# 800 Phone Improve Sales?



## SunEmbroidery (Oct 18, 2007)

Did adding an 800 phone number improve web sales? I've been looking at Kall8 800 Numbers & Toll Free Number Services . The rates seem good, there are no monthly minimums and you can cancel any time. Is it worth the expense? Thanks!


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## peteVA (Nov 11, 2007)

They can't hurt.

You can get free toll-free numbers for as low as 2.9 cents per minute. That is an old figure, maybe even less now.

Just do a google for 2.0 cents per minute long distance and you'll find all sorts of sites.

They just piggyback onto your current number and you'll pay 2.9 cpm for incoming and outgoing calls. No charge for the toll-free (maybe for a real 800 instead of 888, etc.) and many have no monthly fees if you set up an auto-pay deal.
.


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## Dirt (Oct 10, 2007)

Just thought I'd put a small warning out to anyone who does this. When I got an 800 number from my phone company they put me in the yellow pages for free. Within a few days I received an email asking about how I wanted my listing to show up online.. I filled it out and sent. A month later I had a bill come to my house from the Yellow Pages for 300 dollars.

It was a different company and I was fooled into filling out their email because as soon as my information hit the directory they sent it. I called them trying to figure out what happened but they were no help, until I called my phone company and they explained to me how it happens. Pretty crappy deal in the end. I was already in the yellow pages and on yellowpages.com and they're trying to charge me 300 dollars for something I already had for free?

Jm2c.


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## peteVA (Nov 11, 2007)

Welcome to the world of business. Those parasites and others with similar ploys are all over the country, and I'm sure the world. You can also get the same kind of stuff just be registering a domain, buying a copy machine, etc.

I've been offered to be listed in Who's Who and all sorts of crap. Just send money.

It's hard to believe, but I'll guarantee you you could go through the Yellow Pages and make out an invoice for just about anything, send it to every company losted and get a 2 to 5 percent payment rate, just for the phony invoice.
.


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## zerocool (Dec 31, 2007)

The per minute rate can be as low as 1.5 (one and a half) cents per minute, but upto 4 cents depending on your local calling area.

To lookup the exact rate for your phone, goto:
Toll Free Number Service Rates

That's the tollfreenumber.ORG rate lookup. It allows you to see rates and select a toll free number. You can also choose a number at Toll-Free Service

As per your question... I think Toll Free Numbers are a GREAT way to help increase business and provide a cost-free reason for people to do business with you!

Mike


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

SunEmbroidery said:


> Did adding an 800 phone number improve web sales? I've been looking at Kall8 800 Numbers & Toll Free Number Services . The rates seem good, there are no monthly minimums and you can cancel any time. Is it worth the expense? Thanks!


I think it use to be that if you wanted business outside your calling area, an 800 number was a must.

But now with included long distance on cell phones, Vonage, and unlimited long distance from the likes of AT&T, an 800 number is hardly necessary. Someone is not not going to call you because you don't have an 800 #.


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## peteVA (Nov 11, 2007)

splathead said:


> I think it use to be that if you wanted business outside your calling area, an 800 number was a must.
> 
> But now with included long distance on cell phones, Vonage, and unlimited long distance from the likes of AT&T, an 800 number is hardly necessary. Someone is not not going to call you because you don't have an 800 #.


That's true, from a money point of view. It really has nothing to do with money, however. 

It's perception. Your business is making a statement that you want their business and you are offering to pay for the call. 

I've never done it, but I'll guarantee you that if you put two identical ads in the same publication, half with a toll-free number and half with just a regular phone number the toll-free number will get more responses. It's just human nature.

While the site linked to by zerocool is really just selling a service with a good per minute rate, it does have a couple of other costs, like $ 2 a month on bills under $ 20 a month and a billing fee. 

There are plans with neither of those. Some months my long distance bill is in the $ 30 range. And others, it's between $3 and $4. 2.9 cents per minute - flat, in or out 24/7/365, with no minimu, no other fees. Yes, in-state does cost more. That is almost always the case, thanks to our various state legislatures.

So, for 3 cents a minute, why not be the good guy? Impress people, act like a big company. How many TV ads do you see that DON'T have a toll-free number? Go for it, live large.....
.


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## zerocool (Dec 31, 2007)

The majority of tv commercials without an 800 number are at superbowl time because of the large viewing population, displaying an 800 number inundates the phones way too much because too many people call, so instead of an 800 number, they just show a website; even then, their website will have an 800 number.

As far as people having unlimited long distance plans and not caring about an 800 number to call - that's irrelevant unless your business only wants business from middle-upper class families who are the majority of subscribers to unlimited long distance plans.

If you DO NOT have an 800 number for your business, you are closing the door to a vast amount of potential customers.

Having an 800 number opens doors.

