We’ve all misdialed – swapping a couple digits or mashing multiple numbers by accident. We get connected to some random stranger who sounds nothing like who we were expecting, and we fumble for an embarrassed explanation before hanging up.
With 866, 877, and 888 prefix toll free numbers, the main cause of misdialing is in the prefix. 800 numbers have been around considerably longer than these other numbers, so “8-0-0″ is the default in the minds of your customers. If they don’t have your contact info handy, there’s a risk they might fill in the blank with the wrong prefix.
Here are some easy ways to prevent prefix misdials.
1. Split the Prefix Up
There’s a growing trend among businesses that use 866, 877, and 888 toll free numbers to strongly emphasize the second two digits by breaking the prefix into two parts. This way, customers can’t gloss over it and go straight to 800 in their minds. For example, instead of reading a number in a tv commercial or radio spot as “1-866-555-1212″, instead use, “1-8-66-555-1212″ (one, eight, sixty-six, five-five-five, one-two-one-two).
This practice does add a little complexity, so it typically works best when used with an attractive word-spelling or repeating-digit vanity toll free number that is already easy to remember.
2. Get an 800 Number
Occam’s razor – the easiest answer is often the best one. If you’re worried customers might be misdialing your toll free number because it’s not an 800 number, the simplest solution is to, well, start using an 800 number. You’ll need to update your advertising, your website, and anywhere else your toll free number is floating around, but once you do you’ll be worry-free moving forward.
The supply of available 800 numbers is as low as it has ever been, causing some toll free providers to start charging outrageous premiums or stop selling them altogether. Not to worry, we’ve made it easy for you to choose an 800 number of your own for just ten bucks.
3. The “Superfecta”
Some businesses are really really worried about misdials because they fear competitors might pick up a similar number with a different prefix to try and confuse customers. To prevent this from happening, they pick out a toll free number that is available in every prefix and get them all. For example, why stop at just getting 800-555-1212, if you can get 866- 877- and 888-555-1212 as well and point them all to the same virtual phone system? Some might call this method overkill, but it definitely works.
Next Week’s Toll Free Number Tricks: Cutting Down Hold Times!
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[...] effort. The simplest choice is getting an 800 number so that customers don’t accidentally misdial the toll free prefix. But the best way to lock in a memorable number is to pick up a vanity toll [...]
Agreed! The reality is that 800 is the most memorable prefix. In fact according to recent market research 94% of consumers identify 800 numbers as a toll-free whereas only 70% of consumers identified 888 as a toll-free prefix. If you want to be successful with a vanity number you need to get the 800 prefix. I recommend consulting a keyword search like the one I found here. It will help in the process of finding the best vanity number for your business.