Phone recording system for small business

The quality of customer service is a factor that affects your reputation and revenue. According to these surveys, about 95% of customers choose and remain loyal to businesses based on how good their customer support is. Surveys also show that about 80% of customers look for another provider due to poor customer service experience.

All these indicate the importance of monitoring and analyzing calls between agents and customers. However, since such conversations happen in real time, how do you do it? That's where a comes to your aid.

This post is about call recording software for small business owners and how to use it in compliance with laws.

Why use a call recording system?

A call recording system is a software solution for organizations to record real-time phone calls between agents and customers. It helps them:

• Assess agent performance and understand their strengths and weaknesses
• Understand customer preferences, pain points, and frustrations
• Analyze conversations and give feedback to agents
• Coach new agents based on data-driven insights
• Create better sales scripts and content
• Ensure compliance and protection from legal issues

Can I record a phone call with a business?

Yes. However, each country has specific laws regarding call recording. In countries like the United States, the law varies from state to state, so you must ensure that you are recording calls in compliance with all applicable laws.

Call recording laws in the United States

As a general rule, recording calls is legal in the US as long as you have the consent of one or all parties involved in the conversation. Whether you require one-party or all-party permission varies from state to state.

• States requiring one-party consent

Most states in the US, including New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Iowa, and Kansas, require only one-party consent. That party can be you as long as you are one of the parties in the conversations. Recording calls without the knowledge and consent of at least one party is considered a misdemeanor in such states.

• States requiring two-party/all-party consent

Currently, 12 states in the US require you to obtain the consent of all parties in the conversation before recording calls. These states include California, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, and Michigan.

Many US states further differentiate the conditions under which you can record calls. For instance, in Illinois, you need only one-party consent to record electronic conversations but all-party consent to record in-person conversations.

Call recording laws in other countries

Most countries allow call recording if you are a participant in the conversation. Countries like Germany follow an all-party consent policy. Furthermore, many countries have elaborate laws regarding the conditions under which you can record calls and regulations on how to use the recording.

Call recording – best practices

The regulatory compliance for call recording in a country may change from time to time. Moreover, in countries like India, the laws are unclear. If you are using a phone recording system but are not sure about applicable laws, it is safe to follow the all-party consent approach. Alternatively, you can check with your legal team or contact your phone system provider for more clarity.

Which call recorder is best for call recording?

Today, many VoIP business phone systems and contact center software solutions offer call recording software for small business owners as a built-in feature. The provider stores these recordings in the cloud, so you can access and play them anytime.

Ringover's phone recording system for small business organizations

Ringover is a leading phone recording system for small business organizations. It comes included in both basic and advanced calling plans and allows you to:

• Record calls based on the criteria you set.
• Pause recording a call and resume it at any time.
• Store recorded conversations in the cloud for six months.
• Access recordings from anywhere.
• Download the recordings.
• Share call recordings via link without downloading.

Other popular call recording software for small businesses

Given below are some of the popular business phone/contact center systems that offer phone recording systems for small business owners:

1. Ringover
2. Nextiva
3. 8×8
4. LiveAgent
5. Talkdesk
6. RingCentral
7. CloudTalk
8. CallHippo
9. CallRail
10. Freshdesk
11. Dialpad
12. Aircall

Which is the best free automatic call recorder?

Many free automatic call recorders are available in the market. However, these are usually third-party recording apps for personal use and are compatible only with mobile devices. They are either free or freemium versions with limited features.

Here are some of the popular free automatic call recorders:

• Automatic Call Recorder
• TapeACall
• Just Press Record
• Cube ACR
• Rev Call Recorder

Most free call recorders are available only for android or iOS devices and don't support web calling. Though some apps may have business functionalities, you need to upgrade to their premium paid version to enjoy such features. Moreover, free apps don't record VoIP calls like the ones you make using WhatsApp, Skype, and Viber.

If you are a small business owner, choosing a VoIP phone system with call recording features as part of calling plans is a better idea. You get many calling and call management features in one place for a monthly subscription fee. VoIP providers like Ringover offer call recording for small business organizations in the Smart subscription plan that cost $21 per user/month.

Which is the best hidden call recorder?

A hidden call recorder is a mobile app or software that you use to record calls on any mobile device – your phone or another person's phone. They are called hidden recorders because the apps are undetectable on the device and work in invisible mode.

However, please note that you can use them only in compliance with the laws. Since most countries allow you to record calls only with the consent of at least one party and also require you to be an active participant in the conversation, recording calls in which you are not part might have legal implications.

Usually, people use hidden call recorders to monitor the call activities of minors. KidsGuard, Hoverwatch, and eyeZy are some such apps available in the market.

Improve your contact center services with call recording software

There is no better way to monitor the quality of your inbound and outbound call center than using a phone recording system for small business owners. Since business phone systems like Ringover offer call recording as part of calling plans, you don't have to purchase it separately.

So, why wait? Learn more about Ringover's call recording software and choose a plan that suits your business needs.