Caller ID has become many consumers' best friend. It allows them to screen their calls and avoid being hammered by telemarketers and others. However for every solution of course their is a way to get around it, and in this case it is call spoofing.
Call centers are a critical part of doing business in many industries and are core to the success of entire operations. How your toll free numbers are managed plays a big part in the success of your enterprise. So are yours being handled correctly?
Whether you are using toll free numbers acquired through your call center or you are forwarding existing numbers, there is a lot more to good management than just how pretty is the voice that answers. Don’t worry, you do not have to be a tech genius who knows exactly how every cable and call is connected between your customers, your call center, and your main office. However, you should be aware of what makes for superior management for your toll free numbers and what can jeopardize it. The main difference is that since the FCC has enabled TFN portability and Independent Resporgs have been established, businesses now have an alternative to the old phone-carrier affiliated RespOrgs that have for so long notoriously been riddled with conflicts of interest and substandard service. In contrast, Independent RespOrgs provide truly independent management and are not only free to be able to act in your best interests, but also provide the power of multi-carrier arrangements for the smoothest and best quality toll free service.
When analyzing the management of your toll free numbers for your call center, you must also look at the coverage they provide you and how they are set up to handle issues that may arise. Does your call center provide 24/7 service for your customers and prospects? What if there are technical issues or a natural disaster wherever your call center is located? Do they have a plan in place, such as your numbers being forwarded to a back up call center?
Those companies harnessing the power of Independent RespOrgs will have the latest and best routing capabilities for their toll free numbers at their fingertips. These capabilities include time-of-day routing - for sending your toll free calls to an alternate location at different times of the day where they can be serviced - as well as disaster routing. Emergency and disaster routing options can be set in place so that as soon as an issue arises, your calls are routed to an alternate destination so you do not have to suffer loss of production and business.
Image Credit: © Mikhail Lukyanov | Dreamstime.com
As you are most likely aware by now, the release of the 855 toll free number prefix was delayed last week from its expected launch date at the beginning of the month. The good news is that according to the FCC and the DSMI (Database Service Management, Inc.), the official designated toll free number administrator, the launch of 855 numbers is still on for October 9th, 2010 at 12:00 pm ET.
There is more good reason to harness the power of a toll free number: you save customers money. Let’s face it, the economy is first on the minds of consumers. If they have the option of two phone numbers in front of them, they are going to be more apt to call the toll-free one and save money.
There’s even toll free directory assistance. It is accessed by dialing 1-800-555-1212, of course this is a completely free call to make. But not all phone numbers are subscribed to the service. So if you have a toll free number, make it available for customers to look it up through the toll-free assistance service.
To reinforce my point, not all toll-free numbers are listed in the directory, only the ones that subscribe are listed. However, the FCC has a plan in the works to review the promotional aspect and competition among multiple providers, such as directory assistance options for toll-free numbers.
Custom Toll Free can help you learn more about what’s on the toll-free horizon.
Available 800 numbers are on the decline. That being said, there has never been a more urgent need for companies to get 800s if they have not already. It’s been over a decade since the federal government tried to help bolster the supply of toll free numbers. In fact, 800 numbers seem to be hard to come by, and it might be getting worse. Over the years the government has tried to safeguard 800 numbers in various ways.
Not so long ago, 866 saved the day
We all remember when 877 or 866 prefixes were the new digits on the block. With the technology boom and the expanding role of Internet (the emergence of matching vanity numbers with domain names) those newer digits slowly became in short supply as well.
Consumers may or may not know that The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) does have a plan in place for solving 800 numbers from becoming extinct.
While the remaining 800, 888, 866 and 877 become less and less available, phone companies and consumers feel the pain. This could have far-reaching implications on new and existing businesses and how they communicate with customers and clients. Many companies have come to realize that their toll-free numbers a seamless way to help market and grow their businesses.
When it seems like you can’t find a good toll free number, let Custom Toll Free help you secure the right one for your business needs (one point of our service is that we DO get numbers that are not available).
