A business phone number is not only a means of communication, but can be a powerful branding tool.
Society is more connected today than ever before. With so many different communication tools available it can be easy to overlook the importance of the tried and tested phone number. Research has shown that consumers still prefer to talk to businesses via telephone than any other communication methods.
So why is it important for a small business to have a business phone number instead of just using a personal number?
Professionalism
You only get one chance to make a first impression. A business phone number can make a small business look professional and credible. Customers are more likely to trust a brand with a business number than one without as it creates a sense of stability and reliability.
It is important to use a trusted service provider with the ability to direct calls to a mobile device. This is a key aspect for small business owners who are not always office bound.
Vanity phone numbers are one of the best ways to look professional. They can be local or toll-free and can be customized to spell out a certain word or phrase. Not only are they easy to remember and recall, they can also be linked to a mobile device which provides incredible mobility and flexibility to small businesses.
A vanity phone number generator can be used to search for available numbers and are easy to use. Once the number has been chosen, it can be purchased from any reliable vanity phone number service provider.
Customer Satisfaction
Customers are easily put off when searching for contact details of a business and finding none. It increases the risk of ruining a businesses reputation and losing potential customers in the process.
To remain competitive, a business must be available to provide information or support their customers. Otherwise the customer will try a different service and the business will loose the opportunity to make a sale.
A business number that is directed to a mobile phone, reduces the risk of customers calling in to a ringing phone without an answer. When customers are able to reach a business easily it improves their customer satisfaction substantially.
3. Privacy
A dedicated business phone means that late night business phone calls on a private phone won’t happen. Business time can be separated from private time which is essential for a healthy work-life balance. This means that a business owner can have peace of mind that they will not be bothered with clients calling them during weekends or family time.
A business number also means a central point of communication. Personal phone numbers can be kept private on advertising campaigns. A business phone number can be configured easily to link to different phones, it won’t be necessary to change a number when an employee is replaced.
4. Consistent Branding
No business wants to spend a lot of money on branding and advertising, only to have to change it due to a phone number change. Because a business phone number is a virtual number, it can remain the same no matter where your business is operating from.
This consistency is key to building trust with customers. They know that they can rely on the brand and boost confidence in the business.
5. Scaling is Easy
Most businesses work towards growth. A business phone number makes it easy for a business to expand or move to different locations as it is not bound by region. The service capacity can be increased or decreased depending on consumer demand which again creates the flexibility for a business to scale at a rapid pace.
There are also contact center solutions that can be integrated with CRM software to measure customer experience as the business grows. Features such as automated call forwarding, messages and call screening can be valuable for a growing business.
Last Thoughts
Business phone numbers should not be seen as a luxury, but rather a necessity for small businesses. It not only establishes credibility for your business, but also enables a business to scale easily without having to change key information such as contact details.
