| 0800 numbers allow your customers to call you | | | | second - Make sure your 0800 provider doesn't round |
| without being charged. This not only increases the | | | | your calls up to the nearest minute. This can be an |
| amount of calls your business receives, it also gives | | | | unnecessary and expensive cost. Similarly, make sure |
| you the chance to measure which of your services | | | | you receive frequent itemized billing for all the calls you |
| are most popular. | | | | have received. Some companies will let you access |
| 0800 number owners are charged for each call they | | | | this online. |
| receive. When a person dials in 0800 number owners | | | | 6. Be prepared to pay more for 0800 to a mobile - |
| can "point" their numbers to any landline (or mobile) that | | | | pointing an 0800 number at your mobile is a larger risk |
| they designate. The phone line that you use to receive | | | | for telecom providers and consequently costs you |
| the call does not necessarily have to be dedicated to | | | | more money. This is something to take into account if |
| 0800; it can be a standard phone that you use to | | | | you expect a lot of calls. |
| make and receive normal calls. | | | | 7. Cater for your international calls - a UK 0800 |
| Follow this advice before buying an 0800 number: | | | | number may not be free for international inquiries n |
| 1. Make sure 0800 is right for you - 0800 numbers are | | | | some cases. If you rely on foreign customer sales set |
| good at linking businesses to their customers. If the | | | | up a country specific number or international toll free |
| majority of your work is business to business, a 0800 | | | | number to extend your business. |
| may not be necessary. The majority of companies | | | | 8. Don't pay a fortune for a so-called memorable |
| contacting you will not mind paying for the cost of a | | | | number - Many companies offer "Golden" numbers for |
| phone call. | | | | extortionate rates that aren't memorable at all. Truly |
| 2. Work with a reputable 0800 number company - | | | | memorable numbers are very hard to come by. |
| Look for an organization that has been working with | | | | Unless your number is for a radio or TV campaign |
| 0800 numbers for a long time and can provide you | | | | then it's not very important for it to be memorable. |
| with support. There may be glitches that can arise the | | | | 9. Don't buy into 'free minutes'- No company can |
| first time you use an 0800 number so make sure you | | | | afford to give away free minutes. Some companies |
| sign up to a company that can look after your best | | | | offer to sell bundles of minutes to you for a fixed price |
| interests. | | | | in much the same way as you would buy a text |
| 3. Get the company contact address if buying an 0800 | | | | bundle for a mobile phone. The odds are you won't |
| number online - Some telecoms resellers do their best | | | | use exactly the amount of minutes you paid for. If |
| to cover up their identity on their websites. Make sure | | | | there is a shortfall the 0800 company makes a profit. If |
| you can see a physical address and that you have a | | | | you go over your minutes you pay for it anyway. |
| contact phone number. Better still choose a company | | | | Bottom line: Free minutes aren't free - it has to be |
| who actually provide a real person's contact name. | | | | made up elsewhere in set up fees and monthly rentals. |
| Most 0800 number resellers should be able to connect | | | | Does your business give products way for free? |
| your number within 24 hours. | | | | 10. Make sure your 0800 number is movable - A lot of |
| 4. Beware of 'free' numbers - If you're not being | | | | people use a landline for business and divert it to their |
| charged a set-up and rental fee for a 0800 number | | | | mobile when they are out of the office. You can set |
| then the cost of the phone calls you receive will be | | | | up an 0800 number and point it at your landline. The |
| more expensive. Nobody gives anything away so read | | | | 0800 will then follow any divert you set up on that |
| the small print. The majority of reputable companies will | | | | landline. Should you decide to do this, check what the |
| charge a modest set up fee, a monthly rental of | | | | transfer costs will be from your landline to mobile - the |
| around £2 + VAT per number and call charges | | | | charges can be hefty. |
| of around 4p per minute. | | | | This article is free to republish provided this resource |
| 5. Get itemized bills with phone calls charged by the | | | | box remains intact. |