Having more effective telephone fundraising
The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) will be turned off on 31 January, 2027, meaning charities with a landline must switch to a futureproofed alternative such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). So really it is now a matter of choosing a suitable VoIP system and charities understanding how to fully utilise their digital telephone lines to make fundraising more effective.
Telephone fundraising still has an important role to play in income generation by helping to build trust and rapport. Despite the growth of email and social media fundraising, speaking to supporters on the phone allows charities to tailor each fundraising interaction to the individual, which is less feasible with many online methods.
However, the upcoming PSTN switch off could leave charities without a functioning phone system. On 31 January, 2027, BT Openreach will turn off the PSTN’s copper wires in favour of a fully digital network, meaning that analogue phone systems will no longer work. According to Ofcom’s Connected Nations 2023 report, two in five landlines still rely on a PSTN connection, so it is likely that a sizeable number of charities need to switch to a futureproofed alternative.
No time like the present
Although the switch off is just over two years away, it is important not to delay switching. With data showing that Openreach has already stopped the sale of PSTN-based telephony products to over 880,000 premises, the production of replacement parts has also slowed. Repairing broken or damaged equipment will therefore become difficult.
As a result, charities using analogue phone systems are likely to face reliability issues, with Ofcom data showing a 60% increase in lost service hours for copper landlines in 2023.
Adopting a VoIP system not only ensures that charities stay connected but can also improve flexible working practices. According to the 2023 UK Civil Society Almanac, one third of charity staff work remotely, so the fact that VoIP only requires an internet connection and the relevant software means that fundraisers can take calls from anywhere. Additionally, VoIP is easily scalable, meaning that you can add or remove lines if the size of your fundraising department fluctuates.
However, for charities which have yet to switch to digital phonelines or want to upgrade their existing system, it can be difficult to know what to look for.
Before selecting a system
If this is the first time your charity will be using a VoIP system, you will need to ensure that you have the right equipment and broadband in place. Luckily, VoIP calls can be made using a variety of devices, such as compatible office phones, tablets and smartphones, facilitating home working. Alternatively, you can buy a plug-in VoIP adapter for your preexisting phone system, which will allow it to connect it to the internet.
As long as you have a broadband connection, it is likely that it will be fast enough to handle calls over the internet, as VoIP only needs speeds of around 100 kilobits per second (kbps) for one phone line. Even if 20 staff were making calls at once, this would only require a speed of around two megabits per second (Mbps), which is much lower than the UK’s average broadband speed of 69.4 Mbps.
One of the biggest advantages of switching to VoIP is that its range of advanced features can make calling supporters more effective. Even if your charity has already adopted VoIP, it is possible that you are not fully utilising your system’s features, or that it is lacking some elements that would make calls much easier.
Recording and monitoring
Opting for a system that offers call monitoring can help to train newer employees, boost supporter experience and ensure that industry standards are being adhered to. Paying attention to the language and tone of your staff helps to make sure that they are speaking to donors respectfully.
Additionally, you can verify that they are keeping to the “Fundraising by telephone” standards set out by the Fundraising Regulator, such as giving the name of the charity they are fundraising for, and not asking for a financial contribution more than three times during the call.
While call monitoring now comes as a standard with many digital phonelines, some solutions also offer call whispering, which allows you to talk to fundraising staff while they are on the call. Providing employees with real-time feedback can speed up the training process, as well as allowing any issues to be addressed immediately.
Of course, in these situations, it is important to let supporters know that the calls will be recorded for training purposes, and you should not share the recording with third parties without the caller’s consent.
Call reporting can also be beneficial when it comes to assessing the performance of your staff, as you can see how many calls they are making. Not only can this feature help you to review if staff are hitting targets, but it also helps to save time, as employees do not have to make a note of each outbound and inbound call.
Integration and automation
You should look for a VoIP system that offers customer relationship management (CRM) system integration, which will allow you to keep track of customer interactions effectively. As well as saving telephone operators time by eliminating the need to manually input customer information, this feature can also assist you in complying with fundraising standards.
For example, the Fundraising Regulator’s “General standards of fundraising” outlines that charities must be able to justify how often they contact people, by achieving the right balance between communication and overwhelming supporters. Being able to see how frequently you have called supporters helps make sure you do not bombard donors with calls.
Likewise, having access to a wealth of information about supporters gained from previous interactions can make it easier for your staff to personalise their conversations.
Another feature that increases efficiency is autodialling, where the system dials numbers from a pre-loaded list of contacts. While this can save time, it is essential that you already have consent from the supporter to call them in this way. If not, you will be breaking the Fundraising Regulator’s rule on automated dialling technology.
A further benefit that VoIP systems can offer is voicemail to email, which forwards voicemail messages straight to the caller’s email inbox as an audio file. In the case where a supporter has tried to return a call and was unable to get through, the operator will be able to view the message without spending time dialling their voicemail service.
Choosing a provider
Once you know what to look for in a VoIP system, there are some important considerations you should make before selecting a provider. Namely, these are cost, service and security.
While more sophisticated systems will likely cost more than simpler VoIP setups, make sure you are not overpaying. The cost for overseas calls should be much cheaper than with a landline, as making calls over the internet is more affordable than with traditional telephony infrastructure. Therefore, if you are carrying out an international fundraising campaign, ensure that you are not paying over the odds for doing so.
Secondly, you should look for a provider that offers a high level of service, warranty, technical support and account management. For example, it is important to know details of the provider’s minimum service level, as this will inform you how they will respond in the case of system outages and how long you may have to wait without being able to undertake fundraising calls.
Additionally, looking for a provider with ongoing technical support and guidance can help to iron out any issues or difficulties that staff encounter with the new system, ensuring that they can get the most from it.
If your VoIP provider also supplies your broadband, it is worthwhile asking them about quality of service (QoS) techniques to ensure that you do not experience lagging or audio quality issues with your VoIP calls. With numerous studies showing that audio problems can cause caller sentiment to drop, prioritising voice calls over other traffic with QoS parameters helps to improve supporter experience.
Encryption and other security
Finally, security is a hugely important consideration when selecting a digital phone system provider. VoIP is highly secure, but as it takes place over the internet, it is essential that you take the standard precautions that you would when carrying out other online activities. This includes confirming that the VoIP operator offers an encrypted connection, and would be implementing a SIP-capable firewall to filter calls and protect your network against content that puts it at risk.
With the PSTN switch off fast approaching, digital telephony is no longer just an option, but a requirement. However, its advanced features also offer a range of benefits for charities carrying out telephone fundraising. Knowing what to look for in a VoIP system and provider ensures that fundraisers can make the most of this futureproofed technology.
