How to Get a Toll-Free Number for Business?

How to get a toll-free number for business? A Complete Guide

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Phone calls today are quite expensive, especially international calls. However, some calls, like contacting a toll-free number, do not cost a penny. Such numbers allow customers to contact enterprises without worrying about calling charges.
 

Toll-free numbers are not only advantageous for callers, but for businesses too. It helps them to get more calls.
 

So, if you also want to increase the inflow of incoming calls and take a step towards success, let’s learn how to get a toll-free number for businesses.


What Is a Toll-Free Number?

A toll-free number is a general phone number where callers are not charged anything, as the number provider or the receiver bears the cost. In simple terms, the dialer does not have to pay any toll, so such numbers are named toll-free.
 

Toll-free numbers are basically of two types: standard and vanity. Standard typically begins with a specific 3-digit prefix like 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888 and ends with usual numbers. Whereas a vanity contains a phrase or repeating/sequential numbers or both, like 800-123-PIZZA, 800-123-1111, and 800-123-P1ZZA.
 

Toll-free numbers can be categorized into national and international. Geographical restrictions bind national toll-free numbers, while international toll-free numbers are specified for a particular nation. Moreover, there is also a Universal International Freephone Number, where users from over 60 countries can call for free.

Advantages of a Toll-Free Number for Your Business

Alongside helping in call increments, toll-free numbers provide customer satisfaction. They also create a strong brand image for your company while increasing credibility. More importantly, they are easy to recall.

Customer Satisfaction

Many businesses use toll-free numbers for either sales or support departments. The main reason to do so is that people can contact them easily without bothering about calling costs and clear all their doubts/queries.

Professional Image and Credibility

Firstly, a toll-free number projects an established image for a firm since big companies have it. This directly increases your enterprise’s credibility, attracting consumers and giving them a sense of trustworthiness.

National/Global Presence

Unlike local phone numbers, toll-free numbers do not have specific area codes. So, even if you operate from one part of a country, your toll-free phone number creates a national presence.
 

Plus, with an international toll-free number, you can also build a global presence.

Easy to Remember

As stated earlier, vanity numbers contain a phrase or sequential/repeating numbers, making them easy for users to remember. Let’s say you run a restaurant specializing in pizzas. People are likely to memorize 800-GETPIZZA or 800-123-4567 rather than random phone numbers.

Beneficial for Marketing Campaigns

Toll-free phone numbers can be a great addition to your branding strategy. Using memorable and catchy phone numbers, specifically for an advertising campaign, can increase recall value.

Steps to Get a Toll-Free Number for Businesses

Basically, there are two ways to get a toll-free number for your business. You can either reach out to a traditional carrier provider or a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) provider. Nonetheless, both have the same general steps.
 

  • Step 1—Select a Provider: Depending on availability, you can either select a VoIP or any carrier provider of your choice.
  • Step 2—Sign up or Register: If you go with a VoIP provider, sign up for an account by providing the necessary details. Register by providing the necessary details and documents if you choose a traditional carrier provider.
  • Step 3—Select a Plan: As different providers have different offers, pay and subscribe to a convenient subscription plan.
  • Step 4—Choose a toll-free prefix: There are different variations of toll-free prefixes, like 800, 888, 877 and others. Choose the one you desire.
  • Step 5—Explore Number Availability: Since toll-free numbers are high in demand, check if the one you want is available.
  • Step 6—Configure Call Functioning: Decide how you want to receive your calls. You can route them to a certain mobile or landline phone or have them ring simultaneously to multiple devices (for VoIP toll-free numbers).
  • Step 7—Test Your Number: Finally, test your number by calling it and check whether the call is successful or not. Also, check if you are charged.

What Are The Factors To Consider Before Getting a Toll-Free Number?

When getting a toll-free number for business, firstly, analyze the prices among various providers. Then, look at what kind of features they are providing for your desired toll-free number. Also, ensure your selected provider has an excellent customer support team and is flexible.

Price

You will find plenty of toll-free number providers in the market. Do not settle on the first one you see. Compare their packages and prices to determine which one is worth the cost.

Features

Make sure your chosen provider has all the features you’re looking for. These may include call forwarding, recording, monitoring, and others. Compared to traditional carrier providers, VoIP providers offer way more features.

Numbers

While selecting a toll-free number, pick one that can be easily memorized. Or, you can even create a vanity number of your own as per your business’s nature.

Support/Reliability

You never know when you might encounter a problem. Before deciding to commit, confirm the provider has a responsive team offering 24/7 services.

Scalability

Businesses are filled with uncertainties and surprises. Suppose your marketing campaign is a huge success, resulting in a massive number of calls troubling a single employee to handle. In that case, you might want to add a new line. So, opt for a provider that lets you add and remove lines easily according to your needs.

Why Choose Calilio as Your Toll-Free Number Provider?

As aforementioned, there are many toll-free number providers. If you are still wondering which to pick, let us convince you why Calilio can be the best choice.

Affordable Plans

Calilio offers three plans: Basic, Business and Enterprise, all at a reasonable cost. The Basic and Business plans cost $15 and $35 per user/month, respectively. Furthermore, if you pay bills annually, you can save 20% on these plans. As for the Enterprise plan, it is a custom package that can be tailored to your needs.

Tons of Features

One of Calilio’s main features is a unified callbox. You can find all the necessary details about your consumer and their calls, texts, and video calls in a single platform, providing an efficient and effective business communication tool.
 

Calilio’s other enriched services are:
 

  • Web/app Dialer
  • Real-time Dashboard
  • Automatic Call Distribution
  • Voicemail to Email
  • Voicemail Transcription
  • Phone Trees (Interactive Voice Response)
  • Customer Relationship Management Integration
  • Call Whispering
  • Live Call Monitoring
  • Traffic by Country

Reliable Customer Support

As mentioned above, you can run into a problem anytime. So, even if you do, Calilio is just a click/call away. It has a dedicated team of skilled members who are available 24/7 to support you with any queries.

Conclusion

In the current business market, toll-free numbers have become a necessity for growth rather than just being an option.  A toll-free number has many benefits, including customer satisfaction, creating a presence in the market, and projecting an established image.
 

While you can get a toll-free number for business from the VoIP service providers, you still need to consider price, features, and other factors before doing so.
 

Sign up with Calilio today to get a toll-free number for your business and enjoy exclusive VoIP features at a reasonable cost.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Can I Get a Free 800 Number for My Business?

Unfortunately, you can’t get a free 800 number for business. You could get a free trial, but for that, too, you have to subscribe to a plan and pay.

How Much Do Toll-Free Numbers Cost?

Toll-free numbers’ prices vary depending on the providers. Calilio offers a toll-free number for as low as $12.

Can I Keep My Existing Toll-Free Number?

Yes, you can keep your existing toll-free number. Calilio provides the option to port your phone number.


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