Free Directory Enquiries On Your Phone

February 26, 2008 – 10:05 pm

FREE Directory Enquiries Services!

Do you remember the days of speaking to a real operator when you rang directory enquiries? When you didn’t have a feast of different numbers to choose from and when you knew what you’d be paying to find a number out?
There are now 2 freephone numbers that you can choose to use to get directory enquiries information. Both of them use advertising sponsorship to allow them to provide the service to you for free, and as long as you don’t mind listening to a short advert you’ll be fine.

The first number is 0800 100 100, and when you phone it, you get the message ‘Welcome to 0800 100 100 free directory enquiries’. Then it rings, and either you get put through to an operator, or you have to wait if all the operators are busy. It can be a bit long winded if everyone is busy I was on hold for about 2 minutes when I rang earlier. I have to say that personally I didn’t mind this as I wasn’t in any hurry, and I knew that the call wasn’t costing me anything which for me is important. When I was put through to an operator, it was a lovely chap who spoke clear English and who asked where I wanted a number for. I requested the number for a local pub, when he found the details, he told me that I’d be put through and would hear a short advert, and then the number I’d requested. I was transferred to an automated service and as I’d been told I heard an advert. In my case it was for Asda online shopping which isn’t really related to a pub in any way, but I’m told that often the advert is in fact related to the type of number you’ve requested. Once I’d listened to the advert, I got transferred through and heard the number I requested, I wrote it down and ended the call. You can choose to listen to the number again, and if you keep holding you will also hear the advert again as well. If something about the advert appeals to you, there’s an option to be put through to the advertiser often.

All together I found this quite a pleasant experience even though I had to listen to an advert. The fact that I was dealing with a real human being certainly helped make the call seem more friendly and I found it refreshingly relaxed.

The Second number you can use which is also a freephone number is 0800 118 3733. When you call them, you are immediately told by an automated voice ‘welcome to 0800 118 Free’. Then you are told which company is sponsoring your call, and you are transferred to an advertisement which rattles out at you at quite a speed. You are then prompted to answer whether you require a business or residential number, and the automated voice that asked me this had to ask twice as it came so quickly after the advert I didn’t realise the first time that we were back to the main system

You speak your answers into the phone and are prompted for information – name, location etc. in between when you are holding you get to listen to music which to my mind was rather wild and frantic and certainly not calming. I used the same example of a local pub, but due to this service being fully automated, even with spelling the pub name, and location name, they were unable to come up with a number for me, and I was advised to ring 118118 where I’d be charged 19p per minute. I re-tried this time asking for a residential number (my own), and gave name and address when prompted. This time they did manage to locate a number for me, but it took 3 attempts of spelling my surname and road name before we got there, and I did feel quite frustrated by the end of it. I have a reasonably clear speaking voice with little accent, I hate to think how it would handle a call from someone with a strong accent.

I have to admit I wasn’t impressed by this second service and found it’s voice recognition system to be rather slow and irritating. The advert kicking in right at the very beginning of the call, the lack of personal attention & the irritating music had my foot tapping and not in a good way.

by Vialdana