A virtual phone number can transform and enhance your business, regardless of whether you are working solo or the CEO of a big corporation. A virtual phone number is a phone number that is assigned specifically to your business, just like any other phone number. The advantages are that it can be directed to any cellphone or desk phone and the cost is pennies compared to a regular phone line. There are many advantages to establishing a virtual phone number for your business.
Create and maintain a professional image
Establishing a virtual phone number can definitely help boost your company’s public image. Your customers will never know if you’re working from home in your PJs or sipping coffee outside at a golf resort. Some of the great features that can be included in a virtual phone number service include a toll-free number, local numbers, a company-wide directory, even the option to have your custom On-Hold Message or play music when customers are placed on hold. Stuck at home all day with a sick kid? Go ahead and direct those important calls to other employees and let the non-important ones go straight to voicemail. There’s no way your regular cell phone could keep up with the versatility of the virtual phone number.
Break away from the office
The workplace environment is constantly changing and the versatility of the virtual phone number allows several people who work in different places – or even different states or countries! – to share the same phone number. Just set up an easy-to-use Menu and Dial by Name Directory. Callers press an extension to reach any individual within your company. No longer do you have to waste time, energy and resources establishing a local place to all work together. The virtual number is your office. Each employee has the freedom to work wherever he or she is most productive, be it a coffee house, the library, the beach, or lounging on the couch at home.
Stay connected – no matter where you go!
No longer are you glued to your desk, waiting all day for an important call. All calls can be directed to a multitude of devices. You answer and the caller is placed on hold while you decide whether to take the call, re-direct it to another employee, or send them straight to voicemail. The great news is that the caller doesn’t even know that they were on hold. So you can literally go away on vacation and squeeze in a few days of work from your beach house and then direct all business calls to another employee – all thanks to the ease of the virtual phone number. Or you can have an employee direct only important calls your way, allowing you time to enjoy your vacation. You can receive voicemail as an MP3 file or a text message. Faxes are converted to PDF files and then transferred directly to your email. Your callers can text to your new phone number and you can text back. Your text will show that it came from your virtual phone number, not your cell number. It’s never been easier to stay connected to your business, no matter where in the world your travels may take you.
Your number travels with you
Want to keep your number even if you’re moving or changing phone services? The virtual number goes with you, whereas certain phone plans don’t let you take your number to another plan or country. If you want to appear as a local business in different cities, states or countries, having a local virtual number in each of those cities, states, or countries, will make you look like a local business. And many customers prefer to do business with a local company. Many customers admit that it is less intimidating calling a local number instead of an impersonal toll free number, or dialing direct to a different country.
Never miss a call again
You can set up your virtual number to be directed to any cell phone or desk phone. If you don’t answer within a specified time, the call can be re-directed to another staff person or go to voicemail, making sure you never miss an important call ever again. Receiving multiple calls at once? This allows you the time to switch between callers with ease, directing calls to voicemail or other employees as needed.
In today’s modern world, full of travel, unique work environments, and the need to constantly stay in touch, the virtual telephone number is your number #1 solution to productive connectivity. Not only does it allow you the freedom to always stay connected, it gives you a multitude of options for allowing you time to breath – such as directing calls to others or merely switching off your number for a day. If you want to get ahead and create a strong, professional image for your business, then using a virtual phone number is the way to go.
Keep your business separate from your personal life
Once the workday is done, you can switch off your virtual number and only let personal calls and texts come through. Or you can take turns with other employees for handling “after hours” calls and faxes, directed to your device of choice.
A virtual number also allows you to remain anonymous in today’s world. When making calls and sending texts from your cellphone through your virtual number, your virtual number will appear. That way customers and vendors will never have access to your personal number unless you give it out to them.
The clash between your personal and business worlds can prevent you from establishing a truly professional image. You don’t want potential customers hearing your voicemail greeting as “Hi, this is Joe. Leave me a message!” Nor do you want your mom having to listen to your full business name every time she leaves you a voicemail. The virtual number allows you the ability to separate your two worlds, while maintaining a strong professional image for your thriving business.
Save money
Who doesn’t want to reduce business expenses? Forget paying for cell phone services for employees or a second cell phone for yourself. The virtual number can be directed to any employee’s personal cell phone, or desk phone. Go ahead and cancel all those extra business lines right away.
Your number is hosted in the cloud, so you don’t need costly line rentals, fancy software or new handsets, and the start-up costs are very minimal. Your virtual phone number will work wherever you have cell phone service, so you and your employees don’t have to rely on an internet connection.
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