/ November 3, 2025

Toll-free numbers – why your business needs one, and how to find a good rate.

Depending on the size and industry of your business, a toll-free number is a solution that might be on your radar. In this article, we take a look at the reasons why a toll-free number could be a good choice for your business, and how you can find and implement a solution that is cost effective. 

Why choose toll-free?

The main benefit of a toll-free number is that it can be called by customers across the country without them incurring a charge. They are often used for customer service purposes, like help and information lines, so customers can freely access a business.

Toll-free numbers work by using specific toll-free codes, made up of the initial three-digit prefix. These include, 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888.

On top of the ease of access that toll-free numbers bring your customers, benefits of using one include:

  • They make your business look professional and credible. Since these numbers are recognizable, customers are more likely to trust them. 
  • They allow you to build your brand with a memorable number, that can even include vanity numbers to reinforce your brand. Think 1-800-NEW-CARS. 
  • A toll-free number can unify your image if you have multiple locations, remote workers, or call centers across multiple regions. 
  • They can broaden your exposure, by conveying a bigger presence beyond your local area code – this is especially helpful if you’re looking to expand your business’ reach. 

For a lot of businesses, depending on call volume and needs, this decision is a no-brainer. 

When wouldn’t you use a toll-free number?

Say you’re a single-location veterinary practice or hair salon – you don’t serve customers outside your direct region. In this case, you’re likely not receiving a lot of calls from long distance numbers, and the cost of the toll-free number wouldn’t be worth the services included. You can probably make do with a more traditional set up and a local number. 

With cloud telephony, toll-free is easier than ever. 

Toll-free numbers have been in circulation since 1966. Today, with the rise of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone systems, and cloud solutions in general, toll-free lines for your business are easier and more affordable than ever. 

From being able to use any device, anywhere, to adding more numbers, and scaling the size of your solutions, VoIP toll-free numbers allow for seamlessly implemented solutions that can be customized to your business’ needs. 

Find the right solution for your business. 

Many providers offer toll-free numbers. For a VoIP option, you can expect to pay roughly ten to fifteen dollars a month per toll-free number. 

Be sure to shop around. Different providers will have different options for you, that might be more worth the cost depending on your needs. For example, some providers “require a minimum monthly payment and have a specific number of minutes while many others need no monthly payment but charge per minute.” 

Or perhaps you’re looking for a specific feature that some packages offer. Some that virtually all providers will offer include:

  • Caller ID
  • Voice mail
  • Call forwarding
  • Auto-attendant

Some features will be more provider-specific, such as:

  • International incoming calls, and their subsequent rates
  • Outbound calling
  • Video conferencing
  • Smartphone app compatibility
  • Call analytics
  • Built-in hold music
  • Call recording or transcription
  • Call blocking
  • SMS compatibility

The best thing you can do is be aware of your needs and make the choice that is most cost-efficient for your business. 

Likewise, there is no limit to how many toll-free numbers a single business can use. If your business needs multiple, search for packages that can accommodate that need. 

In conclusion…

Depending on your business, a toll-free number might be a necessary solution for customer service. Although this solution has been around for nearly six decades, the advent of VoIP and other cloud technologies has made it easier and more affordable to find the best solutions for your business’ individual needs. 

This article was originally posted in June, 2022. 

Ian Nairn / October 30, 2025

Interview with Roger Germann

In this episode, William and Roger Germann have a conversation about his organization, The Florida Aquarium. Rated among the best aquariums in the US, The Florida Aquarium welcomes visitors to experience a wide variety of aquatic and terrestrial animals – including sea turtles, sharks, lemurs, otters – with the goal of building awareness and inspiring conservation action. William and Roger discuss the ecological goals and effects that the aquarium has achieved through conservation and education.

/ October 27, 2025

How to be a trustworthy leader in a trust recession

According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), we’re living in an era marked by declining trust. This lack of trust isn’t specific to one industry or arena; generally, the average person’s trust in any kind of leadership – in business and other areas of life – has been declining since 2019. In fact, a 2025 study found that 68% percent of individuals find business leaders, specifically, untrustworthy.

This is a crisis that businesses are facing right now. Trust is tantamount to good business leadership; from attracting and retaining clients, to creating brand power that people believe in, to employee retention.

So how do you lead and build trust in a world where trust is generally declining? Whether you’re engaging with your clients, employees, or any sort of audience, in this issue of the Pulse, we take a look.

Losing trust can cost you.

Studies have found that trust in a business is important for as much as 80% of consumers. Likewise, 71% of consumers say they are unlikely to buy from a company they no longer trust, while 73% confirmed they would spend much less. Those numbers are significant. Up to 80% of your customer base is not worth putting in jeopardy by not prioritizing building trust in your business strategy.

Focus on your listening skills and processes.

