Business Telephone Number

[camp freddie]

I'm currently operating as a sole trader, running a small but reasonably busy structural engineering business that I have recently established. I split my time between London and the East Midlands as I work from home and don't have an official office.

So my question is, would it look unprofessional if I were to only include a mobile number on correspondance such as letter heads, compliment slips and websites?

Would you avoid ringing a company with a mobile number as the main contact?

[jas xjr]

i am thinking of getting an 0800 number and if possible forwarding all calls to a mobile.
just a mobile number looks a bit iffy in my opinion. maybe a landline alongside the mobile might be better.or landline forwarding to your mobile. just thinking out aloud

[V8mate]

Have your landline diverted to your mobile?

[Jon Ison]

From personal experience, we operated for a while on a dongle and a mobile phone, without doubt the moment we had a land line installed business went north pdq without doubt "just a mobile" number was holding us back.

Could you use your home number with and forward calls to your mobile if you cant take them ? Leave an appropriate message on the home answerphone ?

[camp freddie]

Jon Ison said:

From personal experience, we operated for a while on a dongle and a mobile phone, without doubt the moment we had a land line installed business went north pdq without doubt "just a mobile" number was holding us back.

Could you use your home number with and forward calls to your mobile if you cant take them ? Leave an appropriate message on the home answerphone ?

This was my fear, that just a mobile number may look a little dodgy. I hadn't thought of an answer phone. That maybe best for when I'm not working at home

Thanks

[Simpo Two]

camp freddie said:

So my question is, would it look unprofessional if I were to only include a mobile number on correspondance such as letter heads, compliment slips and websites?

Would you avoid ringing a company with a mobile number as the main contact?

Yes and yes - it makes me think you're just a geezer in a van who will be gone next week.

For many years I operated with a second line which was used for work (so I knew whether to answer with 'Yeah wot?' or 'Simpo Enterprises, good morning'), yet was technically a residential line. From that I had an answerphone where people could either leave a message, or ring a mobile if it was urgent. Another option is to have the call forwarded to your mobile automatically, but you pay for the second leg of the call.

Edited by Simpo Two on Monday 8th February 20:49

[JDMFanYo]

You have a number of options.

0800/0300 number which redurects to your mobile. Free for customer, you will have to pay 7p per min+ to receive a call.

Geographic to mobile. Same as above but not free for customer. Usually a little cheaper for you to receIve calls. The divert can be switched on/off when you are in the office

Virtual geographic number. Same as above but landline not needed.

0845/0870. More expensive for customer but you can earn rebate, meaning redirects to mobile are cheaper.

I work in telecoms but don't sell it, I can put you in contact with a good friend if need be

[mattdaniels]

VOIP - about 2 quid per month for a number, can use soft phone on pc to take calls, have voice mails sent to you as sound files in emails etc etc

https://www.voipfone.co.uk

[GuinnessMK]

I'd second or third getting a VOIP solution. We got 6 numbers, 3 phone and 3 fax from aql.

Phone between offices for free, call forwarding to either mobiles or the other offices, voicemail, etc etc. And if we relocate, no need to change stationary / phone numbers.

[JDMFanYo]

I agree that VoIP is the 'no brainer' for any corporate business. It's most beneficial when there is a lot of 'internal calls' between offices.

It sounds like the OP is a 'one man band', so a VoIP solution isn't really feasible at this point in time.

Just my 2p worth

[Simpo Two]

Simple is usually best.

[jas xjr]

is there anybody on here that can supply an 0800 number or recommed someone that does?

[JDMFanYo]

jas xjr said:

is there anybody on here that can supply an 0800 number or recommed someone that does?

YHM

Let me know if you get the email, as a few people have mentioned they aren't receiving them

Edited by JDMFanYo on Tuesday 9th February 12:59

[Man-At-Arms]

JDMFanYo said:

0845/0870. More expensive for customer but you can earn rebate, meaning redirects to mobile are cheaper.

no, no, no

i'll go out of my way NOT to phone these numbers
even by checking them out on www.saynoto0870.com

[JDMFanYo]

Man-At-Arms said:

JDMFanYo said:

0845/0870. More expensive for customer but you can earn rebate, meaning redirects to mobile are cheaper.

no, no, no

i'll go out of my way NOT to phone these numbers
even by checking them out on www.saynoto0870.com

I completely agree, hence why I pointed out that it's more expensive for the customer

I have an app on the iPhone to dial the geographic (rather than the 0870 number) which is useful

I was merely letting the OP know of all the options There are also the 03700 numbers etc, but let's not get into that

[mattdaniels]

JDMFanYo said:

I agree that VoIP is the 'no brainer' for any corporate business. It's most beneficial when there is a lot of 'internal calls' between offices.

It sounds like the OP is a 'one man band', so a VoIP solution isn't really feasible at this point in time.

Just my 2p worth

Disagree. I'm a "one man band" and VOIP is very feasible/beneficial. Customers have a number to call that looks and behaves like a landline. I can take the calls or divert to the answerphone whether I'm physically in the office or out and about with the laptop. It's a cheap and very flexible solution for a startup.

[JDMFanYo]

mattdaniels said:

JDMFanYo said:

I agree that VoIP is the 'no brainer' for any corporate business. It's most beneficial when there is a lot of 'internal calls' between offices.

It sounds like the OP is a 'one man band', so a VoIP solution isn't really feasible at this point in time.

Just my 2p worth

Disagree. I'm a "one man band" and VOIP is very feasible/beneficial. Customers have a number to call that looks and behaves like a landline. I can take the calls or divert to the answerphone whether I'm physically in the office or out and about with the laptop. It's a cheap and very flexible solution for a startup.

See my point about virtual geographic numbers, which are effectively the same (though usually cheaper for the smaller business).

There are pro's and con's regarding VoIP. The potential is brilliant (online call recording for example ) but it does come with a cost, usually in the form of handset rentals.

Virtual geographic numbers are usually free, so it depends on the level of traffic you are expecting.

Without knowing the OP, I highlighted the options available for the OP to decided what's best.

My currently 'faith' in VoIP is still unsteady, predominantly as having attended a national telecoms convention, over half of the companies demonstrating their VoIP solutions actually failed.

I think we all agree that either solution beats advertising only a mobile

Edited by JDMFanYo on Tuesday 9th February 14:45

[daveake]

I run my business from home, and have a VOIP line from Sipgate. No rental costs; the only costs are if I redirect the number to my mobile. In my case the geographic number was ported from an old landline (at an office I used to rent), and I think the porting cost £20.

One day a week I spend at another location, where my phone (a Nokia 6300i which is a dual GSM/VOIP phone) automatically connects to the WLAN and I can make and pick up calls as if I was at home, at no extra cost.

For me, it's close to an ideal solution.

[jas xjr]

JDMFanYo said:

jas xjr said:

is there anybody on here that can supply an 0800 number or recommed someone that does?

YHM

Let me know if you get the email, as a few people have mentioned they aren't receiving them

Edited by JDMFanYo on Tuesday 9th February 12:59

email received , thanks

[JDMFanYo]

daveake said:

I run my business from home, and have a VOIP line from Sipgate. No rental costs; the only costs are if I redirect the number to my mobile. In my case the geographic number was ported from an old landline (at an office I used to rent), and I think the porting cost £20.

One day a week I spend at another location, where my phone (a Nokia 6300i which is a dual GSM/VOIP phone) automatically connects to the WLAN and I can make and pick up calls as if I was at home, at no extra cost.

For me, it's close to an ideal solution.

I'm really liking that technology at the moment (where it detects if you are in range and will dial the landline as opposed to the mobile, saving costs). Certainly the way forward