Toll-Free vs Local Numbers What Will Go Better With Your Business Needs!

Being available for the customer 24×7 is a staple in the present time and age for any business. Whether you sell products or services, your customer will want to connect with you. It can be for a software update in your application or maybe if they are unable to install that hi-tech machine they bought from your store. The list is never-ending. General awareness is spreading massively among the broad audience, and that is why it has become difficult for companies to keep track of solving their client’s issues.  

We are living in the social media jungle where there are never-ending applications and mediums to connect with customers. Today, there are various ways you can compare and solve your customer’s queries. But nothing can beat one on one communication with the customer as most of the clients are old school when it comes to solving an issue or discussing a new idea. For such clients, it is mandatory to use the traditional way of connectivity.

The two most common options are Toll-free phone number and Local phone number.

Toll-free phone number and Local phone number have their pros and cons. Let us dive in for a brief discussion to know which one suits your business and client requirements the most.

What is a local phone number and how it can be beneficial for my business and clientele? 

As the name suggests, it is ideal for the business that wants to target customers that reside locally in area you wish to target. Using this facility, you can manage your clients from anywhere in the world without even having a concrete office. The local phone number will increase the convenience of the customers as they can conveniently reach out to the concerned department. Imagine if the interested person receiving the calls knows nothing about a particular field of your business, it will be quite embarrassing while they attend the calls.

Here are the benefits of using a local phone number

1. It is easier to have a local presence:

Every business and client have different working nature and requirements. But, when a client wants to have blind faith in what he is putting his hard-earned money into, they need to have a local connection. Many customers align more towards working with a local business. It is better to have a local number in such cases. Using this number will help you reach a customer in New York with local code even when you are sitting in South Africa. According to a survey, 83% of customers instantly feel comfortable if they receive a call from a local number that a customer ought to trust you. It does not matter if you are operating from New York. This will straightaway win their trust as you will appear local and eventually help you bag a new contract. 

Why is it better to appear local?

About 85% of consumers believe in working with local organizations if they provide better quality.

73% of customers are okay, paying more to local business.

Up to 77% of the customers think local business is more reliable and trackable. 

Advertise your local number to attract local customers.

While advertising each firm, you should know what attracts their target audience. While branding your product and services, add the number in the campaign to appear more local to the audience. For example, when you add a local phone number to the email signature, it will look more real to the audience you wish to reach. In this way, it is easier to expand your reach and generate more leads in a short span of time.

Consider having multiple numbers instead of one.

When you deal with a global audience on a local level and have a variety of services to offer, it is better to have multiple numbers. Of course, it will depend on how massive your customer base is and what your requirements are. With the help of CallHippo, you can target the area codes from where you are getting most of the leads and connect with them.

As such, there are no cons of having a local number, although there are a few points one must keep in head. 

2. The customer has to pay for local numbers:

When a customer calls on your number, he will be paying the cost of the call. Most of the customers will not mind paying the cost of calls. But some might get a thought that it would have been better if you had a toll-free number which is not possible with local phones.

Another great connectivity option for your business growth is the toll-free number.

What is a toll-free number?

The most important thing for a customer is that he gets value for money, whether he is buying products from you or having your services. But are you aware of what the second most important thing for a customer is? It is receiving excellent customer support.

When you receive customers call and solve their problems with a smile and greeting, they will instantly feel positive. To create such an impression, you must address their issues in real-time. A best-suited option is a toll-free number. When you own a toll-free number, the customers will feel free to call you the moment they face any issues because they will not have to worry about the calling charges.

According to a survey, 87% of Americans prefer toll free numbers daily.

Chances of customers responding to an advertisement increase by 30% when they see a toll-free virtual number.

How your business will get benefit by installing a toll-free virtual phone number for your business phone number?

Out of sight is out of mind

If you use a business number that is complicated or long to remember, you will lose half of your leads before even getting in touch with them. Instead, use a toll-free number which is most comfortable to remember for the customer. Also, it is a proven fact that toll-free numbers have higher inbound calling rate and appear professional when displayed on websites or billboards. Imagine having a number 1800-22-11-11-00. It is so easy for the customer to remember than having a complicated figure. Easy to remember names will help you get in touch with your valuable customers regularly.

Look long look professional

Nothing can be more critical for a company than looking professional in front of their international clients. It is a great option when your business targets a broader audience. The best part about having a toll-free number is that you can give the impression that all your staff is located in one region. This can be done even if they are working from different parts of the world. A toll-free number will also help you give an impression of being a large organization by using one number with multiple extensions. 

Easy to port: 

Do you have an old number that you wish to merge but are feared about the paperwork and technicality?

The best part about having a toll-free number is you can easily port. By using this number, you can easily take the number wherever you travel. If you do not wish to change the number, you can easily keep the name and the service provider. Your relocation should never be a concern for the customers. They can easily continue using your services without any interruption.

With these great options, there are some minor points that you can think about before choosing from a toll-free number or local number.

Handling multiple calls multiple times, a day:

Although most of the customers do not have that much time and energy to call numerous times a day, there might be that one customer that draws on your number even for very minute things. They might ask irrelevant questions that have nothing to do with your work. 

In the end, choosing from both of these are dependent on what your requirements are. Both these options have their ups and downs. But the positive part here is both are resourceful for your business. 

Source: CallHippo