How to Get a Toll Free Number in the USA?

The consumers in the United States abandon or switch their existing brands due to a variety of reasons. But several studies suggest that the number of consumers abandoning or switching brands has been increasing steadily.

“According to the Microsoft State of Global Customer Service survey, 96% of consumers say that customer service is important in their choice of loyalty to a brand.”

Hence, no business can remain profitable and relevant in the long run without allowing consumers to resolve customer service issues without putting extra time, effort, and money.

Your business can use US toll free numbers as a powerful tool to acquire new customers and retain existing customers by improving the customer service experience.

Unlike conventional business phone numbers, the toll free numbers allow customers from the US, Canada, and Caribbean countries to call your business without paying call charges.

At the same time, the sophisticated features attached to the toll free numbers help your business to handle incoming calls proactively by transferring the incoming calls to a preset telephone number.

The leading providers allow you to choose from a wide range of toll free numbers in the USA. Thus, you can make it easier for customers to collect information and resolve issues by selecting a free call number, which is easy to remember and recall.

However, you must keep in mind some important points while exploring how to get a toll free number in the USA.

7 Crucial Steps in Getting the Best-Suited Toll Free Number in the USA

1. Know the Latest FCC Guidelines

In the United States, rules for getting and using toll free numbers are set by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). However, the business phone numbers are assigned by Responsible Organizations or RespOrgs to subscribers based on a first-come, first-served basis.

According to FCC, “Toll free numbers are those numbers that begin with one of the following three-digit codes: 800, 888, 877, 866, 855, 844 or 833. Although 800, 888, 877, 866, 855, 844, and 833 are all toll free codes, they are not interchangeable.”

Some of these US toll free numbers require wireless callers to pay call charges, while others allow businesses to respond through text messages.

Likewise, the vanity numbers allow businesses to include a specific name, word, or acronym. The rules related to getting and using a toll free number keep changing from time to time.

However, you also have the option to avail USA toll free numbers provided by various providers. The customers from the US, Canada, and Caribbean countries can call the 800 number without paying any call charges.

The customizable toll free number solutions provided by leading providers help your business to meet customer needs and adhere to all compliance requirements.

2. Keep the Toll Free Number Easy to Recall

The toll free number will help your business to receive more incoming calls on a regular basis. The vanity numbers are easier to remember and recall than the toll free numbers.

As you have the option to embed specific phone words on a vanity number, the customers can easily recall and call the number on a regular basis. However, the vanity numbers will require you to incur an additional upfront cost.

3. Shortlist US Toll Free Number Service Providers

You can use any online search engine to collect information about various toll free number providers. But you must remember that the effectiveness of the toll free number will directly depend upon the provider’s professional credibility and reliability.

You must shortlist the reliable toll free number providers, based on information collected from various sources as well as feedback, reviews, and testimonials posted by existing subscribers.

It is also essential to shortlist the providers who customize both features and plans according to your precise business needs.

Also, you must focus on a slew of important factors that are –

• Options to enhance your business’s local presence using local prefixes,
•  Ability to retain the toll free number while relocating your business operations,
•  Keep sensitive data secured by storing them in the cloud.

4. Compare Call Management Features

For businesses to improve customer service experience consistently, it is essential to manage each incoming call proactively. While comparing the shortlisted toll free number services, you must focus on the call management features attached to them.

It is always important to opt for services that provide multiple call routing, forwarding, and transfer options. The leading providers allow subscribers to manage incoming calls more effectively by setting various call forwarding rules.

The sophisticated toll free number solutions further expedited customer service experience via multi-level IVR integration. Hence, you must assess and compare the toll free number services based on important call management features like call forwarding, call recording, call conferencing, call analytics, HD voice quality.

5. Compare Campaign Management Features

In addition to improving customer service experience, the toll free number will help your business to run various inbound campaigns. That is why; you must compare the shortlisted toll free number solutions based on the call management features provided by them.

You must select a service that helps you to boost the performance of inbound campaigns using informational insights gained using real-time call data. It is also essential to check if the solution features call analytics and generate comprehensive call records.

6. Evaluate Features and Plan Customization Options

The right toll free number in the USA will help your businesses to get higher ROI in the long run. But you must explore ways to leverage the US toll free number without increasing upfront and ongoing cost.

It is always vital to select a provider who allows you to choose from multiple phone numbers and activates the toll free number without taking much time.

However, you need to ensure that the provider customizes both US toll free number plans and features according to your predefined business needs.

The customization options will help your business to deliver superior customer service and run marketing campaigns without incurring high infrastructural and operational overheads.

7. Make Most of the Free Trial Period

The leading toll free number service providers in the USA allows the subscriber to use and evaluate the solutions on a trial basis. The free trial option enables you to assess the pros and cons of the toll free number in real-time.

It is always essential to make most of the free trial period to decide if the toll free number meets your precise needs and goals. You must involve your employees in the number assessment process.

Also, the employees must evaluate the call management and campaign management features of the solution based on your precise business needs.

You can consider using each of the shortlisted solutions on a trial basis to get the best-suited toll free number for your business. The trial will help you to evaluate the shortlisted toll free numbers based on your business needs.

The right toll free number will help your business to increase conversion rate, improve customer loyalty, enhance credibility and presence, and run inbound campaigns on a regular basis. But you cannot reap these benefits without choosing the best-suited US toll free number.

Thus, you must opt for one of the toll free numbers which are easy to remember and recall. Also, you need to ensure that the toll free number solution must come with the features required to manage incoming calls and improve customer service experience.