Leaders who inspire trust in others are often well-regarded for their ability to listen critically and thoughtfully.

As the WEF puts it, “listening leaders can collect perspectives and data from different actors and points of view to inform their strategies and decisions, and are able to create inclusive cultures that enable even further trust-building.”

Honing your listening skills, and processes that allow you to listen and gather feedback, will help your foster trust.

Don’t expect consensus.

If you expect everyone to agree with your point of view all the time, even when you’re really sure you’re right, you’re never going to be satisfied. Good leadership involves navigating different views and interests and finding practical ways forward. Showing an aptitude for doing this, rather than demanding consensus or conformity, helps build trust with people of varying perspectives, not just yours.

Get to know people.

Whether it’s the team beneath you, your clients, or those you’re looking to for referrals, learning what matters to people builds and maintains trust. It’s as simple as asking questions, paying attention, and even taking notes – bringing it back to those listening skills we mentioned. When you show an interest in what matters to others, they trust you more.

Show consistency.

Leading with consistent trustworthy principles and traits will build a strong foundation of trust over time.

Be authentic.

How we represent ourselves, and how sincere that comes across, matters a lot in business. Your employees, clients, and network more generally will respond to what is engaging, personal, memorable – and above all, authentic. If they view you as fake, trust will be damaged.

Practice self reflection.

Think about your business, your brand, and your processes critically. Is there anything that would cause you to lose trust in a leader or a company? If so, it might be worth reassessing.

In conclusion…

Trust in business leadership is in a recession of sorts. In these circumstances, focusing on trust-building as a leader and a brand is more important than ever. If you don’t, it could cost you.

Ian Nairn / October 20, 2025

Interview with Jordan Dunin

In this episode, William and Jordan Dunin have a conversation about his company, HatchPath. helps you find the right coach for your goals—whether that’s improving your health, reducing stress, building leadership skills, or navigating life transitions. Tcoaches are experts across a wide range of specialties, from nutrition and fitness to mindfulness, career development, and even advanced modalities like hypnotherapy and bioresonance healing.

Ian Nairn / October 20, 2025

Interview with Annette Arsenault

In this episode, William and Annette Arsenault have a conversation about her company, Getting Healthy on Purpose. They help clients with programs for those that are looking for better quality of life, to deal with those aches and pains and all the things that come along with aging. They assist with diabetes, weight, diet, and getting healthier one good habit at a time!

/ October 20, 2025

Keep an eye on your ELDs as device approvals are subject to continuous change

If your business operates a fleet that is subject to electronic logging device (ELD) usage, it’s important to keep an eye on regulatory updates and changes that may impact the solutions you’re using. To ensure you remain compliant with federal law, staying on top of all changes, or working with a third-party expert who can keep track for you, is key.

Changes to approved devices are frequent.

In September, 2025 alone, The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) removed four ELDs from its list of approved devices. Fleets were given a tight window of sixty days, during which time they were instructed to “discontinue using the revoked ELD and revert to paper logs or logging software to record required hours of service data,” and “replace the revoked ELD with a compliant ELD from the Registered Devices list.”

Sixty days may seem like a big window, but for large fleets and when approaching a busy season for many operations, this is a huge change that needs to be made quickly. Changing devices, contacting your provider, educating drivers, and potentially sorting through paper logs – these are all time-consuming feats. And that’s if you’re made aware of the device revocation right away. If you miss the memo, you might be racing to implement the necessary changes in time.

Why do devices get revoked?

The FMCSA doesn’t revoke devices to make life difficult for fleets. In September, the four devices removed – Robinhood ELD, TT ELD PT30, ELOG42 and RENAISSANCE ELD – were done so because they failed to meet technical requirements. They’re not the only devices to face this penalty. Eight other ELDs have also been revoked in 2025. The technical requirements are extensive but readily available, and all the device developers will have the opportunity to revise their ELDs to meet standards. However, that could be a time-consuming fix, and in the meantime, fleets must switch ELDs – and potentially service providers – to remain compliant.

In conclusion…

As a fleet manager, you have to be on top of current ELD regulations. Revoked devices can have a real consequence for your operations, and there may be less time than you’d like to make any changes. Working with an expert on current regulations can save a lot of headaches and buy you time when facing this sort of challenge.

/ October 14, 2025

This Underrated Skill Will Skyrocket Your Success

Every sale begins with a question, and too many are lost because sellers won’t stop talking. Questions create conversations. Conversations build relationships. Relationships create opportunities. Opportunities drive sales.

/ October 6, 2025

How do interchange fees impact your credit card processing bill?

For every payment your business processes by card, your business pays a series of fees. One of these is an interchange fee, which is collected by the payment’s issuing bank. While interchange fees aren’t necessarily flexible on your provider’s side, they are something you can take steps to reduce. In this article, we take a look at interchange fees and how you can optimize your payments to lower the cost of this component.

