Your Toll Free Number Could Be Turning Customers Away
Copyright (c) 2007 Bill Lampton Ph.D.Championship Communication http://www.championshipcommunication.com/
When I launched my company, Championship Communication, ten years ago, a veteran entrepreneur advised me, "Get your toll freenumber right away." He argued that I would attract more clients and keep ongoing clients happy if they could call me at nocharge. "But," I asked, "isn't that quite expensive?"
"No, Bill, it's surprisingly reasonable, and it will be wellworth the moderate cost because of your increase in customers." Following his advice, I got an 800 number and displayed it on my stationery, Web site, business card, and E-mail signature. For adecade, I mentioned that number when I was leaving a voice mail message for an out of town contact I had called and missed.
Then not long ago, I started rethinking whether my toll free number was gaining business for me. Discussing this with a professional speaker colleague, I was surprised to hear him say, "People who want you to have a toll free number, so they can save three or four dollars when they call you, are unlikely to beable-or willing-to pay the professional fees your experiencemerits. If they are so cost conscious that they don't think they could afford to call you, then how will they change that mind set to invest in your services?"
His idea startled me. At the same time, his logic seemed sound. Over the next few months, I started looking at my monthly telephone bill to see who was using my 800 number to reach me. The answer: mostly friends and relatives.
When I launched my company, Championship Communication, ten years ago, a veteran entrepreneur advised me, "Get your toll freenumber right away." He argued that I would attract more clients and keep ongoing clients happy if they could call me at nocharge. "But," I asked, "isn't that quite expensive?"
"No, Bill, it's surprisingly reasonable, and it will be wellworth the moderate cost because of your increase in customers." Following his advice, I got an 800 number and displayed it on my stationery, Web site, business card, and E-mail signature. For adecade, I mentioned that number when I was leaving a voice mail message for an out of town contact I had called and missed.
Then not long ago, I started rethinking whether my toll free number was gaining business for me. Discussing this with a professional speaker colleague, I was surprised to hear him say, "People who want you to have a toll free number, so they can save three or four dollars when they call you, are unlikely to beable-or willing-to pay the professional fees your experiencemerits. If they are so cost conscious that they don't think they could afford to call you, then how will they change that mind set to invest in your services?"
His idea startled me. At the same time, his logic seemed sound. Over the next few months, I started looking at my monthly telephone bill to see who was using my 800 number to reach me. The answer: mostly friends and relatives.
posted by Tom Falco at 3:54 PM
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