I know I keep harping on about this one!!!

James Bond told me about the AA now posting both the 0800 and 0121 number on their website. This is excellent customer service and makes good commercial sense too.

There are also a very very small number of organisations who do this.

How can we start campaigning for other companies to do the same? It is of mutual benefit.

If I am missing something, and this is a bad idea, please let me know

Ahhhh I have been away for a few weeks, what have I been missing?

Got you!

Yes, this site is fantastic and I recommend it to everbody I know! I love it when somebody tells me that they already use it because I am so pleased that there are others benefiting from it

Although there is clear difficulty stopping some companies from being greedy with the revenue sharing numbers, I still cannot see one reason why 0800 users should not wish to publish their Geographic number too.

The fact that AA have begun to do this is very encouraging, I just want to raise awareness so thatt other companies follow suit.

Reasons:

0800 is typically only free from a landline. Not everybody has one, or can even get one if they wish to (students, hostels, private renters etc)
An 0800 number is pointless if you are on the move (AA, Radio 5 Live phone ins, adverts on public transport, British Transpot Police)
0800 numbers cost the recipient as they bear some of the cost. This is then passed on to consumers.
0800 numbers are great for landline users and for this reason I personally encourage them.
0800 numbers are useless to mobile users, therefore I encourage BOTH 0800 and geographicals to be offered.
Over 15% of the population do not have a landline
Simply stating that calls are free from a BT landline probably amounts to unfair competition between phone providers

If we cannot make it compulsory for ALL phone providers to make 0800/0500 free, then I see no reason why companies should not wish to publish both 0800 and geographical numbers. The net result would surely be increased call traffic and potentially more sales.

My only feeling is that they are simply not aware of this, and go with the one dimensional notion that 0800 numbers make them appear more attractive to deal with.

So, unless I am missing something, the straightforward solution would seem to be simply raising awareness to companies of the above issues and encouraging them to offer both options to callers.

Only takes an extra line of text on a website... I have just written several, doesn't hurt, does it!

sherbert wrote on Apr 21^st, 2010 at 3:55pm:

This forum is a valuable place for campaigners to share information and ideas and perhaps to inspire others to action.

Whilst it is open to public view, I doubt that many of us believe that comments made here have any direct effect on those whom we seek to influence. Most of those who read comments posted here are already of a similar opinion anyway.

Campaigning is mostly about changing the minds of those with whom one disagrees, or at least alerting those who are not aware of an issue to its importance.

There is nothing wrong in preaching to the converted, if one can encourage them to act on their beliefs and perhaps extend their knowledge and understanding of the relevant issues. It is however only when the message is taken out to others with some effect that one can say that one is engaged in campaigning. (Please forgive the religious analogy, it was nothing more than that.)

The database of alternative numbers is a valuable resource to help people avoid calling expensive numbers. I mean no criticism when I comment that this itself makes no direct contribution to campaigning for change, as those who are provided with alternatives have no great reason to press the matter with those whom they contact. I am sure that many do, but the fact that they already have an alternative to use must at least take some of the edge from their efforts.

I do not intend any criticism of the site or the forum. I simply urge fellow campaigners to understand that little or nothing is directly achieved by posting comments here.

SCV that is a very realistic point and as I do not use an awful lot of forums I did not see it like that. So thank you for educating me on that one.

I do always raise the issues of 08xx numbers when I call them, but as the recipient is generally of operational level, even if they agree the decision is often out of their hands.

I admire the work done campaining against revenue share and this is, of course, a challenge as the companies concerned stand to lose financially, initiallly of course. It is a shame that they don't take a long term view and realise that the basis of business success is customer retention and this is often achieved through building rapport. Another story entirely, and one which certainly contibutes to our current economic position.

The 0800 situation however should be a simple and straightforward one. I feel that the use of 0800 numbers to entice calls is very old fashioned method that companies use simply because the competition does. I don't believe they do this simply because they care, or they would have seen the flaws in it. It is basically a simple marketing strategy.

My question is how to actively present the reasons to ALL companies using them that publishing the geographic number as well will benefit both them and their customers economically. Is there any way we can get this in the press? As soon as some of the big players take note and do this, the rest will invariably follow suit.

I do not personally have the experience in raising such campaigns but I know the website has been profiled on a good few occasions.

If you can get this issue out into the mainstream, not only may it solve the issue, it will also draw the public's attention to the good work done here.

Thanks

Hahaha I meant 'you' as in the general you. Put simply, anybody who has the contacts in the right places etc.

The reason I put it like this is I am aware that this resource has been mentioned in various areas of the media. If anyboday has a particular point of contact it would be worth calling them to raise it.

Furthermore, if anybody has a particular point of contact and wishes to share the information, I will be more than happy to work on raising awareness in the general public.