Toll Free Numbers Cheapest or Best?

[dgast]

I have been looking for a reasonable toll free provider and was considering using Callture. The prices seemed reasonable and no contract is required. Anyone have any input here. Is toll free worth doing? Does it improve your business? What's the scoop, from your experience.

 

[callthatgirl]

I just got one from Ring Central. I did enough research, liked their packages and growth opportunities. I paid $15 for a True 800 number. I bought the starter package I think. So far so good, but a spammer already got the number and I have to figure out how to block that lol

http://www.ringcentral.com/

 

[Frick]

I have used ring central in the past and liked their service.

 

[jdpetrov]

I also currently use ring central. I paid $30 for a vanity 800 number...I have 855-587-8324 or 855-5-UPTECH. My monthly bill is $30 but I get 1,000 minutes which I have yet to even come CLOSE to using every month (but it is a new number).

I have departments with extensions and a fully customized recording system that I recorded on my computer and uploaded to my account. I can even set business hours with after-hours messages. So right now I have extension 7 for emergency repairs. Everything rings through to my cell phone, and the callerid tells me what extension they dialed so I know what the caller is calling about.

Another great feature is the ability to receive and send faxes through my number. I can log in to their website and "upload" a file for faxing. Makes my State document filings very easy to do, and the minutes used for the fax are deducted from my 1,000.

It even has an app for my phone that lets me dial out so my 855-587-8324 number shows up on customers' caller ids.

If I get a shop then I can get their IP phone system and keep my whole set up.

 

[callthatgirl]

I hope to be able to use all the bells and whistles someday and organize all my phone lines. I have 4 phone systems with 4 companies...nightmare!

 

[TenYardFight]

I like the way people are using ringcentral and I have used it in the past. I prefer a local number tho. No one pays for long distance anymore and gone are the days when having a toll free number meant your business had "arrived". I think in some cases your local customers could be discouraged by the posibility that you are a national company.

 

[callthatgirl]

My number is for a 4 state wide account I landed, so there is value of the 800 number. Would have been more work to manage individual phone lines per town (there are 22 towns). Doesn't mean I have arrived, means I want 21 less headaches.

 

[jeubank]

What I use is Toktumi, which has unlimited inbound and outbound calls on your 1-800 # for 20 bucks a month, with 20 extensions and fax capabilites.

I found ring central very expensive, and not very customizable. I mean. yeah you can do extensions and forwarding. but so can Toktumi. Also you can do fax services but so could Toktumi. except Ringcentral charges you per minute after a certain allotment of minutes. Kind of stupid, considering all they do is buy a trunk of DID numbers and then resale them. They dont pay for minutes or bandwidth charges

 

[jeubank]

oh btw - Toktumi has a 14 day trial, with no credit card available.


AND

I have been with Toktumi for 3 years. my number follows me everywhere

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

I had a 800 number and I think I paid $15 per month and 10 cents per minute and then they lowered it to $5 per month and ten cents per minute. It worked very good. I didn't worry about the spammers as I pretty much hang up on them the first 10 seconds and according to my plan, I didn't get charged for calls under 10 seconds. Most automatic machine and spammers will not call you back if you hang up, although they don't automatically remove you from the calling list either.

I doubt I paid $5 per month in charges for long distance incoming.

 

[dgast]

Toll Free

If you advertise a nationwide service in the future is the perception better if you have a toll free number when you do?

If you have multiple locations it would seem that if you could pull together the numbers into one and use extensions to hit your different sites or even techs, one number covers the whole business. True?

 

[dgast]

What do you mean by "True 800 number"?

 

[RichmondTech]

I have a 888 number through Freedom Voice for when I do events across the state. I get 300 minutes for $11/month after taxes with no contract. They have other plans if you need more minutes. Easy peasy.

http://www.freedomvoice.com/

 

[TenYardFight]

My number is for a 4 state wide account I landed, so there is value of the 800 number. Would have been more work to manage individual phone lines per town (there are 22 towns). Doesn't mean I have arrived, means I want 21 less headaches.

Definately. Some pbx systems with ACD and IVR will require toll free numbers as well.

 

[TenYardFight]

What I use is Toktumi, which has unlimited inbound and outbound calls on your 1-800 # for 20 bucks a month, with 20 extensions and fax capabilites.

I found ring central very expensive, and not very customizable. I mean. yeah you can do extensions and forwarding. but so can Toktumi. Also you can do fax services but so could Toktumi. except Ringcentral charges you per minute after a certain allotment of minutes. Kind of stupid, considering all they do is buy a trunk of DID numbers and then resale them. They dont pay for minutes or bandwidth charges

They do have to pay a per minute charge to terminate your toll free traffic. Sounds like a great alternative to rincentral though. I'm going to check them out.

 

[TenYardFight]

If you advertise a nationwide service in the future is the perception better if you have a toll free number when you do?

If you have multiple locations it would seem that if you could pull together the numbers into one and use extensions to hit your different sites or even techs, one number covers the whole business. True?

Possibly...I think it is debatable. Some good use cases for both. If you look though, you'll see plenty of national companies choosing to use locals. In your 4 store scenario, you might use 4 local numbers that forward to one toll free for ease of call distribution, tracking and reporting.

 

[TenYardFight]

What do you mean by "True 800 number"?

True 800 number means a toll free number with an 800 prefix rather than one of the other prefixes. 800 numbers make you look more established but you will get more wrong numbers because they are recycled.

 

[jdpetrov]

I like the way people are using ringcentral and I have used it in the past. I prefer a local number tho. No one pays for long distance anymore and gone are the days when having a toll free number meant your business had "arrived". I think in some cases your local customers could be discouraged by the posibility that you are a national company.

I operate on my cell phone. In my area, businesses that list a cell phone as a primary phone number are perceived as "fly-by-night". My only options were get the ringcentral 800 number or sign up with AT&T for a landline. The ringcentral option gave me greater flexibility and increased features, plus I can dial long distance for free. If I had gone with a landline option, I would have to pay extra for long distance. Granted, I am currently a local business, but still.

 

[livpie]

I did a lot of research when I started my company up earlier this year and decided to use a VOIP provider, PhonePower. I have been extremely pleased with the features and quality of what they have provided thus far. I did not go for an 800 number this time, but I almost positive they offer them. Good luck to you!

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

I did a lot of research when I started my company up earlier this year and decided to use a VOIP provider, PhonePower. I have been extremely pleased with the features and quality of what they have provided thus far. I did not go for an 800 number this time, but I almost positive they offer them. Good luck to you!

Can you record all phone calls? I am looking for a way to be able to review phone calls.