maintain flexibility as communication needs evolve.

Audio streaming

Audio streaming, or media streaming, is a vital feature that sets advanced voice APIs apart. This functionality allows your application to deliver calls while duplicating call media to multiple recipients. It also enables real-time analysis and enhances features like sentiment analysis, conversational AI, call transcriptions, fraud detection, and voice biometrics.

Plivo stands out by offering all of these essential voice API capabilities. Moreover, it offers advanced features, such as:

• Play audio prompts: Plays pre-recorded audio files during a call, making it useful for IVR menus or announcements. This feature facilitates caller engagement and delivers professionalism in communication.
• Text to speech: Converts text into natural voice messages in various languages. It supports real-time updates like notifications, reducing dependency on pre-recorded audio and increasing flexibility.
• Dual channel call recording: Captures conversations with separate audio tracks for each participant. This allows for detailed analysis of interactions, making it ideal for call centers or compliance needs.
• Custom caller ID: Displays a specific phone number during calls, which builds brand trust and increases the likelihood of calls being answered. It’s particularly helpful for global and region-specific outreach efforts.
• Get digit input: Collects user responses via keypad entries, making it useful for gathering information such as account numbers or confirming choices during calls. It simplifies customer interactions and integrates effectively into IVR systems.
• Advanced call control: Gives businesses detailed control over call functions like transfer, mute, and hold. This capability supports smoother call handling and enhances customer support operations.
• Supervisor coaching: Allows supervisors to listen in on live calls and provide guidance without the caller being aware. This feature supports agent training and improves call outcomes as they happen.
• Call whisper: Plays a short message to the agent before connecting the call, providing context about the caller or the purpose of the call. It helps agents prepare better, leading to more tailored and effective support.

How does Plivo's voice API work?

Plivo's voice API is a robust framework that enables developers to manage voice communications programmatically with REST APIs to allow comprehensive control over call flows—from initiation to termination. 

Throughout a call's lifecycle, Plivo sends webhooks at various stages, prompting your application to respond with specific commands. This dynamic exchange between webhooks and responses provides granular control over call behavior, facilitating the creation of customized and efficient voice communication solutions.

What makes a good voice API?

A good API is easy to build. It offers flexibility and customization options to cater to different users’ needs and tailor a top-notch experience for your customers. 

Here’s what to look for:

SDKs and robust documentation 

A good voice API provider should offer developers comprehensive Software Development Kits (SDKs) and robust documentation to ease the development process. 

Plivo offers client SDKs for browser (JavaScript) and mobile (native iOS and Android) with no upfront costs. Plus, access extensive product documentation with quickstart guides, tutorials, and product overviews to cover various use cases.

Connect and control calls to any device 

Voice API should allow developers to build powerful voice workflows and integrate voice calling into web and mobile apps. 

With Plivo, you can connect phone calls over the PSTN to more than 200 countries without managing complex telecom carrier interactions. This flexibility extends to SIP-enabled devices and software, allowing seamless connection to your existing SIP infrastructure and enabling advanced communication features in the cloud.

Premium network

A premium network is essential for a voice API to deliver clear, uninterrupted audio quality, as it minimizes delays, reduces jitter, and ensures stable call connections. 

Plivo ensures premium voice quality through its Regional Points of Presence (PoPs), which reduce latency and maintain high call quality using one-hop, in-country carrier connections. 

Great developer support

Sometimes, a voice API can be complicated and needs assistance; make sure your provider offers 24x7 premium support backed by a consultative customer success team that provides the technical guidance and industry expertise developers need. 

Those additional support resources can  include:

• Extensive documentation and a rich knowledge base
• Up-to-date service status and product updates
• Regular product improvements and enhancements

Upgrade your business communication with Plivo's voice API

We've covered what a voice API is and what to look for in a provider—now it's time to put that knowledge into action. Upgrade your business communication with Plivo's voice API, a powerful, flexible voice API that meets your business needs.

If you'd like to receive customized rates with guided onboarding and premium support, get our volume prices. A team member will contact you to help determine whether an annual agreement suits you based on your personal use case.

Plivo’s simple, usage-based pricing model ensures that businesses only pay for what they use, making it a cost-effective choice.

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Growing businesses require more sophisticated communication features, such as automation, solid customer support, and easy integration with existing systems.  So businesses with more advanced messaging requirements may find value in exploring additional messaging API options that offer even more customization and scalability for their needs. 

Fortunately, there are plenty of Bird alternatives that can provide tailored solutions for your unique needs.

In this blog, we’ll explore the seven best alternatives to Bird and compare their features, functionalities, and pricing to help you find the right communication platform for your business.

Bird alternatives at a glance

Let’s quickly review the seven most popular Bird competitors and their unique functionalities at a high level.

7 best Bird alternatives in 2024

Here is a more detailed analysis of our top seven picks for the best SMS service providers.

1. Plivo

Features

• SMS auto-responder: Plivo’s SMS auto-responder ensures that all queries are addressed promptly to keep customers satisfied and informed.
• Conference call: Connect multiple people with a pin to a single call, enabling collaboration and communication among teams, clients, or stakeholders.
• Voice-based notifications: Stay in touch with your customers by dispatching customized audio alerts through voice calls. This feature ensures that your important messages are heard loud and clear.
• Voice survey: Plivo uses voice surveys to collect information from customers with satisfaction scores of a service.
• Voicemail: Capture a caller's information even while you're away and use the obtained insights later.
• Scalable cloud IVR: Build multi-level interactive voice response (IVR) menus to route every call intelligently so that no query is left unanswered.
• Call forwarding: Forward calls to your office, mobile, or home number. 
• Voicemail transcription: Access Plivo’s premium voicemail transcription service, which provides real-time, high-quality, and accurate transcripts.
• Reusable templates: Use a vast library of ready-to-use templates to add powerful functionality with minimal code with Verify API.
• Text-to-speech: Convert written text into natural-sounding speech in multiple languages and accents, removing communication barriers to analyze customer insights with ease.
• Fraud protection: With Plivo’s Fraud Shield, you can easily keep an eye on messaging activity without constant manual checks. Automatically detect unusual patterns and set thresholds specific to each country to respond swiftly to potential issues with no extra costs. 
• Lowest costs per verification: You don't pay for verification, only for channel costs with no hidden charges. 
• Reach customers across channels: Send OTPs to customers using SMS, Voice, and WhatsApp across multiple channels. 
• Pay per conversation in WhatsApp messaging: Plivo's pricing structure allows you to send more messages without increasing costs.

Pros

• Affordable option
• User-friendly interface
• Responsive customer support

Cons 

• API call logs could be more informative. (G2)
• Configuration automation is being improved. (G2)

Ratings and reviews 

G2: 4.5/5 (720+ reviews)

Capterra: 4.3/5 (85+ reviews)

Pricing

SMS API

Outbound: $0.0055/SMS

Get detailed pricing

Voice API

Outbound: $0.0100/min

Inbound: $0.0055/min 

Get detailed pricing

Verify API

$0 verification fee; only pay SMS, Voice, or WhatsApp charge

Get detailed pricing

WhatsApp

Meta’s fee +  platform fee (Rs. 0.067/conversation)

Suitable for

Plivo is one of the best messaging alternatives to Bird for businesses seeking a reliable, comprehensive, and cost-friendly communication platform.

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2. Twilio

Features 

• Omnichannel communication: Twilio supports multiple messaging channels beyond SMS, including MMS, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger, allowing for richer customer interactions compared to Bird’s primarily SMS-focused services.
• Advanced authentication: Comprehensive security features like 2FA and programmable SMS for verification processes enhance user security compared to Bird’s standard offerings.
• Voice intelligence: Transform voice calls into actionable data insights with machine learning and AI.

Pros

• Extensive API documentation.
• An array of communication APIs available.
• Multi-channel communication support.

Cons 

• Poorly documented integration requirements lead to implementation delays and higher error risk. (G2)
• Advanced features are difficult to implement. (G2)
• UI/UX can be improved. (G2)

Ratings and reviews 

G2: 4.2/5 (475+ reviews)

Capterra: 4.4/5 (455+ reviews)

Pricing

SMS API

Outbound: $0.0079/SMS

Inbound: $0.0079/SMS

OUtbound: $0.002/MMS

Inbound: $0.01/MMS

Voice API

Outbound: $0.0140/min

Inbound: $0.0085/min

Verify API

$0.05 authentication fee/SMS + channel fee

WhatsApp

$0.004/conversation

Suitable for

Twilio is ideal for large enterprises with generous budgets seeking a comprehensive communications provider with a global reach.

3. Telynyx

Features

• Noise suppression: Telnyx offers noise suppression and HD voice codecs to ensure the best possible audio inputs.
• Real-time transcription: It offers real-time transcription on a live call, activated via one API command. It speaks dynamic text in 29 languages and accents. 
• Smart IVR: Build a multi-level IVR phone tree to intelligently route your call flows via dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) or voice commands.

Pros

• Easy-to-use interface.
• Affordable pricing.
• Good customer support.

Cons 

• Lack of APIs and automation to submit port requests. (G2)
• Setting up features like SIP trunking and VOIP call routing is complicated. (G2)

Ratings and reviews

G2: 4.7/5 (415+ reviews)

Capterra: 4.7/5 (115+ reviews)

Suitable for

Telynyx is a great Bird alternative for businesses seeking an advanced way to optimize call handling and improve customer interactions through smart IVR or speech-to-text.

