How To Get A Toll-Free Phone Number For Your Business

With a voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) service provider and business cloud phone system, you can choose a toll-free number and begin making calls in minutes. Some VoIP providers include a toll-free number as part of the monthly subscription with an allotment of minutes, while some offer toll-free numbers as an add-on.

Here’s how to get set up with a toll-free number:

1. Choose a VoIP Service Provider

If you currently have a cloud phone system, your provider likely offers a selection of toll-free numbers. Your administrator can select a toll-free number from the Admin Portal or contact your provider to choose the numbers you want. Add-on toll-free numbers typically cost $5 to $15 monthly per user.

If your business currently uses a landline or relies on your mobile devices, I recommend subscribing to a VoIP phone system to get a toll-free number. There are many cost-effective cloud-based VoIP services, costing as low as $20 per user, which include toll-free numbers. In particular, RingCentral, OpenPhone, Zoom Phone and Nextiva are great options for toll-free numbers.

Signing up with a cloud phone system takes just a few minutes and requires no additional hardware—just a laptop or smartphone. When you sign up, your system will prompt you to choose phone numbers for all users on the account. Here, you can opt for a toll-free number.

2. Choose Your Prefix and Number

Once you’ve signed up with a provider, you can pick the toll-free prefix you’d like to use. Prefixes can vary, but common ones include 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888. The most common prefix is 800, which is memorable for marketing purposes, but most providers will let you choose from any of these options.

When signing up for VoIP service, the system will prompt you to choose a local or toll-free number.

3. Assign the Number

After choosing your toll-free number, you can assign it to a user on the account. With a cloud phone system, that user can immediately use the toll-free number to begin making or receiving calls.

If you plan to use the toll-free number for inbound customer service, you can assign it to an IVR menu or auto attendant system. This enables you to give customers an audio menu of departments and users, which callers can use to route themselves to the appropriate spot.

Once you choose a phone number, you can assign it to any user on the account.

A toll-free number is a phone number that customers can call without incurring any additional charges. This means that you, as the owner of the number, are responsible for any costs the call incurs. This is especially significant for long-distance callers, making toll-free numbers ideal for businesses with international customers or those outside their local area.

Toll-free numbers are often called 800 numbers because they begin with familiar three-digit prefixes: 1-800, 888, 877, 866, 855, 844 or 833. Even popular vanity numbers, such as 1-800-FLOWERS, are a type of toll-free number.

The cost of a toll-free number depends on the service provider you choose. Most VoIP platforms offer toll-free numbers and cost anywhere from $10 to $15 per month.

Pros and Cons of Toll-Free Numbers

Pros: 

• Helps businesses develop a nationwide presence
• Presents a professional identity to customers
• More marketable and easily memorable for callers

Cons: 

• Potentially unnecessary for most companies
• Costlier than regular business phone numbers
• May confuse potential customers about where you’re based

Toll-free numbers differ from regular local numbers regarding their reach, pricing and marketability.

A toll-free number usually starts with 800 or 888, which are nationwide prefixes. Conversely, a local phone number starts with the area code associated with the town or city that your business is serving. Most standard phone numbers are local numbers, beginning with prefixes such as 415 for San Francisco. Local numbers are helpful for businesses that want to target customers in a specific area, and since they’re familiar, a customer may be more likely to answer the phone when they see one on their caller ID.

Just as VoIP providers let you choose from a selection of toll-free numbers, they also offer a wide variety of local numbers based around the country or globe.

While local numbers are important for establishing trust in your community, a toll-free number has nationwide reach. The general public typically associates toll-free numbers with businesses, which in some cases may benefit your growing business by implying that your company is credible and worth working with.

A toll-free number can be beneficial for various businesses, including e-commerce brands and those that frequently provide customer service over the phone.

Here are some types of companies that can benefit from toll-free numbers:

1. Customer-service businesses. These businesses, such as call centers, routinely speak with customers to assist them with their needs. A toll-free number ensures they can contact you without incurring charges and can improve satisfaction rates.

2. Nationwide businesses. If your company serves customers beyond your community, a toll-free number gives your business a large-scale identity and presence.

3. E-commerce brands. E-commerce is one of the largest industries, and having a toll-free number means customers can seamlessly interact with your business about their products, orders and returns. Being easy to reach can differentiate your business from other online retailers, which typically handle these inquiries by email or chat.

1. Not Properly Setting Up Call Routing

One of the biggest advantages of a toll-free number is its call routing capabilities. This is usually when you “connect” a caller to another department. Many toll-free number service providers can help create these routing avenues for you. If your routing isn’t properly set up, your callers will grow frustrated with your service. Be sure to test your call routing regularly to maintain a good customer experience.

2. Not Utilizing Call Analytics

Many toll-free number services provide tools to track call data, including volume, call duration and missed calls. If you don’t take the time to analyze this data, you could miss out on opportunities to improve your business’s operations and customer service.

3. Not Promoting Your Number

One of the biggest benefits of a toll-free number is that it enhances your business’s image as credible and professional. If you don’t advertise your toll-free number, customers won’t know how to contact you.

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