Companies We Love
GH in the news- @Grasshopper
- Interested in getting an 855 number? We're taking reservations now - http://bit.ly/ailETt
- RT @chrisgeyer: excited i get to talk with more of our @grasshopper customers today as well
- RT @melilitts: I use @grasshopper as the main means of communication within my business, since our team is spread all over the US!
Toll Free Numbers Archive
Reserve an 855 Number Here!
A few weeks ago we let you know that 855 numbers were set to be released in October. Today we can officially announce that we will begin taking 855 reservations.
How Can I Reserve a Number?
At midnight on October 2nd, the Grasshopper team will be working with our number carrier to reserve specific 855 numbers for our customers before they become available to the general public.
For $650, Grasshopper will make sure your number is included on our reservation list. If we are unable to obtain your specific number, you will be refunded $600.
We will notify you within 3 days (of October 2nd) as to the status of your reservation & if acquired, your number will be ready to go within 7 business days.
Grasshopper customers will have the option to pay via credit card while non-customers must pay by check. Payment must be received by September 16th in order to secure your reservation.
While there is no guarantee that we will get every number, this is the best opportunity for those looking to get high-demand vanity numbers.
If you don’t need to be first in line or are simply looking for a standard 855 number they will be available to the general public on Oct 15th.
Creating a Dedicated Support Line for Your Business
One of the great things about our phone system is that it can be used in different (and creative) ways. While yes, it’s intended to be used as a full-featured, make your company sound big phone system, our customers have made it their own. Some people use it strictly as a voicemail service, some use it as a call forwarding service and one customer uses it to provide clients with personalized extensions.
A new use we came across recently was a customer using their Grasshopper number as a dedicated support line. What a great idea! We certainly have customers who use extensions for support/sales/departments/etc, but I’d never really thought about using an account just for Support.
As it turns out, there are actually quite a few benefits to this:
Professionalism
One of our main priorities here is to “Help entrepreneurs stay connected and sound professional”. Why? Because to customers, perception is reality.
A dedicated support line certainly shows customers that you are professional, successful enough to have a support team & you are there to help them when they need it. Whether this line forwards to a 100-person support team or your home office doesn’t really matter.
Why Your Business Should Have an 800 Number
In today’s economy, it’s important to make your business seem like number one. That means as a small 1-5 person business, you need to look and sound as professional as the big guys. An 800 number can not only help you sound bigger but can also make life easier for everyone. Here are seven reasons your small business should have an 800 number:
-
An 800 number centralizes your business. Even if your employees are located in five different states, you still only need one number.
-
It’s easier for customers to remember your number, especially when you use vanity numbers (think 1-800-Flowers).
-
Customers are more likely to call an 800 number simply because it’s free!
-
You own your 800 number. Change businesses, locations, etc…the number is still yours.
-
They are easily transferable. Your business has grown tenfold and you need a bigger phone system but you don’t want to have to change your number. Good news, you don’t have to! Take it with you.
Got an 800 Number Question?
Here at Grasshopper we get a lot of questions from people who want an 800 number but they aren’t sure about the specifics. To help, we’ve included five of the most frequently asked questions below. Have a question that isn’t on here? Feel free to leave a comment or contact our awesome customer support team 24/7 (800-820-8210).
-
You have 888 numbers listed. Are they the same as 800?
888, 877, 866 and 800 numbers are all toll free prefixes that work exactly the same way. A number with an “800″ prefix is simply called a “true” 800 number.
-
Can I buy an 800 number from another company and use it with Grasshopper?
We know how important a phone number can be to your business and that’s why we try to make transferring numbers easy. You can transfer any toll free number to Grasshopper, ensuring marketing materials, contact infor, etc won’t have to be changed.
We do ask that you allow up to three (3) weeks for transferring. The number will not be transferred before all of the necessary paperwork is submitted and verified complete.
-
So, if I get an 800 number do I own it or does Grasshopper?
Once an 800 number has been assigned to you, you’ll have ownership of it. If you decide to Read more »
A Virtual Phone System for Non-Profits
One of the great things about Grasshopper is that it can be used by just about any company, in any industry. We have customers who work in construction, law, accounting, transportation, real estate, marketing and many other industries.
