Tag Archive for 1 800 numbers

1 800 Numbers Make Your Business Communication Simple

April 15, 2013 admin Toll Free & Local Numbers

When your goal is to make customers call your business, then nothing works better than 1 800 numbers. It makes you easily available to your customers. A toll free number extends your business reach and encourages existing as well as prospective customers to call you using 800 numbers.  Customers might need to call you for a variety of reasons: inquiring about products/services, customer support, etc. But when you are using a toll free number, they are pretty sure that you value their call and they feel important.

Convenient and Cost Effective Calling

In today’s busy times, convenience is very important. 1 800 numbers not only make it easier for your customers to call you but also enables your employees, partners, and suppliers to reach you conveniently and cost effectively 24 hours a day. A toll free number makes you easily accessible across the country. Customers, partners or employees can now call you for free from anywhere in the country, even when they are calling from somewhere far. This goes a long way in building your business reputation.

Tailor Made Plans

Most of the service providers of 1 800 numbers offer robust service plans that are tailor made to meet the need of every entrepreneur. You can start by choosing one of these plans and can change to another plan as and when the business grows. Most of the providers do not even require a long term contract for using this number service. Moreover, you can also enjoy a free trial with most of them!

Stay in Touch – Always

1 800 numbers also allow the creation of extensions. It is now easy to create and use dedicated extensions for every department or for every employee. Using a toll free number it is also possible to forward calls to your cell phone or any other phone. So now it’s possible to answer customers even when you are not in the office, traveling, in a hotel or anywhere. A toll free number plays a crucial role in maintaining constant connectivity with customers, colleagues, partners or employees.

Advertising Your Business

1 800 numbers serve another very important business purpose. They can be used for advertising your business, products or services. A special type of toll free number, known as a vanity number is used for this purpose. Vanity numbers contain a combination of numbers and words (or phrases) that closely represent the business. For example, 1 800 GET LOAN – this clearly shows that this is the number of a loan broker. A vanity number clearly propagates two very important messages: first, the type of business (it usually contains the name of the product/service) and second, the contact number to reach the business.

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1 800 Numbers to Boost Your Business Image

March 11, 2013 admin Toll Free & Local Numbers

Way back in 1967 when 1 800 numbers were first introduced, they were considered nothing more than an act of novelty.  It was also a way businesses could help their customers reduce their spending on long distance call. But with time, toll free numbers (as they are popularly known) have changed their character. Now these numbers are used as a token of your professionalism and they also play an important part in boosting your professional image.

It does not matter if you are a new entrepreneur or planning to expand your existing business, 1 800 numbers can be an important tool to showcase your credibility, professionalism and also for your marketing and advertising needs.

Needs no Hardware or Software

Yes! You read it right. 1 800 numbers do not need any expensive hardware, software or installation. You do not even need a dedicated telephone connection for using this number. It can be used with any of your existing phones. You pay your service provider a minimal monthly fee and can use this number for the benefit of your business. Your service provider actually hosts the number, much like the hosting of your website.

Using it in Conjunction with a Virtual Phone

Using your toll free number with a virtual phone system can help your business in more than one way. You get an automated attendant to answer the call, use voicemail box and other advanced services like call forwarding. When a customer dials your 1 800 numbers, an auto attendant answers him/her 24/7. An auto attendant works like an automated operator answering and routing your customers. An auto attendant can forward your calls to more than one number of your choice thereby minimizing your chances of missed calls. But if you are not available to answer the call, it forwards it to your voicemail box.

For Marketing and Advertising Needs

1 800 numbers also work as an effective marketing and advertising tool. But a vanity number is especially successful for this purpose. It is quite unreasonable to expect that your customers will remember your 10 digit number that they saw on a billboard while passing on a highway. For them, it is nothing more than random 10 digits. Why not give them a clue to remember your number? It can be beneficial for both of you. You will have the chance of getting more business and your customers can contact you easily at the time of their need. A vanity number exactly does this. It is an alphanumeric toll free number that contains a word or a phrase related to your business. For example, 1 800 ADULT CARE, if you run an adult care center.

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1 800 Numbers Give Your Customers Extra Holiday Savings

December 5, 2012 admin Toll Free & Local Numbers

Welcome to the 2012 Holiday Shopping Season! The hustle and bustle has begun. Shoppers are out and about looking for the perfect gifts for their friends and families. For many, this season – like the last few years - is about searching for the best deals around in an effort to save as much money as possible. Times are lean for a good percentage of holiday consumers.

