While some of us prefer to stick to email for business communications the fate of some small businesses relies on good old fashioned phone calls. Business owners who are constantly on the go need to be able to take calls, retrieve voice mails, and keep a log of their calls.
I admit that I prefer email to phone calls. I like to have a written record of business related things so that I can refer back to later. I use my email like a filing cabinet. However, even with advances in technology sometimes talking on the phone is necessary. And depending on the business that you run a reliable business phone is required. You want your clients to be able to get in touch with you without hassle. And if you want to attract new clients, then you want to be able to quickly respond to inquiries. People may decide not to do business with you if they call and hear your personal voicemail greeting on your cell phone. Don't take any chances.
Not all business owners can afford to have an expensive phone and answering service, so having a reliable business phone service is a must. And not everyone is comfortable with giving out their cell phone number to clients. I try not to do that myself. Having a separate business number is recommended, and looks more professional. Also, if you have a team of workers that are spread out, it is important to be able to share information. Voip is a popular option for small business owners. It allows you to do everything that I mentioned above for a much lower price than traditional phone service.
Here are some great tips for making your business more professional:
- Consider getting a toll-free number
- Enable the ability for multiple staff to answer an incoming call, no matter where they are located
- Create an audio menu to route callers to employee extensions
- Get instant notifications of important messages via text and email
These are all things that most would expect when calling a big business. However, even if you are running your business from your home office you can have the same professional services at your disposal. Depending on your needs, while not as robust as some services, you can even start with a free option. However, if you want the full set of services available to you, you can sign up for a low cost monthly service. If a free option is not right for you, Plans on phone.com start as low as $9.99/month. This service allows you to route one number to many different places, take and make calls from your mobile phone, check voicemails, and account history online, and more.
I recommend following up any business phone calls with an email summarizing what you talked about, verifying with your client that you have the details straight.
Happy chatting!
Disclosure: This post is brought to you by Phone.com All opinions are my own.
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