Local vs Freephone Numbers

Virtual phone numbers are obviously the way to go for every savvy UK business. But what sort of virtual number does your business need? Virtual phone numbers tend to vary drastically from one another.

Certain categories are simply more beneficial than others, especially when it comes to budgetary considerations. Many small businesses struggle in this area. They don’t know whether to buy local numbers or freephone numbers for their business to promote.

Both categories of virtual numbers have plenty of strengths and weaknesses. To make the right selection as a business owner, it is important for you to carefully consider each option:

Freephone Numbers

In the UK, 0800 numbers are freephone numbers. They are free to call for customers, availing benefits such as:

1). Freephone numbers are easy to remember because their prefix is so memorable. They are also quite easy to pick out from an extensive contacts list. And that is something every business wants because it means that a customer is more likely to call their number.

2). Freephone numbers are non-geographic. Because they are not associated with any particular location, they create the sense that a business has a national presence rather than a local one. And for some customers, this is appealing.

3). Freephone numbers are portable. The fact that they are non-geographic means that you can take them with you wherever you go. You don’t have to change numbers simply because your office changed locations.

4). The most important aspect of freephone numbers is their cost. Because they are free to call for customers, your clients have added incentive to reach out to you.

Local Numbers

Considering the obvious advantage of freephone numbers, no one would blame you for immediately concluding that local (01/02) numbers have nothing to offer. But you shouldn’t be so quick to make that judgment. Local numbers have plenty of benefits, for instance:

1). Local numbers will give you a local presence. This is important because many customers prefer to deal with local businesses even though their products and services are sometimes more expensive. The idea of supporting their local community appeals to them.

As such, having a local number will encourage a large swathe of the customers in a local community to support you.

2). Local numbers allow you to create customised marketing campaigns that are targeted towards specific communities. This is because you can acquire a new number for each new region of the UK that you want to reach. This means you can produce focused marketing campaigns as opposed to the generic promotions that typically accompany 0800 freephone numbers.

3). Local numbers tend to endear trust. Many of the customers you encounter are less likely to ignore a call from an unfamiliar local number.

Local Numbers vs Freephone

So which one is better? If you had to assign one number to your business, would it be an 0800 number or a 01/02 number?

There is no definitive answer to that question. 0800 numbers are perfect for businesses that want to attract national and possibly even international clients. However, for some companies, freephone numbers can seem too costly. Additionally, not only do they attract frivolous calls but they are not that useful to businesses that only care about maintaining their local presence.

Local numbers will do that. They will cement your company’s local presence. And that is a good thing if you have no interest in reaching markets outside your community. But they become a burden if you want to create a national presence. More importantly, the cost of calling them to your clients is higher than what they encounter with 0800 numbers. So the frequency of inbound calls might drop as a result.

You need to consider your needs. Of course, if you can’t choose, why not get both!

To get an affordable 0800 freephone number or virtual numbers for your business, give us a call free on 0800 088 6886.