Business phones

[Florriedee]

Hi just a quick Q! How many of you geeks have a seperate business phone - mobile primarily. I am considering getting a cheap Pay as you go jobbie cos I don't really want clients ringing me on my own phone, but what do other ppl do? I tried doing a search but the words 'Mobile' and 'phone' come up in every single thread from what I can see! Lol Lx

 

[Vetty]

I have a seperate business mobile for a number of reasons:

1) I think it's more professional to have a separate number
2) I can switch it off if/when I want to
3) If my personal phone rings when I'm working I can check if it's school and otherwise ignore it!
4) I can put a dedicated business answerphone message because I don't answer my phone when I'm working......

I have a contract for my work phone because that one is by far the busiest for me! Mt personal mobile is pay as you go......

hth's

 

[emerald]

Hi, i have a seperate mobile for business, and mine is on a contract i pay £12 per month and get 100 minutes or texts. This is great as i can use it for calling clients and suppliers and at least then i can put it down as expenses in my accounts hth

 

[BKY]

I have a seperate mobile phone for work, and I only have it on Monday to Friday 09:00 till 18:00 for clients to book their appointments. This works out well for me. I used to have it on a pay as you go but just recently got a contract for £10 month for 100 text and 100 mins so I can text special offers out and not have to worry about the cost as you would more on a pay as you go. Hth x

 

[redsadie]

Hi there

I have a contract personal phone which suits me because I'm always using it! I have decided that once I go into business I will have a seperate payg mobile as imo I think it's more professional and like the others I can dedicate my answerphone message to the business and switch it off 'after hours'.

Just my 2 penneth

xx

 

[number1kitty]

easiest thing to do in my opinion is to get yourself an o845 number. This can be attached to your home phone. It has two advantages, well three lol. one, you dont disclose your personal number to clients, two it looks more professional than a mobile and three it reduces the cost of having so many phones (i used to own 3 mobiles for 3 business' and it cost me a grand a month!). Another advantage is if you change mobile providers/move house/get a shop you can keep the same number. It costs you nothing to get an 0845 number, costs the client the price of any local call and is cheaper than them calling a mobile. I then divert my home phone through to my mobile when I am out. My 0845 has a filter system too, so the client is put on hold if for example I am already on the phone. It also has an answer machine that the client can leave a message on that is then text to you, also if the client (like many of us) hates leaving a message, the system captures their phone number so you can call them back. I set it up with my opening hours so the 0845 number will only put calls through to my own phone between 9.30am and 6.30pm after that it automatically goes through to an answer machine that explains the business is closed but they will be contacted in opening hours if they leave a message. You can set your own days/hours that you want to recieve or not recieve calls. You can have as many 0845 numbers you want on the one land line we all have.

To stop confusion as their are 2 business' currently set up on my landline so I just answer the phone by saying my name.

Hope this helps

Kate

 

[Seraphine]

I have a Vonage V-phone that works great! I have two numbers (as I serve two main areas that have different area codes), and I have them forwarded to my mobile. With the forwarding charges, it works out to about £10 a month (including both numbers!)

Check vonage.co.uk for more details, but they have been great so far for me, and very cheap!!

Dawn