Is an 877 Area Code Professional for a Business?

[longtime2]

I'm setting up a customer service line for my new small business and found some available numbers with an 877 area code. I'm just wondering if customers view this as less professional than the classic 800 codes? I don't want people thinking we're some fly-by-night operation just because we're using a "newer" toll-free number.

[flowers2]

That's a really common concern, but honestly, most customers don't even notice the difference between 800, 888, 877, or 866 numbers anymore. They all function exactly the same way for callers - completely toll-free. The different prefixes were just introduced over time as available numbers ran out. I actually found a great article that breaks down the history and perception of 877 numbers specifically. It confirmed for me that they're just as professional as any other toll-free code. Here's the guide that cleared it up for me: https://www.omnivoice.ai/blog/877-area-code-numbers/