Here is another toll-free link that offers toll-free unlimited calling:
Virtual Telecenter - PBX and Voicemail. ACD and IVR Systems


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## hobby (Nov 26, 2007)

I was told by someone who does a lot of infomercials that if someone is wanting to spend money they should be able to dial toll free. It really makes you look cheap if you make them pay for the call. Plus the 800 numbers allows more people to call from work


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## zerocool (Dec 31, 2007)

Hi Hobby, you are correct!

Here is an article I found regarding business statistics when using an 800 phone number:
Toll Free Business Statistics


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## JPD (Nov 8, 2006)

We signed up for Kall8 a week or so ago and were able to aquire the 888-JPD-TEES number.

Eric


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## roryrosen (Jan 2, 2008)

I think an 800 number is an excellent idea, but so long as you're getting calls as it is.


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## karlking85 (Sep 26, 2007)

Having an 800 number is another great way of commanding the image that your company is larger perhaps than it truthfully is, which is not likely a bad thing. It builds trust in some folk's eyes although I admit in my opinion perosnally it doesn't make a difference if I am the one making the call. But then I am one of those mentioned with the unlimited long distance on THREE different lines, so I have no trouble making a long distance call. haha 

If you do alot of incoming business over the phone it makes perfect sense. It just depends on yor business structure, it works for some but not for everyone.


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## peteVA (Nov 11, 2007)

What it really does is say - "We WANT you to call!"

Just putting up a regular number says - "You can call, if you want."
.


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## karlking85 (Sep 26, 2007)

I couldn't have put it better myself!


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## lifestar (Mar 18, 2007)

Has anyone run in to problems when listing your 800 number on your website?


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

lifestar said:


> Has anyone run in to problems when listing your 800 number on your website?


What kind of problems? 

If you had an 800 number, I would think your website would be the first place where you would have it.


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## lifestar (Mar 18, 2007)

splathead said:


> What kind of problems?
> 
> If you had an 800 number, I would think your website would be the first place where you would have it.


 
We have had an 800 number for several years which is provided for current customers, quote requests and customer service needs . However, the second it was put on the website we ran in to some problems with scammers trying to scam our domain names and other types of scammy phone calls. We found it more beneficial to provide it only to actual customers or potential customers so the lines would be free for them.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

Interesting, I haven't heard of problems like this before. Although I shouldn't be surprised, I know there can be problems when you list your email address.

I have heard that once you get on scammers lists like that, your info and sold and resold so it might not do any good at this point to remove the 800#.


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## lifestar (Mar 18, 2007)

splathead said:


> Interesting, I haven't heard of problems like this before. Although I shouldn't be surprised, I know there can be problems when you list your email address.
> 
> I have heard that once you get on scammers lists like that, your info and sold and resold so it might not do any good at this point to remove the 800#.


Once we removed the number from the website- the problems disappeared within a few days- would love to be able to list it again to broaden our horizons.


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## karlking85 (Sep 26, 2007)

I think any time you open a new business you are instantly throwing the cal out there to all the spammers and scammers, it just cannot be avoided. As annoying as it may be, it's not worth losing business over, and if you believed it was worth having the 800 number in the first place, then taking it down would seem counterproductive to me.


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## lifestar (Mar 18, 2007)

karlking85 said:


> I think any time you open a new business you are instantly throwing the cal out there to all the spammers and scammers, it just cannot be avoided. As annoying as it may be, it's not worth losing business over, and if you believed it was worth having the 800 number in the first place, then taking it down would seem counterproductive to me.


Well we have been in business since 1999 but did not put the 800 number up until 2005- got so slammed with scammy phone calls that our regular customers could not get through and would have to leave voice messages. It was best for us to take the number off of the website and offer it to our potential customers and/or current customers. Maybe we just had some bad luck- would like some feedback as to how others have dealt with situations such as this as we know it would be beneficial to have the number available to those that don't do email.


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## karlking85 (Sep 26, 2007)

Maybe it was just a rough patch....hard telling. Either way, I hope it works out for you, I know it has to be frustrating to deal with, especially with a high volume of calls from customers.


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## Poe-Boy (Oct 8, 2007)

I'm wondering...

for those indicating that you only provided your 800 # to customers and potential customers. How did you provide it to POTENTIAL customers without putting it on your website?

I've been considering an 800#, but since I work full-time, my customers or potential customers would be getting a vox-mail most of the time. I almost feel that's worse than not providing an 800 # at all.

So, if any can answer my question above, I would appreciate it.


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## SeasonEnds (Sep 9, 2007)

Do people still have cell phone plans that don't offer free long distance? I don't know if I could really justify this expense.


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## ChristyC (Feb 12, 2008)

With cell phones, the customer is still having the minutes come out of their plan, even if they have free long distance.


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