0844 Ghost Numbers

There are huge benefits in a company of any size utilising non-geographical or 0844 or “ghost” numbers. Indeed an 0844 or ghost number may well secure the very future of your business!

Always helpful when a company moves premises, expands or even downsizes the other less often considered benefits can also have a huge benefit at time of such things as sudden local emergencies, staffing problems, spikes in traffic (perhaps due to a response from an advertising campaign) or worse still some JCB driver accidentally cuts your phone lines!

In every case an 0844 or ghost number can be re-routed to Verbatim instantly and usually at no cost. Furthermore there is no need to contact British Telecom and no delay in re-routing.

Perhaps more to the point you can chose to reroute all your calls or only:

• At times when your lines are engaged
• When calls are not answered within 15 seconds
• Or at a time of day to suit your staffing levels

More detail is below, but call Verbatim now, free on 0800 656 9590 (or from mobiles 01635 576070) to discuss how an 0844 or ghost number can benefit your business.

More detail on 0844 or ghost telephone numbers

Fundamentally there are 2 main types of numbers that are instantly available:

With an 0844 number, all calls cost the same to your caller and they can be routed as you wish without ongoing charge to yourself.

Costs (with 0844 numbers) are included in Verbatims price plans and importantly (within normal weekday business hours) set-up takes less than an hour, changes can be made instantly and all free and at any time!

Ghost numbers are often set up for more strategic reasons but share many of the same benefits. You select the area or town you would like a phone number for, which can be any town or region in the Country. For example you could work in Wales and have a London 0207 phone number). Calls are then routed to whichever number you select (such as your office) at a cost of just a few pence per minute. Please ask for the latest detail.

With both numbers the following services are available also at no extra cost:

• Routing changes to another number – instantly
• No upper limit on the number of calls you receive at one time
• There is no requirement to have extra lines installed (just one of our numbers)
• A hugely flexible routing system that can direct your calls to a variety different numbers at different times of day – voicemail in the evening or weekends, office in the morning and Verbatim call answering services after 13.00hrs for example.
• For voicemail, we would be pleased to professionally record your personalised message free of charge to which callers can be directed at any times you wish and we could instantly forward messages to you via email as a “wav” file which will play on any computer with speakers. Alternatively (again at no extra cost) you could have a private “dial in” number allowing you to listen to your messages and manage the voicemail message, perhaps updating your availability.
• Facsimiles can also be received. The fax is converted into a pdf and sent to e-mail addresses you request.

In summary; allow us to give you 14 sound reasons why you should only use Verbatim call answering services to supply your 0844 or ghost phone numbers.

1. You generally pay nothing and the caller will only pay the normal rate if calling from the British Isles.
2. Ghost numbers can increase the perceived size and image of your business
3. Ghost numbers emphasise the value you put on customer care
4. When utilising a ghost number your location can be completely masked to a caller
5. If you move office or location the ghost number doesn’t have to change
6. Ghost numbers are really simple (hence quick) to set up and can be routed to any other number in the world. (although if you route to a mobile or international number additional charges will apply)
7. Should OFCOM make changes to phone numbers again, your ghost number will not be affected
8. Should you need to alter the number your ghost number rings on it will only take us seconds to change for you
9. In the event all your phone lines are busy (or not answered), ghost numbers can be re-routed automatically to another number
10. Ghost numbers lend themselves to marketing your business in geographic areas you want to expand into without the expense of a local base
11. We can instantly re-route to a different number for whatever reason and for any length of time
12. At Verbatim call answering service, our intelligent voicemail system can convert the caller’s message and e-mail it to you anywhere in the world.
13. International calls to your ghost number from most international locations are free of charge to yourself
14. As the call usually costs you nothing at all, there is no risk of misuse