Bargains can be found in many forms - from clipping coupons to favorite stores to getting a bonus $5 gift card when purchasing a $25 gift card to buy-one-get-one savings. Shoppers are not willing to pay full retail for anything anymore. They are looking for savings wherever they can find them.

Whether you realize it or not, just having a toll free number for your business is one of those savings. Allowing your customers to reach you toll free via 1 800 Numbers adds to their holiday savings. During this tough economic time, most consumers are looking for every break they can get. Being able to reach your business without incurring any additional charges is just the added break that they will appreciate.

1 800 Numbers instill confidence in consumers and give small and home-based business an added image boost but during the holiday season it is like you are also giving your customers a gift. That long distance phone charge is one less thing they need to worry about being added to their growing holiday spending.

A long distance charge may seem trivial to some, but there are many consumers who are truly struggling this holiday season. They may be trying to squeeze out enough money to purchase that new set of art supplies their child really wants or the new pair of sneakers that their child really needs. In this scenario, every penny counts, and knowing that there is no cost to them when they call your business using 1 800 numbers will go a long way in their eyes.

The benefits will last long beyond the holiday season. Consumers will still need to call your business and they will continue to appreciate the added bonus of not having to pay for their call.

 

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800 Numbers are Essential for Work at Home Moms

April 23, 2012 admin Toll Free & Local Numbers

If you’re a work at home mother, then you will absolutely need to use an 800 number; there’s no doubt about it. You see, if you’re running your business through your home, then your home phone number simply will not do while you are trying to advertise your business because your home phone number is most likely not an 800 number. But if you don’t want to pay for the extra 800 number, then why get it?  

  • An 800 number allows you to do business with people who are farther away, so you won’t have to worry about incurring long distance charges for your customers.
  • 800 numbers are professional. Whenever you think of  “1 800 numbers”, you most likely think of a company or corporation. The bottom line: an 800 number is professional, and it will make your business that much more attractive if you advertise it.
  • An 800 number allows you to easily compartmentalize your business and personal calls.

This works in a few ways:

If you have an 800 number, you don’t have to give your home phone number to all of your clients. This is good for your privacy and convenience, as you will know that anyone who calls your home phone number isn’t doing it for the sake of your business.

If you have an 800 number, you will specifically know that people are calling it to talk to you as a business, not as a personal individual.  

800 numbers can be personalized to specifically suit your business. For instance, Stanley Steamer uses 1-800-STEAMER as its vanity 800 number. This will make it easier for people to remember your business’ number if they happen to not have it written down.

Additionally, your 800 number does not need to be a new line for your home. Therefore, if you wish, you can save the expense of installing an additional phone line and simply have your 800 number tied to a virtual phone system like iTeleCenter. Due to its convenience, professionalism, and ability to expand your business, 800 numbers are essential for work at home mothers.

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Do You Really Need a 1 800 Number?

April 6, 2012 admin Toll Free & Local Numbers

When you are starting out in your business, you may ask yourself whether you truly need a 1 800 number. After all, in the early days of your entrepreneurship, the last thing you want to do is spend money on things that don’t seem as though they will provide you any advantage over the competition. So you dismiss the idea of 1 800 numbers. 

What you may be missing out on, though, is the fact that while most phone service providers no longer charge their customers for long distance calls, so they aren’t concerned whether you live in state or across the country, there is a prestige that is associated with toll free numbers that you simply don’t get with any other exchange. 

When customers seek out businesses and find an area code they are not familiar with, there is a sense of distrust. It’s not that the customer immediately assumes that the business is not going to be there for them, or that there will be issues with service. It’s that a business that dissociates itself from their customer base, through something as simple as a phone number, it doesn’t instill the confidence that consumers need to click the ‘buy’ button in their web browser. 

However, there is a power and presence associated with 1 800 numbers that tells the consumer that you are a serious business, that customer service matters to you, and that you are professional from top to bottom. When you are working hard and striving to build your business, every advantage is going to make a decided difference. When you are ready to take your business to a higher level, ask yourself again whether you really need a 1 800 number. When your business matters to you, then you should consider a one.

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