Getting in touch with a “real” person at some companies is getting more and more difficult. Numerous companies, particularly those that are primarily web-based such as Microsoft, Google, or Amazon, make it nearly impossible to find a phone number for a customer service line. In part, this transition is due to increased Internet access by consumers. With more customers online, companies have an easier time directing customer service questions to forums or frequently asked question pages. But, is this increasingly popular tactic the right choice for your business?

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As the demand for toll-free numbers has grown, the combinations available with the 800 prefix have dwindled. To keep pace, several new prefixes were added to the mix. Now, numbers with 888, 877, 866, 855 are also toll-free.  Even with these, many of the desirable 7-digit combinations for vanity numbers using these prefixes are taken.

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The year was 1967. The Doors released their self-titled debut album, Louis Leaky announced the discovery of pre-human fossils in Kenya, the Vietnam War raged, and NASA launched the first Saturn V rocket into orbit.

It was also the year that AT&T launched the “inward WATS,” or Wide Area Telecommunications Service, better known as “toll-free” telephone service. INWATS was introduced to reduce the time spent by operators processing toll-collect calls for businesses. Back then, long distance calls were expensive and businesses quickly seized the opportunity to use the service to provide superior customer experiences. The oldest and most well-known of the toll-free area codes in the United States, “800,” was the “.com” calling card for successful businesses.

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No one expects a hurricane to hit business. Superstorm Sandy–formerly Hurricane Sandy–has provided the same bit of unexpected terror for a lot of businesses in New York and the New England area. It’s times like these that having remote operations capability becomes all the more important, and cloud-based telephony is a great way to get there.

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Recently we had a question crop up on the Halloo forums that made for a great idea for your small business. The question was a technical one in nature, but one with widespread ramifications. Specifically, what is Direct Inward Dial, and how can it help you?

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Art Innovators is a drawing-based International art program based in Diamond Bar, California. As art programming is being cut from school budgets across the country, Art Innovators is filling the gap with International programs for children of all ages.

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At this time of year–some would say especially at this time of year–many people out there stop and remember Jesus Christ, and all the things he did. And while everyone’s got a different way of doing that, the people at By Design Ministries had a way to do it that few others had tried. They brought in Halloo to provide them a way to easily reach people who want to learn more about God through their ministry.

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Jefferson Spine Care in Mount Shasta, California is an orthopaedic spine clinic that offers a variety of services relating to the back and spinal column, including artificial disc replacement surgery as well as surgeries relating to back, hip and leg issues. With health care taking a new forefront all over the United States, Jefferson Spine Care is offering the means to improve and repair the center of all human life, the spine.

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The most expensive part of owning a fax machine is the ink toner. But there are other reasons than simply cost to go digital with your inbound faxes. From liability to organization to increased sales, using a “Cloud-based” fax solution is easy and will add to your bottom line in ways you never expected.

Here we list the top five reasons to stop using the hissing, beeping, sometimes not-even-working fax hardware.

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Many people out there, especially those with their own businesses, have likely wondered where they can get their hands on a toll free number. After all, there are few better ways to get people to call than for them to realize they can do so at no cost no matter where they are and ask questions. But how do you go about getting your hands on one of these precious numbers? We can answer that for your right here.

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