National numbers

If you don’t want to pay for all calling costs (like you would with toll-free) and don’t want to come across as a local business, then this is your type of customer service number. National/business numbers aren’t tied to a specific location. Customers pay local calling costs and a mobile surcharge isn’t applicable. Calls are easily routed to other destinations, both national and international. They are easy to set up, the accessibility is good and they can be called from abroad.

The names and ranges vary per country. Names are usually similar to business numbers or national numbers. But in France, they are called Numéro Gris (Gray Number). Ranges often start with either 08 or 03 but it’s not a common rule.

Customers sometimes have trouble recognizing this type of number. And confusion can cause doubt about for example calling costs. This can make customers hesitant to call. What helps is to specify calling costs clearly wherever you publish the number. This way customers always know what to expect and you avoid misconceptions. Not sure what to publish? We’re happy to advise.

Callers only pay a local or national rate, so the actual costs vary per country. That’s not the same as a free call. If you want to maximize the number of callers or avoid complaints about the costs of calling (especially if average call duration is long), toll-free numbers might be a better option. Or use Talk on your website or app for an even easier way to call customer service.