European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 07, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 14 a the stars and stripes sunday october 7,1990 business new overseas toll free numbers take of businesses cite convenience savings by Randy Mcclain financial writer a growing number of american businesses is reaching out to customers abroad with International toll free numbers that allow people to make hotel reservations buy Mutual funds and discuss Home purchases with real estate brokers. The service is growing particularly fast in Germany where Large numbers of . Military personnel Are Able to take advantage of it said Michael Chr spokesman for the German bund Spost the Federal Agency that handles Telephone service. Toll free International dealing is seven years old in Germany but it has really taken off during the past two years. In 19k8, Chr said 1,450 companies had signed up for Domestic or International toll free Telephone lines. By june 1990, 2,910 companies had signed on and by the end of 1990, 4,000 firms Are expected to have the service. Dealing toll free is a snap Behr said. In Germany All the International numbers begin with a 0130 prefix followed by each company a individual number. Customers can dial from Home or a Telephone Booth As if they were making a local Call. Real estate brokers and hotel operators in the United states Are among those crowing about the service. A it makes life easier for people overseas a said Gudrun Whitaker a native of Germany who now lives in the United states and Sells Homes in and around the nations capital for Long amp Foster realtors. Whitaker said she decided to install an International toll free line primarily for the convenience of her military customers. More than 90 percent of her clients Are toll free dealing Here a a list of toll free Telephone numbers that can be dialled from Germany to reach businesses in the United states. American express 0130-3100 All Points relocation service inc. 0130-810184 Bank of America 0130-5561 Bond timing services inc. 0130-811094 Caldwell banker 0130-811484 Cameron Brooks inc. 0130-2267 Century 21 preferred real estate 0130-811219 Days inn of America inc. 0130-810071 homeowners Ltd. 0130-810239 Long amp Foster realtors 0130-811394 Manning real estate 0130-811642 Marriott hotels 0130-4422 Royal classic hotels 0130-2209 Sands realty inc. 0130-810621 transatlantic financial group 0130-810839 travel helpline inc. 0130-9815 . Military realty Ltd. 0130-811488 Westin hotels 0130-2662 a amps Susan Harris . Service members or department of defense civilians and Many of them Are considering moves Back to the United states after several years overseas she said. Long amp Foster and other firms that receive the Calls a Flat fee each month plus surcharges based on the volume of Calls they handle Behr said. At amp to markets the toll free International service to businesses in the United states under an agreement with the German phone company. At amp to has similar arrangements with phone companies in 52 other countries including England at amp to spokesman Rick Wallerstein said. At amp to and the foreign phone companies do Little to advertise the toll free numbers though. Instead its up to individual companies to get the word out. Whitaker said she has advertised Long amp Fosters International line in such publications As the army times and air Force times. She has also publicized it in direct mail advertisements. A the service definitely pays for itself even with the real estate Market As soft As it is now a Whitaker said. A i  consider discontinuing  she said troop cuts in Europe will probably make the free service even More valuable. A i expect my business to pick up with people coming Back from Europe a she said. Meg stockard director of sales for the landmark French Quarter hotel in new Orleans said she installed International toll free lines to Germany England and France primarily to make it easier for european customers to make reservations. A we publicize the phone number 0130-810292 in Germany in our brochures and at travel Industry Trade shows overseas a stockard said. Business has gone up Between 5 percent and 10 percent since the lines were installed Over the past two years she said. New Orleans attracts a great number of european tourists and stockard said the weakness of the Dollar makes that trend Likely to  offering mail order phone service try Jan it Howells Tiernfy Washington Bureau Catalon shopping just got quicker and easier for those with Abo and Fpo addresses in Germany and Japan. The j.c�?T. Penney co. Now offers toll free calling for Catalon orders from those two overseas areas. No other mail order company offers that service. A we sent out 10,000 surveys in the Spring to All the Apo and Fpo addresses we be gotten Catalon orders from to find out what they wanted a said Louis a. Forte . Penny a a Catalon circulation manager in Dallas. A we got about a 40 percent response rate and most were from Germany and Japan who wanted this  Forte estimates that his company distributes just Over 30,000 Cata logs in those two countries. However the customers account for less than half of 1 percent of Penney a total Catalon business. How much the service will Cost the company compared to How much Catalon sales business it will get remains to be seen. Our profits a will depend on How widely overseas customers use the service a Forte said. A we started the service aug. 1, so there really Hasni to been enough time to see if it will catch  customers in Germany can Call 0130-811917 to place orders or to get a fall Winter Catalon. Operators will be available 24 hours a Day. Payment will be accepted Only through the . Penney charge visa Mastercard or american express. Call in Catalon orders can still be placed from other overseas locations by calling 615 833-9300, but Long distance rates will apply. While phone Call orders Are free customers in Germany and Japan will be charged a $5 expedited handling fee for each order. Orders will be mailed within 24 hours the company said. Catalon customers can choose from three mailing methods space available mail or Sam Airlift military pal and parcel Post. For overseas Christmas delivery Sam orders must be placed by nov. 9, pal orders by nov. 21 and parcel Post by oct. 17. A / amp acc o in o o cd is i q. Cd h it it a z it / oct h co stars and stripes bookstores stars and stripes bookstores the Sears wish Book gives you four Holiday Cata logs in one the Sears wish Book combines their gifts style toys and Home Cata logs to give you Holiday shopping made easy totalling Over 700 pages the Sears wish Book is your ticket to special gifts at terrific prices. Plus order from the Sears wish Book through october 22, 1990 and you la receive their Early shoppers Bonus and can get up to $20 off your next Catalon order beat the Christmas shopping Rush with the Sears wish Book. Available for $3 at a stars and stripes Bookstore near you. Stars and stripes bookstores stars and stripes bookstores