Toll-free, vanity, and local: Selecting the best business phone number

A recognizable business phone number builds trust and security with your brand, facilitates smooth and seamless communication, and establishes solid rapport with customers. This also has a direct impact on conversions, as clients prefer to transact via a single point of contact, that can be retained even as your business continues to expand.

That being said, the type of business phone number your organization uses greatly determines the overall quality of service and customer experience you deliver. Toll-Free, Vanity, and Local numbers all ensure your callers an efficient, high-quality call.

To help in your selection of the best phone number for your business, we’ll examine each of their important functions, key features, and highlighted benefits.

Toll-Free Numbers

Toll-Free numbers, as the name implies, are widely used by businesses to offer customers free calls when contacting them. The entire cost of calls made to Toll-Free numbers, from any landline in Australia, is shouldered entirely by the company rather than the caller.

Beginning with the prefix 1800 and followed by six digits, Toll-Free numbers’ accessibility can help drive inbound leads and queries and significantly increase responses and engagements. With less call forwarding and fast inbound call distribution, Toll-Free numbers help provide excellent customer service, making your callers feel valued and heard.

How do Toll-Free Numbers work?

Toll-Free numbers efficiently manage your call forwarding and routing by connecting inbound calls to any answerpoint, whether landline or mobile. Similar to other inbound number services, incoming calls are organized based on time of day, or the caller’s location.

With Toll-Free numbers, your telecommunications will continue to function effectively, regardless of where you or your client are, presenting your business as professional and equipped with readily available contact information.

Alltel 1800 numbers: Give your customers all the freedom to call your business

With awesome features that can be customized to fit your business needs, Alltel’s selection of competitive 1800 number call plans offer great value service that your business can rely on.

Grow your market, encourage more phone enquiries, and give your customers the confidence to call your business, at anytime from anywhere in Australia.

Vanity Numbers

Often considered the best available numbers for your business, custom or vanity phone numbers are your best bet for strong recall and brand awareness. Also known as smartnumbers or phone words, these come in simple numerical patterns (e.g., 1300 468 366) or spell out the product you’re offering when dialed on a keypad (e.g., 1300 HOT FOOD)- a must for industries like food delivery or trades services.

Alltel’s Smartnumber Tool can help you get started with your smart number search. Prices start at $250 with the cost of each number varying based on its memorability. Just give our solutions specialists a call, pay for the number online, and we’ll get everything running in no time.

How do Vanity Numbers work?

Similar to regular inbound numbers, calls to your vanity or smartnumber are automatically directed to any of your preferred phone lines. Calls can be routed to landlines, mobiles, VoIP phones or a phone answering service, at any time of the day, giving you the flexibility to work anywhere without the need to change numbers and update all your customers.

As long as the service is activated within three years of allocation, vanity numbers belong to you for the entire duration of your business. However, vanity numbers that are inactive for three years will be returned to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and become available for other companies to purchase.

Make a lasting impression with Alltel Smartnumbers

In addition to making a statement with a memorable number, Alltel Smartnumbers project a trustworthy and professional image for your business, capturing the attention of your target market.

Complete with advanced call management options as with any 13, 1300 or 1800 number, Alltel Smartnumbers give you total control of which phones ring and when, so customers never have to hear nonstop ringing or a busy tone.

Local Numbers

A Local Number is an inbound number service that helps your business reach out to customers even outside your local area. Regardless of where your company is located, these virtual "local" numbers enable you to reach a national audience, while offering local call rates in any major Australian city.

What differentiates Local Numbers from Toll-Free Numbers is that these provide a more personal service to customers who prefer to transact with a company from their own community. When you call local businesses, there simply is a very real and personal element to it.

Direct In Dial (DID) numbers are the phone numbers used to call your Local Number service. To route all incoming calls to one office, you can choose a DID number in any state or region.

How do Local Numbers Work?

Alltel’s Local Number service uses virtual inbound numbers that use local area codes (eg. 02, 03, 07, 08). Calls made to your DIDs are routed to one or more of your current business phones or live answering service, at the same low rate as a typical local call.

You may opt to retain your existing landline and VoIP numbers by transferring them to your Alltel Local Number Service. DIDs can also be designated as answerpoints for your 1300 or 1800 numbers, taking advantage of the benefits that both numbers provide.

Alltel Local Numbers: Helping you scale and stay true to your brand

An Alltel Local Number helps you target a larger market and establish a local presence anywhere in Australia- all while maintaining a high level of customer service even as your business grows.

These inbound virtual numbers feature the same flexible call handling and routing options as any 1300, 1800, or 13 number, allowing you to capture all leads and keep customers satisfied on the phone.

Selecting the best phone number for your business

From Toll-Free, Vanity to Local numbers, choosing the right phone number is just as important as creating your business name. Apart from being a vital communications tool, your business phone number projects a reliable and professional image for your brand that customers recognize and trust.

Our experts at Alltel are happy to assist you in your business number search.

To get started, give us a call at 1300 255 835 or visit our official website at www.alltel.com.au.