In today’s business world every enterprise needs an advantage to remain competitive and viable. This is why many organizations implement various technologies, marketing strategies and operational procedures. They want to be positioned to succeed while fending off the competition. One way that a business can stay on top of their game is by using a toll-free 800 number.
There are some businesses that do not believe that a toll-free number is important for their success. However, they’re sadly mistaken. An 800 number can help any type of business to have more credibility, improved customer service and increased profitability. Business owners and managers might know that they need an 800 number to help their organization. Still, they might not fully understand who provides this service. Any business that wants to add an 800 number to their organization should keep reading. They will quickly discover how to obtain a toll-free line and the benefits it can provide for them.
The key to picking the right toll-free number is finding the right provider. Knowing where to look for the right 800 number carrier will help a business to select the right number for their business. Now, let’s evaluate the carriers that offer the right type of toll-free services for different businesses. Here are the best ways to get an 800 phone number for your business:
Grasshopper is a practical 800 phone number provider. They make things easier for businesses when they want to get a toll-free line. First, businesses will not need to set up any extra equipment to utilize the service. They can have benefits such as multiple prefix lines set up for their business. The new prefix 833 line is also available. Businesses can use it to create new toll-free lines. Remember, a lot of the 800 lines have already been exhausted.
New prefix lines offer more toll-free line originality for businesses. Grasshopper customers are able to set up services which includes multiple lines, call forwarding, voicemail transcription and texting. A business can text from a toll-free number. This provides more flexibility when communicating. PC calling is also available. This feature is great for contacting clients without have a smartphone or phone set. Read our Grasshopper review for more info.
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RingCentral allows toll-free number customers to select from different types of prefixes. They include 844, 855, 866, 887 and 888. These prefixes give clients more flexibility with setting up different types of toll-free lines. RingCentral promotes a variety of numbers because it can give a business more flexibility when establishing different types of lines for business and communication.
Clients can also have their old toll-free lines imported to RingCentral. This will allow a business to maintain their current number. They won’t have to change anything and inconvenience customers. Keep in mind that some customers will no longer use a toll-free number if it changes. People are creatures of habit. Many of them will not learn new things if given a choice. So, RingCentral makes it easy for a business to keep the numbers they already have. Customers won’t have to be forced to learn a different number just to contact your business.
RingCentral sells their services in minute bundles. These bundles come in packages that range from 1,000 to 100,000 minutes. Packages are often custom made for each business needs. Small and large sized bundles are available for different businesses and their different sizes. Check out our RingCentral review for more information.
There is a toll-free phone provider called 800.com. This company offers a very simplistic 800 number scheme for a business. This plan is uncomplicated, and it is easy to get registered. A business can select the type of plan they need from the company’s website. Features sold by 800.com include number parking, vanity calls and number porting. They too have various 800 prefixes for their clients.
Pay-as-you-go service is the best benefit of Kall8. This toll-free provider specializes in pay-as-you-go because it allows companies to only pay for what they’re really using. Many phone providers offer packages that contain features that clients wouldn’t normally implement for their business. So, this benefit saves an enterprise money since they’re not getting charged for services they normally do not need for their operation. Vanity numbers are also available for clients. Having a vanity number for your business will allow customers and consumers to figure out who you are and what you have to offer. There is also an online management feature that allows clients to keep up with certain call data for improving marketing, sales and customer experience.
The phone provider FreedomVoice gives customers lots of different options when setting up toll-free lines. Since this company has been around from the mid-90s they have a lot of experience to offer their clients. Their experience has taught them that businesses need lots of great features to accompany their phone service. A virtual attendant is a great feature because it allows an organization to have 24-hour customer service for consumers. Virtual attendants also make it easier for a business to control their phone services and communication portals. Mobile technology is another important part of modern business. Having a mobile presence is crucial to reaching out to clients. FreedomVoice provides this service for their clients so they can easily access and control their toll-free services.
The provider also gives customers many different prefix options as well. They can even set up a vanity number. By the way, having a vanity number is great for any business. Vanity numbers are phone lines that uses a businesses name or slogan for the number.
Related: Best Virtual Phone Number Providers
An example of a vanity number is 1-800-BIG-PIZA or 1-887-FUNTIME. The point is that a vanity number makes it easier for consumers to remember an enterprises name and the type of business they operate. Other features offered by FreedomVoice include call recording, playing music for clients when they are on hold and retrieving name and addresses to automatically call clients.
Out of all the toll-free providers on this list GoDaddy might be the best-known company. GoDaddy is primarily known as a website domain name registrar. However, they do have toll-free number services. GoDaddy offers their SmartLine service for this purpose. They have an application for mobile devices which makes it easier for organizations to contact their clients. The setup process is easy to carry out.
MightyCall is a VoIP based toll-free service provider. They don’t rely on toll-free numbers only. This organization promotes internet call technology but provides toll-free lines so that a business can maintain a professional and dedicated number for customers. MightyCall has lots of assistive features such as call forwarding, call recording and call routing. There is even an application that will allow businesses to make calls away from the office. Businesses can also port their numbers to the MightyCall platform. Ultimately, VoIP services is what helps to make MightyCall a beneficial service. Remember that VoIP allows businesses to transform phone messages into emails, record calls and provide organizations with an auto attended.
