Should You Use One or Two Toll Free Belgium Virtual Phone Numbers to Accommodate Language Differences?

By using two Belgium virtual numbers, your customers will be immediately connected to a customer service representative who speaks the predominant language.

Antwerp BelgiumBelgium is an interesting European country whose population is divided into two main groups: the Dutch-speaking Flemish community and the French-speaking Walloon community.

Because of these language differences, establishing either one or two toll free Belgium virtual phone numbers may make sense for your business.

Why Use Two Toll Free Belgium Virtual Phone Numbers Instead of One?

When you establish a toll free virtual phone number in a country other than your own, it’s smart to set the destination “ring to” number to a specific phone line in your call center or office. That way, all calls coming from your virtual phone number in Belgium can be routed to a specific customer service representative who speaks the language and is familiar with the country’s nuances and business etiquette.

However, when you have callers from Belgium, you’ll need both French-speaking and Dutch-speaking representatives to field those calls. Having individual Belgium virtual phone numbers for the north (where Dutch is primarily spoken) and south (where French prevails) is one of the more efficient ways to divert the calls to the correct customer service representative.

Using Just One Belgium Virtual Phone Number

Having two Belgium virtual phone numbers does add some complexity to your marketing strategy as you’ll need to ensure that the appropriate virtual phone number is advertised in the appropriate geographical regions.

If you’d rather keep it simple with just one toll free virtual phone number for Belgium, you can definitely do so. Use the voice response system to prompt callers to select their language preferences. When callers who speak French call your Belgium toll free virtual phone number, they’ll be able to press “1” or “2” (depending on how you set up the IVR system) to be connected to a French-speaking agent. The same is true of callers who speak Dutch.

Which Option is the Best Option?

It’s ultimate up to you to decide which option makes the most sense for your business. Since there are two distinct language differences between the north and the south, you’d likely need to publish your marketing materials in different languages anyway. Having separate numbers for the north and south shouldn’t cause too much confusion amongst your marketing personnel.

The cost difference between maintaining one or two individual toll free virtual numbers for Belgium is minimal as you essentially pay by the minute.

Think about the customer experience as you decide. By using two Belgium virtual numbers, your customers will be immediately connected to a customer service representative who speaks the predominant language. This is more welcoming than an automated prompt, and it feels more local.

Which option would you choose?

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