4.Vonage 

Features

• Programmable video: Vonage offers robust video APIs that allow businesses to integrate high-quality video conferencing into their applications. 
• Call control and analytics: Vonage enables businesses to monitor and optimize call performance beyond basic voice capabilities.
• IVR support: Vonage includes customizable IVR solutions that enhance customer service by automating call routing, which is unavailable in Bird’s offerings.
• Unified communications: Vonage integrates multiple communication channels, including SMS, voice, and video, streamlining user experience and management compared to Bird.

Pros 

• Low latency and high deliverability rates.
• Easy-to-use tools to investigate reports of message delivery.
• Easily integrates into your existing ATS and CRM tools.

Cons

• Some users have complained of call drops due to technical glitches. (G2)
• Customer service leaves much to be desired; reaching out is difficult. (G2)
• Poor call quality: users report static and inaudible voices (G2, G2)

Ratings and reviews

G2: 4.3/5 (465+ reviews)

Capterra: 4.1/5 (305+ reviews)

Pricing

SMS API 

Outbound: $0.07849/SMS

Inbound:$0.00616/SMS

Verify API

€0.050 per successful verification

WhatsApp API

$0.0488/conversation + Vonage platform fee

Suitable for

Vonage API solutions are a strong alternative to Bird for businesses seeking comprehensive communication features, including voice, messaging, and video, all integrated into a single platform for improved customer engagement.

5. Podium

Features 

• Sentiment analysis: Podium helps businesses understand customer emotions by analyzing reviews and feedback, enabling agents to respond effectively and improve overall customer satisfaction.
• Conversion rate optimization: Podium empowers businesses to refine their messaging strategies, turning more interactions into sales and enhancing the overall effectiveness of their marketing efforts.
• Text message marketing: Engage customers directly through SMS to promote timely offers and updates that drive sales growth and engagement rates.
• Automated appointment reminders: Reduce no-show rates by ensuring clients receive timely notifications, leading to better scheduling efficiency and higher satisfaction.

Pros

• Centralized platform for managing customer interactions.
• Seamless payment transactions via text messaging.
• Analytics features to enhance communication strategies.

Cons

• Steep learning curve is involved. (G2)
• Lack of adequate customer support. (G2, G2)
• Disorganized customer onboarding experience. (G2)

Ratings and reviews

G2: 4.6/5 (1686+ reviews)

Capterra: 4.3/5 (500+ reviews)

Suitable for

It’s a comprehensive messaging platform and one-stop solution for connecting with customers, managing reviews, collecting payments, and streamlining team communication.

6. Sinch

Features

• Two-way messaging: Use WhatsApp to interact with customers and respond to queries directly. 
• Schedule messages: Queue messages and set message validity periods, like expiry dates, for time-sensitive messages.
• SMS fallback: If messages fail to deliver or other communication channels do not work, this feature ensures critical messages always get delivered.

Pros

• Reliable and easy-to-use platform.
• Offer audio calls, video calls, and chat functionality, without complex coding.

Cons

• Poor and inadequate customer support. (G2, G2)
• Some users have encountered problems with Sinch's payment system, stating that they were debited but did not receive the corresponding credits. (G2)

Ratings and reviews 

G2: 3.9/5 (29+ reviews)

Capterra: 4.4/5 (40+ reviews)

Pricing

SMS API

Outbound: $0.0078/SMS

Inbound: $0.0078/SMS

Voice 

Outbound: $0.01/min

Inbound: $0.004/min 

Country: India

Starter: Rs. 2,999

Scale: Rs. 15,999

Large: Rs.29,999

Custom pricing: Ideal for large enterprises 

Suitable for

Sinch is a strong Bird alternative for businesses seeking robust SMS and voice solutions that improve customer engagement.

7. Bandwidth

Features

• Direct-to-carrier network: Bandwidth offers a direct-to-carrier network for superior reliability in messaging and calling. 
• Call recording: Record calls and voicemails in mono or dual-channel format to maintain accurate records of conversations for compliance. 
• Cost-effective pricing: It's one of the best alternatives to Bird given its pay-as-you-go model, resulting in lower costs for high-volume users. 
• Flexible integration: Bandwidth's APIs easily integrate with existing systems, helping businesses customize their communication solutions. 

Pros

• Easy-to-use platform with a friendly interface.
• Strong customer service and support.

Cons

• The porting process is time-consuming and difficult. (G2, G2)
• The pricing could be more transparent. (G2)
• SMS experience leaves much to be desired. (G2)

Ratings and reviews

G2: 4.5/5 (405+ reviews)

Capterra: 4.6/5 (125+ reviews)

Pricing

SMS API

Outbound: $0.004/SMS

Outbound: $0.015/MMS

Voice API

Outbound: $0.0100/min

Inbound: $0.0055/min

Verify API

$0.0500/auth

$0.1500/call

Suitable for

Businesses seeking a basic, reliable communications solution provider that offers greater control over call routing and SMS features.

Why choose Plivo as a Bird alternative

What sets Plivo apart from Bird is its ability to offer robust compliance support, ensuring that businesses can easily adhere to critical regulations.

Our platform supports: 

• 10-digit long code (10DLC) assisted onboarding to all customers irrespective of their size and scale
• Sender ID registration.
• Toll-free verification.
• Distributed ledger technology (DLT) verification in India.

Plivo is ideal for companies with high messaging volume requirements. Strong customer support available through premium plans ensures that businesses receive the assistance. Our 99.99% uptime guarantee ensures that messages get delivered reliably. Plus, Plivo’s extensive documentation and developer-friendly APIs offer self-service options for those who prefer to troubleshoot independently.

Moreover, Plivo prioritizes communication security by focusing on fraud prevention and SMS pumping detection. Avoid unexpected charges and ensure your messages remain secure. Our default message redaction feature automatically removes sensitive information from your communications to help you maintain compliance while keeping your data safe.

With Plivo, you can communicate knowing that your business is well-protected.

Seeking a reliable, compliant, and budget-friendly messaging solution? Contact us to find out.

Manual ticket resolution seems simple, but behind the scenes, it's often a chaotic jumble of incessant tasks piling up and often just waiting to go wrong. 

According to data, the average overall resolution rate across industries is approximately 76.2%.

In addition, the Service Quality Measurement (SQM) Group reports that 20% to 30% of tickets require more than one interaction to resolve.

Plus, as your business scales up, critical issues often escalate with traditional ticketing, and customer requests increase day by day. You could find your customer service teams scrambling to categorize, prioritize, and assign hundreds of queries while simultaneously tracking responses and updating ticket statuses.

Here, automated ticket resolution works wonders. It delegates the repetitive yet crucial components of ticket resolution to AI and empowers your human agents to do more.

In this article, we go over how automated ticket resolution functions, its benefits over traditional ticketing resolution, and how to get started with the most suitable tool. 

What is automated ticket resolution?

Automated ticket resolution means using AI-driven ticketing systems and workflow software to manage customer requests from when a ticket is created to when it is resolved—with minimal or no human intervention. 

Key components

1. AI and ML: These ticket resolution systems use AI&ML algorithms to analyze and process tickets.
2. NLP: It enables the system to understand the context and intent of customer messages, allowing for more accurate ticket handling.
3. Automated workflows: The system can perform various tasks automatically, including:some text
   • Creating tickets
   • Labeling and sorting
   • Routing to appropriate agents and departments
   • Escalating and handing over complex issues to human agents when necessary
   • Following up with customers

How does automated ticket resolution work?

Did you know that after implementing automated ticketing, medium enterprises saw response times decrease from 1 day to 2 hours and resolution times from 3 days to 1 day? 

Let’s take a closer look at the key functions of automated ticket resolution that make it happen: 

1.Data collection and integration

Ticket resolution starts with consolidating all your data sources—emails, SMS, social media, web forms, calls, and live chats—on a single dashboard. 

To accomplish this, use an omnichannel customer service platform such as Plivo CX. With its unified agent desktop feature, the tool eliminates data silos, brings all incoming customer requests to a single window pane, and allows human agents to have a broader context of customer issues across channels—that too without having to switch between channels.   

2.Data preprocessing

AI-powered ticketing programs clean, sort, label, and categorize the data you collated into sections for easier analysis. This step also includes removing duplicates, correcting input errors, and standardizing structure to improve the accuracy of the subsequent processes.

3.NLP

After preprocessing, the system uses its NLP capabilities to analyze, interpret, and understand each customer’s request, intent, and urgency. Moreover, predictive and sentiment analysis is employed to accurately identify context, enhance categorization, and yield problem-solving responses.

4.Fast ticket categorization

Using insights from the ML analysis and NLP, the automated ticketing system sorts each request into predefined categories such as technical issues, billing inquiries, product return and shipping, etc. This allows for quick routing of each request to the appropriate channel. 

Categorization also facilitates seamless rerouting when customer service escalation is essential. With Plivo CX, you get to create custom workflows and automations using a simple drag-and-drop interface without having to code.

5.24/7 response

For low-level to medium-level queries that barely require sophisticated expertise, the system routes them to integrated AI-powered chatbots. 

To help you provide 24/7 customer service and handle maximum queries during peak seasons, Plivo CX provides OpenAI-powered self-service chatbots. You can train the bot using your company’s custom dataset to ensure accuracy and relevancy. Once deployed, the chatbot can automatically handle routine customer inquiries, freeing up your agents.

Plus, the tool also ensures brand consistency by seamlessly training AI agents to align with your company's unique voice and policies.

6.Agent assistance

For high-level tickets that the AI self-service bots cannot resolve, the automated ticket resolution system redirects or escalates them to a human agent of relevant expertise.

