Should I Get a Landline or Cell Phone for my Small Business?

Many people think of landlines as an outdated and obsolete technology. But what about using one as a small business owner? Can you still benefit from using a landline, as opposed to a cellphone?

Phones are an important method of communication between consumers and businesses. While chat and email support are popular now, many customers will prefer calling to speak with someone directly.

There are a lot of small businesses that don’t take walk-in customers, such as therapists or accountants. This makes having a business phone number essential for your home office.

The phone set-up you opt for as a small business owner should be taken seriously. In fact, it could make or break your business.

The Benefits of Using a Landline for Your Small Business

You might be wondering why you’d need a landline when you already have a smartphone. It’s standard these days for people to ditch their landline and use their cellphone instead. But a landline can still benefit you and your business for a number of reasons. Let’s review some of these below.

Fewer Service Disruptions

Having a landline for your business can give you peace of mind. Cell service is unreliable in certain locations, and you always have to worry about service outages. Landline disruptions are far less likely than cell service disruptions.

Depending on your business, being available is an important part of your professional image. That means you should plan for a phone system that puts you within reach for your customers, even during a service outage period.

Natural disasters are another risk factor when it comes to using a cellphone for your business line. Your landline service is far less likely to go under or to stay down for as long during a disaster. During an event like this, you can’t safely assume that cell towers will be functioning.

More Room for Growth

Do you do advertising using your cell number? If you’re running a micro-business right now, your cellphone is probably enough to cover your needs. But what about scalability? If you’re using a cell number, you’ll have a harder time handling multiple incoming and outgoing calls as your business grows.

With a landline, on the other hand, you can keep your existing phone number and switch to a system with multiple lines. A landline also makes it easier to keep your personal and business calls separate and track phone expenses for your taxes.

While a computer and cell phone are enough to start a business, they won’t be enough to maintain one as it grows. Think ahead and consider getting a landline to account for this.

Fewer Distractions

Smartphones are basically little distraction machines that we constantly have in our pockets. Switching to a landline for your business phone can give you the benefits of phone service without the additional time-wasters on your cell.

Your landline isn’t constantly sending you notifications for email or tempting you to play games. It’s not very likely you’ll get addicted to your landline, whereas plenty of people struggle with smartphone addiction. Using a landline will make it easier to keep your leisure time and business activities separate.

A More Professional Image

One downside of using a cellphone for your business is needing to rely on cell service, which doesn’t always work well. No matter what type of business you have, it’s going to appear unprofessional if your phone calls are full of static or echoes.

You may encounter consumers calling your business who are hard of hearing. And dropped calls are always a risk when you’re talking on a cellphone. In either case, a clear connection is important for communicating.

Photo by Lukas from Pexels

Presentation is important and, even if your website is polished and looks amazing, dropped calls will put a dent in your presentability.

Good communication with your customers is essential for a positive business image, and landlines simply sound better.

Life/Work Separation

As a small business owner in our constantly-connected era, the line between work and home can get blurred. Using your cell phone as a business phone may make it harder for you to keep business and personal life separate. When it’s time to relax for the evening, you’ll probably still have your cellphone nearby.

Getting calls related to business can disrupt your free time, even if you let them go to voicemail. You might even be tempted to work around the clock when you’re constantly receiving work-related notifications. You don’t keep a landline in your pocket, so it’s easier to leave behind when you’re done with work for the day.

Better Quality Options

You might be hesitant to switch to a landline if the last time you used one regularly was many years ago. But new cordless phones are much nicer than the older models you may be thinking of. Many options come with talking caller ID, so you can hear who’s calling before you look at the phone.

Modern cordless phones tend to hold a battery much longer than older versions. They also have upgraded backlighting, and better-looking displays than ever before. Some models even support as many as 12 handsets from a single base. This useful feature is worth keeping in mind when you want to scale up your business later.

Phone Book Listing

Phone books may also sound like outdated technology to many of us in the modern age. But if your business tends to serve older clientele, they’re probably still using theirs. When you have a landline, you can list your business phone number in the phone book.

What Else to Consider When Switching to a Landline

Even if you decide to switch to a landline, you’ll probably want to keep your existing number. The number is likely listed for your business on advertising and online. Plus, your suppliers and customers will have it saved in their phones.

Once you’re confident that everyone has your new number, you can stop using your cellphone for your business.

While your company can exist without a landline, there are many advantages to using one. You’ll enjoy clearer calls with your clients, fewer dropped calls, and you won’t have to worry about service disruptions as much. Plus, when it comes time to scale your business up, it’ll be much easier.

Featured image: Photo by it’s me neosiam from Pexels