What is click-to-call?
Click-to-call is a web-based communication method that allows users to click an element like a button, hyperlink, or text to connect with another user through phone call, voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP), or text.
This communication method helps prospects or customers connect directly and speak to a customer service agent.
Potential or existing customers turn to companies with various queries. These can be general support questions or queries specific to a product or service that are difficult to answer via emails. Businesses often use outbound call tracking software to handle and fast-track multiple requests.
Click-to-call applications
Click-to-call enables companies to quickly connect with customers and manage important call records. It also helps generate localized numbers for better responses, automate voicemails, and integrate this functionality into their customer relationship management (CRM) solutions.
Click-to-call is used in various industries, including:
- SaaS: The software-as-a-service (SaaS) industry uses click-to-call solutions in sales, pre-sales, onboarding, customer success, and even customer support. Visitors can find click-to-call buttons throughout a vendor’s website or fill out a form with their number for a quick callback.
- Tech: It’s not always easy to fix technical errors at home. Customers can connect with IT professionals through click-to-call for quick and easy solutions.
- Automobile: From prospective customers interested in buying a car to existing ones facing issues with their vehicles, click-to-call helps them connect with a representative and find an optimal solution.
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Travel: Click-to-call connects travel agents and customers for reservations or bookings.
Types of click-to-call technologies
While the term click-to-call is used broadly, it’s a variation of three related technologies.
- Computer-based: This is the simplest type of click-to-call, where a prospect or customer fills out a form with their details such as name, email, and phone number for a representative to get in touch. Some forms enable the customers to choose when they want to be contacted. Computer-based click-to-call technology converts web-based traffic into direct telephonic communication. Older methods required a customer to download software to enable this functionality.
- Click-to-dial: While commonly confused with click-to-call, click-to-dial works differently. It triggers an internal dialer and allows a user to place a phone call.
- Click-to-talk: Click-to-talk uses WebRTC technology to enable users to make a phone call over their data network using a built-in microphone or speaker regardless of the device.
Benefits of click-to-call
Click-to-call offers many advantages to users when implemented correctly. As the name suggests, the recipients are only a click away. Companies also benefit from using different numbers and gaining meaningful insights into their prospects or customers.
Here are some other benefits of click-to-call:
- Improves customer satisfaction. Click-to-call allows companies to contact their prospects or customers at a convenient time. This allows customers to communicate with a real person and resolve their issues.
- Convenient for both companies and customers. It works well for both companies and customers without having either party waiting to connect.
- Helps boost business. When businesses get in touch with prospects or customers, it increases the chances of purchase. This helps them feel more important, instead of them having to call the business.
- Improves customer journey. Agents provide a better customer experience by providing different forms of communication, such as co-browsing or video calling. This helps companies improve resolution rates, convert more customers, and improve customer satisfaction.
Click-to-call features
To get the most out of a click-to-call system, here are some features that companies need to look out for when choosing one for their business:
- Security: Click-to-call systems need to be highly secure to avoid compromising conversations. Most click-to-call systems are SOC 2 compliant.
- Reliability: Companies cannot afford failed calls as they drastically impact customer service. At the same time, customers don’t like failed calls or delayed responses. Therefore, click-to-call systems need to be highly reliable.
- Quality: Click-to-call systems should provide quality communication with great voice quality and without interruptions to ensure both a company and its customers fully understand a call’s context.
- Ease of use: Click-to-call systems should be easy to set up and use, meaning. Businesses shouldn't require a separate team to set them up or waste valuable time training agents on using them.
- Flexibility: The system should ideally match a company’s requirements. It shouldn't compromise on scalability or flexibility. Users should also be able to modify its features at any time.
How to create a click-to-call option
Companies can set up a click-to-call option on their website in many ways.
The most common (and free!) way to implement this is to embed the number on the company’s website. This allows users to get in touch with the company while browsing their website. Some global companies also provide local numbers to facilitate a personalized conversation.
Companies can also share their toll-free numbers on social media such as Facebook or Twitter. This is also completely free and helps prospects and customers to easily get in touch with the company's support team.
Another way is to create a click-to-call option via Google Ads. Google Ads allows companies to set up a call option under the Ad Extensions tab. Every time someone searches for a company or service and their ad shows up, they also see a call option along with the hotline number.
When interested, customers can click on the number next to the URL to call a business directly. This can be set up and optimized for desktop and mobile devices.
While this is a paid service, it can extensively boost a company's visibility.
Click-to-call best practices
While click-to-call is easy to implement and use, it’s important to understand some of its best practices for better functionality.
- Being prepared: Click-to-call makes communicating easier, so the number of calls a company receives is likely to increase. The agents should have all vital information handy to provide the best solution as quickly as possible. Companies need multiple agents to handle the increased traffic. It also makes sense to auto-route calls to available agents to reduce waiting times.
- Tactical placement: Companies should timely audit their website to ensure that their click-to-call number is updated, clickable on every page, and easy to find. This increases visibility and allows users to place a call regardless of the page they’re on. Businesses can also consider making the click-to-call button distinct so that users can quickly identify it. They can use a catchy headline for the button or make it part of sticky scrolling.
- Smartphone optimization: Apart from optimizing their pages' desktop version, companies should also make it smartphone-friendly and allow customers to find a click-to-call option regardless of their device.
Adithya Siva
Adithya Siva is a Content Marketing Specialist at G2.com. Although an engineer by education, he always wanted to explore writing as a career option and has over three years of experience writing content for SaaS companies.
