As you may know, toll free numbers allow customers to contact you without being charged for the call. Instead, your business pays it, via a subscription service through a phone number provider (such as Global Call Forwarding). While the concept is simple, not everyone knows the benefits of having this service.
In this article, we’ll take a look at three key reasons why you need toll free numbers for your business, which include:
- Accessibility
- Professionalism
- Integrating Cloud Technology Add-ons
Reason #1: Accessibility
As mentioned in the introduction, providing a toll free number allows customers to contact you toll free. This may seem like a courtesy on behalf of businesses, but the truth is that toll free numbers allow customers and clients to reach your business when they may not have the means to dial long-distance or internationally. This may be a matter of economics or personal choice, but offering toll free numbers gives you access to people that your business would otherwise exclude.
Toll free numbers vary by country, so if you want to access new international markets, you need to be using ITFS numbers (short for “International Toll Free Service”). ITFS numbers are typically paired with the functionality of virtual phone numbers, which route calls instantaneously from one phone number to another. This means that if you want to reach customers in Ireland, using an Ireland toll free number can reach those customers with the same ease as any other local number.
Reason #2: Professionalism
Your marketing efforts are not only a way of enticing new customers and clients to do business with you, but also a way of broadcasting your company’s professionalism. Toll free numbers are normally associated with large businesses, like Fortune 500 companies, and professional organizations (like banks, credit unions, high-volume attorneys, etc.). Those companies are synonymous with running a business at a high level of integrity and reliability. Therefore, getting toll free numbers for your business can impart this same quality on to your operations.
Also, bear in mind that toll free numbers can give you a professional advantage versus those who choose to opt out. This includes competitors, who may not realize the benefits of toll free numbers or may not have the resources to do so. By offering toll free numbers, you deliberately separate your business from lesser organizations.
Reason #3: Integrating Cloud Technology Add-ons
Toll free numbers from a service provider like Global Call Forwarding offer more than just a free way of putting your customers in communication with your business.
Thanks to advances in cloud-communications such as VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), toll free numbers have a greater functionality than ever before. For instance, you can use “simultaneous ringing” in conjunction with toll free phone numbers so that a caller is never put on hold when calling your business directly; instead that same phone call is routed to either another number or department of your business that can handle the call immediately.
Then there’s “call forwarding,” which can route calls based on the time of day when your business is available. If your organization works in different time zones and/ or has different teams available globally, then you can forward calls based on which team is most ready to process inbound calls. Call forwarding can also direct calls from various virtual phones instantly to your phone when you’re available — when you’re on vacation or enjoying your offtime, these calls can be routed elsewhere.
Another add-on to toll free numbers through service providers is the ability to record and store your phone calls. This can be mission-critical for businesses that operate in financial and investing industries, particularly those that work with foreign countries. Many global regulators have set new standards to thwart scammers and schemes meant to manipulate these businesses. Therefore, if your business wants to ensure that it complies with regulators, call recording is a must.
Author Bio: Tom Senkus is a freelance writer and online marketer, with over fifteen years of experience. His passion is sharing his insights with readers to gain an edge on the competition. For more information, visit tomsenkuswriter.com.