For example, by intuitively prioritizing urgent tickets to the most suitable agents, Plivo CX dramatically reduces response times and enhances customer satisfaction. 

7.Learning and improvement

Since AI ticketing systems leverage ML, they relentlessly learn from previous patterns and customer interactions, improving ticket categorization and enhancing the quality of responses over time.

With Plivo CX, you can maintain agility and freshness through effortless updates to your AI agents, allowing you to seamlessly adapt to new product launches, promotions, or policy changes.

Benefits of automated ticket resolution

Here are the key reasons why you must implement an automated ticket resolution system if you are looking to scale or streamline your CX operations:

1.Improves efficiency

An average company receives over 17,630 tickets monthly, with a 76.2% resolution rate. It means that out of every 100 tickets, you can only sort two-thirds of them.

The remaining one-third of queries are mostly unresolved due to complexities, such as missing information, errors by human agents, friction in cross-departmental collaboration, delayed support, or disjointed responses—issues that are common with traditional ticket resolution. 

However, when you embrace customer service automation, AI-powered ticketing handles repetitive and time-consuming tasks like triaging requests and labeling to accelerate resolution time. This is important as HubSpot data suggests that 90% of customers seek immediate response, ideally within 10 minutes.

2.Reduces errors

Customer support errors usually stem from inadequate data handling, human errors during analysis, and siloed datasets, which affect cross-departmental access to essential information for request handling.

Inadequate handling includes duplicate datasets, inaccurate or incomplete data, and decayed data across different operational channels.

When cross-departmental data-sharing barriers exist, customer support can become fragmented and inefficient. A common scenario is when a customer representative responds to a ticket already handled by another department.

Due to these disconnected support offerings, Salesforce found that 55% of consumers once felt like they were speaking with different departments instead of a company.

Automated ticket resolution eliminates such errors by delegating repetitive, error-prone tasks to AI. With NLP and ML, these systems identify and remove duplicate or inconsistent data and ensure a cleaner, more accurate dataset.

Plivo CX’s omnichannel platform solves disjointed departmental collaboration by centralizing customer data and streamlining data communication. This prevents double ticketing and helps your agents track every request from start to resolution.

3.Round-the-clock availability

In a CM survey, 60% of respondents expect round-the-clock availability. Three in four GenZ and Millennial consumers also highly appreciate this. But that’s almost impossible with traditional ticket resolution.

On the other hand, automated ticket resolution leverages AI to operate 24/7 and handle customer requests even without human intervention. Businesses can also engage and resolve queries even when employees are out of the office or closed for the day. 

4.Cost-effectiveness

The cost to set up a functional customer support team depends on your business size, the number of customer requests you handle daily, and your industry. For instance, a business with over a hundred requests daily would need about five to ten human agents to be fully operational.

According to IBM, customer support costs businesses about $1.3 trillion annually. Moreover, according to Glassdoor, a customer support agent in the US earns an average of $45,000 yearly. Imagine having to build a team of five or maybe ten.

Embracing automated ticket resolution helps solve this budget problem by reducing the need to acquire more human agents. 

A single AI-powered ticketing system can handle hundreds of requests simultaneously and still operate at its peak. Besides, Plivo CX’s self-service chatbots reduce customer support expenses by over 30% annually.

5.Scalability and proactive support 

The more your business grows, the more customer requests you have to handle. That’s unavoidable. However, AI-powered resolution systems and workflow programs have been built to handle large scaling. Unlike traditional ticket resolution approaches, your software grows with your business, often at no extra expense.

Plivo CX’s customer support platform also offers proactive support, which is essential for automated ticket resolution. It does this by leveraging predictive analysis, NLP, and machine learning to anticipate customer needs based on past interactions or data and trigger appropriate workflows.

Plivo CX: Deliver top-notch customer experience with intuitive automation 

Efficient automated ticket resolution relies on powerful workflows. Plivo CX provides a no-code/low-code platform to easily design these workflows, guiding tickets from creation to resolution with NLP analysis, auto-responses, and escalations.

Drag-and-drop workflows, personalized components, and seamless integrations ensure a tailored and optimized customer support journey.

Interestingly, you don’t need to be a technical whiz to set one up, here’s how: 

In addition to that, Plivo CX offers several features, such as:

• Unified communication: As noted before, you can manage all customer conversations across channels like email, voice, SMS, WhatsApp, and live chat from a single, agent-friendly platform
• Seamless integrations: Connect Plivo CX with your existing tools, including CRM, ERP, helpdesk, home-grown systems, and more
• AI-powered automation: Deploy smart chatbots to handle routine inquiries, freeing up agents to focus on personalized support
• Data-driven optimization: Track real-time analytics and generate custom reports to gain insights into customer interactions and agent performance
• Communication with media support: Enhance interactions with multimedia support, including images, videos, and documents
• Increased productivity: Streamline workflows with message templates, internal notes, and skills-based routing
• Comprehensive features: Leverage call recording, IVR, multi-language support, and robust security features for a complete solution

Book a demo now!

Your business customer service team spends hours on the phone each day. They address customer concerns, answer questions, and provide support. And, while some important details are logged, other valuable insights, emotions, and recurring themes can easily be missed once the call ends.

Voice transcription captures all of these details for more informed decision-making.

When combined with voice intelligence—AI and machine learning techniques— call transcriptions can reveal patterns, track sentiment, and highlight actionable insights.

Let’s explore how voice transcription for customer analytics can help improve your user engagement strategies.

What is voice transcription?

Voice transcription, or audio-to-text conversion, is the process of converting audio from voice or video calls into written text, allowing businesses to store conversations in a searchable, readable format. Transcription can occur in real-time during a call or afterward from recorded audio.

Transcripts allow sales teams to quickly search for specific topics or scan through discussions. This capability streamlines their workflow and reduces the time spent on manual call reviews.

Additionally, these text-based records enhance agent monitoring and boost operational efficiency. Managers can review transcripts to gain clear insights into how employees handle customer interactions.

Types of voice transcriptions

Transcribed voice conversations offer valuable information from customer interactions. Getting these transcriptions can either be done manually or automatically. Here’s how these two types of transcription work and what they offer:

Manual transcriptions

Manual transcription involves listening to audio or video recordings and typing out everything that is heard. This do-it-yourself (DIY) method may appear cost-effective at first. However, it can quickly become time-consuming and labor-intensive, especially for those lacking transcription experience.

Additionally, manual transcription can be error-prone. These mistakes can affect the accuracy of the final transcript and result in misunderstandings in customer interactions.

Automatic transcriptions

Automatic voice transcription uses speech recognition technology to convert spoken words into written text. Unlike manual transcription, this method is much faster, as the software processes the audio in real time or within minutes, depending on the file length.

Plivo’s Voice API improves the transcription process with automatic speech recognition (ASR) via its GetInput XML Element. This feature enables businesses to capture user input through both speech and dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) inputs.

When a call participant speaks, Plivo transcribes their words and sends the text to a specific action URL. This transcript is used by your application to trigger an instant response to the customer’s request. 

For example, if a caller says, “I’d like to speak to a representative,” Plivo immediately transcribes this statement and sends it to a URL like https://yourapp.com/handle_request. Your application can then respond by transferring the call to an available agent or providing relevant options based on the caller’s request.

Plivo’s ASR can capture partial speech recognition results in real time, making live conversations more dynamic and responsive. Plus, transcriptions are instantly available to your applications, helping you act on customer feedback right away.

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How businesses use voice transcriptions for analytics

Voice transcription services can analyze high volumes of customer interactions to extract valuable insights. This data is a valuable resource for improving customer satisfaction and internal workflows. 

Here are a few ways businesses are using voice transcriptions for customer analytics.

Sales-driven customer insights

Voice transcription captures key details from customer conversations that might otherwise get lost. Sales calls, courtesy follow-ups, and support inquiries offer different insights, helping businesses better understand their customers.

For example, sales calls gives you a direct look into customer needs, questions, and pain points. You can assess their interest levels, identify upsell opportunities, and even spot objections that come up frequently.

Transcriptions from support calls, on the other hand, can reveal product concerns or unmet needs, which could lead to product development opportunities.

With these transcriptions, businesses can identify patterns in customer behavior and sentiment. This analysis allows you to fine-tune your sales and marketing strategies to better meet customer needs.

Customer experience improvement

Call transcripts provide a detailed record of interactions essential for improving the customer experience.

These transcripts make it easy to identify recurring issues, monitor how well agents handle customer concerns, and uncover areas for improvement in your service. 

For example, transcripts from support calls can help you identify where common pain points arise. If multiple customers mention similar problems, you can quickly address those concerns, ensuring they don’t escalate into larger issues.

This efficiency is further enhanced with AI-powered transcription software like Plivo, which offers benefits such as:

• Extensive language support: Use speech recognition for 27 major languages and their regional variants.
• Speech adaptation with hints: Improve accuracy with custom words and phrases, ensuring better recognition of proper nouns, homophones, and industry-specific terms.
• Prebuilt models: Choose from a range of ready-to-use IVR configurations, saving time when setting up voice systems.
• Simultaneous input detection: Allow customers to interact using either voice or keypad input, offering more flexibility with prompts like, “Press 1 or say ‘yes’”.
• Profanity filter: Automatically mask inappropriate language in transcriptions to maintain professionalism.
• Advanced end-of-speech detection: Detect when a speaker has finished talking for smoother conversation transitions.
• Interim transcription results: Receive transcription updates in real time, reducing response times and allowing for quicker interactions.

