2 ways to transfer your 800 number to a call center
A lot of times customers need to transfer their toll free number to a call center so I wanted to explain the process for that more clearly. You can either point the toll free number to a local number at the call center or you can transfer the number to the call center’s carrier and account.
Pointing your 800 number to a local number
Smaller call centers may give you a local number and you can just point the calls to that local number. You can do that with our temporary service during the first 30 days or by transferring the number to another carrier like Opex to get the calls to the local number in the call center. This is usually faster and easier. You get the calls to them and you pay them for answering.
Transferring the number to the Call Center’s carrier
The other option is to transfer the number over to the call center’s carrier and account. Larger call centers using trunk line will usually require this. They will need to fill out a Resporg Change form in the call center’s name. It will also speed up the transfer if you put your information on the notes or margins of the form so that we know it’s ultimately coming from the correct customer. Otherwise it looks like someone else trying to get your number and we have to either reject it or contact you to confirm it before we can release it.
Transferring your number to your call center’s account does put the number in their name and under their control. They need this control to be able to make the calls distribute properly. This is standard practice and does NOT mean it’s not your number any more. If you had the number active before bringing it to them, such as when you get a number from us, the call center can’t say they got it for you as part of their service and as long as you don’t owe them money you cannot be prevented from transferring it away at any point. Some carriers will have a letter or agreement transferring the number over to them outlining the process but this standard practice in the call center isn’t necessary or a major concern. They won’t be able to hold you hostage by your number with any number that you got from us.
Sometimes call centers will give you a toll free number and suggest that you point your toll free number to their toll free number. Unfortunately it doesn’t work like that. You can’t point a toll free number to another toll free number. (see http://www.tollfreenumbers.com/faqs/800-to-an-800.html for more information)
(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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Frank Oberle says:
June 9, 2008 at 1:02 am
Bill
Hi. Hope you can help. I have purchased a toll free number from you (888-FHA-OPTION) and trying to figure out who to set it up with.
Voiceconnect looks interesting because of some of the call capture features that would be beneficial in the mortgage/real estate industry. On their website it says if I provide the number they take ownership of the number while I am using there service. is that normal? Do you know of any other companies that allow me to provide my toll free number that have call capture functionality?
See below…
Can we use our existing toll-free number with VoiceConnect service?
A: Yes, we can “port” your existing toll free number over to VoiceConnect to use with your VoiceConnect service. While technically we will have temporary ownership of your number (that’s how the Long Distance Carriers look at it) we view the number as yours and will immediately release it back to you upon service termination and satisfaction of any outstanding balance you may have.
Thanks for your help.
Frank Oberle
Bill Quimby (257 comments.) says:
June 9, 2008 at 8:35 am
Hi Frank,
VCI is a good company. Even the description on their website is good. The toll free number is coming in over their trunk line so they need to control it. But they’re NOT treating it like it’s theirs and will release it immediately. That’s what you want to see.
You can look at other services that do a lot of that, like AdTracker at Freedom Voice Systems or CallCap.com just to mention a few off the top of my head. But there’s nothing wrong with VoiceConnectInc.com and their fine print either.
Bill
CCS (1 comments.) says:
November 25, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Working in a call center, I can tell you that it is difficult to attain vanity numbers for customers who request them. More often then not, the number sequence that translates to a word is unavailable.
Bill Quimby (257 comments.) says:
November 26, 2008 at 2:00 am
If a customer asks for something easy I always say use your normal process, but we’re great for the really tough projects and clients that really insist on getting impossible numbers. We may not be able to get really impossible numbers, but we’re good at helping them come up with more other alternatives.
Bill