Phone.com has a simple and memorable name and it provides many services. The company focuses on multiple device use. This means that Phone.com customers can use all sorts of devices such as landline phones, mobile phones and softphones. They also provide HD talk and voice. This is an advanced phone calling tech that allows callers to make Voice over LTE (VoLTE) over 4G networks. HD talk and voice makes calls sound extremely good over the network. Features from phone.com include group messaging and video conferencing.
CallHippo focuses on international calls and multiple line use. Small businesses and startups that don’t have a lot of money for communications services can share a toll-free line. CallHippo will direct a calling customer to the right business to avoid confusion. Sharing a toll-free line will allow a business to save money until they can get their own personal line. The international features offered by CallHippo allows businesses to operate services from 50 different countries around the world. International calling is made simpler and easier for clients. CallHippo does have personal 800 line available for businesses but they are standard schemes without many features.
The different ways to purchase a toll-free line has just been discussed. Now that we understand the ways to get a toll-free 800 number instantly, how to secure one quickly, and the benefits of signing up for one, we can look at what really matters: the price. Use the table below to compare the price of each provider service and what each of these services have available for their clients.
First, before toll-free plan prices are discussed, we’ll talk about quick approval for 800 lines. Providers do have toll-free lines available for clients. These numbers can usually be obtained once a person signs up for service on their website. However, the FCC has rules for obtaining toll free numbers. Remember they are purchased on a first-come-first-served basis. So, if a business has a unique name or idea that they want to use as an 800 number they should act on it as quickly as possible.
The FCC also doesn’t allow any business to stockpile 800 numbers, business name numbers or vanity numbers without using them. A business that plans on storing up numbers will have to quickly put those numbers to use, otherwise the FCC will make them forfeit them. FCC also wants numbers to be portable and Responsible Organizations often reserve and manage numbers for subscribers.
Just keep in mind that every toll-free line (and vanity line) that you purchase you have to use or forfeit it. You provider should let you know about the availability of numbers. Here are some other tips for getting 800 numbers approved quickly.
You should use 833 prefixes since they are fairly new. Remember the traditional 800 lines are commonly used numbers. Other prefixes such as 888, 877, 866, 855 and 844 are also available. So, if a business doesn’t have a lot of 800 numbers available, then one of these numbers should make a great substitute. Businesses are also encouraged to utilize alternate spellings for various vanity number lines.
The title of the vanity lines related to 800 number names should include keywords related to a website. Businesses should also consider alternate name spelling for vanity 800 lines and overdials for names that are too long to fit neatly into a regular phone number scheme. Make sure to research your number options. A good provider will also help to find the best vanity name or 800 scheme that fits your organization.
Related: Best Business VoIP Providers of the year
At the beginning of this articles we discussed how crucial it is for businesses to find different ways to improve their business strategies. Having the right type of 800 number can help in this process. A toll-free line helps to make an organization’s calling strategies impactful.
So, why does all this matter? As we’ve discussed, it’s easy to sign up and find a number that’s right for your business. However, businesses should be doing more to implement toll-free numbers into their calling strategies. Let’s take a closer look at why that’s the case, and what the benefits of having a toll-free 800 number are.
An 800 line adds legitimacy to businesses. This is especially true for startups and small outfits operated by one person. The 800 line just makes an organization appear to be more established, settled and knowledgeable. This of course doesn’t mean that a local number isn’t beneficial. However, the 800 number just makes an enterprise appear more official. Research also proves that customers would rather dial an 800 number than a local number. Once again, this proves that clients have a positive view of 800 numbers.
An 800 and vanity numbers are easier to remember. That particular point can’t be stressed enough. They are easy to recognize, and customers don’t have to do a lot of searching to find them. Since this is the case many businesses generally receive more calls for their organizations. This is perk that no business can afford to easily dismiss.
A business can easily brand their organization with an 800-number presented in a vanity number format. For example, 1-833-Hotfries. This quickly tells the customer what type of product you sell, and it gives them an idea that your business deals in food. Essentially, you are streamlining a customer experience with contacting your organization.
Don’t forget the useful benefits of smartphones and apps for your 800 line. Today’s technology will allow your customers to connect with you through mobile apps and/or a desktop PC. This expands your ability communicate with customers. You can receive calls on a computer at your business or you can be out of the office handling business from your tablet or smartphone. This frees up an organization to be more productive and to focus on other business operations.
Most people don’t like to pay money for anything if they do not have to. Toll-free numbers provide this money saving benefit for consumers. A business will have to pay for the service but a customer calling a business will not. Customers can simply contact your organization without being charged for the call. They will be more willing to get in touch because they simply won’t be charged for anything.
The prices for 800 plans will vary by provider. However, plans generally cost about $35 a month. However, some plans could be as low as $15 a month while others could cost $100 or more. Most plans are set with features and benefits. However, some plans can be custom made to fit an organization’s needs. Most plans are affordable but smaller enterprises should carefully consider their budget and their needs before they go out and sign up for a service.
No business should underestimate the benefit of an 800 number. This communication service can help a business to function at their best. It is also useful for branding and building up business awareness within society and the market. Ultimately, an 800-number toll-free line helps to make a business a very competitive force regardless of size or time in the market.
