Are toll-free numbers still needed?

[bcla]

I remember when they were pretty useful back when there was long distance, and even back when many people used operator-assisted long distance. I thought it wasn't until the late 70s when we could make a direct long distance call in my area, and where we got charged by the minute for even calling a phone prefix that was maybe 12 miles away. But these days moving data is so cheap that everyone has a cell phone or POTS/VoIP where most have unlimited domestic long-distance or at least way more than will ever be used except for stuff like prepaid phone cards.

I still hear/see ads that feature toll-free numbers, but I'm not even sure it's for anything more than a demonstration that a company is trying to serve more than a small geographic region. I don't know if toll-free really means anything; I'm not even sure that the recipient has to pay for each call any more. It seems more for "vanity" these days given how almost anyone can call any domestic number and there's no additional cost compared to calling a local number.

I do remember hearing stuff about the golden era of 800 numbers during the 80s, back when the recipient might be paying $1/minute. The craziest story I remember was a someone who was really upset at a company for some reason or another. So he set up some electronics to automatically call this company's 800 number and hang up twice a minute. The company went to court to try and get a restraining order ordering him not to call, because it was costing them a lot of money.

 

[JaxDad]

Probably going the way of these...

 

[bcla]

Well - I can't get the Kars4Kids radio jingle out of my head. Of course they've gotten a lot of flak for high costs and little of their proceeds actually going to charity. And on top of that it requires a little research to find out that their primary recipient is a Jewish summer camp organization. I think they've tried to counter that with newer ads that suggest charities call them to request donations.

 

[IAHFTPT]

No.

 

[chartle]

Not going away for awhile few reasons. Lots of companies have lots of money advertising their numbers like 1800 flowers. To the point when they expanded to the 888 and the other area codes most of these places bought them such as 888 flowers etc.

Also when you call they have your number and location which is great for marketing reasons.

But..... on the other hand most places would rather you used online resources. Our company has started to remove their vanity 800 number off our vehicles.

 

[bcla]

Not going away for awhile few reasons. Lots of companies have lots of money advertising their numbers like 1800 flowers. To the point when they expanded to the 888 and the other area codes most of these places bought them such as 888 flowers etc.

Also when you call they have your number and location which is great for marketing reasons.

But..... on the other hand most places would rather you used online resources. Our company has started to remove their vanity 800 number off our vehicles.

I get the deal about name recognition. However, I've heard that companies like 1-800-FLOWERS and 1-800-CONTACTS are doing the majority of their business online. Kar4Kids obviously has too much of its identity wrapped up in its phone number.

However, having the number and location isn't that big a deal now with caller ID. I know there was a time when many people would have a caller ID block (but a toll-free number would override that since they're paying for the call) but these days who does that? So many people answer phone calls from numbers/people they recognize to the point where they get complaints from their friends/relatives if they call in with a blocked number.

 

[Lilacs4Me]

Not completely sure, but I work for a pretty big company and we have 800 numbers for various departments, plus our call-in # for our conference calls.

Like I said, not completely sure but I was told before that if we direct-dialed for the conf calls instead of using the 800 #, we will be charged a per-minute fee whereas the 800 call would be free. I spend probably a good 6-8 hours a week on conference calls, so just myself alone would rack up quite a bill. The Director of my department requested a 800# to route to our department for the same reason, but im not sure why since as a whole we get very few phone calls. Most of us either just schedule a conf call or work via email or skype so we have a recorded trail to refer back to. (AKA - covering our butts! haha)

So it makes me think that it's more of a vested interest as a cost-savings to the companies to have the 800#, than it is really any big benefit to the customer.

***(YMMV - and I am no phone systems expert by any means, so if you ARE and any of the above doesn't make sense, feel free to chime in.)***

Eta: someone down thread mentioned having an 800# for business contacts to use instead of giving out cell phone #''s and it made me remember why my director wants us to have the 800# in our department lol. We are going remote as of Jan 1st, and this 800# will have a phone tree feature with each of our extensions. It will be hooked up to our laptop Skype act and we will be able to make and take calls through Skype so that we don't have to use our cell phones or a landlines at home.

