I have started to really notice the various ways that phone numbers are presented on signs, and I am beginning to think there is not always a lot of thought put into adding a phone #.
When phones first came into common use, a set of numbers/letters on a sign was unfamiliar, and some explanation was in order; It made sense to put a little picture of a telephone or the word "telephone" in front of the number, to make sure the public understood "what you are about to read is indeed our telephone number, and not just a random string of digits" Fast forward 60+ years. When we see the arrangement (111)222-3333, it is IMMEDIATELY recognized as a phone number. It is part of our culture. Old habits die hard, and people still add a "phone"(duh!), "call" or even worse, a "PH" in parentheses before the #, as if we are not bright enough to recognize a phone #. All the recognition that was built up over the years is now being thrown out the window by the increased use of the pretentious "111.222.3333" format (which I always talk customers out of using so I can sleep at night), which is harder to mentally process, and looks too similar to internet addresses. Am I the only one who winces when I see that format? I guess we will have to keep putting the little phone symbol in front of the number, after all.
Any thoughts?
Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :
Good question .. Never really thought about it..i look at a phone number and like you say,, i know it is a phone number
However. There is a usage that really causes me to wince.. I know the statistics of this usage
985 - 643-KILL
Using letters in a phone number is known to cause a drastic reduction in the number of calls. People HATE it when they have to decipher a phone number.... Of course some here loves to use this method. But the facts remain. Cute little tricks do not work. If one must use letters then it is advisable to at least include the number too.
Companies big and small make this mistake and claim they never have a problem. Thats because they cannot measure how many times their number was never dialed. One company used XXX-cafe as a phone number in all their ads. What a mistake. Cost them thousands. Their calls jumped dramatically After they changed it to a number.
Focus groups reveal the fact that people do not appreciate letters in a phone number.
Posted by captain ken (Member # 742) on :
I don't know when it all started with the decimal point instead of the dash, but it does really urk me too... A few years ago we had a big uproar in this area the area code was 508 in some areas and in others it was 617. Then the geniuses at the phone company gave out every # available to people with pagers and cell phones, so they took they area codes and split them up even more changing the area code for my local area from 508 to 978, well ok we dont have a choice anyway so... but hey look at all the work the sign guy can get, it turned into hell, the cheap ass customers would say " all I need is the 97_ I already got the 8" aak!
the bad thing was now you have to dial the 978- even if your right next door, the good thing is they dont make us dial '1' first. So we go from dialing 7 digits to 10 but hey at least its not 11
Posted by Tasmus (Member # 445) on :
LABEL ME PRETENTIOUS THEN......... In my area, I am the only one who does the dots rather than dashes thing, in fact I honestly thought I was being original (and I was, but so were a lot of others before me).
the main reasons I do it are simple: I like to be different. I like it aesthetically. I use it to pinpoint my own stuff from the rest.
If a customer wants the dashes, I comply, but otherwise it is dots or triangles something..
I think the dashes and those SILLY PARENTHESES (?) are awful. UGHHH! I hate the way that just disrupts the flow fiercely.
Aw well, chalk it up to E.G.O., i.e. Everyone's Got Opinions.
a dissenting 2 cents. barry
Oh, and I hate the letters for numbers thing, even though my toll free is 877.591.SIGN ( I always writte the numbers not the letters anyway, so what's the point?)
[ January 24, 2003, 12:33 PM: Message edited by: Tasmus ]
Posted by Joey Madden (Member # 1192) on :
What erks me is phone numbers on vehicles. It takes up space and if the vehicle is lettered correctly and the business is real, I could always find their number in the phone book. That is, if the vehicle captures my attension to begin with.
If you don't like my reply, call me at 541.956.1855
Posted by Ted Nesbitt (Member # 3292) on :
I always say, "doesn't matter how big the phone number is" if people don't get the message of the graphic first and know what it's for!....
We're lucky enough to have 10-digit dialing here for all calls, which means you always have to include the area code. I don't like the brackets. I'll make my area code smaller, say 60%, then the phone number with a DASH between the XXX-XXXX.
any other ideas?
