Why are freephone numbers good for business?

Date: 28/11/2011

Since the credit crunch that affected the UK a few years ago, the country has struggled to get back on its feet and rebuild its economy. Many businesses are continuing to find times tough and Brits are still feeling the pinch as they cut back on luxuries to save for essentials, especially with Christmas just around the corner and the threat of another cold winter following utility price hikes.

Office for National Statistics figures recorded a modest 0.5 per cent growth in gross domestic product in the third quarter of 2011, but many economic experts and organisations do not believe this is enough to demonstrate Britain is recovering.

Furthermore, the debt crisis currently plaguing the eurozone shows no signs of abating and there are now fears the situation that has already affected Italy and Greece could have a negative impact on the usually strong German economy.

Although the UK is not part of the eurozone, it is thought by many the troubles on the continent could soon spread across the channel, leading to another recession. Many enterprises could already be steeling themselves for the worst, while consumers might be planning ahead in case further austerity measures arrive.

But what does this mean for companies that are trying to grow and develop? How can they continue to do this when money is tight and firms are finding it difficult to access the finance they need from banks? Securing a loan is currently difficult, despite continued calls from organisations such as the British Chambers of Commerce that the government must encourage lending if the country is ever going to recover.

Marketing can play a big part in an enterprise's success and there are numerous methods of advertising and getting people's attention. However, for many smaller firms these may not be viable at present as they do not have the money or resources to spend on large campaigns spanning several different types of media.

So how can they encourage trade at a time when people are cutting back and are unwilling to spend, but without lowering their prices or putting themselves at risk financially?

One way could be through the use of freephone, non-geographic numbers. These prefixes mean it is free for customers and clients to get in touch with a company whenever they wish to place an order or have an enquiry.

There are many advantages to these digits both for the businesses that purchase them and consumers. As they are free for people to call, they are more likely to deal with a company that does not charge them premium rates at a time when money is tight. This could give a firm an edge over its competitors and show to people that it cares about its customers and does not want them to make unnecessary payments.

This, in turn, is good for the enterprise because after the initial cost of paying for the prefixes it could then make the money back due to the higher number of orders or transactions it receives. Furthermore, if people do have a problem with any of their products or services, they will not begrudge calling the company for assistance because it will not cost them as much as some premium-rate prefixes can.

What is more, 0800 numbers present a national image, so no matter where an organisation is based it can attract clients from up and down the country, thus encouraging even more business and driving up revenue.

After purchasing freephone numbers, companies could really feel the benefits if they want to get themselves ahead of their competitors in a tough marketplace during times of financial uncertainty.