You may have seen that Northamptonshire Police is now using an 03 non-emergency telephone number: 0300 111 222. The force follows in the footsteps of many UK constabularies that are now using 03 numbers, like the Metropolitan Police Service, Tayside Police and Staffordshire Police. Superintendent Bob Smart, head of the Force Communications Centre, recently commented that the move to an 03 non-emergency number is part of the drive to cont
inually improve the service provided to the public: “We have worked very hard over the last few years to improve our call handling procedures and the introduction of a single non-emergency number in 2006 was a significant step towards that. However, we are continually trying to improve our service and respond to the needs of our customers. The new number will not only be easier for people to remember, but it can also cost less for them to contact the police for assistance, wherever they are calling from.”. “Ofcom has specifically set aside the 030 range for public bodies and not-for-profit organisations and we were keen to make the move to the new number, with the associated benefits for our customers, as quickly as possible. For example the 030 numbers can be saved to telephone discount packages frequently offered by network providers. Our local consultation has identified that our communities are keen to see such benefits.”
Here are 10 reasons why 03 numbers are becoming a popular choice for UK police forces.
1. They meet the needs of the public as they cost the same to call as 01/02 numbers – even from a mobile. Research by one police force found that 75% of all their incoming calls are from mobiles.
2. There is an extensive range of easy to remember 03 numbers available that can complement the service (e.g. 0300 999 9333).
3. The public trust 0300 numbers as they are exclusively for public sector organisations.
4. Organisations can deal with callers more efficiently, gain valuable information about their specific 03 number (such as the fact in point 1) and ensure all calls are answered by the right person, first time.
5. It’s possible to record calls to a 03 number.
6. 03 numbers can easily move with the organisation if it relocates.
7. Organisations can control where they receive their calls, by rerouting their 03 number to any UK landline or even a mobile phone easily via the web/phone.
8. It’s possible to see the geographic location of callers and the busy periods of the organisation using online call statistics packages.
9. Callers can be queued, meaning that all important calls will be answered.
10. They can often be inexpensive to run if you seek out the provider with the most competitive offering in the market.
It’s evident that 03 is becoming the number one choice for public bodies, charities and UK businesses. It seems it won’t be long before everyone has someone with an 03 number in their phonebook.
