Pitfalls of Using Your Cell Phone Number as Your Business Number

Starting a business? Here are some things
to think about before you start advertising
your cell phone number as your business number.

We run into many small business owners who started their business using their cell phone number as their business telephone number. It is very common and initially seems like a good idea. We understand why people do this. It is an inexpensive communications solution that appears to give people immediate access to their customers and prospect’s calls. What people don’t think about is what happens down the road. Here’s a brief list of the challenges one will face in the future with this strategy.

• Company Growth – If you anticipate taking on a partner, hiring an assistant, having employees that need to be on the company “system,” your cell phone calls will not be able to route to anyone else. A Virtual Receptionist can route calls directly to any phone.
• Establishing Hours – Callers will have access to you 24/7 unless you ignore the call or turn your phone off. After hours calls go directly to voice mail and you are only notified when a message is received.
• Moving the cell number to a land line – There are restrictions to the permanent location that cell phone numbers can be ported to. You may encounter trouble porting your cell number to the desk line in your new office.
• Identifying A Business Call – When people use their cell phone for their business and personal use or for two separate businesses, they don’t know what the call is about before they answer it.
• Professional Sound to your Business –If you are not able to answer the call your cell phone voice mail may not leave your customer with the best impression of your business.
• Keeping Your Cell Number Personal- You may want to control who gets your actual cell number.
• Vacations – You can forward your cell phone to another number, however you will be charged double minutes for the entire length of the call (and triple minutes if you forward them to someone who is on your cell phone plan).

The solution is to get a business phone number from All Call Technologies. Your calls will be routed to your cell phone after the caller hears an introduction greeting to your business. Using Call Announce your call is identified as a business call before the caller is connected. You Know how to answer and you are given the option to not take the call. After hours your caller will be able to leave a message.