One industry that’s really started to pop up on our radar here as of late is the non-profit sector. Several customers have reached out to us and let us know not only how valuable the Grasshopper virtual phone system has been to their non-profit organization but also how they actually use it.
Here are 3 ways Grasshopper can help non-profits:
-
Phone # for Volunteers
Volunteers are an integral part of many non-profit organizations. They help man the phones, run events, organize fundraisers and much more. With tight budgets, not all non-profits can afford to provide phones or even walkie talkies to every volunteer and trying to keep track of everyone’s cell phone number can be next to impossible. Read more »
855 Numbers to Become Toll Free?
We all know toll free numbers have become a staple in business communication over the past 35 years. However, as more and more people buy them, the less numbers there are for new businesses.
As a way to ensure toll free numbers remain available, the FCC intermittently releases new toll free prefixes based on demand. In 1996, 888 numbers were released, in 1998, 877 numbers were released and most recently, in 2000, 866 numbers were released.
Release of the 855 Prefix
The latest news indicates that 855 prefixes are the next to be released, meaning over 7 million new toll free numbers will be available to our customers. While there is no set date for this, the announcement is positive for companies looking to acquire toll free numbers and especially for those looking to purchase vanity numbers.
Grasshopper will keep you up to date on any new developments regarding 855 numbers. In the meantime, if you have any questions about toll free numbers, local numbers or the Grasshopper virtual phone system, please feel free to contact us 24/7 at 800-820-8210.
10 Facts About 800 Numbers You May Not Know
While we have an FAQ section on the site, I thought we could address a few things specifically about 800 numbers right here on the blog.
Here are a few common facts about 800 numbers that you may not know. 
-
A “true” 800 number is simply a toll free number with an “800″ prefix.
-
You own your 800 number.
-
800 numbers are portable. If you change service providers, you can take your 800 number with you.
-
800 numbers that spell out a company name, product, etc are called “vanity numbers”.
-
800 numbers have been around for over 35 years.
-
800 numbers are regulated by the FCC.
-
800, 888, 866 & 877 are all toll free numbers. The only difference is the numbers themselves.
-
800 numbers can be used for home numbers as well as business numbers.
Top 3 Benefits of a Toll Free Number
Toll free numbers are a great tool for any business and are extremely easy to get these days. You can search and buy an 800 number as easily as you can a t-shirt (Note: A toll free number will probably have a more positive impact on your business than a t-shirt).
But if you are wondering just how a toll free number can help your business, we have listed 3 key benefits to toll free numbers:
1. Professionalism
As anyone familiar with Grasshopper knows, one of our brand promises is to help entrepreneurs sound professional. A toll free number not only helps your small business look big, but it also helps it look (and of course sound) professional.
Would you feel more comfortable buying from a business with a standard voicemail message or a company with a dedicated business number and professional greeting?
Five of the Best 800 Numbers
Being in the business of 800 numbers, we love to see what other people are using, especially when it comes to vanity numbers. Vanity numbers are a great way to market your business and help your customers find, contact and remember you.
Most of us are familiar with big names like 1-800-FLOWERS, 1-800-CONTACTS or 1-800-MATTRESS but there are so many other numbers out there, creative ones. Since it’s Friday we thought we’d have a little fun and show some of the lesser known 800 numbers out there.
Here are 5 of our favorite 800 numbers:
-
800-Giant-Men
The Gentle Giant moving company sure knows how to grab our attention.
-
800-Virus-No
McAfee makes it known just what their product does. Backwards but you still get the point.
-
800-Junk-USA
College Hunks Hauling Junk found just the right 800 number. Unless of course they used 800-Junk-Hunks
How To: 800 Forwarding with Grasshopper
One of the top features of the Grasshopper virtual phone system is the ability to forward your 800 number to any number on any phone. No really, ANY phone/phone number in the entire world! Your home phone, your office phone, your cell phone, your mom’s cell phone…it doesn’t matter.
Setting up call forwarding for your 800 (or local) number is easy through your online account manager.
We have broken it down into 3 simple steps:
1. Login to your Grasshopper account, choose “Settings“
2. Under Settings, choose “Call Forwarding“
3. Choose “Add Number” & Put in the desired forwarding number (click image to see full size)
That’s it!
