What are 1 800 Phone Numbers?

What are 1-800 numbers?

1-800 numbers are toll free numbers that charge the cost of making a long-distance call to the owner of the number, rather than the person making the call. This is a common practice for companies and business owners, to avoid dissuading a customer from calling.

Why Get One?

1-800 numbers allow users the potential to call a business without charging the caller long-distance charges. For a business owner or company, this invaluable tool allows them to reach more customers, boosting revenue generation and increase overall customer contact. For customers, it allows quicker, easier, and cheaper access to contact a business for order status, to place an order, or to discuss a concern.

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Validation

For a business, having a 1-800 lends credence to their legitimacy, as businesses are expected to have one. Small companies sometimes prefer a standard number with a regular area code and prefix to avoid the cost, but this can hemorrhage revenue, as studies show customers often will not call a “regular” number unless there’s an existing relationship. Thus, not having one limits the chances of new avenues of potential growth. In the past, only larger businesses had 1-800 numbers, but as they gradually became more affordable, they also evolved into a business expectation.

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International Benefits

In the age of international commerce, moving businesses globally has become an established trend. International companies are looking to expand, and the Western world (especially the U.S.) is almost always one of the first places a company looks to when considering global expansion. Hence, having a 1-800 number decreases their expenses in considering you for a buyer or seller, making you more attractive to do business with. Moreover, having a virtual international forwarded number can decrease your costs even more.

In short, having a 1-800 is a business necessity. Enabling customers to call your company is something every business should take advantage of. It adds validity, makes you a more attractive company for a national or international customer, and separates you from other businesses.