Guidelines for Acquiring a Toll Free Number
If your business needs to connect with potential or current customers overseas, acquiring a toll free number should be the first step. It’s an affordable and instant way to enable communication between you and your international customers. If you are unfamiliar with the process of purchasing a toll free number, this guideline will provide better insight to the necessary steps, expectations and benefits of doing so.
Set Clear Goals
First thing is first – It’s important to have a clear idea of what level of service and quality your business will require. You should also have a budget range in mind. Don’t settle at just one stern number. Give your business some flexibility as you will later learn that price goes hand-in-hand with the type of quality you receive.
Research Toll Free Number Service Providers
Once you have a clear idea of what your business will require from your toll free number, it’s time to conduct research on the most appropriate toll free number service providers. Today there is an overwhelming amount of service providers, globally, so be sure to stick to your list of requirements and budget range when researching. However, it is not advisable to only use your budget as the deciding factor. Rule of thumb: if a deal sounds too good to be true, especially when compared to multiple, other service providers, it probably is! At the end of the day, the most important thing for your business is to operate safely, consistently and continually improve customer service. So instead of going with the cheapest (or most expensive provider), consider those that fall somewhere in the middle yet provide all the features your business needs.
Other important things to note when researching are:
- Service terms
- Included features
- Connectivity – Tier 1 or not?
- Company Stats – years in business, number of customers, etc.
Read the Fine Print
Some toll free number companies offer free trials whereas others bind you to a contract. Whatever way they choose to operate, it’s important for you as the purchaser to review these details thoroughly. Know if there are additional fees (set up, cancellation, etc) and review payment plan options. All these factors should play part in your decision for a toll free number purchase. Remember, there are plenty of options to choose from, so don’t worry if one service provider can’t, at least, negotiate its terms to suit your needs.
Purchase and Start Using Your New Toll Free Number
So you’ve found the best toll free number service provider for your business – what do you do now? Sign up and start using your number! Additionally, utilize any features that can benefit your company currently. Such features could include:
- Call recording
- Call blocking
- Auto attendant
- Time-of-Day routing
- Remote call pickup
- Voicemail/Fax to mail
Remember, a toll free number is a virtual number which relies on the call forwarding feature to work. This virtual number is instantly routed to other lines or device. Possible devices include landline, mobile, SIP phone or a PBX system.