The vast majority of North American businesses continue to drive customers to the web and see little reason for toll-free numbers.

Yet, this view is rapidly changing as savvy companies realize that people reward their business to companies with real customer service. With that, Toll free has become cool again -- and that was the theme for the 2013 Toll Free Summit, hosted by Vanity International.

For example, an ATM is no substitute for a real teller nor is a website a substitute for a business professional. It's Self-Service vs. Customer Service. And even the most stellar reputation is no substitute for a human connection -- especially when things go wrong or a frustrating question goes unanswered.

It's not just nice to have real customer service, it's good business. Closure rates are higher and you might even get a premium price for your product or service.

An astonishing fact presented by former CEO of Hotels.com David Litman was that their experience showed that booking rates were 26 times higher by phone; not 26% higher, but 2,600% higher! His new venture, Getaroom.com, offers their best deals by phone to capitalize on this fact.

Southwest airlines offers "lower fares on Southwest.com," but that does not deter customers from paying higher fares -- sometime $70-100 higher -- for the convenience of booking with live operators, unannoyed, I might add, by the in-your-face "convenience fees" charged by other airlines.

To find out more about these and other toll-free strategies, call for a FREE consultation with Loren at 1-800-Get-Vanity (800-438-8264), or select the "Toll Free Numbers" link above and fill in the form. We'll get right back with you! 

Anyone who attended The Toll Free Summits in 2009, 2011, 2013, or 2014 may attend the Hybrid Telephony Summit in Chicago, this September. Just call 1-800-Get-Vanity (800-438-8264). If you did not attend last one of the Summit events, please have your referral call to clear you in. See criteria here.