A lot of start-up small businesses that we see have a “David versus Goliath” attitude. They invest a lot of energy, thought, focus, and funds into their venture; they can take on the world, the big bad corporations that they see as their biggest challenge. They have the know-how, the right approach, the customer-focus, they have everything needed to really succeed. But after a few slow months, these entrepreneurs lose steam. In many cases, we hear complaints that they just couldn’t compete with the “big guns.” Nonsense!
Small businesses have an immediate and impressive edge over large companies. Financially, small businesses do not have the burden of heavy expenses; the savings on management salaries alone should be inspirational! Beyond that, small business owners and entrepreneurs not only have the right attitude toward customer service, but they have the means to deliver. After all, they don’t have the big bureaucracy to contend with. In saying that, small businesses and entrepreneurs typically don’t have the same deep pockets as large corporations, but they don’t need to. Small businesses can benefit handsomely from the inefficiencies of large corporations. So why haven’t they?
In more cases than not, small businesses project the presence of a small company. While the customer experience might be exponentially better than that provided by the Big competitor, how can someone with a small presence attract a customer in the first place? After all, a customer looking to spend money on a product or service that is offered by a company whose phone number is 1-800-BUY-OURS will have a much easier time locating the bigger competitor. As a result, this business gets sourced to the bigger company. So how can the small business or entrepreneur compete with a Big Presence Almighty Corporation? There are several ways that we recommend to Build Presence, but the one item that is too often ignored is the toll-free number! Imagine that.
A toll-free number lends a “large” presence to any enterprise. A consumer who has no other resources than a telephone book will choose a local provider who lists both a toll-free number and a local number in their listing. Can you blame the consumer? Especially where larger dollars are involved, a customer will want to know that he can reach you for support from anywhere. He might buy locally, but when he travels out of state, he can reach you. Think about it…
A big benefit with a toll-free number is that the costs are relatively minimal. Given recent technological advances, toll-free numbers can be arranged within minutes. More impressive is that the best service providers actually re-route your calls to any number of your choosing. Yes, that can be your cell phone while you are out on the golf course or shopping (or, more likely, traveling from visiting one account to another). That means no missed calls, no more idle time at the office waiting for a phone to ring while you could be doing so much more. Can a service like this help your business better focus on developing and cultivating existing relationships?
The service we recommend costs $39.99 per month. For this fee, you get a no-frills solution with unlimited minutes. Calls received at your toll-free number get routed to any phone of your choosing.
The small business owners and entrepreneurs who aim to take down the Goliath(s) in their markets cannot ignore the importance of a toll-free number. Such a simple and cost-effective tool gives the small business an edge against similarly sized companies and brings them to the same level as their biggest competitors. The advantage for the small business? Customers that call their toll-free number know exactly who they will reach.
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