Tag Archive: 08 numbers
December 6, 2012 5:15 pm |
Following a strong negative reaction to the NHS providing the public with 08 contact numbers, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has broke this trend.
Many hospital departments, as well as GP surgeries are now offering the public 0844 or 0845 numbers for areas such as appointment lines, advice lines and to check test results.
08Direct has long since been a strong supporter of 03 numbers, backed up by our launch of 03NumberShop earlier this year. Gloucestershire NHS Trust have become one of the first adopters of 03 numbers across the NHS and should significantly raise their profile.
The result of them changing their contact numbers to 03 will mean instant cheaper call rates across the board. Calling an 03 number costs the same as calling an geographic 01 or 02 number, regardless of whether the call is from a landline or mobile. This means that essentially the call is free to mobiles that are connected to a monthly bundle of minutes. The calls are just deducted from the bundle.
As such there are currently many high profile charities who use 03 number as donations lines. This includes Children in Need, Sport Relief and Give Blood. We have also set up an 03 number for Dreams & Wishes, the charity our Chief Executive (Mahmood Mazhar) works for as an ambassador.
David Warden, IT and Governance Manager for Gloucester NHS Trust, lead the phone number changeover: “As health partners in Gloucestershire, we are very pleased to be able to introduce the 0300 number which will bring down the cost of calls to benefit patients, their families and carers.”
March 29, 2012 9:48 am |
At 08Direct we specialise in providing a wide range of businesses with complete inbound call solutions. By choosing to work with us you don’t need to worry about credit checks or setup fees, and all new customers will receive our FREE Call Management Package worth £199.
We offer a full range of 08 numbers, including 0844, 0800 and 0845. Whether you want to divert these numbers to a landline or a mobile, we have the systems in place to ensure all your needs are met.
What number is best for your company?
Choose a free 0844 number and give your business a professional look
By introducing an 0844 number you will instantly give your company a national presence. Your customers benefit from the fact they are charged a fixed rate of 5p per minute, regardless of where they are calling from (providing they are calling from a UK landline).
An 0844 number is ideal for small and new businesses as it gives you a big company image as you can advertise a national number, for a your local business.
Your free 0844 number can be connected instantly, and as we don’t do minimum contracts you free to decide how you want your account to progress.
By introducing an 0844 number you can introduce a new revenue stream
In addition to all the advantages above, by connecting an 0844 number with 08Direct you can start earning extra number from your inbound calls.
Once you have started to receive lots of calls every month, you can earn a rebate from us. This works by us splitting the 5p for every minute between the suscriber and provider, meaning your company earns money from your customers calling you.
Get a free phone 0800 number and help increase sales
By providing your customers with a free to call 0800 number you make your company far more accessible. Research has shown that you can increase business enquiries by up to 175% by providing a free contact service.
At 08Direct we have just changed our 0800 number packages, to make our rates the best in the UK. You can get connected for just £4.99 a month, for this you can receive up to 550 inclusive inbound minutes.
Just like 0844, to connect your 0800 number we don’t require any credit checks, minimum contract, and don’t need to pay any setup fees.
Plus, all new customers will benefit from our FREE Call Management Package which includes a Call Whisper, Fax-to-Email, Welcome Message and Voicemail.
For more details on our packages, and to content your number please Visit Our Numbers Page.
March 27, 2012 2:51 pm |
Making sure you and your staff present a professional image on the telephone is hugely important. Once you have set up your new free 0844 business number from 08Direct.co.uk, your telephone manner could be the deciding factor on whether a potential customer chooses your company, or gets you that all important best price from a supplier.
The steps to take for the perfect telephone etiquette
Remember that the person on the other end of the phone can only hear your voice. This is the lasting impression they will take away from their communication with you. You need to ensure that you get you message across clearly and professionally. Be aware if you have a tendancy to shout, or speak fast, both of these will result in the caller becoming annoyed or confused.
