A work phone number is not just a mode of communication for the customers to get in touch with the business. It’s more of a tool that teaches trust and faith among the existing customers and prospects that the business is genuine and willing to cater to their needs.  Whether you have just started or already running a successful corporation, it’s integral that you have an easy and efficient way for your customers to speak to your whenever they need any assistance.  This is when toll-free numbers can make a world of difference.  

What is a Toll-Free Number?  

Toll-free numbers are business phone numbers with distinct three-digit codes that are easy to remember and dial. These numbers allow the callers to reach the business without being charged for the call. Let’s put it this way, the company incurs all the costs for the calls landing on these numbers.  

But what difference can it make to your overall business operations? That’s what we have aimed to discuss in this blog. You’ll learn about the different types of toll-free numbers, how they work, and the overall impact that these numbers may have on your business. So, let’s jump in!  

What Are the Different Types of Toll-Free Number?  

Toll-free numbers are playing a determining role in helping businesses build trust and loyalty. As a business owner, you must understand the different types of toll-free numbers available and the purpose each serves. This will help you decide which one will best fit your business’s needs.   

International Toll-Free Numbers  

International toll-free numbers are best suited for businesses having customers across multiple geographies. These numbers make foreign businesses accessible to local customers without the need for the management to invest in a physical office. If your business is located in the United States but has customers based in Asia, they can reach out to you at zero charges.  

Any calls to an international toll-free number can be seamlessly forwarded to mobile, landline, and VoIP phones on the go. This helps businesses overcome the challenges posed by the difference in time zones across geographies and provide top-notch customer service.  

Domestic Toll-Free Numbers 

Domestic toll-free numbers are similar to international toll-free numbers. The numbers can be called by anyone residing in the same country where the business is located without any charge being levied. This implies that if your business has its base in the U.S, any customer within the same country can speak to you free of cost.  A domestic toll-free number in USA can also be a vanity phone number. Vanity phone numbers have the highest recall value and provide a significant boost to brand equity.  

Universal International Freephone Numbers 

Universal international freephone numbers, or UIFN, are global toll-free numbers. Similar to international and domestic toll-free numbers, the callers are not levied any charges for dialing freephone numbers. A clear benefit of these numbers over traditional toll-free numbers is that they can be applied to multiple countries. This means that your local customers from any part of the world can get in touch with your team on the same number.   

If you are planning to buy a UIFN for your business, here’s what you need to know:  

• The number must be registered in at least two countries. 

• There’s a significant setup fee that you need to pay.  

• The recurring cost is different for each country. 

If you want to have a single customer support phone number for your global customers, UIFN can be a great choice. However, note that it may not be free for all the customers and are less trustworthy than international or domestic toll-free numbers.  Moreover, it’s not available in every country. It’s integral that you have a thorough understanding of the target demography before you buy one.  

What are the Types of Toll-Free Format?  

Toll-free numbers begin with a three-digit code. In the United States, toll-free numbers begin with 888, 877, 866, 855, 844, and 833. There are no differences between each apart from the codes. None costs more or is any difficult to integrate into the existing business ecosystem than the others.  

The key to choosing a toll-free number is to understand the requirements of your business and the target demography. A specific format of toll-free number might meet your needs but may not do justice to a brick-and-mortar store doing business in the same locality.  Ultimately, your goal should be to choose a toll-free number format that will represent the nature of the business and contribute to the overall brand equity.  

Examples of Toll-Free Number: 

(877) 892-HAMBURGER – Here, 877 is the prefix or the toll-free number code, 892 is the area code, and HAMBURGER is the business’s number line. Note: HAMBURGER also represents the nature of the business and is a vanity phone number.  

(866) 971-FLOWERS – similarly, 866 is the toll-free code. 971 is the area code, and FLOWERS is the number line representing the nature of business.  

What’re The Differences Between 800, 888, 877, 866, 844, 855, and 833 Toll-Free Numbers? 

As mentioned earlier, 800 toll-free numbers come in varied formats. The only difference between each is the toll-free code. It’s entirely up to you to decide which one you want for your business. You can think of it as website domains. .com, .net. info technically works the same but differs in identity.  