Legal purposes

Voice transcriptions play an important role in ensuring transparency and accountability in business communications. They provide an accurate record of conversations between parties, which can be valuable in legal matters where agreements may be contested or misunderstood.

Call transcriptions can show that businesses are following industry regulations and internal policies. This is particularly important in regulated fields like finance, healthcare, or telecommunications, where businesses must maintain high standards of accountability and transparency.

However, before using voice transcriptions for legal purposes, check the privacy laws in your state or country regarding call recording and transcribing.

Laws around recording conversations and using those recordings vary widely. Some areas require all parties’ consent, while others may allow recording with only one person’s agreement. Additionally, regulations often specify how recorded conversations can be stored, shared, and used, making it essential to understand the legal requirements in each location.

Personalization with sentiment analysis

Voice transcripts from sales and support calls can add a personalized touch to customer interactions.

Techniques like sentiment analysis offer insights into customer preferences and emotions, giving businesses a deeper understanding of what resonates with their audience. With this knowledge, companies can tailor their responses, enhancing the overall experience and fostering stronger connections with customers.

For instance, in a travel planning service, you might discover that words like "adventure" and "explore" spark excitement in customers, evoking thoughts of fun and spontaneity. On the other hand, terms like "schedule" or "itinerary" might create stress, as they can imply rigid planning rather than a relaxed, enjoyable experience. Missing these subtle customer reactions can limit the impact of your marketing and sales messages. Voice transcription captures these emotional nuances, allowing you to adjust your language to better resonate with your audience.

Call intent discovery

Call intent discovery helps businesses understand why customers are calling—to seek support, ask for information, or provide feedback,

Voice transcriptions assist in intent discovery through tools that use natural language processing (NLP). This technology automatically scans transcribed conversations for specific keywords, phrases, and patterns that indicate the customer’s intent.

For example, phrases like “I need help with…” signal a support-related call, while “Can you tell me more about…” might indicate an interest in product information.

Understanding call intent allows businesses to

• Improve call routing: Once the call intent has been identified through transcription, businesses can automatically direct customers to the appropriate team or resource. For instance, a customer with a billing issue can be quickly routed to the billing department without having to go through multiple transfers. 
• Enhance support: Businesses can identify and proactively address recurring issues, leading to faster resolutions and fewer customer complaints.
• Make data-driven decisions: Identifying trends in call intents allows enterprises to make better business decisions. This approach ensures that customer feedback directly influences product improvements, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction.

Enhanced agent performance

Voice transcription lets managers closely review conversations, analyzing how agents handle tasks like problem-solving and dealing with unhappy customers. 

Reviewing the transcript enables managers to provide precise, data-driven feedback on employees’ strengths and areas for improvement, moving beyond subjective impressions. This approach helps managers focus on measurable insights, fostering more targeted coaching and professional growth.

For example, a manager might focus on:

• Language: Was the agent professional?
• Problem-solving: How well did they resolve the issue?
• Product knowledge: Did they show strong knowledge of the company’s products?

Transcriptions also highlight knowledge gaps. If several agents struggle with the same issues, it may indicate the need for extra training. Incorrect terminology or failure to follow protocols can also be spotted and corrected.

Managers can then design personalized training, ensuring agents are prepared to confidently handle different customer inquiries.

Better accessibility

Voice transcriptions make information more accessible to individuals with hearing impairments. This written record ensures that everyone, regardless of hearing ability, has access to essential information shared in audio formats.

For businesses, transcriptions demonstrate a commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, allowing for more equitable communication.

When a person with a hearing impairment calls a contact center, the audio of the conversation is captured and processed in real time. Speech recognition technology converts the spoken words into text, which is then displayed on the caller’s screen. This allows the individual to read along as the customer service representative speaks, facilitating a clear and engaging dialogue.

Unlock customer insights with Plivo’s voice transcription features

Plivo’s Voice API and audio streaming features make it easy to connect with AI-driven transcription and sentiment analysis tools. This flexibility lets businesses customize their solutions, facilitating improved customer interactions with efficient automation.

With Plivo, you can automate call quality checks to get helpful insights. These insights boost agent performance and customer satisfaction, making it easier to spot and fix issues quickly.

The Voice API also supports ASR using the Record API or Record XML element. 

Plivo provides accurate transcriptions at affordable rates, especially for English-language audio. Whether you need it for quality control, compliance, or personalized service, Plivo’s technology can handle your voice-to-text conversation needs smoothly.

Contact us to learn more about how Plivo can optimize your voice transcription processes and help you deliver a better customer experience.

If you are running an SMS marketing campaign, the stakes are always high, and it has to bring you the maximum ROI. 

To make sure you leave no quarter to things going wrong, you must monitor the SMS marketing conversion rate to ensure your efforts bring the expected results. 

In this post, we will check how to calculate SMS marketing conversion rate and also improve it for the best results. 

What is the SMS marketing conversion rate, and what are the factors influencing it?

SMS marketing conversion rate is a metric that tracks if consumers took the expected action upon receiving the SMS. It could be making a purchase or signing up for newsletters or more. 

Factors that influence SMS marketing conversion rate include the following:

• Relevance of messages
• Effective targeting to reach the audience most likely to convert 
• Appropriate timing of the message
• Clear call to action in the message

What is an average SMS marketing conversion rate?

In 2023, eCommerce brands worldwide observed a 7.6% click rate and a 0.13% conversion rate on average. This positive change resulted in a 9.4% growth in orders. 

Therefore, eCommerce brands increased their SMS marketing budgets and sent 57.9% more SMS campaigns compared to 2022. 

How to calculate SMS marketing conversion rate

Theoretically speaking, you can calculate the SMS marketing conversion rate (CVR) by calculating the number of conversions and dividing it by the number of messages delivered. That makes the SMS marketing CVR formula to be:

SMS Marketing CVR = (Number of conversions/Number of messages delivered)*100

But it’s tough to keep track of this number manually. A better solution is to integrate your marketing platform with CRM or the eCommerce platform to automatically calculate the numbers. 

For instance, the all-in-one customer engagement platform Plivo CX easily integrates with your Shopify store and tracks the open rate, click rate, conversion rate, and revenue generated by the campaign. 

7 ways to maximize SMS marketing conversion rate

Now that we have the basics cleared, here are seven practical tips to increase SMS marketing conversion rate:

1. Segment audience

One of the simplest ways to improve SMS marketing conversions is to segment your consumers based on demographics, interests, and more. 

Segmentation gives you more insights into your consumers and helps you tailor the message accordingly. After segmentation, you can send personalized messages to specific consumers. It improves the chances of engagement and conversion. 

Tip: Use an SMS marketing automation platform like Plivo CX for a trouble-free segmentation process. It automatically divides users into segments based on key attributes, such as demographics, browsing activity, online behavior, etc. 

Plus, you can send more relevant messages targeting different user segments with Plivo CX. 

2. Optimize messages

After segmenting the consumers for better targeting, the next step to increase conversions would be optimizing messages. It can be done by:

• Keep the message concise
• Use simple and direct language
• Make the message engaging by using graphics
• Add a clear and compelling call to action

Tip: Use generative AI to your advantage to create multiple versions of a campaign and shortlist the best one. 

Plivo CX comes with an inbuilt Copywriter AI that instantly crafts campaign messages for you. You just need to fill out the form with your campaign objectives, goal, parameters, timing, urgency, expected tone, and voila! 

3. Optimize timing and frequency

Apart from optimizing messages, identifying the optimal timing is also important. Send messages to your consumers when they are most likely to be active. Also, identify the right timing by analyzing past campaigns, open rates, and consumer data. 

However, choosing the right frequency of messages is also important. Too many messages are spam, and too few are not effective enough. Hit the right balance for the best results. 

Tip: Identifying patterns in data manually is tedious. Here is where AI can come to your aid again. Plivo AI assistant also suggests the right time to send messages by analyzing past data. 

4. Test campaigns

Once you have optimized messages and frequency, it’s time for testing. Run different variations of optimized messages and gather metrics. 

With these results, you can check what’s working and what’s not. Once you have the data, promote the campaigns that are giving expected returns. 

Tip: Plivo CX automatically tracks the important metrics: delivered rate, open rate, click rate, conversion rate, and revenue. This data allows you to allocate budgets to campaigns with higher SMS marketing conversion rates. 

5. Create customer journeys

SMS supports every stage of the consumer life cycle and not just conversion. It helps in the initial acquisition phase, onboarding, engagement, support, and building long-term brand advocates. 

But how do you plan for the entire consumer lifecycle? A marketing platform that designs consumer journeys will automate the entire process.

Tip: Plivo CX allows you to design the entire consumer journey. You can set up trigger events and deliver the right message at the right time based on the consumer's activity. 

For instance, you can set up a trigger event to send a welcome message right when they sign up or send an abandoned cart message if they leave the cart without making a purchase. 

6. Run different types of campaigns

Create different types of campaigns to keep the customers engaged and support the entire customer journey. Some common campaigns are:

• Cart abandonment: These campaigns help to convert back the customers who are having second thoughts. It could contain a special discount, a free shipping offer, or an inventory alert.
• Flash deals: These campaigns provide enticing offers for a limited period, creating fear of missing out (FOMO) in consumers.
• Exclusive deals: These campaigns are exclusive to SMS subscribers, providing a special discount code or early access to a new collection.
• Seasonal and holiday discounts: Consumers have a holiday shopping budget, and these campaigns directly tap into that budget.
• Win-back deals: Lastly, offering deals to consumers who haven't shopped with you in a while could be great to win them back.

