Toll Free Numbers
Although many people don’t quite know what “toll free numbers” really are, they are very familiar with it. Why? It’s simple: because we meet them everywhere! They are those “0800” phone numbers you are calling in order to donate or help someone in trouble. In a more detailed way of describing this service, the toll free number is a special telephone number, in that the called party is charged the cost of the calls by the telephone carrier, instead of the calling party.
The history of this service (that is now available in all the countries of the world) started at July 13, 1978, when Roy P. Weber – the inventor of the “800” phone numbers- patented his creation. Few days later, AT&T started using this service under the name of “Data Base Communication Call Processing Method”.
Getting a toll free number
If you own a business that develops day by day, more an more, it is definitely the time to get a toll free number. Why? Let’s see together some advantages of buying a toll free number. First of all, custom “800” numbers will make your advertising more efficient. Second, it is know the fact that toll free numbers often increases sales. Third, With 1 “800” or any other toll free numbers, you can advertise to a national audience. So you see, in order to develop more and more your business, you should think at this idea and buy toll free numbers, or if it would be to much for you (perhaps you don’t have to many professional sales men around you), you could buy at least one toll free number for the start.
There are quite a lot of companies that are providing these type of services, so it won’t be a problem at all in achieving it.
Toll free fax numbers
As far as concerning the toll free fax numbers, they are one of the best inventions that are assuring the proper security for the incoming documents on your fax. The system it is quite simple and very efficient: if someone wants to send you a fax on your toll free fax number, the company that provides the toll fax free number will convert that fax message into a PDF file and send it to your e-mail address. You mustn’t worry about the data loss, because you the privacy of your documents is guaranteed, so because of that, no other person except you will have access at the incoming document.
Toll free airline numbers
When it comes to airline reservations, the best way to book a flight is to make a call at the company’s -you are about to fly- toll free airline number and book from there. All the major airline companies own a couple of toll free numbers, so you won’t be charged at all, even if you are 2000 km away. Why is it better to book a flight from here? Well, there are two main reasons: first, you won’t be charged – because it is a free airline number - for the call, and second, you won’t pay any commission that every travel agency would apply for a ticket. You might want to consider these toll free airline numbers in order to book a flight for your next vacation: Continental Airlines 800-525-0280, Egyptair 800-334-6787, Japan Air Lines 800-525-3663 and of course, and any other toll free airline number belonging to the airline company you are willing to fly.
Toll free customer service
Beside selling, most of the big companies use toll free customer service numbers in order to keep in touch with their clients. A very handy example of free customer number is the one that you dial when you want to activate some available extra options for your mobile phone. Also, the toll free customer service is being used by the most of the big companies, in order to help their clients to solve their problems without the need of the presence of any specialist that might also charge extra money for his services. With the help of this free customer service, the companies came closer to their clients and because of that, they made a good reputation and increased their volume of selling.
Toll free vanity number
As concerning the toll free vanity numbers, they are one of the best ways of promoting your business. How is this possible? Well, because of the fact that the client receives a personalized number (so if he is selling shoes the number will look something like 1-800-BUYSHOES): the number will be set from the keyboard in order to create a proper word, strictly related with the personal business. The toll free vanity numbers will be easy to keep in mind while the regular phone numbers won’t. This way, the owners of a business will have an advantage, so the chances that they will increase their volume of selling will increase seriously.
Toll free prefixes
It is know the fact that the toll free numbers are known also as the “800” numbers. This prefixes will assure you that you won’t be charged for the call and that you won’t call a spam phone number. Also, you should be aware that there are also three toll free prefixes in use, but in the end, they behave like the regular “800” numbers. These are: 888, 877 and 866 and they came in use after the whole set of toll free numbers with the 800 prefix got occupied. It is expected the fact that by the end of this year, the “855” prefix will be used on the market.
Toll free area codes
As far as concerning the toll free area codes, we all know that the most regular ones are 800, 866, 877 and 888. In US for example, are sometimes called "One-800 numbers" after the original area code which was used to dial them. Because every state or country has it’s own area code inserted in the phone number, it will sometimes be tricky to distinguish a toll free number from a spam phone number or from the area code belonging to one state. For example, Hawaii has its own area code very similar to the regular toll free area codes: 808. This way, a regular phone number can easily be misplaced with a toll free number. Though, if the caller party pays a little of attention, this thing won’t happen.
Because the toll free number industry is developing more and more and the available numbers will son be contracted, in a few years, it will be common to use the prefixes that are now reserved. These are 855, 844, 833, 822, 880, 881, 882, 883, 884, 885, 886, 887 and 889.