By Jim Connolly
If you run a business and you want people to call you to enquire about your services or buy from you - NEVER use premium rate numbers for your sales phone line or main phone line!
Here in the UK there are some misguided small businesses who (unbelievably) only offer a premium rate number for people to call them on! NUMBERS THAT BEGIN WITH EITHER 087* OR 084* are a VERY bad idea for your business - as they place a hurdle between your potential clients / customers and your products or services.
Why premium rate numbers are a bad idea
Because, no one wants to pay a premium rate to call YOUR business to enquire about your services! Why should they have to pay you, to be sold something - come on, get real! I have variously heard it estimated that using any premium rate number for your main phone line or your sales / enquiries line, can lose you between 60% and 80% of ALL enquiries and sales.
Not only will people like myself refuse to use these rip-off numbers, many companies have these numbers barred from their phone system - so their employees can not actually dial these numbers, even if they wanted to spend money with you.
Also, if you call these numbers from a UK mobile phone, it can cost a fortune (hardly likely to encourage people to enquire about your services! Everything your business does should make it as EASY and attractive as possible for people to call you. The message you send out by using a premium rate number is 100% negative - it’s a money-grabbing scam.
Some people REALLY HATE these numbers - Look!
There is so much resistance to businesses screwing people with these rip-off numbers that a wonderful website has come to the consumer’s rescue; www.SayNoTo0870.com If you need to dial a company hiding behind one of these awful numbers, check out www.SayNoTo0870.com and see if there is a regular price alternative.
If you are serious about winning business - drop the use of premium rate numbers for your sales line or your main phone number.
Filed under: Business development, Marketing, Useful websites, small business | Tagged: 0870, rip-off, saynoto0870.com
NICE ONE JIM!
I hate these numbers and refuse point blank to do business with anyone who only lists them on their websites.
What planet are these idiots on? Don’t they realize that only a fool would spend money to be sold to? I agree with using them as a way to pay for tech support calls, if the support calls are offered free of charge - but to charge you a premium rate to just call a business is idiotic.
I have bookmarked that website you mentioned. Seems interesting. Cheers JIm.
It’s mainly smaller companies who use them. They often don’t realise the shocking signal that these numbers give to potential clients / customers.
HELP - HELP - HELP!
*** If there’s a non-UK website that lists alternative non-premium rate numbers for businesses, please post it here!
Thanks,
Jim Connolly
I think there is ONE example that we can accept [with a HUGE generosity of spirit] — if you can GUARANTEE that at the end of the phonecall there will come a deal that is advantageous for both parties. Off the top of my head:: emergency locksmith service that works nights, or safe-ride people who will get you and your can home from a club or pub when you get wasted and don’t want to be pulled over DUI
TYPO CORRECTION: your CAR! of course
@petr
Thanks for your comment.
The central point is that if you want to generate sales and you decide to charge people a premium rate just to make a sales enquiry, you will lose stacks of business.
In the UK, many companies cannot even dial these rip-off numbers, as they have been banned by the admin system. This alone loses many sales - if you work in business to business.
Jim Connolly
Numbers Bookmarks…
Remmrit.com user has just tagged your post as numbers!…