Since 2015, calls to 0800 numbers have been free from both landlines and mobile phones. This has made such numbers a popular choice for businesses nationwide. Customers are more likely to contact a business if they’re not faced with a charge for simply enquiring.

Despite the majority of people in the UK having access to the internet (87% of all adults have used the internet daily, or almost every day in 2019), many customers still prefer communicating via telephone. With this in mind, the low-cost of setting up and running a 0800 number means businesses can retain what may just be an invaluable customer base – a base that rate the reliability and efficiency of being to communicate via phone very highly. 

When a business is trying to expand, whether it be a start-up, an established family run business, or a small-sized enterprise, internationalisation can be an uphill struggle. Even larger companies can struggle when it comes to breaking into international markets, but the recent advances in communication technology mean that the world is shrinking in terms of reach, and businesses can capitalise on this. Previously, only large corporations were able to offer long-distance and international phone calls as they were able to fund the costs associated, however, small businesses struggled due to limited funding. The advantages of big businesses are removed in regards to 0800 phone calls, allowing smaller businesses a platform to compete without having sacrifice costs elsewhere.

Using an 0800 number also means that your number is far easier to remember for potential customers and clients alike. The majority of people can remember tunes with phone numbers in them, and more often than not, such numbers start with 0800. This is because they’re much easier to memorise than numbers with a geographical prefix attached. And as well as being memorable, they convey a professional image, are portable and are for life - a sound investment for all involved.

0800 numbers are still easily obtainable, and what’s more, they offer a greater response to advertising than traditional numbers as they are marketed as ‘freephone’. This paves the way for a better return on investment when it comes to marketing, advertising and PR costs. Customers can take confidence from the advert, and also recognise your business as legitimate, owing to that 0800 number.

It has been noted that when 0800 numbers are used, the response rate is 185% with 90% of customers recognising the number as free. And as they’re free, they can act as a great foundation for developing a solid relationship with customers, or relations with clients, improving consumer loyalty. And customer loyalty is something that should be held in high regard. Global e-retailer Amazon faced a backlash last year after charging its customers up to 62p minute for a phone call, showing just how important offering a freephone service can be – even to the biggest of businesses on the planet.