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Getting a toll-free phone number is an important step towards providing your customers with the best possible customer service. This article will provide you with information on how to get and manage a business 800 number whether it be traditional or VoIP, including some tips for managing complaints when they arise.еЃ
The “how to get a 1800 number for free” is a great way to get your business off the ground. It can also be used as a marketing tool.
An 800 number is a great approach to establish a nationwide presence while also encouraging clients to contact your company. Subscribing to a business phone plan that includes a free 800 number is the easiest option to get a toll-free number for business usage. Many voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) providers provide you a single number for free or charge you to add one as a paid upgrade, but you may also buy 800 numbers from a separate 800 number supplier or a virtual phone number service.
We’ll go through each of the options for getting an 800 number in more detail:
Option 1: Use VoIP to get a free 800 phone number.
A free 800 number is included in some of the top business phone systems’ monthly subscriptions, and you can also buy extra phone lines. You’ll be able to pick a new phone number or port an existing one when you set up your VoIP service. Ooma generates a list of available 800 numbers, but RingCentral allows you to customize your number by selecting a prefix and inputting your desired digits to check whether they’re available.
Learn how to acquire an 800 number from one of the top three VoIP providers for businesses:
RingCentral
RingCentral offers one free 800 or local number with every package. You may choose from toll-free numbers in over 80 countries and have them routed to your company. In addition, toll-free minutes are included with all RingCentral subscriptions, ranging from 100 on the Essentials package to 10,000 on the top-tier Ultimate plan. It’s 3.9 cents per minute after you’ve used your allocated minutes.
RingCentral also provides 800-number minute bundles beginning at $29.99 for 1,000 minutes, which is more than twice the price of 1,000 Ooma bundled minutes. However, RingCentral costs $4.99 a month for an additional toll-free line, while Ooma charges $9.99.
RingCentral charges $14.99 per month with a $25 setup cost for international 800 lines. Learn more about the features that set RingCentral apart in our RingCentral review.
Go to RingCentral.com.
Nextiva
For a basic user, your Nextiva membership includes a local, fax, and 800 number, as well as one number for extra staff. Nextiva’s calling plans also include the most toll-free minutes, ranging from 1,500 on the X plan to 12,500 on the top two packages.
Nextiva, unlike Ooma and RingCentral, does not provide extra minute packages. However, the per-minute rate is lower than those of other carriers, at 2.5 cents vs 3.9 cents for RingCentral and 3.4 cents for Ooma.
Speak with a Nextiva representative if you require more than one phone number per user; they provide additional 800 numbers for as little as 95 cents apiece. In our Nextiva review, we go through additional features.
Go to Nextiva to learn more.
Ooma
A local or 800 number is included in the Ooma business and enterprise services. Every Ooma toll-free number comes with 500 minutes per month, with additional minutes costing 3.4 cents per minute. There are two toll-free calling options available: 1,000 additional minutes for $15 per month or 2,500 minutes for $30 per month. More VoIP functions may be found in our Ooma review.
The entry-level plans on Ooma are less expensive than those on Nextiva and RingCentral, making it an excellent alternative for a solopreneur or small company. If you anticipate a significant amount of incoming calls to your 800 lines, an Ooma option could be a good fit.
Visit Ooma
Most VoIP companies allow you to add more toll-free phone numbers to your new or existing subscription. Look at a list of your current numbers by logging into your service via the administrator site. From there, you may add a new phone number, choose a number type, and assign it to an extension using the menu. The additional phone costs are usually added to your next billing statement by most providers.
Option 2: Use a stand-alone service to get a toll-free number.
If you don’t want to buy a toll-free number from your current service provider, you may add a toll-free number from a virtual phone number provider instead. Virtual phone numbers function as a call forwarding service and typically include other features such as the ability to run messaging campaigns. In our guide to the top virtual phone number providers, you can learn more about this choice.
Option 3: Use a Non-VoIP Provider to Get a Toll-Free Number
Before you go shopping for another service, see whether your present one offers toll-free numbers. If not, you can get an 800 number from a standalone toll-free phone number provider for a flat, one-time price, in addition to looking into the possibilities VoIP companies have to offer. You may transfer the number to your current phone service if you use a third-party operator.
Who Should Use an 800 Number?
Any company that wants to have a national presence or use their phone number in marketing materials should consider getting an 800 number. You effectively have two numbers to utilize for your corporate communications if you use a business phone system like Nextiva, which provides a complimentary toll-free number.
The Advantages of Having a Toll-Free Number
Using an 800 number for inbound customer calls gives you a leg up on the competition. It’s also a cost-effective approach to boost the return on your marketing activities or give a contact number for clients who want assistance.
The following are some of the advantages of having an 800 number:
- Increase the size of your company: To become a nationally renowned corporation with an 800 number, go from being seen as a local brand. Your company number may be called from anywhere in the United States without incurring long-distance costs. RingCentral also provides international toll-free lines, allowing clients from all around the globe to contact your team.
