If you want to do business in Canada, it is well worth having ITFS numbers to offer a direct line of communications from that country to your home office. Having internet connectivity and email is all very well, but the timeless telephone line still carries much weight.
Especially when it comes to business and customer care, a toll free number is the simplest and most effective option. Canada ITFS numbers give your Canadian customers a free line to call you on. A Canada call forwarding system will be able to forward incoming phone calls to your Canada ITFS number to any part of the globe.
What is a Canada ITFS Number?
The US and Canada have a similar telephone network system when it comes to toll free numbers. A Canada ITFS number is just a toll free number that can be forwarded to a number in another country. ITFS stands for International Toll Free Service.
When you subscribe to a Canada ITFS number, you are basically getting a Canada based toll free number whose incoming phone calls can be forwarded to your number in another country. If your head office is in say, Brazil or France, incoming calls to your Canada ITFS number will be forwarded to your numbers in Brazil or France.
An Overview of ITFS Numbers in Canada
Canadian toll free numbers are similar to US numbers. They all follow the North American Numbering Plan (NANP). Popular toll free number series include the 800 series, 888, 877, 866, 855, and the latest 844 series. All these toll free numbers start with those 3-digit sets as prefixes.
All these numbers are free for callers from both mobiles and landline numbers. Besides these NANP numbers, Canada also has 310 numbers, but they are not technically toll free. They are shared-cost services that incur some charge from the caller as well (usually free on landlines, but cost local charges on mobiles and payphones). Canada ITFS numbers are usually the universally recognizable 800 series and its successors.
Why get a Canada ITFS Number
If you are a B2C business, you need to focus really heavily on your customer care services. It takes time to build goodwill and trust in any market, foreign or domestic. If you are an overseas brand looking to gain a foothold in the Canadian market you really need to do your homework as far as your end customer is concerned.
In the North American market, toll free numbers are universally recognized and used by at least 90% of customers. A Canada ITFS number will instantly grand your brand a level of respectability and show your customers that you care about them. Toll free numbers generally have this positive effect. And since a Canada ITFS number is a local number, it gives your business a local flavor that can be invaluable.
Canada ITFS vs. UIFN
When it comes to forwarding toll free numbers overseas, you have two options basically: ITFS and UIFN. Your choice depends entirely on your requirements. If your offices are based in a single country, suppose France, you only need a Canada ITFS number. An ITFS number will forward calls only to a single foreign country.
But if you have several offices in different countries, for example in France and UK, you might have to press the button for UIFN number if you want the option to redirect incoming calls to both UK and France. A UIFN number is more expensive, but you get the option to forward incoming calls to multiple countries.
How does a Canada ITFS Number Work
It is incredibly simple. The whole process should take only a matter of minutes. Once you choose which avenue you want to take and subscribe, you are assigned a Canada ITFS number. This number is basically a Canadian toll free number. All you need to do is specify your target business number to which the phone calls have to be forwarded internationally.
You even have the choice of assigning multiple numbers. They can be either landline or mobile, it doesn’t matter. With advanced configuring options, you can even schedule a timetable for prioritizing numbers, record customized answering messages, record all incoming calls and use whitelist and blacklist options. Once the configuring part is over, your Canada ITFS number is ready to do its job!
Canada Economic Forecast
This giant North American country is one of the biggest in world, and rich in natural resources. Canada is also one of the biggest economies in the world. The Canadian economy has deep ties with the US who are their major trade partner. A few Canadian cities are true global centers of commerce and innovation but many people believe because of high taxes (mainly to pay for their universal health care program) the Canadian economy could do better.
Traditionally an economy driven by its rich mineral and energy reserves, Canada has in recent years become a center of high-tech software and hardware industries as well. The country has shown remarkable progress in recovering from the global recession, and economic growth has picked up speed in recent years. Now is a fabulous time to establish a business in the Canadian market.
If you have any further queries regarding international call forwarding do contact our representatives. Our experts are on hand to help you decide on the best global call forwarding system for your business.