Phone People Releases Tips on How to Find the Right Toll Free Number

San Diego, CA, November 16, 2008 --(PR.com)-- How to Find the Right Toll Free Number.

PhonePeople.com is an official Resp Orgs associated with SMS/800 & the FCC, providing toll free numbers & service to tens of thousands of customers via their website.

Searching for a toll free vanity number can be hard work. There are over 20 million numbers in use today and every month, over 100,000 toll free numbers are pulled from the national database. Many phone numbers ending with common or popular 4-letter words are no longer available and true 800 numbers, those that begin with 1-800, are very difficult to find.

Here are some helpful tips for finding a toll free number:

1. Use different prefixes
Everyone wants an “800” prefix, but today toll free numbers also use 866, 877 & 888 prefixes. While a number might not be available with an 800 prefix, in many cases it can be found with one of the others. There is a plan to release 855 numbers for toll free use in the next few years, but no date has been set. This will make a whole new series of toll free vanity numbers available.

2. Consider “Overdial” options
This is one of the easiest and most common ways to find a suitable number for a business. Some popular existing companies like 1-800-MATTRESS or 1-800-PROGRESSIVE use what is called 'overdial'. Instead of having a standard 10-digit number like xxx-xxx-xxxx these companies advertise a longer number. The truth is that anything more than the 10-digits just doesn't matter to a phone. This works to the advantage of a person when looking for a number. For example, 1-866-HANG-MY-XMAS-LIGHTS is a great use of creativity.

3. Don't search multiple sites for the same number
Often customers will ask why they were able to find a number on one site and not on another. There are a couple of answers to this question. First, when clients search for numbers on a website, that company most likely is using SMS (800 Service Management System) to access the national database - some companies will actually pull the number and hold it for a short period of time. If a client goes to another website and searches for the same number; it may not be available. At Phone People, numbers are only reserved when they are added to your shopping cart, if clients find a number on another site and can't find it on the Phone People website; they can try the search again in 15-30 minutes or contact customer service. Chances are the number will be available again and they can take advantage of one of the low pricing plans available at the PhonePeople.com website.

4. Choose a random phone number
While having a toll free vanity number can certainly make a business more memorable, it can never take the place of great service. Phone People numbers come with enhanced features which offer clients more than just a toll free number. So if a client can't find a vanity number they like, they should consider choosing a random toll free number. Just having a toll free number makes a business sound more established and professional.

5. Contact Phone People
The call center is based in San Diego, CA and has a highly rated customer service team. The experienced team is ready to provide suggestions and help inspire clients to choose the right number. Call 1-800-510-5500 today.

At Phone People, they realize that having the right number can make all the difference to a business and that is why they provide several ways to search for numbers. Not only can clients search for a specific number, but they also give clients the ability to search for numbers by typing in just a word. Simply fill in an industry keyword, personal name or company name, or even a product name and their system will connect with the National Database and provide immediate results, or alternatives to choose from. They even have a special spelling tool that lets clients research possible numbers or see what an existing number might spell already.

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