Running a business is not for the faint of heart. In fact, many business owners struggle to separate their personal and business lives to try and stay on top of all of their responsibilities.
It’s possible to make this divide with some effort and patience. A great place to start is setting up a separate business phone number through a virtual phone service.
Switching to a business phone number has significant advantages for your business . Here are seven benefits to get a better perspective on what it can do for you.
It’s vital to draw the line between your personal life and your business. Many business owners choose to sacrifice certain parts of their personal life instead, especially when they’re just starting out. However, one of the most efficient ways to create space between the two worlds is to establish business hours. Virtual phone services offer features that can help you develop business hours and make a customized outgoing message. This message can contain precise information to help customers that call outside of your hours of operation.
Having a business phone number can prevent many sleepless nights and allow you to stay more present during on and off-hours.
Having one business phone number doesn’t mean only one person can answer calls. On the contrary, a virtual phone service allows several people to answer calls simultaneously. The call forwarding feature easily prevents calls from going unanswered during work hours.
In the past, business owners had to list several phone numbers for customer service, which made it difficult for the customer to choose one to dial. Thankfully, that’s no longer the case. With a virtual phone service, one business number makes everything straightforward. This efficiency is great for a growing business and conveys forward-thinking.
Virtual phone systems don’t only give you a number but a vast toolkit with innovative features. In some cases, you might even be able to choose your phone number, like a toll-free number that spells out your company’s name. Most systems also allow you to create your own outgoing voicemail message or an automatic greeting message to provide a brief introduction to all callers.
A dedicated business number can help you screen calls more efficiently. You can choose whether to answer a call or send it to voicemail. The caller will only hear the phone ringing as you make a decision. This makes call screening immensely useful when dealing with spam calls or competing businesses.
Some businesses want more options for their communication channels. For example, texting is the preferred method of communication for many customers. Some virtual phone systems offer a texting feature where you can confirm client appointments or respond via text when you can’t pick up the phone.
These are just some of the many customization features that a business phone number can add to your day-to-day business activities.
Perhaps the most crucial advantage of having a business phone number is that it allows customers to reach you easily. You might have a business email or a chatbox on your website, but many potential customers want to talk to you directly.
What happens if they have a question and your website doesn’t provide the answer? They’ll likely be on the hunt for your business phone number so they can talk to someone and ask their questions.
If a customer is stuck searching the internet for your number, they could deter away from your business. This is even more important for companies who want to grow their presence locally.
You can easily list your business phone number everywhere online, including your Google My Business page. Having a business phone number on your website, social media pages, and advertising material shows you’re serious about providing excellent customer service.
First impressions can make a big difference when you’re trying to get your business off the ground. You’ll be seen as more professional to prospective clients, vendors, and potentially even future business partners if you have a business phone number from the start. It also adds to the credibility of your business and lets people know that they can reach you easily.
A business phone number makes your company seem more reliable. Adding your number to your contact information shows that you’re open to handling complaints and talking to potentially dissatisfied customers at any time.
Finally, committing to a business phone number can increase your branding consistency. Without it, you may need to use different numbers on different occasions. For example, if your website lists the number for a physical location, but the number on your business card is your private mobile, your branding looks inconsistent and unprofessional
Remote working has become the norm in many industries. Are you running a small business venture from home, and you’re the boss and only employee? Or do you have several employees, but they’re all working from home?
Either way, a business phone number is a must-have. Maybe you’ll go to a coffee shop on a Monday and answer calls and emails from there, and on Tuesday, you’ll be at home doing the same.
A business phone number allows anyone to reach you regardless of your physical location. All you need is an internet connection, whether Wi-Fi or mobile data. You can even answer calls from your car.
Starting a business can be exhilarating, but it can also be a significant financial strain. Small business owners often must count every penny and make certain sacrifices to ensure the company can thrive.
Buying a brand new phone and subscribing to a mobile phone plan only adds an additional financial burden, especially if that extends to buying phones for your employees.
A virtual phone service with a toll-free or local area number is a much more cost-effective solution. You pay a monthly subscription and get access to a designated app that all employees can share
A virtual business phone number allows you to connect with customers without spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars upfront.
If you decide that having a business phone number is a valuable investment for you, it’s important to research the types of numbers available. Most virtual phone services offer two options: toll-free numbers and local area numbers.
Both numbers rely on internet connection and cloud technology to provide the service, but there are some notable differences.
A toll-free number is easy to recognize, as most of them start with a three-digit prefix such as 844, 866, or 888. These numbers are entirely free for the person calling the number.
They are often the preferred choice for business owners who don’t want to focus on one target area but build a national audience.
When you’re dialing a toll-free number as a customer, you don’t need to worry about whether it’s an expensive long-distance call. Instead, the business pays for the entire service. Toll-free business numbers are great for companies that want to appear more complex and “larger” than they are.
Penetrating the local market is the main priority for many small business owners. They want to establish a trustworthy presence in their own community and reach the clients who live there.
A local area number can make your company seem “closer to home,” and area residents might be more likely to answer a call from a business with a local area code.
Furthermore, it’s not uncommon for people to invest in a small local company rather than giving their money to a large corporation. They are consciously trying to find these local businesses to solicit services or buy products. It helps if they see a local area business number listed on the website or social media pages.
It’s difficult to find any real downsides to having a business phone number. One might argue that being too accessible can distract you from other business-related activities., but a business number can help you establish working hours for more efficient communication.
If you’re searching for a reliable service to set up a business phone number, Telephono has all of the best customization features. Contact us today to get a free trial.
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