Selecting a professional contact number for your business is an important decision while setting up your business. One of the initial confusion for the businessman is choosing between the 1300 or 1800 numbers.

There are many business units which are using 1300 or 1800 numbers for providing contact support to their respective clients; these business contact points are very helpful in providing effective support and customer care to clients throughout Australia.

Both of the given numbers come with their own set of advantages and disadvantages. While both these numbers give a feeling of professionalism and branding to your business, they are still very different from each other.

Below you will find all the information you might need before you opt to choose one for your business needs.

What exactly are 1300 and 1800 numbers?

1300 numbers can be generally referred to as virtual numbers which are commonly used by a large percentage of Australian business holders. Whenever a customer or client dials these numbers, the actual 10-digit number gets redirected to different real numbers that are set up by the Owner Company or individuals. These numbers can be easily redirected to a landline number or mobile number, as desired or needed by different businesses; this is why these numbers are called virtual numbers.

While clients or customers are charged as per local calling rates on a 1300 number, the 1800 numbers result in no billing to the caller, that’s why they are also referred to as toll-free numbers.

Business owners use these numbers to keep business conversations with different clients to be dealt by different teams and at the pre-chosen locations. With some optimizations, all incoming calls can be routed to different contact points and customer care teams.

1800 numbers, on the other hand, are another kind of professional numbers used by Australian businesses. These numbers come with the advantage of providing an international edge to your business, so these numbers are best suited for businesses that have a global presence.

Unlike 1300 numbers, where callers are charged a local rate of call, the 1800 numbers are a toll-free number. All expenses related to the calling are charged to the business owner. These numbers are generally 10-digit numbers which can be called free of cost from any landline or mobile phones. These numbers enable your clients to connect with respective departments without any charges.

Advantages of 1300 and 1800 numbers

1300 numbers allow a single point of contact for different kind of customers. The cost of calls is shared between the callers and the business holders. The calls can easily be routed to multiple destinations as per the demand of the business. These inbound call numbers make it easy to adjust to different business needs according to location, timing, and departments. These are more affordable to the business holders and are available in different types of monthly plans.

Just like the 1300 numbers, 1800 numbers also offer a single point of contact for customers. These calls can also be programmed and redirected as per your business needs. These numbers track all your call records which can be effectively used for your marketing campaigns on a later stage. After opting for an 1800 number, your business will also receive more calls as customers do not have to pay anything for making a call. It is very easy to customize and assign the1800 numbers to different contact points, which provides improved flexibility to customer care services.

Overall comparison

While there are many similarities between both these numbers, the main differences lie in the charging rates and costs borne by the businesses and the clients. With a 1300 number, the cost of calls is shared between callers and business holders, whereas in the case of 1800 numbers business owners have to incur all the costs.

1300 numbers are cheaper as compared with 1800 numbers.

1300 numbers allow national customers to link up with your organization whereas 1800 numbers are more suited for international customers. So, if you do not have a business presence outside Australia, the 1300 numbers should be your first choice as they will cost less, and provide the same kind of functionalities as the 1800 numbers.