Ensure that you always address the caller by his or her title. Refering to a person as ‘Mr’ or Mrs’ adds to the overall proffesional appearence. This is essential when communicating with an unfamiliar person.
It is very important to make sure that you listen to the caller. If your customer has a problem, take the time to fully understand what they are saying. A good tactic to use to make the caller feel respected is to repeat what they have said you, this always acts a great methond of ensuring you have understand the query.
In a busy office environment it is very easy to get distracted by colleagues. If you do get interrupted while you are talking with a customer, remind them you are talking to a customer and you will speak to them when you are finished.
To perfect your professional telephone manner be aware of your language and your surroundings. Always remember to not use slang words, unless you are familar with the caller. Finally always be aware of your surroundings, if you are in a noisy environment the chances are the caller can hear everything you can. It may be appropriate to end the call and request that you phone back and the earliest opportunity.
March 19, 2012 3:16 pm |
For business across the UK, 0844 numbers are now raidly taking over from 0845 as the number of choice for this telecommunications regardless of their size. As a business using an 0844 number, you are not charged to receive any calls, as the cost is put onto the customer.Customers calling an 0844 number benefit from the fact they are charged a fixed rate of 5p per minute. This is the same regardless of the time of day, or where they are. As long as they are using a UK landline to make the call.
Through using 0844 there is the chance to earn a rebate back depending on the amount of calls you receive. The rebates system works by splitting the 5p from every minute your customers are spending on calls between the subscriber and provider. Basically, your company can earn money simply for answering the phone to your customers.
An 0844 number is perfect for a small business as it gives you a big company image, whilst you are earning money on rebates you are receiving from incoming calls.
By registering a new 0844 number with 08 Direct you don’t have to worry about any set up charges or minimum contracts. Plus, by working with 08 Direct you benefit from our free Call Management Package. This means you can partner your new 0844 number with features such as Voicemail, Call Whisper and Auto Attedent. Using this will mean your business will benefit from increased response rates, improved customer service and ultimately increase your revene. Please vist our Call Management Page for all the details.
To order your new 0844 number for free head over to Choose Your Number.
December 5, 2011 10:52 am |
On Friday, Google announced a new development which is of massive importance to anyone that uses Adwords to promote their business and includes a phone number in their advert. In the coming weeks, Google is introducing ‘click to call’ functionality, so that phone numbers displayed in AdWords ad text will be automatically converted into a Click-to-call number.
This means your 08 number becomes even more powerful because as well as being incredibly memorable, it will be easily accessible at the touch of a smartphone’s screen. Which means that potential customers can be talking to you within seconds of seeing your advert.
Currently when advertisers enter a phone number directly into their ad text instead of using Call Extensions, the phone number is not clickable and will not generate a call. This can be a frustrating experience for mobile users who attempt to initiate a call to this phone number.
The new Click-to-call enhancement ensures that all phone numbers shown in AdWords ads are clickable and allows users to easily place calls from their mobile device. If your ad text includes a phone number, you will begin to receive clicks and calls on this number once the enhancement is enabled in your account.
Don’t think that this is free though. Just as you pay for clicks from the advert through to your webpages, clicks on the phone number will be chargeable too.
Measuring results
Google is claiming the measurability as a major benefit for this service, but as an 08 number user, you’ll already be used to seeing your call stats whenever you want them, via 08Direct’s customer portal.
Nonetheless, Google is offering some useful information. You’ll be able to review how many calls you receive on the clickable phone number listed in your ad text for each campaign, ad group, keyword, which will help you to monitor the effectiveness of each advert and campaign.
We’ll be monitoring this development with interest. Let us know how you get on with it and if you need extra 08 or 03 numbers for your adverts, do remember to give us a call on 0844 504 4000.
December 2, 2011 5:21 pm |
Free entry to the Natural History Museum has boosted visitor numbers by 190%
Are you looking to attract more customers? Then you need to follow the example set by some of the UK’s museums and give your customers something for free.
Continue Reading this Post →
December 1, 2011 10:56 am |
We’ve finally reached December so we can safely use the C-word again…yes, ‘Christmas’ is nearly here.