What fees do you incur on every payment you make?

On each payment you accept, whether it’s in person, over the phone, or online, you pay the following fees:

  • Authorization fee, which is collected by the gateway – an encrypted platform that acts as an intermediary during your transaction
  • Transaction fee, which is collected by the processor – your merchant services provider
  • Assessment fee, which is collected by the card network – such as Mastercard or Visa
  • Interchange fees, which are collected by the issuing bank

Ultimately, these fees can amount around 2% of the total of every transaction.

What are interchange fees specifically?

Interchange fees are collected from you – the merchant – by the cardholder’s bank and cover the cost of the risk associated with approving a payment. While these fees are determined by the card brands and are non-negotiable, there are different levels of interchange fees based on key factors, including the information that you submit every time a payment is made. In fact, there are over 300 different interchange rate levels that could be applied to your payment processing.

What impacts your interchange fees?

Your interchange fees are going to be impacted by a variety of factors, not all of which are in your control. However, some decisions that you make, as a merchant, will determine what you’re charged.

Interchange fees can be determined by card type, and which types of cards carry more risk for the bank:

  • Debit versus credit
  • Corporate versus personal
  • Rewards and travel cards
  • Card brand

The fees are also determined by the way the card was used during the transaction:

  • In person, online, or over the phone
  • Inserted with a chip, tapped, or signed for with a cardholder signature

In this example, a cardholder signature would be seen as the least risky transaction, whereas a purchase made with card-not-present (CNP) carries the most risk.

Finally, the fees are also determined by the data sent along with the transaction. The fewer details sent, the higher the fees typically are. This is where your business has room to make decisions that can lower your fees without taking measures to limit your customers, such as reducing the card types you accept.

How do you optimize your interchange fees?

Depending on the nature of your operations, your business can qualify for a lower interchange rate by working with your payment processor to optimize the data you send every time a transaction is made.

Many businesses that accept basic retail transactions, as well as other CNP transactions, will only be able to send what is known as Level 1 (L1) data. However, organizations with larger corporate or governmental clients can often optimize the information they send to secure the best rates.

Standard L1 transaction data includes very basic information, the amount paid, the card number, and the date. However, there are two additional levels; L2 and L3, that include more data and reduce fees. L2 adds data like customer codes and sales tax amounts for a discount around 0.50% lower. L3 data includes details such as product quantity and item descriptions for a discount of up to 1.0% lower. In order to optimize your interchange rates, you must be working under a payment processing structure that allows for the capture of this information.

If you can optimize, you should.

Not every organization is eligible for submitting L2 and L3 three data. Unfortunately, these businesses may face higher merchant services fees than others.  However, if your business is in the position to optimize your interchange rates, you can expect to save significantly. With payment processing fees eating up a considerable amount of every transaction, you need every advantage that you can get.

/ September 30, 2025

Why Being on Time Matters More Than You Think

The dictionary defines punctuality as “the fact of arriving, doing something, or happening at the expected or correct time and not late”. But in the workplace, it means more than that. It says more about you than you realize.

Punctuality and Professional Image

Being punctual reflects discipline, responsibility, and respect for others’ time. It shows commitment not just to the task, but to the team and the company you are in. When you arrive on time, you signal that you value your colleagues’ time and the collective work. On the other hand, frequent lateness can give the impression of a lack of commitment and disrupt working dynamics.

Why Punctuality Matters?

Punctuality goes beyond just meeting a schedule. It shows reliability and a strong work ethic. While being punctual can set a positive tone for the day and build trust, tardiness can harm productivity, affect morale, and damage your professional relationships.

This is especially true for managers and leaders, as they must set the example for others. When a leader arrives late or doesn’t prioritize punctuality, it sends a message to the team that being on time isn’t that important. Leaders who model punctuality foster a culture of respect and professionalism, creating an environment where everyone understands the value of time.

The Risk of Appearing Tardy to Clients

Being tardy carries many risks, and appearing late to clients goes beyond a minor inconvenience. When a client is waiting for you, they trust that you value their time and are committed to the meeting. Arriving late, even by a few minutes, not only undermines that trust and damages your personal reputation, but it can also reflect poorly on the company as a whole, potentially jeopardizing deals or future opportunities. Punctuality demonstrates respect, reliability, and professionalism, all of which are essential for maintaining strong client relationships.

Tips for Improving Punctuality

Improving punctuality can be simple:

  • Plan ahead: Prepare for the next day in advance.
  • Use reminders: Leverage apps to track appointments or simply add more alarms to your list.
  • Create a routine: A consistent morning routine can save you time.

Conclusion

Being on time is a simple way to show you’re professional. It means you respect your coworkers and care about your team. When you make punctuality a habit, people will see you as reliable and committed. Try waking up a bit earlier, you’ll be glad you did!