Phone assistance remains the most convenient for consumers and businesses. While chat services or email helpdesks are handy, a phone call is much more personal, allows callers to better explain their questions, and provides a quicker solution. How can you, as an entrepreneur, capitalize on this?

In this article, you’ll learn how to set up a helpline as a source of income. Whether you want to start an independent phone line or add an extra service to an existing business, it can be an easy way to earn money through phone calls.

Need for tailored information

From banks to shops or factories, many providers cater to their target audience’s needs with phone-based products or services. But even for more general topics like health, tax issues, and spiritual matters, callers are eager for information or a listening ear. For various reasons, they prefer phone-based information and are willing to pay for it.

Through a phone service, you can provide these people with tailored information. Phone consultations and technical support services are well-known examples. It’s worth asking yourself: what is my expertise, and how can I offer it over the phone for a fee?

If you need tips on business phone etiquette, read our do’s and don’ts here!

How do I generate revenue with a phone number?

Earning money with a helpline can be done in various ways. We highlight two options so you can discover which suits you best.

Subscription line

Do you have a regular group of callers who frequently contact you for advice or help? Consider a subscription line. This line is exclusively accessible to customers who pay you monthly or annually for support. This doesn’t have to be an amount collected via the phone but can be a subscription linked to a free or national phone number with a ‘whitelist.’ On this whitelist, you only include selected callers. This way, you set up an exclusive line just for customers.

0900-number

Do you have a less regular group of callers, or do most callers contact you occasionally? Then a 0900-number might be ideal. Anyone can call this number, and you earn per call or per minute. You set the rate and can adjust it to find the right balance between the number of calls and revenue. This type of phone number can generate immediate income, especially if the calls are short and effective.

What type of phone number should I choose?

Now that you know what kind of helpline you want to start, you can choose from the available types of phone numbers. The choice of a phone number depends on the type of service and your target audience. Not every type of number is suitable for every service. What are the main differences between the available phone numbers, and which types are suitable for which helplines?

Direct income: 0900-numbers

Let’s first take a closer look at premium rate numbers. In the Netherlands, these start with 0900. Specifically, the following service numbers are available:

  • 0900-numbers are intended for serious information.
  • 0906-numbers are suitable for erotic entertainment.
  • 0909-numbers are for paid entertainment, such as quizzes and call-in games.

These numbers can be set with a rate of up to €1.10 per minute or €1.80 per call. When applying for a 0900-number, the ACM (Authority for Consumers & Markets) reviews the service you offer to assign the appropriate number.

You can change the rate per minute or call once a month. This way, you can eventually find the right balance between the number of callers and the maximum rate you can charge.

Indirect income: subscription lines

Providing regular phone assistance to a select group of customers can be done through a subscription. Customers pay a fixed subscription fee – for example, monthly – and can then make unlimited use of a private phone number.

This could be a national 085-number where callers pay the standard rate (included in mobile call bundles).

What features do I need?

Whatever phone number you register with Belfabriek, you always get access to our complete package of features to help you perfectly manage your phone line.

  • Whitelist: Set who can call you, ideal for subscription lines. With the call filter feature, you specify which callers we should allow. Anyone not on the list is blocked.
  • Calendar and opening hours: Automatically manage your availability so callers know when they can reach you.
  • Recorded messages: Play recorded messages during the call, such as a welcome message or voicemail. This adds a personal touch to every interaction.
  • Queue: Keep callers entertained with soothing music or messages while they wait in the queue. Callers are then connected to available colleagues in order of arrival.
  • Voicemail: Receive an email with the audio recording if someone calls outside business hours.
  • Call recording: Not every support call goes smoothly. With the call recording feature, you can automatically record calls. Useful for evaluating call quality and providing feedback.

You can enable and disable all features as you wish. You can also endlessly customize and reconfigure them – at no extra cost. This way, you can gradually set up the perfect helpline!

Register your phone number now

As you can see, with Belfabriek, you can easily set up a revenue-generating helpline. Take the first step today and register your 0900-number now!