Company Blog » Toll Free Numbers

Why Your Business Should Have an 800 Number

Corinne Ayoub — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 04:01:01 +0000

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.

Every number comes with a flexible plan based on your need for minutes and features. Just want to reserve a number? For $9.95 a month you can get the number you want and hold onto it.
800 numbers provide you with a variety of helpful features like call forwarding, voicemail, and unlimited extensions. As your business grows, so does your phone system.

An 800 number is a valuable asset and can give your small business the professional look and feel it needs. Have more questions? Check out our FAQ or call customer support 24/7at 1-800-820-8210.

Got an 800 Number Question?

Gary G — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 14:05:15 +0000

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 change service providers, you must have the 800 number transferred before canceling your service.
Can I get a custom 800 number?

Yes! Custom toll free numbers are called “vanity numbers” and we do offer them. Examples of vanity numbers include 1-800-Flowers or 1-888-BestBuy. You can search for and reserve a vanity number instantly online during signup. Vanity numbers can take up to a week to activate and require a $30 one-time fee. Don’t see what you want? Contact our customer support team and they may be able to help.
What if I just want to secure a number but I don’t need any minutes yet?

With the new Pay As You Grow plan, you can reserve your 800 number for only $9.95 per month. Any minutes you use will simply be charged to your account. No minutes, no extra charges!

An 800 number can help your small business stay professional and sound connected. Get yours today!

A Virtual Phone System for Non-Profits

Gary G — Mon, 17 May 2010 19:29:06 +0000

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. With Grasshopper, no additional phones are necessary. You can create extensions in minutes and calls can be forwarded to any number on any phone.

Have an event? Using your Grasshopper toll free or local number, simply create extensions and have the calls forward to your volunteers’ cell phones. The same extensions can be used for any event. All you have to do is change the forwarding number.
Fundraising/Event Information

Wouldn’t it be great if you could give people all the information they needed without ever having to answer a call?

With informational extensions, you can give people information they need on events, fundraisers, the company and more. Simply record your greetings and upload them to your account. Give callers hours, dates, directions and more.
Taking Donations

Donations are a big part of the non-profit industry and the easier it is for people to give them, the better. Question & answer extensions can make taking donations simple and you don’t have to worry about being out of the office and missing calls.

With question & answer extensions, your callers will hear a series of questions to which they will respond to. A voicemail will then be compiled and emailed to you with all of the information the caller provided.

Create a dedicated extension for donations and gather the info you need from callers. This ensures donations can be taken 24/7.

The Grasshopper virtual phone system can help non-profits with their phone needs for a low cost. Have questions? Listen to a live demo, visit our FAQ page or call our support staff at 800-820-8210.

855 Numbers to Become Toll Free?

Gary G — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 13:28:39 +0000

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

Gary G — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:44:52 +0000

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.

855, 844, 833, and 822 numbers have been reserved to be used as toll free numbers in the future.

AT&T paid over $1.32 million to acquire the vanity number 1-800-YELLOWPAGES (* wiki)

An 800 number is a great way to make your small business sound professional for a low cost. Get an 800 number along with all the great features of the Grasshopper virtual phone system.

Top 3 Benefits of a Toll Free Number

Gary G — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:22:51 +0000

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?

2. Consistency

As your business grows, you may realize that your cell phone just isn’t cutting it anymore. You need a dedicated phone number and an actual phone system for your business. Extensions, voicemail, call forwarding, etc.

Do you really want to have to switch your number because your business is succeeding? You’d have to change business cards, social profiles, websites and marketing materials, all costing you time and money.

With a toll free number you never have to worry about changing your phone number. Toll free numbers are portable and can be transferred to any service you choose. They also can grow as your business grows. Are you a one person operation? You can have your toll free number forwarded to your phone. As you become larger and add employees, you just have to add extensions. You never have to worry about changing your number.

3. Cost

Toll free numbers are affordable for you and your customers. You can get a toll free number with a virtual pbx service for as low as $9.95 month. That includes all the great features we touched on above (call forwarding, extensions, voice mail, on-hold music & more). That’s less than $120 for your business over the course of a year!

As for your customers, they aren’t charged for calling you regardless of how long it takes to solve their problem.