A marketing automation platform can help you design all these campaigns based on consumer behavior and actions. 

Tip: As suggested previously, Plivo CX works end-to-end for Shopify consumers. You can run different campaigns based on their action and purchase history. 

7. Integrate with other channels

Lastly, integrate SMS with other marketing channels to provide the most consistent brand experience to your consumers. By integrating platforms, you can deliver the message on the channel where it works best. 

For instance, if you find flash deals working best on SMS, plan those campaigns on SMS. 

Another example is if you find cart abandonment to be working best on email. Deliver those over email. You have all platforms integrated into one, creating a huge data powerhouse for better personalization for all campaigns. 

Tip: Plivo CX serves as an omnichannel platform that combines all common marketing channels: SMS, MMS, WhatsApp, and email (coming soon). It establishes an integrated system for all your marketing efforts and consumer data. 

This integration lays the groundwork for improved personalization, making all campaigns more compatible with the platform. 

Run effective SMS marketing campaigns with Plivo CX

To sum it up, Plivo CX can be a great asset to your SMS marketing efforts, as it supports the entire customer journey by:

• Gathering customer data
• Segmenting based on key attributes
• Designing campaigns with AI support
• Delivering campaigns with an inbuilt carrier network
• And gathering metrics

Plivo CX also works end-to-end for Shopify consumers with all the necessary features required to boost conversion. 

The best part is, Plivo CX leverages Plivo’s proprietary premium carrier network that lets you send personalized messages to 220+ countries and territories at an affordable rate. 

You can send a text message in the US for as little as $0.0065 from Plivo compared to the $0.0150 /SMS cost of competitors. As a result, you can slash SMS costs by 70% and triple your marketing ROI.

Sign up for a quick demo now!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the conversion rate for SMS marketing?

In 2023, eCommerce brands worldwide observed an average 7.6% click rate and a 0.13% conversion rate. 

2. What is the success rate of SMS marketing?

In 2023, eCommerce brands worldwide observed an average 7.6% click rate and a 0.13% success rate. 

3. How to calculate SMS conversion rate? 

You can calculate SMS marketing CVR by taking the number of conversions and dividing it by the number of messages delivered. 

SMS marketing CVR formula= (Number of conversions/Number of messages delivered)*100

4. How do you calculate ROI for SMS marketing?

SMS ROI is calculated by dividing the profit of the campaign against the total investment made in it. A simple SMS marketing ROI formula for a marketing campaign is: 

ROI = ((Total revenue- Campaign cost)/Campaign cost)*100.

5. What is the CTR of SMS marketing?

In 2023, eCommerce brands worldwide observed an average 7.6% clickthrough rate (CTR) and a 0.13% conversion rate. 

6. Is SMS marketing expensive?

No, SMS marketing is not expensive if you choose the right marketing platform. By using Plivo CX, you can send a text message in the US for as little as $0.0065 compared to the $0.0150 /SMS cost of competitors.

7. How can I increase my CTR in SMS?

Seven ways to increase click rate are:

1. Segment audience

2. Optimize messages

3. Optimize timing and frequency

4. Test campaigns

5. Create customer journeys

6. Run exclusive deals

7. Integrate with other channels

8. What is a good SMS click rate?

In 2023, eCommerce brands worldwide observed an average 7.6% click rate and a 0.13% conversion rate. 

9. What is the cost of SMS?

The cost of SMS depends on the provider. With Plivo CX, you can send a text message in the US for as little as $0.0065 compared to the $0.0150 /SMS cost of competitors.

WhatsApp is the most used mobile messenger app globally, with over two billion active monthly users worldwide. More than 596 million messages are sent each day on WhatsApp. And, while WhatsApp is primarily popular as a peer-to-peer messaging app, a growing proportion of those millions of messages originate from businesses. 

The WhatsApp Business app configures this powerful messaging channel so businesses can easily engage with customers. The WhatsApp Business platform offers tools like automated messaging, analytics, and advanced customer segmentation to manage communications at scale. While many of these tools aim to serve larger enterprises, entrepreneurs and small business owners can also make use of the WhatsApp Business platform. 

In this guide, we’ll help you understand the difference between the consumer-focused WhatsApp experience and the platform’s WhatsApp Business version. By the end of this post, you should be able to make a more informed decision about which version of WhatsApp best meets your business needs. 

WhatsApp vs. WhatsApp Business

WhatsApp offers various iterations, from WhatsApp for Individuals to the WhatsApp Business app to the WhatsApp Business Platform. Let’s do a quick rundown of the differences between these tools.

How to choose the right WhatsApp solution for your business

Most businesses need more than what an individual WhatsApp account can offer. That means selecting between the WhatsApp Business app and the WhatsApp Business Platform. Consider three primary factors when weighing your options:

• Your business size
• Your communication needs
• Your customer engagement goals

If you’re a small business managing a handful of interactions daily, the WhatsApp Business app’s essential features, like quick replies and product catalogs, may be enough.

However, if your business is scaling and you’re receiving hundreds of inquiries, the WhatsApp Business Platform’s advanced tools such as chatbots, message templates, and analytics. This version makes managing communications more efficient and improving response times easier.

Evaluate your team's capacity as well. Invest in the WhatsApp Business Platform only if you have a dedicated customer support team to streamline operations and enhance productivity. For businesses focusing on personalized interactions, the WhatsApp Business app’s simple interface is more beneficial.

Note: If you decide to use the WhatsApp Business Platform, consider partnering with a WhatsApp Business Solution Provider to integrate your existing systems seamlessly.

WhatsApp Business App toolkit

To further bifurcate between the WhatsApp Business app and the WhatsApp Business Platform, let’s look deeper at the features offered in the WhatsApp Business app toolkit.

Messaging automation

WhatsApp Business app helps you automate messages to save you ample time and ensure timely responses to user queries.

These are the features offered:

• WhatsApp away message: Away messages inform customers when you're unavailable, ensuring they know their message is valued and will be addressed when you return. You can create a message template to inform them when you'll get back with a response.
• WhatsApp greeting message: Greeting messages automatically welcome customers when they first message you, setting a friendly tone and inviting inquiries. Customize these to reflect your brand's voice. Here are a few examples of Whatsapp greetings to consider.
• WhatsApp quick replies: Quick replies offer pre-saved responses to answer frequent questions or common inquiries instantly. Set these up to save time and maintain consistent communication.

Together, these features let businesses maintain open communication, improve response times, and enhance customer satisfaction. 

Labels

Once you start engaging in regular conversations with customers, it’s easy to lose track of where each customer stands.

For instance, one customer may be close to purchasing while another might be still learning about your brand. Labels help you organize chats and categorize customers based on their stage in the sales funnel.

By default, the WhatsApp Business app offers five labels:

• Order complete
• Payment pending
• New order
• New customer
• Paid

The Senior SEO Manager, Felix Milshtein at VCITA shares their experience with this feature: “We use labels to segment clients into categories like 'New Leads,' 'In Progress,' or 'VIP Clients.' This makes follow-ups and prioritizing conversations much easier, especially when managing numerous inquiries.”

WhatsApp Business allows you to add up to 20 labels and assign a color to each, enhancing your ability to quickly identify and manage different customer categories.

Product catalogs

An updated product catalog on WhatsApp acts as a digital storefront for your business. Customers can easily discover everything your company offers and share individual products or services directly in the chat through shareable links.

It lets you add the following details for each product:

• Product title
• Photos
• Description
• Price
• Product code

You can upload a maximum of 500 products to your catalog. However, it’s vital to ensure that the image of the service/product meets the WhatsApp Business Messaging policy. 

Message statistics

WhatsApp Business statistics give you an insight into how successful your communication is with your customers.

It gives you insights into:

• Messages sent
• Messages delivered
• Messages read
• Messages received

Use these statistics to benchmark your communication performance against the set standard or to set tangible goals for improvement. Run A/B tests on different messaging styles, times, or content by experimenting with different approaches to see how your consumers respond. Check if either of the communication strategies brings a change in these statistics.

Short links

The short link feature stands out in WhatsApp Business vs. WhatsApp. It’s a powerful tool that simplifies customer connections. The URL can be distributed across various platforms or transformed into a QR code so that it’s accessible wherever your audience is.

You can even add it to your email signature and social media profiles to easily connect with your customers.

These links help you drive traffic to a specific service or promotion.

For instance, Aman Chopra, a Marketing Manager at Stallion Express shares, “I’ve used them in email campaigns, on our website, and even on social media to give users an easy way to directly start a conversation with us without having to go through multiple steps. It's also great for tracking engagement because you can tailor each link to a specific audience or campaign.”

Sharing a direct link to WhatsApp guides clients straight to your inbox, eliminating the usual back-and-forth associated with contact forms. 

While the WhatsApp Business app features suffice for small business owners, larger enterprises can benefit from the expanded tools in the WhatsApp Business Platform. 

WhatsApp Business app vs. WhatsApp Business Platform: Understanding use cases

The key features of the WhatsApp Business Platform also include rich media support, message analytics, automated replies, interactive elements, end-to-end encryption, business profiles, and message templates. Plus, expanded tools are configured to help large enterprises manage a higher volume of traffic.

Both WhatsApp Business solutions provide various benefits across several use cases. Transactional messages keep customers informed of important updates. Booking appointments becomes seamless while engaging surveys gather valuable insights.

