Telephone numbers 'allow firms to change public perception'

Date: 31/10/2011

There are some companies practically all consumers will have heard of. Whether it is a large retail brand such as Asda or Marks and Spencer, a utilities provider like British Gas or a public service such as the NHS, these are all well-established, instantly recognisable organisations.

When people see their logos or adverts, they immediately know what the business is selling or what its purpose is and have a good idea of its size and prominence in the UK.

However, this is not the same for all firms and there are thousands and thousands of smaller enterprises all trying to establish themselves in the marketplace, drum up interest, increase revenue and perhaps, one day, become as big as one the huge high street brands Britain is already so fond of.

Of course, this is not easy and a great deal of work, marketing and advertising has to go into just getting a company started, let alone making it a success. There are lots of things to consider and for many entrepreneurs, phone numbers may simply be seen as a necessity for communications rather than a tool for generating revenue and attracting clients.

However, choosing the right prefix could actually be an effective way of making some extra money and the correct digits may have several benefits for enterprises. One of these is that, unlike the big name brands, business owners combine the fact many consumers may not know them with their choice of phone numbers and use it to their advantage.

One of the great things about non-geographic phone numbers is that they give enterprises the ability to change the public's perception of the size and location of the organisation.

For example, if a company has a local number, it is most likely to be perceived as a smaller business offering more specialised, localised products and services to those living in certain parts of the country. While this is ideal for some firms that will no doubt be keen to create a friendly, personalised image to people who are likely to return with repeat custom and tell their friends and neighbours about their experience, this is not the case for organisations with aspirations of international trade and a nationwide reach.

With non-geographic prefixes, such as 0800 numbers, they may be able to achieve this aim because the digits give no clue as to their actual location. In the past, consumers would easily have known where a business was based because telecoms technology was not as advanced and the postal address would have revealed the location.

However, firms are now able to have calls that come into their 0800 number redirected to any number - be it a landline or mobile phone - of their choice, thus giving no clues as to where they are situated. Call re-directing could open up plenty of opportunities for entrepreneurs, especially if they want to give the impression of having their premises in the busy heart of London when really, they are just getting established and can only afford an office in the suburbs.

Similarly, 0808 numbers give the same impression and businesses could take advantage of these to encourage trade and well establish themselves.