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
i like the little picture of a phone, good for the younger generation that CANT READ.....hehehehhe and it also adds a little more to the overall sign.....as for the 999.444.5555 it sucks...and doesnt make it look like a phone # as for (850), ive always hated doin these....like the area code is some thing different then part of the phone #. as for the phone number being letters...i agree with curt....most people dont want to think anymore then they have to.....also when i do a vehicle...i stay away from making the phone number in the same font that i do the lettering in. most times ill do the phone number in the most readable font i can use...HELVETIC, ARIAL, IMPACT....i hate to see a nice truck lettering job, with the phone number in bailey or brush script numbers, or stacatto....just shows how much the guy makin the sign...knows!
[ January 24, 2003, 02:01 PM: Message edited by: old paint ]
Posted by Chuck Peterson (Member # 70) on :
I do it like this: 888 888-8888 I just like it that way
Posted by Kissymatina (Member # 2028) on :
I for one generally don't like businesses that just use the letters for their phone number. It's a real pain in the a** when you're in kinda dim light and trying to read the letters on the itty bitty phone buttons so you can call them. Forget that.
The only advantage is when they put both the letters and numbers and you don't have their phone number in front of you but need to call right now. I can at least deal with the letters in that situation.
Posted by Darrell Giese (Member # 768) on :
When left up to me, 713/451-8770
Posted by GARY CULY (Member # 3130) on :
IF I HAVE TO PUT A WORD IN FRONT OF NUMBER I USE "DIAL".. PICKED IT UP ON SOME SIGNS MADE IN EUROPE AND OTHER COUNTRIES.EVERYONE LIKS IT AND ITS A LITTLE DIFFERENT...JUST ANOTHER VEIW
Posted by TransLab (Member # 470) on :
I think its a cultural thing .. my Quebec customers insist that xxx.xxx.xxxx is the correct french format, my english customers prefer (xxx) xxx-xxxx
My toll free is 1-877-4-signage , the last digit is redundant, it's just fun to have something that you can say to a customer that is easy to remember.. something like 1-800-call-att (sickening but easy to remember)
[ January 24, 2003, 10:31 PM: Message edited by: TransLab ]
Posted by Robert Thomas (Member # 1356) on :
I also like the 234/567-8999 or make the area code smaller and add rule lines top & bottom.
I usually ask if the vehicle is being driven outside of the area code, and if not I try to eliminate the area code.
One of the biggest & best shops in the area doesn't have a phone number on their company trucks.
Posted by Ken Henry (Member # 598) on :
Phone numbers do not belong on vehicles anywhere. Most folks simply can't read and retain a 7 digit number that goes by them at 30 MPH. What makes people think that by adding 3 more digits, that the possibilities will improve? If you ever want to prove this, point out to your customer that THEY passed at least 4 commercial vehicles that very day, with phone numbers on them. Ask them to give you just 1 of those numbers off the top of their head. Most are unable to do so, but somehow they are convinced that everyone else will consider THEIR phone number important enough to read & recall it.If they INSIST, I will put them on, but I consider it a waste of their money to do so.
Posted by Bill Dirkes (Member # 1000) on :
The 10 digit dialing prevalent now has dictated (at least to me) that it is one phone number and no longer is the area code an optional part to be placed in parenthsis or made smaller. 000-000-0000 I found it kinda fun to find ways to separate the area code from th 7 digit number, but those days are gone for now. 859-472-SIGN That's the number here at the shop 859-472-7446 What I've found is the 'word' number will stick in my head better than an arbitrary sequence of numbers, and if I can translate, I'm not bound to a phone book to call the number My 10 digits worth Posted by Darrell Giese (Member # 768) on :
Most vehicles aren't in constant motion. I park my shop truck in full view of a major road or intersection anywhere I go. If that is not possible, I park on the end of a row. I have seen people take out their cell phones and punch my number in and save it. Some of my best calls start with, "I saw this Jeep with these wild flames over at..."
Another point, in Houston we are cursed with 10 digit dailing.
