In today's interconnected world, understanding the local time zone of your leads is crucial for timely and respectful communication. At Verse, we recognize the importance of aligning communication with your lead's local time to enhance engagement and response rates. This article outlines how we determine a lead's local time zone, offering two distinct options to fit your business's unique needs.
Option 1: Fixed Timezone
For businesses that operate on a regional or local level, setting a fixed timezone based on your business's location can streamline operations and ensure consistency in communication timings. This option hardcodes the timezone for all your leads to match the one set for your business. It is particularly advantageous for companies that serve a specific area, such as a solar company operating exclusively in California.
Practical Example: Consider a solar company in California receiving an inquiry from a consumer with a New York City area code. Given the nature of the inquiry is about solar installations in California, it's reasonable to assume the consumer is currently in California. Therefore, adopting the PST timezone for all such leads ensures communication is timed appropriately, respecting the typical local hours of your leads.
Option 2: Algorithmic Time Zone
For businesses that span nationwide or across multiple regions, a more dynamic approach to determining a lead's local time zone is necessary. The Algorithmic Time Zone option utilizes a combination of the lead's area code and postal code (when available) to accurately identify their local time zone.
Utilizing Postal Codes: When a lead submission includes a postal code, which is common in industries like Real Estate and Solar, we prioritize this information to determine the time zone. The postal code provides a precise location, allowing for an accurate time zone assignment.
Area Code Analysis: In cases where only a phone number is available, we analyze the area code to make an informed guess about the lead's likely location and, by extension, their local time zone. This method offers a reliable backup when postal codes are not provided.
By default, all accounts are configured to use the Algorithmic Time Zone setting, ensuring that communications are tailored to the widespread geographical distribution of leads.
Selecting the Right Setting for Your Business
Choosing between a Fixed Timezone and an Algorithmic Time Zone depends on your business's operational scope and the geographical distribution of your leads. Here's how to make an informed choice:
Regional or Local Businesses: If your customer base is primarily within a specific region or locality, the Fixed Timezone option simplifies communication strategies by aligning all communications to a single, consistent time zone.
Nationwide or Multi-Regional Businesses: For businesses that attract leads from across the country or multiple regions, the Algorithmic Time Zone setting ensures that each lead receives communication at a time that's appropriate for their specific location, enhancing the customer experience.
To configure the time zone determination method that best suits your business needs, please contact your Account Manager. They will assist you in setting up the optimal configuration to ensure your communications are both timely and respectful of your leads' local time zones.