You need to decide the type of toll-free number that will best represent your business online. The key is to analyze how you want to strategize your marketing campaigns around toll-free numbers and how they will serve the customers.  

How to Call a Toll-free Number? 

A toll-free number for business can be dialed the same as any other number. All that your customers need to do is dial “1” followed by the correct toll-free code, area code, and the business’s number. Your customers need to remember that toll-free prefixes are not interchangeable; that is, dialing (866) 972-4262 will not route their call to (866) 972-4262.  

Can a Toll-Free Number be Called Internationally?  

A toll-free number can be called from abroad if the phone system supports it. This incurs additional costs. Most toll-free numbers are country-specific, and every country has its own set of rules for accessibility, coverage, and dialing format. Whenever a number across the borderlands is on a toll-free line, it incurs international call rates. The business that owns the number is liable to pay the international call charges for inbound and outbound calls.  

How Does a Toll-Free Number Work?  

A toll-free number is connected to a carrier, usually a cloud phone system.  When a customer dials the number, the call is routed to the number through the carrier. The business owning the number pays the charges of the phone calls made to and from the number. The best thing? It’s entirely free for the callers, even if they make a call from a long distance.  

Industry analysts believe that toll-free numbers are instrumental if telemarketing or customer service is the core of a business. Needless to mention that they are providing customers with a free and convenient way to communicate with the business.  

How Can I get a Toll-Free Number? 

Getting a toll-free number for business was never so easy. NumberInventory offers millions of options for you to choose from and buy toll-free numbers that best suit the needs of your business. The best thing is you own the number instead of renting it. A one-time fee of just $99 is charged to reserve and activate the number.  

You need to search for your preferred number using the advanced search tool and add the number to the cart. Moving forward, add your contact information and choose the payment method. Make the payment, and all necessary documentation and information for porting will be provided within 24 hours. 

How Much Does a Toll-Free Number Cost? 

NumberInventory offers the most value-for-money deal when it comes to toll-free number cost. Prices start from as low as $99. Be it a local toll-free number or vanity phone number, you need to undergo the same process to establish a seamless mode of communication for your business.  

The best part? NumberInventory toll-free numbers are available for all states in the United States, and there is no difference in the amount you need to pay.  Furthermore, if you could not find the most suitable number for your business from over 40 million options available, you can get in touch with our experts to make the job easy for you.  

What Can a Toll-Free Phone Number Do for Your Business? 

A toll-free number can be an indispensable asset for businesses planning to scale up their operations. Here’s what it can do for your business:  

Enhances Customer Satisfaction Rate  

A toll-free number facilitates easy communication between the customers and the support team. Your customers can quickly contact you without having to remember multiple complicated phone numbers. Best of all, they’ll not be levied any charges.  

Increases Brand Recall Value  

Toll-free numbers begin with an 8XX code in the United States, making it easy for customers to recall whenever they are looking for a similar product(s) or service(s) that you have on offer. People will start associating the number with your brand as you keep using your toll-free number in your advertisement campaigns.  

Builds Business Credibility  

Toll-free numbers contribute to brand equity and help build business credibility. Several studies conducted have reached the same conclusion that customers are more likely to trust a business with a toll-free number over a personal phone number.  

Makes Businesses More Accessible  

International toll-free numbers are accessible from all parts of the globe, making your business reachable irrespective of the location. To put it simply, your customers from a specific area can reach out to you even if your business isn’t located locally.  

Marketing Asset 

Toll-free numbers are a marketing asset with one of the highest ROIs. It helps keep track of business campaigns as you can seamlessly analyze how well a particular campaign is performing by tracking the call volume. You can easily run ads on different channels and analyze the ROI of each of your campaigns.  

Get Your Toll-Free Number Today and Improve Your Brand Recall Value  

Toll-Free numbers bridge the communication gap and play a pivotal role in making your customers feel valued. It doesn’t matter whether you have a physical office or an entirely remote organization, toll-free numbers pave the way for a broad spectrum of business opportunities. No matter where your customers or prospects are located, you’ll never end up missing a call.