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stains-away

Freephone, does it pay?
« on: March 24, 2006, 12:44:45 am »
Ive been looking into some deals on 0800 numbers and there are some good ones about,im not in the directories for this year having started out after the deadlines so strings of price shoppers arent a worry, the question being would it be worth using a freephone number on flyers, van etc or just leaving the local number and mobile on, or a combination of freephone on out of area advertising and local number on ads locally?
                                                    Andy

Liahona

Re: Freephone, does it pay?
« Reply #1 on: March 24, 2006, 07:26:34 am »
I use an 800 number because I work all over the country..... I dont want to put off customers by them thinking I am a long way away, which I am but that is my choice.... For the same reason though some people dont like to phone 800 numbers because they think that maybe it is a fracnchise or that someone from timbuuctooo might be answering the phone. For what it is worth I have two numbers, an 800 one and a local one although they are actually the same line. The 800 one is used maybe 8 out of 10 calls so that would suggest on the whole that 800 numbers do work. The fast track people in some cases have 800 numbers ending in the code for there local locality. Maybe ask them their response, I hope it works for them for how much they pay for fast track..... Best, Dave.

John Rimmer Marshall & Rimmer Ltd

  • Posts: 101
Re: Freephone, does it pay?
« Reply #2 on: March 24, 2006, 07:46:46 am »
Not long after starting up some yrs ago i did try an 0800 i dont think it made any diference. And has Dave has pointed out it could put some people off, most of us are not like Dave we tend on the hole to stay local. There is something els that has changed over the years and that is the way we use the phone, ie Mobiles
and landlines with fixed tariffs, so in that case an 0800 becomes irelevent.

                                                 Take Care John

therapist

Re: Freephone, does it pay?
« Reply #3 on: March 24, 2006, 08:16:15 am »
I've had an 0800 for years and it's actually free..........you only pay for the calls, but I always include my landline and offer the FREE call as an inducement.

I can monitor it easily with the separate bill and it definitely pays for it'self

rob m

paul bruce

Re: Freephone, does it pay?
« Reply #4 on: March 24, 2006, 11:56:40 am »
Personally i never use companies with free phone 0800 numbers, they tend to give the impression they will be expensive and lack that local touch.
Just my opinion maybe most will disagree.

 Paul

Re: Freephone, does it pay?
« Reply #5 on: March 24, 2006, 12:23:45 pm »
I use an 800 number because I work all over the country..... I dont want to put off customers by them thinking I am a long way away, which I am but that is my choice...

Dave,

Correct me if I am wrong:

You do not advertise in yellow pages and other directories…
Your van has not got any ads on it
You work manly for designers etc.
I guess you do not drop leaflets all over around the UK (I have never got one  ;))

If all of the above is correct, could you tell us why would you need 800 phone number?  To save money for your customers who ask you to clean a £500 for a yard carpet?

I am confused ???

Regards,
Arthur


Liahona

Re: Freephone, does it pay?
« Reply #6 on: March 24, 2006, 01:50:03 pm »
Arthur good point but easily answered and nothing too confusing. A little explaination first though on my customers. Almost and I repeat almost all of my customers on the whole dont open their own mail so leaflets would be a waiste of time. For the same reason they dont look in the yellow pages or any other phone book. Nor do they see me or my van. I market as you know designers and high end carpet suppliers and or fitters. The same goes for any hard flooring company, tiles, stone, travertine etcetera. The reason for the 800 phone number is for these people to pass on my information to their customers. That way they will take the time to look at what I am about because I am being refered to them by someone they already trust. This way too I only have to market a few people to get many customers where as I would hate to know how many people dont answer fliers and yellow pages.  My success rate is 100% which sounds outrageous I am sure but then all the work of selling so to speak has already been done by someone else. I dont have to discuss how much, I just have to discuss when. For what it is worth a lot of business's or people making a phone call on someone elses behalf do indeed use 800 numbers. For in my case even if they are spending 4 or 500 on a carpet there is no point also spending it on a phone call.........Just because you have it doesnt meen you spend it for no reason....... Rob, my 800 isnt quite free, it costs me a pound a month and then of course the calls made to it..... In the states a lot of 800 numbers are what is called vanity numbers as the number spells out whatever they want it too. A company I bought many years ago was Restoration Concepts Inc. and the number was.................................................. 1 800 724 4782 or 1 800 RCI 4SVC ..........maybe one day they will do that here as well. ....But maybe not too if it is too expensive as we arent that well looked after here in Britain by the phone company's..... Hope this answers your question, best, Dave.

Neil Grainger

  • Posts: 1273
Re: Freephone, does it pay?
« Reply #7 on: March 24, 2006, 05:14:31 pm »
HI Andy

Who was that with?

Regards

Neil

Re: Freephone, does it pay?
« Reply #8 on: March 24, 2006, 06:50:41 pm »
Quote
Personally i never use companies with free phone 0800 numbers, they tend to give the impression they will be expensive and lack that local touch.
Just my opinion maybe most will disagree.

Paul, I agree completely with you.

When I use directories, I look first for adverts with my own dialling code, so I know they are local.

Robert Watson

  • Posts: 1058
Re: Freephone, does it pay?
« Reply #9 on: March 24, 2006, 07:04:37 pm »
Why not add your address and post code?
Saw a flyer for a C/C in a cafe today, just a mobile number  :-\
If that's my competition, No worries 
I been using a  freephone number, but to early to tell response rates.
The Kitchen Door Centre

daniel b

  • Posts: 440
Re: Freephone, does it pay?
« Reply #10 on: March 24, 2006, 07:38:50 pm »
we put normal phone no,then freephone no,then web site,then address at the bottom,but sayin that most of our ads/leaflets have EST LOCAL FAMILY BUSINESS in the main headin so i think they get the idea that we are local which i think makes a hell of a difference as peeps defo want a local company.
DSB Cleaning Services,Wrexham,N.Wales.
NFMWGC NO.9442,
Safe contractor approved.
www.dsbcleaningservices.co.uk

Jason Hedges

  • Posts: 1035
Re: Freephone, does it pay?
« Reply #11 on: March 24, 2006, 11:26:31 pm »
Hi Andy,

I've just cancelled my 0800 number after 2 years of having it. It cost me £10+ a month including 400 free minutes and I was sent an itemised statement every month showing calls etc. I had it on leaflets  as well as my local and mobile number and it was the only number in huge print on my van. The ammount of calls through it were very low, sometimes only 4 or 5 a month.

I'd ring a local number if I was looking for a service!

I get so many more calls through my local number which is diverted through to my mobile, may cost a bit but answering there and then before the customer rings the next carpet cleaner in the paper is well worth it.

May work for some but sadly not for me.

Kind regards,
Jason.