Even 800 numbers are not immune to the changing times....

 

[sam_gordon]

There are still land line numbers and they still pay long distance rates.

 

[CarolAnn856]

Many larger companies and organizations still use land lines and are charged for long distance calls.

 

[ford family]

But these days moving data is so cheap that everyone has a cell phone or POTS/VoIP where most have unlimited domestic long-distance or at least way more than will ever be used except for stuff like prepaid phone cards.

I would doubt that assertion, especially amongst older people.

ford family

 

[tvguy]

There are still cell phone plans out there that do not include unlimited long distance.
And for the 46% (and declining) of Americans who still have landlines, it is something they use.
But I think "chartle"s" nailed it, too many businesses have too much money tied up in marketing a phone number that often spells something out. If they changed numbers people would have to remember not only the new number but also the new area code.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

My problem would be that I don't want to use my personal cell phone to make business calls. Especially if that business is going to return the call.

My personal cell phone is just that, personal.

Right now, the office knows not to give out my cell number.

 

[Jafar30]

Where I work we still use toll-free numbers for our customer service lines

 

[Domo]

I rely on smoke signals.

 

[chartle]

I rely on smoke signals.

Pagers

 

[tvguy]

My problem would be that I don't want to use my personal cell phone to make business calls. Especially if that business is going to return the call.

My personal cell phone is just that, personal.

Right now, the office knows not to give out my cell number.

I hadn't thought about that. Since they are paying for the call, by dialing an 800 you are giving them your phone number even if your number if blocked. I don't give our my cell phone number.

 

[sam_gordon]

My problem would be that I don't want to use my personal cell phone to make business calls. Especially if that business is going to return the call.

My personal cell phone is just that, personal.

Right now, the office knows not to give out my cell number.

But would you use your business cell for personal calls? Sorry, I don't understand why you even bring this up. Just because you're calling a business doesn't mean it's a "business call". I'm confused.

 

[scrapquitler]

I remember when they were pretty useful back when there was long distance, and even back when many people used operator-assisted long distance. I thought it wasn't until the late 70s when we could make a direct long distance call in my area, and where we got charged by the minute for even calling a phone prefix that was maybe 12 miles away. But these days moving data is so cheap that everyone has a cell phone or POTS/VoIP where most have unlimited domestic long-distance or at least way more than will ever be used except for stuff like prepaid phone cards.

I still hear/see ads that feature toll-free numbers, but I'm not even sure it's for anything more than a demonstration that a company is trying to serve more than a small geographic region. I don't know if toll-free really means anything; I'm not even sure that the recipient has to pay for each call any more. It seems more for "vanity" these days given how almost anyone can call any domestic number and there's no additional cost compared to calling a local number.

I do remember hearing stuff about the golden era of 800 numbers during the 80s, back when the recipient might be paying $1/minute. The craziest story I remember was a someone who was really upset at a company for some reason or another. So he set up some electronics to automatically call this company's 800 number and hang up twice a minute. The company went to court to try and get a restraining order ordering him not to call, because it was costing them a lot of money.

Some of us still have land lines that charge by the minute for long distance (but I use the cell phone for calls that I'd be charged long distance fees). And no, I'm never planning to get rid of my land line because where I am, there is not VOIP phone service available. Cell, yes, land line, yes. I can't even get high speed internet at home without a satellite, and that only allows me 10GB per month without an overage charge.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Eventually perhaps they go away completely but I don't even want to imagine how intensive it would be to convert all the toll free numbers out. Look at chip-cards and how long it's taking both to get them to the customer and for all business to accept them.

 

[tvguy]

Some of us still have land lines that charge by the minute for long distance (but I use the cell phone for calls that I'd be charged long distance fees). And no, I'm never planning to get rid of my land line because where I am, there is not VOIP phone service available. Cell, yes, land line, yes. I can't even get high speed internet at home without a satellite, and that only allows me 10GB per month without an overage charge.

One of the lessons of last week's tragic fires in Santa Rosa was that the cell phone infrastructure is far more fragile than landline. Makes sense, in many communities landlines are all buried where they are less likely to be damaged by fire. Not so sure about floods.