Business Phone Number

Operations

May 16

Do I Need a Separate Phone Number for My Business?

We get this question a lot from new business owners, and honestly, it depends! Most people rely on a cell phone (vs. a landline) now for both personal communications and business. If that’s the case, how do you feel about clients having your phone number? There are some things you can do to minimize interaction by phone through your touchpoints and processes, such as communicating via email, Zoom, and project management software. But perhaps you would like clients to be able to call or text you—just without giving out your phone number every time or listing it publicly in a directory or other online listing. In this case, Google Voice can be a nice alternative, allowing you to keep your work-related calls and messages in one place. It’s super easy to set up, and it’s free with your personal or business Gmail account!

Getting Started

If you want to set up a Google Voice account online:

Go to their website and log in through your Gmail account
Click For personal use
Select one of the following: Android, iOS, Web
Select a Google Voice number
Verify with your current phone number — they will text you a confirmation code
Make calls and texts from your Google Voice number!

For outgoing calls, you can also use the Google Voice app on iPhone or Android to make calls directly from your phone, and they’ll come from your Google Voice number. For incoming calls, you can link your Google Voice number to your phone in your Settings, so calls to your Google Voice number come straight to your phone.

Pros

Many small business owners love using Google Voice because it allows for better privacy. Instead of giving out your personal cell phone number to clients, send them your Google Voice number, and they’ll never know the difference. Google Voice will also help you keep your work calls and voicemails separate from your personal calls, making it easier to find the information you need later on. Lastly, our favorite reason to use Google Voice is that it allows for better work/life balance. If you choose not to link your Google Voice number to your phone (or if you un-link them when you’re not working), you won’t get any work calls when you’re off the clock!

Cons

Every rose has its thorn though, and Google Voice does have a few downsides. For one, if you don’t link your Google Voice number to your phone, you may miss calls from clients. On the other hand, if your calls are linked to your phone, you will not know if incoming calls are personal or work-related. Incoming calls to your Google Voice number do not tell you whether someone is calling your Google Voice number. Finally, if you’re an iPhone enthusiast, you might not like that Google Voice texts come through as SMS, not iMessage.

All in all, we believe that Google Voice allows for greater privacy and flexibility than using your personal phone for client calls, and is an inexpensive option to setting up a second phone account through your cell provider or as a landline. If you decide to give Google Voice a try, give us a call and let us know how it goes 😀!

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