Delivering a great customer experience is the key to success for every business.

The most effective to carry out the experience is through communications.

…..Despite the rise in online shopping, customers still prefer to talk to an agent over a phone to get their challenge instantly fixed.

This is why the demand for toll-free numbers and DID numbers are still on a boom.

International toll-free numbers or ITFS are telephone numbers used by businesses to let their customers call through landlines for free of charge.

These numbers are of format consisting of 4-digit or 3-digit prefix codes. For example: 1800, 888, 855, etc.

Whereas, DID or Direct Inward Dialling is the virtual local numbers provided by telephone companies to the subscribers who own the Private Branch Exchange (PBX) system.

……..The DID numbers of businesses let their customers connect to a specific employee or a desk in the organization instead of going to a menu or queue.

Let’s have a look at the uses of these both numbers and how they differ from each other:

#Charges:

Customers can connect to businesses through International toll-free numbers using their landlines and smartphones (with unlimited plans) for free of charge. 

Whereas, in virtual DIDs the calling party will be charged a local fee.

#Appearance of numbers:

Businesses using toll-free numbers appear as professional ones and customers are familiar with ITFS numbers because of their easy-to-remember prefix codes like 1800-flowers, 1800-builder, etc.

DID numbers of businesses appear to be local numbers and it is more likely that customers will pick up the calls because of the local code appearance.

And, toll-free numbers are formatted as per the city or country code.

#Presence:

Toll-free numbers are more beneficial for businesses operating across multiple countries.

These numbers give a global presence for businesses to connect with their customers irrespective of the location, they reside in.

DID or Direct Inward Dialling are more beneficial for businesses planning to attract local customers.

#Phone Lines:

Businesses using toll-free numbers can have one or two telephone numbers as their helplines or hotline numbers for customer service.

However, businesses using DID numbers can have multiple phone numbers for the same company to have a virtual presence across several cities.

#Core Advantage:

The core advantage for ITFS numbers lies in bridging the communication gap between customers and organizations. 

These numbers create brand recall for customers with their easy-to-remember telephone numbers and free-of-cost service.

Whereas, DID numbers in businesses allow their customers to dial an extension or phone number to connect an intended recipient. 

Thereby, eliminating the need for customers and organizations to go through a switchboard or an operator and purchase bulk phone lines respectively.

Which of these phone numbers are you going to try next for your business?

Not sure? Speak with our business experts for better guidance and support, Schedule Free Demo today