Although the festive period is a time for celebration and family gatherings, for small to medium sized businesses Christmas presents lots of tricky challenges. From the office party, which throws up all sorts of alcohol-fuelled disputes, to making sure you have enough staff on duty to serve your customers over the festive period.
Customers expect businesses to have fewer staff working over the holiday period, but will still get frustrated if they call your business and all they hear is a ring tone of a phone that is never answered. Technology can help.
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November 30, 2011 1:37 pm |
So, we’re halfway through the day which has seen more than one million public sector workers in England go on strike over pension changes.
Whether the strikes are right or wrong is not our place to argue, but the impact on business is undeniable.
With the majority of schools closed due to the teachers’ strike, working parents have faced huge challenges to find childcare in order to be able to go to work. Those who can’t find cover have had to take the day off, leaving some businesses short staffed.
One positive impact of the disruption (for me, anyway!) was that the rush hour traffic was lighter than usual this morning. But anyone using public transport to get to work has faced a whole different set of problems, with the strikes meaning the some services are cancelled altogether. Others are running on limited service.
The strikes highlight the need for disaster planning to ensure continuous service for your customers, even if your staff can’t get into the office to answer the phones.
Continue Reading this Post →
November 7, 2011 5:25 pm |
Gary Barlow - now Scarborough pantomime's biggest promotor
When Gary Barlow said to one of the X-Factor contestants that his act was like ‘a bad pantomime in Scarborough’ the audience lapped it up in the usual way. Criticism like that is, after all, just part of the X-Factor experience.
But for some Scarborians, the comment meant far more than the throwaway line it was intended to be. According to the local paper the comment has sparked outrage and fury.
However, I was impressed when I heard an interview with the head of one of Scarborough’s pantomimes on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Breakfast show today. Because rather than complaining about Barlow’s comments, he was thanking him for bringing attention to the town and already had promotional posters being printed with the slogan ‘As criticised by Gary Barlow!’.
I loved that – not only was the getting national news coverage for his production but he was going to milk the opportunity even further by playing on Barlow’s comment with his posters around the town.
That is pure opportunism and should be applauded. If those kind of opportunities come your way in business, you have to take them.
The only thing he didn’t do was get in a plug for his website or give out an 0800 number to enable people to buy tickets. Maybe there will be a next time to rectify this, but I doubt that Gary Barlow will give them a second chance…
November 4, 2011 11:25 am |
With the BBC celebrating 75 years of broadcasting this week, it brought into focus the massive change in TV that we have seen in recent years. From a few programmes a day, we now have zillions of channels to choose from which are broadcasting 24×7 (but some would argue there’s still nothing to watch!).
And the same is true with communications technology. We all know about the proliferation of communications channels with social media and mobiles on top of face to face and traditional telephony.
But this abundance of choice can bring its own perils, because the old adage that ‘its not what you say but how you say it’ holds true but there is now a third dimension…the medium you use to say it.
Choosing to send a Tweet or a text rather than call someone suggests brevity – which some admire, but others will take to mean ‘you couldn’t be bothered’.
Emailing large documents when someone is out of the office might get the information to them but is it in a format whereby they can read it and get to the bits they need. In this case a text message might be better.
And then there is the case of mistaken medium whereby you mean to text someone from your phone but end up Tweeting them instead and what should have been private becomes all too public. In case you are wondering, this wasn’t me, or indeed the classic ‘friend’ but a BBC Radio 5 Live presenter. Thankfully the content of her message to her husband wasn’t anything too embarrassing but I’m sure it amused her 9000+ followers!
Sometimes you need technology to help you, so if you run more than one business, you don’t want to answer your phone with one company name if the caller was expecting to speak to another. Using call whispers is the answer as it announces the source of the call before you speak to the caller, which helps to avoid those embarrassing moments and makes you sound ultra professional.
Following a strong negative reaction to the NHS providing the public with 08 contact numbers, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has broke this trend.
