How a Virtual Toll Free Number Can Benefit Your Business

Since their introduction in the 1960's, toll free numbers have been increasingly gaining popularity. At the present, toll free numbers are available in each and every country in the world. So, what exactly is a toll free number? A toll free number is a number that allows the callers to make a call free of charge with the charges being incurred by the party that is being called. For instance, if a business has a toll free number, customers' calls to the business are not charged; it is the business itself that incurs the calling costs. In the US, toll free numbers are identified by the following prefixes: 1-800, 1-888, 1-877, 1-866, and 1-855. In other countries the prefix is 0800 and in others just 800. A virtual toll free number works just like any other toll free number but it exists virtually.

It is hard to get a toll free number if you are not a resident of a given country. This is where a virtual toll free number comes in. With a virtual toll free number, you do not have to be a resident of a given country to get it, all you need is an internet-enabled computer and your credit card. For example, a resident of Kenya, UK, Australia, China, India, or any other country in the world can get a US toll free number in a matter of seconds.

A virtual toll free  number confers several benefits to a business. To begin with, the location of a business does not matter. Customers get a toll free number that is local to them and so they never get to know the actual location of the business. For example, a business in China or Kenya that wants to target customers in the US, UK and Australia can get 3 virtual toll free numbers for each of the countries. Consequently, prospective and current customers would call a number that is local to them for free. On the other hand the business owners would receive the calls from any location.

Needless to say, this would give customers an incentive to call the business. Customers and indeed most of the people love free things. A toll free number comes in very handy when one is shopping and wants to do research before making a purchase. For example, if one wants to buy a car, he or she may want to call several car dealerships before settling on a given car dealership for the purchase. In such an instance, one may be more compelled to call a company that has a toll free number than a company that has no toll free number. Consequently, the chances of the inquiries translating into sales and thus increased profits for the business are high.

A virtual toll free number also helps to build the trust of the clients and to boost the image of a company. Customers tend to associate toll free numbers with big companies and this can work to the advantage of a small business. By getting a virtual toll free number, which by the way are available at incredibly low prices, a business can boost its image in the eyes of its clients. A company such as Vonage.com offers virtual toll free numbers at an incredibly low monthly price of $ 4.99. This price includes free 100 minutes of talk time after which additional minutes are charged at 4.9 cents.

The best thing about  a virtual toll free phone number is that one does not have to pay setup fees, there are no contracts to be signed, the service can be discontinued at any time, no cancellation fees are charged, and the number can be obtained in a matter of seconds. What's more, the calls can be routed to a cell phone so that one can receive the calls from any location.

Before buying a virtual toll free phone number, it is important to note that in some instances toll free numbers cannot be dialed outside the specific country. For example, a US toll free number may not be accessible from Nigeria. In some instances where they can be dialed outside the country of issue, they may not be free and in fact they may be more expensive than regular calls (non-toll free calls).