Toll free numbers are a cost-effective way to help your business sound professional, project a strong brand and help your customers reach you.

Five of the Best 800 Numbers

Gary G — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:42:18 +0000

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

800-44-Store

Public Storage may not have gotten the exact vanity number they were looking for but you get the point and it’s easy to remember.
800-905-Geek

Geeks on Call can help you get your computer or IT issues fixed in a hurry. More importantly, they aren’t afraid to admit they are geeks and their 800 number proves it.

What other 800 numbers out there stand out in your head?

How To: 800 Forwarding with Grasshopper

Gary G — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 04:01:36 +0000

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!

Those simple steps are all it takes to forward your 800 number with our virtual phone system. Easy huh?

Once you put in the number, or numbers (yes, you can forward calls to more than one number), you can choose your call forwarding settings:

Forwarding Schedule (Set specific times)

Call Announce

Direct Connect

Call Screening

PBX Connect

Caller ID (Show your callers # or your Grasshopper #)

Along with 800 number forwarding there are a ton of other great features with the Grasshopper virtual phone system including unlimited extensions, custom greetings and voice mail transcription. Check it out and be sure to contact our 24/7 support with any questions you may have.

Choosing the Right Toll Free Number for Your Business

Gary G — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:06:26 +0000

As most people know, Grasshopper is a virtual phone system designed for entrepreneurs and small businesses. We have tons of great features (if we do say so ourselves), including call forwarding, unlimited extensions, voice mails delivered to your email and more. Our most popular feature is, of course, toll free numbers.

Toll free numbers can be extremely valuable to a business when they are looking to project a professional image, sound bigger or just give their customers an easy phone number to remember. 800, 888, 877 and 866 numbers from Grasshopper have helped tens of thousands of small businesses grow over the past six years and will continue to do so in the future.

How do I choose the right toll free number for my business?

Vanity Numbers

Everyone wants a number like 1-800-Flowers or 1-800-Mattress but it turns out that many of these numbers are taken. That doesn’t mean you should give up. Here are a couple of things to think about in choosing a vanity number:

“What keywords best represent your business?” Think of a few to search for.

“What number will be easy for customers to remember?”

“Can the number grow with my business?” Don’t pigeonhole yourself into a niche if you plan on growing your business beyond that product/service.

When selecting a vanity number, try a variety of keywords until you find what best fits your business. If you have a specific request let us know and we can try to help you locate it.

True 800 Numbers

When people hear “toll free number” they automatically think of the “800″ prefix. These are called “True 800 Numbers”.

If you aren’t looking for a specific vanity number but would prefer having the “800″ prefix there are plenty available through Grasshopper. A True 800 number is a great way to help your business sound professional.

General Toll Free Numbers

866, 877 & 888 are the most common toll free prefixes outside of the 800 number we are all familiar with.

If you are simply looking for a general toll free number for your business, this is certainly the way to go. Any of these prefixes will provide you with a toll free number that helps your business project a larger image.

Choosing a toll free number shouldn’t be difficult but it should be given some thought. Grasshopper offers each of the toll free numbers mentioned above and searching for them is easy. We want your business to succeed and a toll free number combined with the Grasshopper virtual phone system will definitely help you stay connected and sound more professional.

*If you already have a toll free number, we also offer number portability.

I Want a Toll Free Number Not an 877 Number

Gary G — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:57:55 +0000

While most people are familiar with the popular “800″ prefix, not everyone knows that there are actually several prefixes that are considered toll free “800 numbers”.

To make it a little more clear, we have answered a few of the most common questions in regards to toll free numbers:

Which numbers are considered toll free?

800, 866, 877 & 888 prefixes are all considered “toll free” phone numbers for the U.S. and Canada.

What is the difference between 800, 866, 877 and 888 numbers?

Nothing. Each of the prefixes are treated the exact same way for toll free numbers.

Why are there so many different toll free number prefixes?

800 numbers were introduced in 1967 and as more and more businesses claimed them, the available numbers simply ran out. To meet demand, the FCC released 888 and 877 numbers and eventually 866 numbers in 2000.

Can I still get an “800″ prefix?

Grasshopper does in fact offer “true” 800 numbers to our customers. Check out the features page.

Have other questions or thoughts on toll free numbers? Leave a comment!