Businesses can easily collect customer feedback to enhance their services. Order status updates foster transparency, and sending OTPs ensures secure transactions. Finally, promotional messages help drive engagement and sales with tailored offers. 

Here are two real-life examples to illustrate the differences between the WhatsApp Business app and the WhatsApp Business Platform.

1. PolicyBazaar achieves a 5X increase in insurance premium collections

Company goal:

To shift from impersonal communication to a customer-friendly approach and improve engagement, increase sales, and streamline the claims process.

Problem statement:

‍PolicyBazaar, an India-based insurance marketplace, faced challenges with conventional CRM channels like email and SMS. Although effective, these methods lacked the personal touch needed to engage potential customers meaningfully. With millions of customers relying on the company’s services, the team recognized the need for real-time, custom conversations to improve customer interactions.

The solution:

‍PolicyBazaar revolutionized its communication strategy with the WhatsApp Business Platform integration. They launched personalized campaigns, allowing customers to receive targeted product recommendations directly in WhatsApp, resulting in a 5X increase in insurance premiums collected. The platform also simplified claims through automated notifications and allowed customers to upload documents easily.

With over 30 million messages delivered monthly and a reported 5X increase in sales, WhatsApp became a vital channel for PolicyBazaar.

“WhatsApp has helped us make CRM customer-friendly,” says Nishant Malsisaria, Head of Growth.

2. Buddy4Study witnesses a 25% improvement in student interactions with the WhatsApp Business app

Company goal:

‍To bridge the gap between deserving students and available scholarships by leveraging technology to increase accessibility, awareness, and efficiency in the scholarship application process.

Problem statement:

‍Many students face financial barriers that prevent them from pursuing higher education, and a significant amount of scholarship funds remain unused due to a lack of awareness and transparency in the application process.

The solution:

‍To enhance communication with their primarily young audience (ages 14-35), Buddy4Study adopted the WhatsApp Business app, facilitating seamless onboarding and engagement. This strategic move resulted in a 25% improvement in student interaction and a 20% increase in student acquisition.

By collaborating with corporations, NGOs, and educational institutions, Buddy4Study continues to optimize scholarship programs and ensure that no student has to abandon their dreams due to financial constraints.

Scale your marketing efforts with Plivo’s WhatsApp Business API solution

Keeping your customers engaged as your business scales gets challenging.

While adding WhatsApp marketing to your sales strategy is a powerful way to engage customers, to maximize its benefits, you'll need to follow messaging guidelines and use approved templates to ensure your messages are well-received and effective.

This is where Plivo comes in. As a Meta-registered Business Service Provider (BSP), Plivo simplifies the integration of the WhatsApp Business Platform into your existing system. Its comprehensive APIs and user-friendly documentation let you connect and automate your messaging workflows without extensive technical overhead. 

Its no-code, WhatsApp AI chatbot automates your customer service. Set up the chatbot to handle customer inquiries about order status, returns, and product details without needing human agents. While its marketing automation feature helps you create and manage personalized WhatsApp campaigns based on your customers’ purchasing history and preferences. 

Plivo enhances messaging efficiency with features such as WhatsApp template statuses and clear reasons for message blocks. These tools simplify communication and help tackle compliance challenges.

Adhering to Meta’s guidelines and regulations promotes a smoother communication experience for both businesses and customers. This approach not only streamlines interactions but also builds trust in messaging services.

With our WhatsApp Business API Guide, getting started with the WhatsApp Business Platform is a breeze. From creating your WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) to simplifying the complexities of billing with Meta, you can easily navigate the setup process from the get-go.

Plivo charges a flat fee of Rs.0.066 (about $0.00080) per conversation on top of Meta’s fees, with volume discounts available to reduce costs based on usage. Moreover, we combine all charges into a single invoice so that you don’t have to manage multiple bills.

Think Plivo might be the right fit? Contact us to discover why thousands of businesses trust us to meet their communication needs.

Is your local phone number preventing your business from connecting globally? 

Traditional phone lines can limit communication to specific regions and require complex setups, making expansion challenging. WhatsApp’s Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) feature solves this by allowing internet-based calls, avoiding high international fees. 

With a virtual WhatsApp number, businesses gain even more flexibility to manage multiple accounts, maintain privacy, and seamlessly connect with customers across regions.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to get a VoIP number for WhatsApp and compare the top five providers in 2024 so you can choose the best option for your business needs.

What is a VoIP number for WhatsApp?

A VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) number for WhatsApp allows users to make voice and video calls using an internet connection instead of a traditional phone network or physical SIM card.  This number can be linked to your computer, mobile phone, or landline and is not tied to a single location or telephone line. 

Many companies use their WhatsApp VoIP to create a dedicated support line. Multiple team members can access this virtual number from their devices, ensuring clients are assisted promptly regardless of location or time zone. Plus, companies can maintain a professional image and keep personal numbers private.

Note: Businesses need permission from users before making calls on WhatsApp. Call permission requests must also be made within an open conversation, such as for marketing or service-related purposes. This ensures customer privacy and aligns with WhatsApp's guidelines.

Why use a VoIP number for WhatsApp

Virtual phone numbers are becoming an increasingly common and useful tool for businesses. Here are some of the biggest benefits of using these phone numbers.

Synchronization across multiple devices

A single virtual phone number can be used across multiple devices in different locations, making it easy to stay connected using smartphones, tablets, laptops, and more. This technology breaks down geographical barriers, allowing seamless communication no matter how far apart you are.

With the rise of remote work, businesses are looking for reliable ways to stay in touch. Virtual phone numbers help ensure that calls aren’t missed, even if an agent is working outside the office and receives a call from a customer.

24/7 connectivity

As long as you have an internet connection, you can use your virtual number from anywhere. Answer calls and messages no matter where you are, ensuring customers can always reach you.

Separate business and personal communications

With a virtual WhatsApp number, you can keep your personal number private and still use WhatsApp for your business.

Competitive pricing

Adopting a virtual phone number removes the need for expensive hardware to manage multiple lines. All you need is an active service plan and an internet-enabled device. Once you have a VoIP number for WhatsApp, domestic calls are often free, and international calls are inexpensive.

How to get a VoIP number for WhatsApp with Plivo

Communication platform as a service (CPaaS) solutions like Plivo offer virtual numbers as part of their services. You can get a virtual number by following these steps.

Step 1: Sign up for an account with Plivo

Plivo offers a free trial to test its features. If you're already a Plivo user, log into your account and navigate to the console.

Step 2: Select your number

Click Buy Numbers. Choose the type of number you want (local, mobile, or toll-free) and where you want it to be located.

For example, if you're in the US and want a number with an eastern Massachusetts area code, enter ‘508’ and click Search.

Plivo will give you a list of virtual numbers from which to choose. You can view whether the number supports calls, texts, and MMS, as well as its monthly cost.

Once you've chosen your number, click Buy Number, and you're good to go.

Step 3: Configure your settings

Plivo offers many ways to customize your virtual number. For example, you can set up call forwarding, transfers, voicemail, and more. Configure your settings to meet your business needs by following the prompts and click Update number. 

How to verify a virtual number for WhatsApp Business

Once you have your virtual number, verify it on WhatsApp by following these steps.

Step 1: Enter your full phone number

Type in your complete phone number, including the country code.

Step 2: Choose your country

Pick your country from the list. Don't worry about adding the country code—it'll appear automatically.

Step 3: Request a code

Tap Next, and WhatsApp will send a verification code to your phone. You might receive it as a text message or a phone call.

Step 4: Enter the code

Type in the six-digit code you receive.

Step 5: Add your email (optional)

To make it easier to access your account in the future, add your email address in your WhatsApp settings. Go to Settings > Account > Email Address.

Top 5 WhatsApp Virtual Number Providers in 2024

The setup process for your WhatsApp virtual number is relatively straightforward, but once you have one activated, you need the right tools to manage it. With numerous cloud phone number providers available, selecting the right one for your needs can be confusing. Each provider offers different features and pricing.

To make your choice easier, we’ve gathered the top five virtual phone providers for WhatsApp based on customer reviews, pricing, support, and features.

Here are the five best virtual phone number providers for WhatsApp.

1. Plivo

Plivo is a cloud communications platform that makes getting and managing local, mobile, and toll-free numbers easy. On top of that, the platform also provides detailed analytics to help you make data-driven decisions.

Pros:

• Choose from local, toll-free, and 10DLC numbers.
• Forward calls to the right person based on availability, business hours, or time zone.
• Integrate with the WhatsApp Business API for added efficiency.
• Connect with your team and customers securely using conference calling.
• Use voicemail to make sure you get every message, even when you can't answer.
• Set up autoresponders to automatically answer customers, even when you're away.
• Build powerful IVR menus to direct calls to the right place.
• Send and receive SMS messages for things like surveys or reminders.
• Use Plivo's omnichannel contact center to manage all your customer interactions in one place.
• Keep your current number with number porting services.
• Automate customer service with Plivo’s no-code WhatsApp AI chatbot, powered by ChatGPT.
• Run tailored campaigns with Plivo’s WhatsApp marketing automation platform for personalized customer engagement.

Cons:

• Reporting features could be more comprehensive. (G2)
• Some users find the documentation lacking in certain areas. (G2)

Pricing:

Plivo offers pay-as-you-go plans with extra features included. You can also get volume discounts as you scale.

*All short codes have a $1,500 one-time fee charged at the time of purchase.