- Unify your brand: Your organization may have many phone numbers for various departments, which may be confusing to customers. Calls to an 800 number, on the other hand, may be redirected to your main number for call routing or even to specified extensions, and can be used on all business and marketing literature.
- Boost the effectiveness of your ads: A distinctive toll-free phone number may boost calls to your company when utilized in marketing and advertising materials such as billboards, brochures, mailers, and digital advertisements. Customers may quickly remember your toll-free vanity number from a billboard by using the click-to-call option on your internet ad, scanning a Quick Response (QR) code connected to your phone number, or scanning a QR code related to your phone number.
Benefits to Small Businesses
While having a local phone number might endear your company to your town, having an 800 number gives your company a national profile. The majority of people are acquainted with toll-free prefixes such as 800, 888, 855, and 833. An 800 number offers the appearance of a huge, well-known company, instilling trust in your prospective consumers.
Small businesses often utilize a local business phone number for day-to-day communications and use their 800 number on marketing materials. Your toll-free number may also be linked to a particular campaign. This allows you to personalize caller welcomes and measure the effectiveness of your adverts. You may accomplish advantages comparable to call monitoring software on a lesser scale by reserving the 800 number for marketing.
Another efficient strategy to advertise your business is to use a toll-free vanity number. To make the phone number memorable, you might change the last seven digits. This is particularly effective for billboards and other forms of out-of-home advertising. For example, remembering 1-800-WINNERS or 1-800-FLOWERS is considerably simpler than remembering the particular numbers.
The Drawbacks of a Toll-Free Number
Although toll-free numbers have several advantages, in certain circumstances, having exclusively local numbers may be more beneficial to your company. Fortunately, you may start with a local phone number and then upgrade to an 800 number later.
The following are some of the potential drawbacks of having an 800 number:
- Increased cost: Many VoIP services provide unlimited free incoming calls. However, toll-free minutes aren’t always free, and you may be restricted in how many you can use, so overage costs may rapidly pile up.
- If you contact a U.S.-based 800 number from outside the United States, you may be charged a fee or the call may not go through. This necessitates extra costs to purchase additional phone numbers for usage by overseas customers.
- More spam calls: Your publicly listed toll-free number may get unsolicited solicitation and spam calls. Furthermore, if the phone number was previously used by another firm, you may get calls from people seeking for that organization. Spam, solicitation, and misdirected calls waste your team’s time and count against your permitted minutes, thus increasing your costs.
Alternatives to Toll-Free Numbers (800)
Combining a toll-free number with a small business VoIP service improves your brand’s reputation while also increasing calls to your company. Local, vanity, and Numbers from across the world, on the other hand, do the job. Before you choose a new phone number, do some research on your target market and figure out where you should put your effort and money.
Phone Numbers in Your Area
A local phone number is typically included free with your VoIP service. You choose a phone number with a local prefix from the region where your business is located. If you live in a small or rural area, you may prefer to pick a business phone number in a larger city. Likewise, it’s possible to expand to other sites by selecting Phone Numbers in Your Area in states where you want to reach a new market.
Vanity Figures
Vanity phone numbers may be local or toll-free in any combination of digits you choose. They can spell out a word or be an acronym. You pick seven digits for a vanity 800 number, whereas a local number consists of four digits (preceded by the local prefix). Vanity Figures are more memorable, such as 1-800-CONTACTS vs a local vanity number like 217-632-8888.
Numbers from across the world
If you’re expanding your business worldwide, Numbers from across the world help you establish a presence in other countries. Many providers, including RingCentral, offer local numbers in dozens of countries or you may have the option to select an international 800 number. This encourages foreign clients to call your business without worrying about expensive international charges.
Most Commonly Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is it possible to receive an 800 number for my mobile phone?
Yes. Incoming calls to an 800 number may be forwarded to your mobile phone or any other connected device using VoIP services. Simply give your toll-free number a number or extension, and it will automatically transfer calls to your mobile phone.
What is the origin of 800 numbers?
Toll-free phone numbers with the prefixes 800, 888, 877, 866, 855, 844, and 833 are nation-specific, enabling customers to call the number for free inside that country. Consumers dialing a toll-free number in their country may be routed to a call center anywhere in the globe via the international toll-free service (ITFS).
What is the cost of a toll-free number?
An 800 number costs different amounts depending on the provider, and many VoIP services provide one for free with your calling package. Toll-free 800 numbers cost between $4.99 and $14.99 each month. However, by chatting with your VoIP sales agent, you may be able to negotiate a cheaper price.
Conclusion
A toll-free number is a great approach to develop a national or international presence. Vanity toll-free numbers, in particular, are memorable, and their use might result in an increase in phone calls to your company. As a consequence, your brand’s reputation may improve, and you may be able to increase sales.
Despite the fact that several VoIP providers provide 800 numbers, we prefer RingCentral. It offers toll-free lines in more than 80 countries, as well as a variety of business-friendly services such as an automated attendant and video conferencing. Examine your 800 number alternatives and sign up for a free 30-day trial.
Go to RingCentral.com.
The “free 800 number forwarding” is a service that allows users to get an 800 number for their business. The cost of the service depends on the country in which you reside.
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