local area code now required

[J Patrick Draine]

On 7/27/06, pianolover 88 <pianolover88 at hotmail.com> wrote:
> I noticed just yesterday that you now have to dial your *own* area code to
> place a call. I wonder if this will affect business, at least in the short
> term.

It's been this way in my area (eastern Massachusetts) for a number of
years now. Folks catch on rather fast when it comes to using their
land line phone.


 > Hopefully, this
> won't be to confusing for first-time callers who might not realize that they
> have to now dial the local area code before the actual number.

Just think of it as a "basic awareness test." If they can't learn this
basic adaptation as quickly as you have, they would probably be more
likely to fall into the "difficult customer" subset.

On the other, you could view it as an opportunity to increase contact
with your loyal customers, by means of a postcard "reminding" them
that they now should dial "1-XXX-XXX-XXX", and that they should dial
1-XXX-" etc. whenever dialing a local number. A public service
announcement!
Patrrick Draine, RPT