Is an 0800 number a good phone number for my business?

The answer to the titular question, in a nutshell, is ‘yes’; yes, an 0800 number is the right kind of phone number for your business. However, this wouldn’t be a particularly effective blog post if I stopped there, so allow me to explain WHY choosing such a phone number is an incredibly good idea for your business. Read on, and you may learn a thing or two about the humble 0800 phone number.

An 0800 number is free for potential customers to call

Perhaps the biggest benefit of 0800 numbers is that they’re free to call, encouraging customer loyalty and enticing new clients. Imagine seeing an advert for a new product or service and then discovering that the company can be contacted directly without it costing you a penny; suddenly the price barrier that often restricts communication has been lifted, and you’re free to find out more. Bestowing your own company with an 0800 number will inspire such reactions from the very clients you’re hoping to open a conversation with, as well as keeping existing customers satisfied, and happy to keep calling.

Nationalise your company

Now, there’s nothing wrong with using a local area code for your company telephone number; indeed, such a phone number will encourage local customers to get in touch and build a rapport, and inspire a sense of community around your brand and business. However, there’s a good chance that you’re dreaming bigger than local custom, and an 0800 number can take you there. Such a dialing code removes any question of locality; your business could be based anywhere in the country, and you’re likely to receive enquiries, and custom, from around the UK in response. An 0800 number says ‘nationwide’, rather than Manchester, for example, and you’ll soon find that your diversified customer base reflects your choice of telephone prefix.

Gain an edge over your competitors

Let’s imagine that there’s little competition between your company and its nearest business rival; you both produce the same kinds of product, offer similar services, and pride yourself on the personal approach. Why should a potential customer choose you over that competitor? Add an 0800 prefix to your telephone number and you have your answer. We’ve already explored the fact that such numbers are free to call, and potential customers are more likely to choose such a means of contact if it’s available. In addition, tagging an 0800 prefix in front of your business telephone number can add an air of professionalism that local area codes don’t; when you call an 0800 number you expect a national company that knows what it’s talking about.

Increase your advertising response

Again, we’re harking back to the freephone idea here, but it’s certainly true that issuing an 0800 number for your business can increase the responses you receive from advertising. So, why is that? Yes, they’re free to call, but an 0800 number is also much easier to remember than one utilising a local area code – particularly if they’re not from ‘round here’. 0800 phone numbers also provide huge potential for marketing campaigns, allowing you to use different numbers for each type of media you appear in; now you can monitor how customers have heard of you, and keep tabs on your advertising successes.

Take it with you

When you’re issued a phone number, regardless of the prefix you choose, you’re bestowed with a number for life; that phone number isn’t going to change if you move offices, or even if you skip two towns over. The great news is that customers will experience a sense of continuity even if you’re in the process of heaving your office into new premises, and so business will, largely, remain unaffected. In addition, think of the advertising costs you’ll save if your main telephone number never changes; that’s incentive enough, surely!

We’re in the business of ensuring that your company has a phone number that will set the right impression, and communicate with your customers before their call has been connected. Please drop us a line to sales@voxcloud.com, or call 0333 002 0000 to find out more.