When setting up your customer service abroad, choosing the right service number may seem like a minor detail, but if done wrong, the impact can be substantial.
To make sure your customer service will not fall quiet and to keep authorities off your back, here are 4 tips to do things right:
1. Regulations
Make sure the number you choose is compliant with the regulations set by the authorities.
For example, you can’t always decide to charge customers for calling you. In Europe, companies are obliged to provide a customer service number that won’t cost callers more than a local call, because customer service is an essential part of the service according to the European Council. This is valid in the European Union, but regulations for charging customers will differ per country worldwide.
Also, the way tariffs are announced or published are bound to different rules depending on the country. Make sure you get it right.
2. Number options
Unfortunately, there is no global ‘One Size Fits All’ solution for toll-free, shared cost or premium numbers.
The range for toll-free numbers usually starts with 0800 or 1800, but there are quite some exceptions to this ‘rule’. For example, in Sweden, toll-free numbers start with 020 or 0200. Japan uses both 0120 and 0800. Shared cost and premium number ranges are even more versatile. So are the consumer tariffs that are permitted. So make sure to use the right (type of) service number per country, while remaining compliant to local rules and regulations.
3. Accessibility
When choosing a telephone number, check if your customer service can be reached by all customers you are aiming at. Can anyone call you no matter the (mobile) provider they are subscribed to and no matter where they are calling from?
- Domestic toll-free numbers usually can’t be dialed from abroad. Depending on your type of service it can be worthwhile to offer an alternative geographic number to accept calls from customers abroad.
- UIFN numbers (universal international freephone number) often can’t be called from national mobile networks. Also, they are not as ‘universal’ as the definition suggests.
- Premium numbers may be blocked when calling from a (prepaid) mobile.
Make sure you know the restrictions because a bad choice could unintendedly limit the accessibility of your customer services.
4. Cultural perception
Of course, you want an easy to remember telephone number or a number that is similar to the numbers you already use in other countries. Keep in mind though that every country has its own traditions and cultural perceptions. In China, a telephone number with a 4 might be cheap to acquire but that is for a reason many people are unaware of. 4 is an unlucky number, whereas 8 will bring you fortune according to their beliefs.