Ratings and reviews:

• G2: 4.5/5 (728 reviews)
• Capterra: 4.3/10 (85 reviews)

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2. RingCentral

RingCentral offers virtual numbers as part of its comprehensive communication platform. It's a complete, easy-to-use solution for calls, video meetings, messaging, and even faxing, all in one place.

Pros:

• Collaborate easily with team messaging, file sharing, and video calls.
• Route calls to the right agent reliably.
• Get voicemail transcripts to track conversations and coach your team.
• Use call whispering and barging to help agents troubleshoot in real-time.

Cons:

• Some users have noticed a minor delay on incoming calls. (G2)
• The initial setup does not include text messaging. (G2)
• It can’t be used on a laptop and mobile phone simultaneously. (G2)

Pricing:

Reviews:

• G2: 4.0/5 (137 reviews)
• Capterra: 4.3/5 (203 reviews)

3. MightyCall

MightyCall offers a cloud-based professional call center system. It is simple to use, with no extra hardware required. You can buy virtual numbers, make and receive calls and messages, and even personalize your business number.

Pros:

• Add as many team members as you need with unlimited extensions at no extra cost.
• Automatically greet callers and direct them to the right person with an auto-attendant.
• Keep your existing number with free number porting.
• Get your voicemails delivered straight to your email as text.

Cons:

• Some users experience dropped calls when answering through the app. (G2)
• Voicemail-to-text often misinterprets messages, making it too inaccurate to be useful.  (G2)

Pricing:

Reviews:

• G2: 4.5/5 (215 reviews)
• Capterra: 3.8/5 (98 reviews)

4. Grasshopper

Grasshopper is a great option for entrepreneurs and small businesses who need a professional virtual phone system. It offers local and toll-free numbers, call forwarding, voicemail transcription, and even an auto-attendant to greet your callers.

Pros:

• Get a virtual receptionist to answer calls and greet your customers professionally.
• Set up multiple extensions to route calls to different departments or team members.
• Easily go through received voicemails with voicemail transcription.
• Never miss a call with call forwarding.

Cons:

• Accounts are vulnerable to unauthorized access. (G2)
• Users have reported frequent glitches and errors. (G2)
• Navigating settings and finding support is challenging. (G2)

Pricing:

Reviews:

• G2: 4.0/5 (149 reviews)
• Capterra: 4.3/5 (342 reviews)

5. CloudTalk

CloudTalk is a modern phone system for startups and small businesses. It works with popular tools like Shopify and Pipedrive, and is a great option for WhatsApp virtual numbers. The platform makes outbound international calls easy by showing a local number to your customers.

Pros:

• Keep your current numbers by porting them to CloudTalk.
• Set up personalized messages or redirect calls when you're unavailable.
• Automatically send calls to the right agent with skill-based routing.
• Easily track missed calls and see which ones need follow-up.

Cons:

• Call routing can sometimes cause delays if no agents are available. (G2)
• The phone app doesn't always display up-to-date call history. (G2)

Pricing:

Reviews:

• G2: 4.3/5 (1118 reviews)
• Capterra: 4.4 (263 reviews)

Key factors to consider when choosing a WhatsApp virtual number provider

Business operations across borders come with challenges, and communication is a big one. Clear communication with international customers and teams is important, and international virtual phone numbers can bridge the distance to connect your business globally.

But before you choose a WhatsApp virtual number provider, consider the following factors.

Coverage and regional availability

Getting local numbers in key regions makes reaching your business easier for customers worldwide.

Choosing a virtual number provider with a wide range of international numbers helps your business connect with a larger audience.

Platforms like Plivo make this easy. You can instantly buy local, mobile, and toll-free numbers in more than 65 countries using Plivo's API and console.

Budget and pricing structure

Look at the cost per minute, monthly fees, and any extra charges like setup or cancellation fees. Choose a provider with clear pricing plans to fit your needs and budget.

Industry reputation and customer support

To find a virtual number provider that truly delivers, do your research. Go through customer reviews and industry reports to see how they measure up.

Ask other businesses for recommendations and look for providers with a strong track record of success. It’s also important to ensure they have a customer support team that's easy to reach.

Voice quality and uptime guarantee

When you're choosing a virtual number provider, call quality is important. 

The provider's uptime guarantee is essential, ensuring your service remains available without interruptions. A strong uptime commitment means your business can reduce the risk of dropped calls or service outages.

Plivo takes call quality seriously. We have strategically placed points of presence (PoPs) in key regions like California, Virginia, Mumbai, Singapore, Frankfurt, Sydney, and São Paulo. These points minimize latency and ensure high call quality.

Furthermore, Plivo's smart routing engine uses real-time data to optimize call routing based on factors like latency, jitter, and mean opinion score (MOS). This feature ensures your calls always take the best possible route for ideal performance.

Plivo also guarantees infrastructure security and 99.99% uptime, ensuring reliable and uninterrupted communication.

One of Plivo’s customers, Patrick Ryan, vice president of innovation at LAZ, shared:

“Reliability is really important because this is our revenue — this isn’t marketing. One of the things that got us comfortable with Plivo was the fact that you have a status page on your site that shows us the history of any glitches or downtime. It’s transparent, so I could see there was not one red dot in the last 30 days.”

Compliance and data protection measures

When choosing a virtual number provider, it's important to make sure they follow privacy regulations, especially if you're handling sensitive information during calls. The provider must offer encrypted calls and securely store call records to protect your privacy and keep your business on the right side of the law.

Plivo's security measures go above and beyond to protect your data and privacy. We use a multi-layered approach that includes:

• Physical security: Our data centers are protected with state-of-the-art security measures.
• Network security: All data is encrypted using transport layer security (TLS) and HTTPS.
• Application security: Secure access to Plivo's APIs is guaranteed through encryption and authentication.
• Data security and privacy: Your data is protected with backup encryption and strict access controls.
• Payment security: Industry-leading vendors are used to process all transactions and keep your payment information safe.

Number porting

Number porting lets you switch virtual number providers without losing your existing WhatsApp number. This is helpful if you've built a customer base or have important contacts linked to your number, as you can avoid updating everyone with a new one.

It also allows you to switch to a provider with better features or pricing without losing the number your clients already know.

Optimize your business communication with Plivo’s VoIP number for WhatsApp

Any business can benefit from using a virtual phone number for WhatsApp. Virtual numbers offer more flexibility and control, helping you manage communication and build your brand.

That's why thousands of businesses worldwide rely on Plivo, a cloud communications platform that simplifies personalized business communications.

Plivo offers a wide range of features, including virtual numbers, to meet your needs. With Plivo, you can set up your virtual number in minutes and access  features like local, toll-free, and 10DLC numbers, automatic call recording, API verification, number lookup, and more.

Book a demo today to see how Plivo can transform your business communications.

Today’s consumers value speed, convenience, and control—especially when it comes to customer service. Nearly 80% of customers prefer to solve their issues without needing to get in touch with a live agent. As a result, businesses are increasingly turning to interactive voice response (IVR) systems.

A well-optimized interactive voice response system allows customers to resolve issues quickly without speaking to an agent. On the other hand, a poorly designed IVR can frustrate users, damaging your brand’s reputation.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to optimize your IVR self-service system and make it easy for your customers to get what they need.

What is IVR self-service, and how does it work?

An interactive voice response system is an automated phone system that uses speech recognition and artificial intelligence (AI) to understand a caller’s request and direct them to the right place. 

IVR self-service uses a pre-recorded menu to guide callers through their options. Some IVRs use natural language processing (NLP) to understand what callers say verbally. Here's an example of what callers might hear when they make an IVR call:

"Welcome to Happy Pets Veterinary Clinic! For appointments, say 'appointments' or press 1. For prescription refills, say 'refills' or press 2. For general inquiries, say 'general' or press 3. To speak to an agent, say 'agent' or press 0."

If a customer says the prompt, the IVR system uses NLP to understand what they need. It might use a rules-based approach, where it recognizes specific words/phrases it's been programmed to understand. Or, it might use a more advanced machine learning algorithm that can analyze the sentiment of the caller’s voice, keywords they use, and even their intent.

If the caller uses the keypad, the IVR employs dual-tone multifrequency (DTMF) to recognize the numbers pressed.

Once the IVR self-service system understands the caller’s response, it sends them to the right place. This path is customizable and can be as simple or complex as needed. For instance, a pre-recorded message could answer the caller’s question, or the IVR may connect the caller to a live human agent for help. 

An IVR self-service system can::

• Solve problems quickly without needing to wait for an agent.
• Connect callers to the right agent swiftly.
• Schedule a callback if no one is available to talk right away.
• Use call forwarding to send calls to multiple numbers so agents don't miss calls.
• Easily transfer calls to another agent, a group of agents, a voicemail box, or another menu.
• Gather or update customer information, like a change of address.
• Offer other support options, like directing callers to your website or sending them a helpful text message.

This system leads to quicker solutions, faster support, and happier customers. Plus, it frees up your team to focus on trickier issues.

 However, to get the most out of your IVR self-service system, keep in mind a few important details. 

Best practices for optimizing IVR for self-service

You can turn your IVR self-service system from a basic answering service into a more advanced, customer-focused solution with the right strategies and tools. Here are a few tips to help you improve your interactive voice response system. 

Keep the IVR menu simple and intuitive

A good IVR self-service system should be easy to use and understand. Avoid long, complicated menus that confuse callers. Try to keep your main menu to five options or less. People tend to get frustrated and hang up if they have to listen to a long list of options. However, it’s equally important to ensure all relevant needs are covered. Callers should always have a clear path to reach their desired option or speak to a support representative if needed.

