9 features to look for in an inbound call tracking software

No matter how involved digital touchpoints become in successful customer journeys, phone calls will always remain pivotal in converting high-value prospects. For this reason, inbound call tracking software is one of the most important solutions for businesses needing to fill the gaps in their marketing data.

Implementing software – such as Mediahawk’s platform – will offer a more comprehensive way to track, monitor, and analyse your calls for actionable insights that increase leads and sales.

Whether you’re looking to gain a holistic view of your cross-channel campaign performance or derive speech insights from phone conversations, inbound call tracking software is the key to more effective marketing strategies.

In this article, we’ll highlight nine of the top features that reveal inbound call tracking software as the missing piece in your marketing puzzle.

9 must-have features when choosing an inbound call tracking software

Selecting the right inbound call tracking solution will significantly transform your marketing performance and improve your return on investment (ROI). You need software with valuable insights into customer behaviour and campaign effectiveness, along with a range of features to increase visibility and conversions.

Here are nine essential features to look for in your chosen inbound call tracking software:

1. Dynamic number insertion (DNI)

Dynamic number insertion is the cornerstone of effective inbound call tracking software. This technology will automatically display unique phone numbers to customers based on their marketing source. Whether they arrived through paid search, a social media ad, or email campaign, they’ll be shown a different number according to their point of origin.

This enables the software to provide detailed attribution for every interaction, showing the touchpoint each customer visits before, during, and after their call, so you have a holistic view of even the most complex customer journeys. This precise attribution will reveal the true impact of your campaigns and channels on driving calls, so you can make better decisions when adjusting and refining activities.

2. Keyword tracking

Keyword tracking takes DNI a step further, showing not only the campaigns that produce calls, but also the specific keywords searched when interacting with paid ads. Knowing which keywords triggered enquiries from pay-per-click (PPC) ads will connect the dots between searches, ad clicks, phone conversions, and ultimately, revenue generation.

You’ll have the data needed to make smarter decisions about your keywords, ad groups, and campaigns to help you significantly improve your paid search efficiency and your ROI.

3. Visitor-level tracking

Visitor-level tracking gives you the granular insights needed to track every customer journey in its entirety. You’ll be able to follow individual users who leave a session on your website and then join later on to make a call, giving you the full picture of the customer path.

This shows you how every campaign and channel influences an entire customer journey, no matter how minor or significant its role. Armed with this knowledge, you’ll be able to create more effective cross-channel campaigns and properly attribute value to each touchpoint.

4. Real-time reporting and analytics

Mediahawk’s platform offers customisable dashboards with real-time call data, showing you the cross-channel insights needed to adjust your campaigns in the right way – rather than waiting for weekly or monthly reports.

You’ll see the key metrics that matter most to your current strategies, whether that’s call volume, duration, conversion rates, or keyword attribution. Features like Parameter Connect allow you to immediately see the impact of campaigns across both online and offline channels, so you can make more accurate decisions that align with what’s really happening in your marketing efforts.

5. Missed and received call alerts

Every lead is crucial to revenue generation, and inbound call tracking software enables automated notifications for missed calls so no prospects slip through the cracks. You’ll also have advanced call handling features where you can set custom call routing times and destination numbers to suit your business opening hours and needs.

Response times dramatically impact conversion rates, so having the right system in place to capture every call will result in quicker follow-ups and recapturing opportunities that might otherwise be lost.

6. Speech insights and call transcripts

Automatically transcribe and analyse conversations with speech analytics features to extract relevant keywords, identify intent to purchase, and flag important interactions to refine your campaigns. This transforms unstructured speech data into actionable marketing intelligence that can increase your conversions.

For instance, you can spot common customer pain points being mentioned in phone call conversations, which you can address in your marketing for more targeted messaging that meets customer needs. Also, Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities allow you to gain instant insights on an individual and macro level – such as “Was the caller offered an appointment?” or “How satisfied was the customer with the outcome of the call?”

7. Redaction for compliance and security

Automated redaction is also key for inbound call tracking software, especially when your business deals with sensitive customer information daily. This feature will identify and remove sensitive information from call recordings and transcripts, such as credit card numbers, customer addresses, or personal information, for example.

This will support compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as well as other industry-specific standards. For instance, your healthcare business will need to ensure that all medical information is redacted for consumer protection.

8. Dynamic call whisper for sales and marketing alignment

Dynamic call whisper provides an additional layer of customer analysis to your active calls, where you receive contextual information to inform you about the caller before they answer. Where standard call whisper features highlight things like the business you’re being called from, Mediahawk provides marketing-specific insights, such as the channel that generated the call.

This way, you’ll know how to tailor your conversations to increase the likelihood of a conversion, whether it’s leading with the right opener or addressing the predicted queries to create a seamless customer experience.

9. Multi-level interactive voice response (IVR)

An intelligent IVR system for your inbound call tracking software will direct callers to the appropriate department or representative based on their selections. This not only reduces wait times and ensures enquiries reach the right team, but it removes caller frustrations and creates a seamless experience.

Your high-intent leads will receive priority handling and be routed directly to your most skilled sales representatives, while general enquiries receive appropriate support without tying up sales resources.

Final thoughts

The right inbound call tracking software does more than simply log calls – it provides a comprehensive view of how your marketing efforts drive valuable phone conversions. With key analytics from your platform, you’ll have the data-driven insights to revamp your campaigns and generate better conversions, and ultimately, ROI.

It’s time to re-evaluate your approach to inbound call tracking, and assess whether potential solutions, like Mediahawk, provide a step-up in features and insights to help you reach your marketing objectives.