0845 numbers and 0800 numbers are popular telephone numbers for UK organisations of all shapes and sizes. The two number ranges allow firms to keep one telephone number for life and give them the chance to smarten up their telephone systems with online call management systems, like immediate call re-routing to another landline, mobile or even worldwide phone number.

However, there are (many|key} differences between the two numeric codes that organisations thinking about changing their telephone numbers should consider.

What is the purpose of the number?

If you are searching for a telephone number to employ in your marketing and advertising then 0800 numbers are the sure winner.

0800 numbers are totally free for your potential customers to phone from a BT landline, meaning that you will receive more enquiries to the 0800 number that you have used on your marketing. In fact, research by the Institute of Direct Marketing (IDM) has found that enquiry rates can be increased by up to 185%.

The RAC has recently heavily promoted its 0800 telephone number for its ‘Beware the chip on the shoulder’ campaign: 0800 999 5000. It advertised this 0800 number on its vehicles and in its United Kingdom newspaper advertising next to its other marketing activities.

For companies searching for a main contact number, then an 0845 number could be the perfect solution.

Whereas 0800 numbers vigourously encourage customers to call, 0845 numbers are not free to ring so may not have an equal impact but 0845 numbers are in fact the UK’s most used number range. A speedy browse through the Yellow Pages or online will prove this.

When they were first introduced, 0845 numbers were known as ‘local rate’ numbers, though this is not completely the case anymore with the success of all in call packages offered by mobile and landline providers, where 0845 numbers are often not incorporated.

However, BT has just made 0845 numbers free to call for its 16 million residential landline customers, which is superb news because the cost resistance to your callers has been removed for many consumers.

How much do you want to pay?

With 0800 numbers, a one-off connection fee is necessary. This cost depends on how memorable the number is, although it can be as small as £25 with some reputable companies. After this first fee, companies then pay a monthly service charge (e.g. £14.99) and, because 0800 numbers are free to phone, the business that owns the number pays for all the incoming calls. E.g. 4.5 pence per minute.

The increase in calls and sales that companies receive backs up this expense to them, although there are number providers that offer free inbound minutes to the numbers (e.g. up to 1000 free minutes).

With 0845 numbers, a link up fee is still needed and a monthly service fee and if you are smart you can seek out providers that give you unlimited inbound minutes.

Overall, it is evident that both 0845 numbers and 0800 numbers are brilliant ways to better business communications. Both number ranges provide organisations more control and flexibility over their phone systems and each has its own advantages. Rather than seeing 0845 numbers and 0800 numbers as total opposites, they are in fact different tools for very similar jobs and should be carefully selected to suit your business needs.

1. 7 Reasons why 03 Phone Numbers are the No.1 Choice for UK Businesses You may have read in the news that from 1st May, T-Mobile is to introduce...
2. Who Get Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD)? What if I Have Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD)? Multiple Personality Disorder has been used by...