Toll-Free Phone Numbers

Learn how a toll-free phone number service can help expand business reach, build trust and optimize overall efficiency. Explore types, advantages and how to get a 1-800 number for business!

What Is a Toll-Free Phone Number?

What phone number do you offer customers and leads to contact your business? If it is not a toll-free number, you might be letting valuable customers slip away, as well as seriously inconveniencing the ones who do call. 

“Toll” is another word for a monetary fee. Some phone numbers charge callers a toll when they are dialed — even if nobody answers. Toll-free numbers do not charge a fee. As the name implies, toll-free telephone numbers do not incur any charges for calls from landlines or cellphones with “unlimited calling” plans. This is true regardless of the state or city from which they are dialing. Instead, the company covers any costs incurred on the call. This is an investment most businesses are happy to make since it provides an impressive ROI.

Many businesses choose to buy toll-free number services for their contact center, and you can, too. In this article, we will discuss why a toll-free number can improve your businessa and offer helpful suggestions for setting one up. If you have any more questions, please contact the TeleDirect team.

Why Buy Toll-Free Number Services?

Customer experience matters to your bottom line — and a 1-800 number for business will help you deliver the best. Here are a few reasons why:

• It Expands Your Reach

We live in a global society. Thanks to modern technology, you might have leads and potential customers across the country. With a toll-free number, anyone in the country can call you, regardless of the city or state where they live. This allows you to reach more customers.

• It Helps Serve Customers Around the Clock

Your toll-free business number can be directed to a TeleDirect call center so that true customer service professionals can handle every call you receive. Our inbound and outbound call centers have options to function 24/7, so you can serve every time zone, all day, every day.

• It Builds Trust and Brand Loyalty

Your clients have an important question or urgent problem to address. They don’t want to be charged money simply for trying to contact you. Customers may switch to another brand and advise others to avoid your company when this happens. This can be avoided by providing your customers with the courtesy of a toll-free number to call.

• It Increases Your ROI

With a toll-free number, more people can access your business. This is huge! By allowing more people to access your contact center and speak with your team, you can open your company to a bigger client base, more sales and a bigger ROI.

Toll-Free Business Number Types

Toll-free numbers all begin with a three-digit number, starting with eight. There are several different toll-free business number variations: 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888. This allows for more numerical combinations and options for businesses to have toll-free numbers. 

Some brands choose to use a “vanity” toll-free number. These are phone numbers where the digits also spell a word, usually related to your industry, like 800-BUBBLES for a spa or hot tub company or 800-GIGGLES for a chain of comedy clubs. A famous example of a vanity number is 1-800-FLOWERS: that’s also their brand name!

How to Get a Toll-Free Number for Business Purposes

Ready for your toll-free number for business? Toll-free numbers are assigned by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and it is done at random. To get a toll-free number for your business, you can contact a “respectable organization,” often called a RespOrg. RespOrgs are companies that reserve and distribute toll-free phone numbers to businesses across the country. They are certified by Somos Inc., the company that manages the overall database of toll-free numbers.

The FCC also developed the 833 Auction, which allows companies to “bid” for an 833 number.

Have More Questions About Toll-Free Telephone Numbers?

We have answers. At TeleDirect, we have been helping businesses succeed for two decades. Our call center services were developed to help companies like you expand their business, provide better customer support and handle all forms of communication — all on your time, using your unique branding and verbiage. No matter what industry you are in or where your business operates, we speak your language and are here to help you strengthen your bottom line.

Ready to learn more? Get in touch with our dedicated team. We love a good phone call! Contact us on our toll-free number: (800) 776-1081. We can’t wait to hear from you and learn about your business.