Telecoms World PLC publishes - How to create a UK presence when you’re based overseas

May 14, 2012 - PRLog -- There are many great things about the UK! Our history, landscapes and culture, for a start. Famously, we love to drink tea, queue, and complain about the weather. In 2012, we celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics in London.

Despite an economy down turn, there is still plenty of money to be made from the UK market. With the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and London 2012 Olympics approaching fast many businesses outside the UK are targeting UK consumers.

If your organisation is based overseas and you’re looking at ways to market to a UK audience. One simple set is to use a UK-based non-geographic phone number. For example an 0800 freephone number. We know it works, as one of our customers boosted UK enquiries by 25% when switching to an 0800 number.

When setting up a UK non-geographic phone number, you have a range of numbers to choose from:

•   0800 or 0808 freephone from a landline
•   0845 local rate from a landline
•   0843, 0844 or 0871 revenue-share numbers
•   0300 for public sector, charity and non-profit organisations
•   0333 ‘freephone for mobile’ for businesses

Calls to 08 and 03 numbers can be forwarded to landline/s across 90% of the world. In our experience, the countries that most commonly use UK numbers include: Germany, Spain, China, USA, Sweden, Canada, Italy, Greece and India.

Setting up a non-geographic 08 or 03 number to route to an international destination takes about 5 working days and is charged at surprisingly affordable rates. There is only one condition – you need a UK bank account.

Top tips

The monthly cost of an 08/03 number will vary depending on inclusive minutes required and how memorable the chosen number is. For example, people find it easier to remember numbers that are repeated either singly or in pairs, that run consecutively up or down, and those that make a ‘pattern’ on the keypad.

When choosing your number, consider using alpha-numeric numbering, this is where you select your phone number using the letters on the keypad e.g. 0800 043 9642 spells out 0800 043 YOGA.

Note that, when dialling the UK from overseas, callers should replace the zero with 44. This is usually presented as +44 (0)800 043 0800 or +44 (0)333 577 0333 – these are the numbers of Telecoms World.

This article was submitted by Neil Barrall - Managing Director at Telecoms World PLC. Neil is an 0800 numbers, 0845 numbers and 0844 numbers expert. For more information visit our website for additional solutions.