Why You Should Get a Different Phone Number for Your Business

Whether big or small, business owners tend to receive many calls from their customers. It is significantly more if you are operating a sole proprietorship. You must constantly pick up calls from your customers and then calls from your friends and family. 

Mixing both of these is not advisable. So, in this article, we will look at some benefits of having two phone numbers—one for your business and the other for your private life. The article will also guide you through how you can get this done.

Importance of Two Phone Numbers 

Most small business owners debate whether to get a phone number for their business and another for their personal life. That is because they need to separate customer calls from private calls. However, some business owners have had concerns about getting two phone numbers. What are these concerns?

Major Concerns of Getting Two Phone Numbers

The cost of operation: Most business owners feel that operating two phone numbers is expensive. Some argue that they have to pay two separate phone bills when they could just pay for one.

Complex system: Some business owners think having two phone numbers can complicate their daily business activities. 

However, these concerns are untrue. Usually, having two phone numbers makes running daily business activities less complicated. You do not need to make out who is calling you when you receive a call from an unsaved phone number. All you have to do is check the receiver’s phone line and know if it is a customer or a personal call.

It is a myth to think that having two phone numbers is expensive. The phone bills included when using one phone number are the same as you will incur when you use two. You are only splitting the bill between two numbers instead of one.

How You Can Achieve Having a Business Phone Number and a Personal Phone Number

You may choose to have two phone lines on your phone. Some phones come with two SIM card trays, and you can simply add another line to them.

Another option is to get a new phone and a new line. This is the best option because you can quickly access all your messages, calls, and appointments on one phone. Since your personal schedules are on a different phone, they will not be confused. 

The first option is less expensive, and the second is more organized. You may then choose the best fit for you.

You may also want to get a vanity phone number for your business. A vanity number is a type of phone number that contains the area code, network code, and your business name, such as “1-800-CocaCola.”

What are the steps to get a regular line?

• Find a number provider
• Know your area code
• Find the available numbers in the area
• Pick the type of number you want
• Buy the phone number

What are the steps to get a vanity line?

• Find a vanity line provider
• Choose from the available branded vanity phone number patterns for your area code
• Customize the line to your company name
• Select the best plan 
• Buy the phone number

Merits of Having Two Separate Phone Lines for Your Business and Personal Life

Let us take a look at five different advantages that come with having two separate phone lines. 

Benefit 1: A Rigid Business Time Structure

When you use the same phone number for your business and private life, you may have to respond to customers outside of your work hours. This is because they will call you on your line, which you naturally would not want to put off. Also, some customers do not know when you are off business hours.

However, when you have two separate lines, you may decide to disconnect your business line when it is past work hours. You may also give yourself breaks when needed if you want to take a break from work for a few minutes. You may also set your phone to send calls to voicemail after work hours.

Benefit 2: You Do Not Speak to Customers the Same Way You Speak to Friends

When you use the same phone number and a customer calls you, you may answer the call casually if your friend calls. Customers may think you are unprofessional or off-putting for this.

But having separate phone numbers eliminates this problem. You can maintain professionalism at all times.

Benefit 3: Set Professional Voice Mails

Imagine a friend or acquaintance calling you, and they hear, “Hi there, this is Drew, and you are reaching her voice mail of Solo Enterprise. I am not around now, so leave a message after the beep. However, if your order is pressing, kindly send an email to this address…”

When you have two separate lines, you get to customize your voicemail to fit into what you want. You can personalise your voicemail with a casual one and maintain a professional voicemail with your business number.

Benefit 4: You Organise Your Calls Better

You do not have the numbers of all your customers saved. You also do not know who might call you on a personal note. So, you may confuse a business call for a personal call.

Furthermore, you may not want to answer a personal call, but because you have to pick up your customer calls, you would pick up a call from an unknown number, which may end up being a personal call. Having two separate phone numbers eliminates this confusion.

Benefit 5: You Get to Make Your Business Look More Developed

A business line can make your business appear better branded in the eyes of potential customers. Imagine advertising your business line, and you put “1-800-SOLO.” It makes your business look better-branded and increases customer trust.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, having a separate phone number for your business and personal life is the best way to achieve professionalism and excellent organization. It also relieves stress and unnecessary confusion.

You can easily add a vanity line to your existing phone. So, if you cannot afford a new phone, you may simply get a vanity line as your business phone number and add it to your existing phone.

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