Toll-free telephone numbers can allow patients to reach you from anywhere at no cost to them.  They can be useful for helping increase your business and enhance customer satisfaction.  According to research done by the nationwide telephone and paging service provider Sound Telecom, 86% of consumers associate a toll-free number with a high quality of service. 

One advantage is related to ever-shrinking local calling areas.  By providing a toll-free number for patients to call, you assure that they call reach you free of charge even if they happen not to live in your local calling area.

A toll-free number can also help build your brand awareness, particularly if the number is a vanity number.  A vanity number is a toll-free number that spells out a word associated with your practice, such as 1-800-DENTIST or 1-800-DRSMITH.  To buy such a number, you can go through a broker who will handle the research and legwork for you. 

At one time, toll-free numbers could have added a pricey chunk to your phone bill, but the rates have dropped right along with the rates for other types of long distance telephone service.  You might pay as little as seven cents per minute for a toll-free call.  It’s an easy, relatively inexpensive way to promote business growth.