0845 numbers and 0800 numbers are popular telephone numbers for UK organisations of all shapes and sizes.
Both number ranges enable firms to keep one telephone number for life and give them the ability to smarten up their telephone systems with online call management systems, like instant call re-routing to another landline, mobile or even international destination.
However, there are key differences between the two number ranges that organisations looking to change their telephone numbers should consider.
What do you want to use your number for?
If you are looking for a telephone number to use in your marketing and advertising then 0800 numbers are the clear winner.
0800’s are totally free for your potential customers to call from a BT landline, meaning that you will receive more sales/enquiries to the number that you have promoted. In fact, research by the Institute of Direct Marketing (IDM) has found that response rates can be increased by up to 185%.
The RAC has recently heavily promoted its 0800 telephone number for its ‘Beware the chip on the shoulder’ campaign: 0800 999 5000. It advertised this number on its vehicles and in its national newspaper advertising alongside its other marketing activities.
For companies looking for a main contact number, then an 0845 number could be the ideal solution.
Whereas 0800 actively encourage customers to call, 0845 are not free to call so may not have the same impact but 0845 numbers are in fact the UK’s most popular number range. A quick look through the Yellow Pages or online will prove this.
When they were first introduced, 0845 numbers were known as ‘local rate’ numbers, though this is not strictly the case anymore with the popularity of
inclusive call packages offered by mobile and landline providers, where 0845 numbers are often not included.
However, BT has recently made 0845 numbers free to call for its 16 million residential landline customers, which is superb news because the cost barrier to your callers has been removed for many consumers.
How much do you want to pay?
With 0800 a one-off connection fee is required. This charge depends on how memorable the number is, although it can be as little as 25 with some reputable companies. After this initial fee, companies then pay a monthly service charge (e.g. 14.99) and, because 0800 numbers are free to call, the business that owns the number pays for all the incoming calls. E.g. 4.5 pence per minute.
The increase in calls and sales that companies receive justifies this cost to them, although there are number suppliers that offer free inbound minutes to the numbers (e.g. up to 1000 free minutes).
With 0845 a connection fee is still required and a monthly service charge and if you are smart you can seek out a provider that can offer you unlimited inbound minutes.
Overall, it is evident that both 0845 numbers and 0800 numbers are great ways to improve business communications. Both number ranges give organisations more control and flexibility over their phone systems and each has its own advantages. Rather than seeing 0845 numbers and 0800 numbers as complete opposites, they are in fact different tools for very similar jobs and should be carefully selected to suit your business needs.
Author: Mark Guy
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Wordpress plugin Guest Blogger
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