Posted by Jeff Ogden (Member # 3184) on :
I used to crusade against phone nos. on vehicles, using the theory that everyone looks it up in the phone book anyway, but those days are gone now with the advent of the cellular phone.LOTS of people are calling as they read a # off a truck.
Another way I do the area code is to do the area in thin letters and the number in bold, both in the same font 352 B]374-3819[/B].(this doesn't type well but does look good).Another way is area smaller in( ) centered over the number.
Posted by Don Hulsey (Member # 128) on :
I'm with Chuck Peterson on this one. I do it the same way MaBell does it. 888 888-8888 But I also try not to use phone numbers on vehicles whenever I can talk the customer out of it.
Posted by Chuck Peterson (Member # 70) on :
I also used to talk people out of phone numbers on vehicles, but, as Jeff Ogden pointed out, nowadays with cell phones, I'm hearing that people actually will call as they are reading the sign.
[ January 25, 2003, 11:05 AM: Message edited by: Chuck Peterson ]
Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
People will do whatever needs to be done to contact you, whether it's looking up a number in the phonebook (many people here don't even have ads in phonebooks, how does that work without numbers on your vehicle?), calling on a cell reading the number right off the vehicle, and in my case they read the website address on my truck (the only form of contact info on my truck) and actually go online to find out how to contact me.
Whatever you put on a vehicle, just make it legible. If people would just put the business name/logo and phone number on there it would be OK, but everyone likes to add a roll call and list every stinking little insignificant service they offer.. as if they're just trying to fill up a load of space.
Posted by Tony B (Member # 935) on :
I am with Mike on this one. (I'm referring to sign shop vehicles) Yes, you might not be able to read a number on a vehicle passing by, but what about when it's stopped at a light or parked at the local Home Depot, grocery store, Office Depot, etc? Curtis mentioned something in a post a while back about making it as easy as possible to contact you. I think having the number is one way to make that happen. Get all the advertising you can!
Posted by dispatch (Member # 1053) on :
What about if the Name, the web address, and the phone number are the same??
866.BWIRIDE.COM
(Airport ride service at BWI -Baltimore- Airport) Real company
That one line basicly does it all but you can't add "Dial" or "http://" to it or you need a lot more lines???
Posted by John Deaton III (Member # 925) on :
I always explain to the customer, a nicely lettered vehicle is the best money they can spend. Its an actual rolling billboard. Customers dont look at it like they are "customizing" their vehicle, its an actual ad for their business. To this end, as much info as possible can be put on the vehicle without gumming it up. The name and logo, services, and phone number. I have to say that I always advise my customer to put their phone number on the vehicle. I look at it this way. Two vehicles are parked next to each other that do the same service. One has the phone number, the other doesnt. More than likely, the one with the phone number will get the call, as most customers would rather not have to look it up. You're just not out to make the vehicle look good, you're making it a tool for the customer to use to get jobs. Some do get carried away with too much information, and Ill usually show them what would be best, but even if they wont budge on that, Ill still apply the info on there to get the best look and use for the customer. As far as how I put the phone number on, I usually make the zip code smaller too, and use a dot or triangle in between the numbers. Ill even sometimes enlarge the first number of the prefix and the first numbers of the last four digits. Not my idea though, seen it in Signcraft. Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :
866.BWIRIDE.COM HAHAHAAHAAHA. now ive seen it all. a combo url and phone number????
Is that a phone number or a web url? Just do anything to make it as hard as possible to let your customers contact you.
Some times it does not matter. IE, a shuttle service from an airport. Their main revenue source is customers waiting outside baggage pickup.
There are documented studies proving that phone numbers with letters are often flat out ignored.
By the way.. The 800 call ATT number. They spent about 6.35 million dollars to make that work. Who has that kind of money to make a alpha numeric phone number work?
There are some big dollars being spent by huge companies that is outright wasted and wrong. Who remembers the "HERB" campaign by burger king. It is known as the "Turkey" of all add campaigns. So we have to beware when copying something a "big" companies does.
Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
866.BWIRIDE.COM
That does it all right there, that's the ONLY line required on their vehicles.. (cept they could put the numbers in for the phone number).. just like 1-800-Contacts.
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