8 mins read
This is the ‘Customer is King’ era.
Consumer experience is no longer limited to the purchase itself.
With the advent of the Internet, communication channels have grown exponentially—we have emails, messaging apps, social media platforms, chatbots, and more. However, one form of communication has maintained its reign over these years: the telephone. Telephonic conversations are still extremely popular among clients for query resolution.
According to the Delhi School of Internet Marketing, 75% of consumers consider calling to be the best way to get a quick response. Many consumers in India are still dependent on telephonic conversations to solve queries, which is why companies must innovate and improve their customer service tools.
Industries have tried to innovate their contact centres over the years. Some such innovations include cloud solutions, IVR, multi-media representation, and voice broadcasting systems. However, one of the most popular introductions has undeniably been toll free number solutions. These numbers usually start with ‘1800’ and allow consumers to contact the company for no charge.
Naturally, customers prefer the option to call you for free. However, there are several other incentives organisations to set up toll free number solutions.
Before getting onto the simple set-up process, let’s take a look at the purpose they serve as well as their advantages:
What are toll free number solutions?
You may be familiar with 1800 numbers often shown on company advertisements. These numbers act as virtual contacts which consumers can connect to without any charge. So when a client calls the organisation using a toll free number, the call charge is transferred to the company instead. The pure economics of the system is enough to make the option popular.
However, these numbers not only relieve clients of charges but are also a simpler way of connecting to a company. A single 1800 number can be attached to several extensions as per your requirement, making your company’s contact easy to remember. In fact, organisations are known to associate a jingle with their numbers to make the experience memorable.
Features and benefits of toll free number solutions
Having understood the basics of TFN solutions, their immense popularity makes much more sense. Additionally, there are several other benefits of investing in these numbers:
1. Brand Representation
Toll free numbers are easy to remember and are often well-known representations of the company. Clients instinctively associate your brand with the number they come across in campaigns or advertisements.
2. No Confusion
Since the number is consistent across channels, customers don’t need to search for different contact details. They can remember a single number to communicate with the organisation efficiently.
3. International Calls
Before toll-free solutions were introduced, customers were often hesitant to contact international organisations due to exorbitant charges. However, since these numbers do not cost much, customers are now communicating with brands across the world more frequently.
4. Mobility
Locations have no bearing on the ownership of toll free numbers. This means that if you decide to relocate all your operations to the other side of the world, you can still hold on to the same number without worrying about going through the process of setting up again.
5. Interactive Voice Response
TFN solutions can be connected to interactive voice responses (IVR). When a customer calls your number, they are greeted with a message and their call gets routed to a suitable agent based on their inputs. First-contact query resolution is more feasible due to this set-up.
How can you set up toll free number solutions?
TFN solutions can be purchased from telecom providers or cloud-based service providers like Acefone. With the latter, you receive several additional benefits, and a chance to expand your customer service applications and features.
A prerequisite for purchasing telephony solutions is that you consider the needs of your company and the options in the market. Let’s distinguish between a local number and a toll free number:
A local number refers to a contact that is based in a certain location. This number is prefixed by the standard code of that town or city and isn’t free for the consumer. A toll free number is virtual and can be connected from anywhere. The former is better when you have multiple offices in varied locations and wish to connect to local consumers. The latter, however, is ideal for a unified contact centre that deals with all your customer support. It is also imperative to estimate your budget and whether you wish to own an international solution.
Once you’ve decided to opt for toll-free solutions, the rest of the process is smooth sailing. Follow these simple steps for making the purchase:
- Visit a cloud telephony provider’s website (like Acefone).
- Select the toll free number solutions option and begin the registration service.
- Complete your KYC (Know Your Customer) authorisation for safety purposes.
- Choose a payment option.
- Finally, you can select a toll free number of your choice.
(This step is important and we suggest you pay close attention to the contact you choose. You can also opt for set vanity numbers or create your own.)
Once you have selected your service and paid for it, you’re all set!
It’s an easy and swift process, and now you can empower your customer service with a multitude of features. Ease the communication between your organisation and your consumers, and increase brand loyalty with these solutions.
Summary
Toll free number solutions can be used by several industries—banks, businesses, contact centres, educational institutes, etc. These numbers are easy to remember and have great recall value. Customers do not incur any charges and thus, are inclined to use this option, while their installation is simple and efficient. Consider cloud-based solutions for your brand, which are loaded with features to support the customer experience.
Try out a toll free number from Acefone now and smoothen your communication process for both parties.
