A Guide For Getting The Right 800 Number For Your Purpose
800 Telephone Numbers
Before the 800 telephone numbers were thought off, collect calls were charged to the receiver.
People calling was an integral part of any business to generate sales and leads but if a huge bulk of people would be calling and businesses would be charged a lot, the need came for incoming calls to be systematically done to save the incoming revenue. 800 telephone numbers were introduced by AT&T to reduce the need for extra human operators who would receive the possible incoming business of callers and use the telephone as a powerful tool for leads, marketing and promotions.
INWATS or Inward Wide Area Telephone Service was created by AT&T as the answer to the overwhelming queries and possible influx of incoming calls without cutting down on profits. After the 1984 breakup of AT&T, the FCC deemed it necessary that in order to practice free competition, they regulated the use of there 800 telephone numbers as a way for callers to switch carriers without losing the original numbers.
An 800 telephone number is a special prefix that when called, the receiving party is charged with the call. Businesses now rely heavily on these 800 telephone numbers because even though they were charged for the call, sales were enhanced with the inclusion of a toll free number. Customer Service has improved by calls being readily answered by the business because after-sales support does matter to the consumer who patronizes the products the businesses sell.
800 telephone numbers adds credibility to the business and are most likely to be dialed by the consumer. Even if the consumer is from a different state, they can still enjoy the benefits of after sales support because of this toll free number.
According to the FCC, 800 numbers include a 3-digit prefix namely 800, 877, 888 and 866. When one of the prefixes is dialed, the call is forwarded to the local phone number where the original business contact is. Even if it is called a toll-free number, it not free to the receiving party or business. Businesses or private individuals can request an 800 telephone number with great discounts at variable rates. Monthly rates are available with varying packages to suit any business or a private individual. Just ask your local phone company as to how to get an 800 telephone number to further improve sales and customer experience after sales support.