Here's an example of a clear and concise IVR menu:

"Welcome to Acme Software Solutions. For technical support, press 1. For billing inquiries, press 2. To speak with a sales representative, press 3. To reach the partnership department, press 4. To speak to an operator, press 0."

The options are clear and relevant to what a business caller might need, and it's easy to reach a human if they need more help. 

Pro tip: Use data from your phone system to see what issues your customers are calling about most, and tailor the menu to those needs.

Analyze your customer journey

Before moving forward with updates to your IVR self-service system, take time to understand the customer journey. Look for points where customers commonly face issues, as these often reveal why they’re reaching out for help.

Once you have a clear picture of these trouble spots, you can focus on specific areas within your IVR self-service system, including:

• Reviewing call patterns to identify tasks that could be automated
• Spotting where customers frequently switch to an agent
• Recognizing points where callers often get frustrated or disconnect

As you go through your current setup, consider questions like:

• Are there too many steps in the menu?
• Do the options cover the typical reasons for customer calls?
• Is the wording in the prompts straightforward?
• Are language preferences adequately supported?
• Can callers easily go back if they choose an incorrect option?

Addressing these issues paves the way for a smoother IVR experience and provides insights for future improvements.

Use AI and automation

AI-powered IVR can understand natural language, so customers can talk normally instead of being limited by menus. This capability leads to accurate call routing and a more personalized customer experience.

For example, if customers call to check their account balances, they can simply ask, "What's my balance?" instead of navigating through a long menu. The AI understands and directs them right away.

AI can also handle things like scheduling appointments and even offer personalized recommendations. For example, it might say, "I see you have a follow-up appointment due next month. Would you like to schedule that now?" This saves everyone time and makes for a smoother experience.

When you combine AI with automation, even more is possible. Your IVR system can handle routine tasks like bill payments, checking account details, or booking appointments. 

For example, a doctor's office could use AI to automatically collect patient information and confirm appointments. This frees up staff for other tasks and ensures patients get quick service, 24/7.

From an operational perspective, AI can also analyze call data in real-time. It can spot common questions or problems and suggest updates to your system. This means your IVR self-service system gets smarter and better at meeting customer needs, leading to happier customers and smoother interactions.

Use various IVR call-routing strategies

IVR call routing strategies quickly connect customers to the right person and ensure that no one on your team gets overloaded with calls. You can match callers with the team member who's best suited to help them.

Here are a few ways you can route calls with your IVR self-service system:

• List-based routing: Agent A always answers calls first. If they're busy, the call goes to Agent B, then C, and so on.
• Round-robin routing: Calls are passed around to each agent in turn. Agent A takes the first call, Agent B takes the next, and so on.
• Skills-based routing: The IVR self-service system asks the caller what they need help with and sends them to the agent with the right skills.
• Relationship-based routing: Important clients are prioritized and sent to their preferred agent.
• Most idle routing: The call goes to the agent who has been free the longest.
• Time-based routing: Calls are routed based on time zones and agent schedules.

Using a mix of these strategies, you can create an efficient interactive voice response system that quickly gets your customers the help they need.

Test and collect feedback

Make sure you regularly test your IVR self-service system and get customer feedback. Check for technical glitches and see how easy it is for people to actually use. This helps you determine what needs improvement and keeps your IVR system up-to-date and effective.

Here are a few ways to gather feedback:

• Add a short survey at the end of the IVR interaction. Ask callers to rate their experience or answer targeted questions such as, “Was it easy to find what you needed?” or “How satisfied are you with the support you received?” This quick survey can provide valuable insights into customer satisfaction and pinpoint specific areas for improvement.
• Include a feedback option in your IVR menu. Give callers a way to leave feedback directly through the interactive voice response system.
• Monitor call recordings and transcripts. Pay attention to areas where callers seem confused or frustrated. Analyzing these interactions helps you understand where the IVR self-service system may be unclear or overly complex. 
• Use analytics to track IVR performance. See which menu options are most popular, how long calls last, and where people drop off. Use this data to optimize frequently used pathways, shorten call times, and reduce drop-offs, ensuring the IVR self-service system meets customer expectations.

Use audio streaming to understand customer interactions

By integrating audio streaming with AI-based tools, businesses can offer advanced voice-based services, conduct sentiment analysis of agent-customer conversations, and better interact with users.

Plivo’s real-time audio streaming can analyze emotions to identify signs of frustration, confusion, or satisfaction. Based on this, the system can change its responses or transfer the call to a live agent when needed.

Plivo also helps you create conversational AI bots that interact with users through live audio. These bots can answer common questions right away, making customer service faster and easier.

In addition, you can integrate Plivo’s audio streaming with third-party tools for real-time transcription, so you can easily get text from your conversations. And if you need to communicate across different languages, it can connect with tools for live translation, making meetings or conferences much easier to follow.

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Optimize call queues

Waiting to talk to an agent can be frustrating, but there are ways to make the customer experience better.

For example, Plivo’s PreAnswer feature lets you play custom caller tunes or speak text after a call is transferred but not yet picked up. Some companies play music during this time, but more useful options exist.

Let’s say you're a software company offering a limited-time discount on your subscription plans. You could use this time to make an announcement using text-to-speech. 

Or, if you're transferring a call to your support team, which often handles the same questions, you could play a recorded message with answers to common issues. If that solves the caller's problem, they might hang up satisfied, freeing up your team's time for more complex queries.

Analyze call flow data for optimization

If you want to improve your IVR self-service system, keep an eye on your analytics. Some useful metrics to track include:

• How long callers are waiting
• The average queue length
• Peak call times
• First call resolution rates
• How many calls go to voicemail or get transferred to an agent
• Call abandonment rate

Plivo’s Call Insights feature helps you track metrics and generate reports.

Plivo’s Call Summary Dashboard gives detailed info on call quality, like how long calls take, delays, and packet loss. 

Plus, with Detailed Call Logs, you can see exactly what’s happening with each call—from where it’s coming from to why it might have dropped—helping you spot and fix issues fast.

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Benefits of using an IVR self-service system

An IVR self-service system provides many benefits for customers and businesses alike. Customers appreciate the ability to help themselves, which enhances their overall brand experience. Businesses can reduce customer service wait times and optimize existing resources affordably.

Additionally, a self service IVR system helps you in the following ways.

Personalized and intuitive conversation

More than 80% of consumers are more likely to purchase from brands that offer personalized experiences. This expectation extends to the IVR self-service system as well. By connecting your interactive voice response system to customer data, you can customize customer interactions based on individual histories and preferences.

For instance, when a returning customer calls, your interactive voice response system could greet them with:

"Hi, John! Last time you called about your software subscription. Are you following up on that, or is there something else you need help with?"

When your IVR self-service system provides specific support and friendly greetings, it feels more like a conversation than a transaction. These personalized interactions not only save time for customers but also create a more engaging customer experience. 

Provide 24/7 customer service

In the US, 27.7%  of people expect companies to respond within one hour. This makes 24/7 self-service IVR important. When customers can access help anytime, they are more likely to reach out on their own schedule, often after regular business hours.

The IVR self-service system can lower the number of inbound calls during peak hours, as well as field requests when your customer support team is off the clock. This system also allows you to assist customers across different time zones, which is essential for international clients.

Lower operating costs

A typical customer service call with a live agent costs between $10 and $19. A self-service IVR  transaction only costs about $0.03 to $0.25 per minute. By giving customers the tools to help themselves, self-service IVR reduces the overall number of support tickets. This saves money and eases the workload for your customer service team.

Gather customer insights

Interactive voice response systems can effectively manage high volumes of inbound calls while collecting data on customer inquiries. 

This information can provide valuable insights that shape important business strategies, such as: 

• Improving customer service protocols.
• Refining product line. 
• Addressing emerging customer demands.

Additionally, before presenting the menu options, you can upload messages to your IVR application. This keeps clients informed about the latest promotions, important changes, and other relevant news.

Improves customer satisfaction

Research shows that the IVR self-service first call resolution (FCR) rate is 74%, the highest among all contact channels. First call resolution measures the number of issues that can be resolved after one call to a customer support team. Higher FCR is better, since it indicates that customers are quickly getting the help they need. 

By achieving this high rate of FCR, self-service IVR solutions not only resolve issues effectively but also contribute to higher customer satisfaction.

Customers who experience FCR through IVR self-service report a 30% higher satisfaction score than those with non-FCR interactions. Given that self-service IVR typically handles straightforward tasks—such as order confirmations, account balance inquiries, and status updates—it’s well-suited to delivering quick, accurate solutions that enhance customer satisfaction.

Upgrade your self-service IVR with Plivo

If you want a high-quality and scalable communication solution with an easy-to-use interface and strong API features, Plivo is the right IVR system for you. It’s especially useful for businesses that rely on voice and SMS services worldwide. Its reliability makes Plivo’s IVR popular among businesses of all sizes.

In addition to these advantages, Plivo offers several key benefits like:

• Ease of use: Simple APIs and XML make it easy to create custom IVR flows for your business.
• Fully customization: Build multi-level IVR menus tailored to your needs. Use pre-recorded audio or text-to-speech for custom greetings and prompts.
• Intelligent call routing: Calls are directed to the right agent or department based on caller input, agent skills, or business hours.
• Outbound IVR support: Set up custom menus for outbound calls, like voting or surveys.
• Global reach: Enjoy stable connections in over 220 countries and territories.

Contact us today to discuss how our IVR solutions can improve your customer service experience!