Does Your Business Need a Phone Number?
Do you have a landline phone at home? A growing number of us don’t. Most of us are paying for line rental to facilitate our broadband package, but fewer and fewer of us actually connect a landline telephone to it. We get free minutes on our mobiles, and we’re attached to them most of the time anyway. Some of us use a broadband-only connection without a landline at all, and generally, they seem to be on their way out. But, what about your business?
Big businesses still have telephone lines, despite doing a vast amount of their business online. But, as a small business looking for ways to cut costs, not having a landline phone connection can seem like a good idea. Do you really need it when the majority of your business is done online, through email, social media and messenger apps? Would having an actual landline telephone number impact your business at all? Here are some of the benefits.
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It Looks Professional
When people see a landline telephone number listed on a website or business card, it looks professional. It makes people think that you are a professional, with an office and that you know what you are doing. It makes people trust you and means that they are more likely to take a chance on your business. Listing your mobile number looks less professional, and less like a real business.
It Can Make Your Life Easier
Just because you’ve got a telephone number, it doesn’t mean that you have to answer it while you are working. If you want to save time and reduce your workload, but can’t yet afford to hire a PA to field your calls, get a virtual address and online mailbox. You’ll have all of the benefits of having a phone line, without having to do any extra work yourself.
It Gives People Options
Communication is a crucial part of growing a business. Our customers need to be able to reach us all of the time. Giving them as many options as possible expands your communication capabilities, and means that more of your customers will be able to contact you.
The Internet Fails
Have you ever tried to use your credit card to pay at a cafe or attraction, only to be told that their wifi is down and so they can only accept cash payments? This can mean that you have to leave or spend time searching for a cash machine.
The internet isn’t infallible. It goes down. You might find that you are suddenly cut off and unable to send or receive messages. Your customers can’t reach you, and you’ll have a massive backlog of emails to catch up on when you get back online. A telephone isn’t infallible either, but it gives people an extra way to reach you and reduces the chances of you being out of reach.
To Separate Business
If you run a small business, you might find that you work all of the time. That you are always checking messages, sending emails or receiving calls. If you use your personal mobile phone for work, it’s easier for it to take over your day to day life. Your phone might always be ringing and beeping, and separating home and business can become confusing. Having a business phone makes it easier to separate your business from your personal life, helping you to achieve a better work-life balance.
It’ll Be Easier to Switch Off
Separating work and business also makes it easier to switch off and take a break. Most small business owners will admit to taking work calls outside of office hours, working every day and never taking holidays. This is bad for your physical and mental health. It can also affect your productivity in the workplace. Taking a break is good for you. Being able to leave your work phone in the office forces you to switch off at the end of the day. It means that your work calls will go to voicemail or your virtual office when you have a day off, and it gives you a chance to take a proper break for yourself.
To Share the Workload
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You might start off working alone. You need to deal with customer calls for yourself, so it can seem easier to use your mobile. But, what about when your business starts to expand? When you hire staff, and you need them to take and make some of the calls? An office line means that you can spread the work between your team, giving everyone access to your phone line.