Small business secrets...

If you're looking to upgrade your small business phone system, a VoIP solution should be one of the first options you look at. This technology offers cheap tariffs, high-quality voice calls and a wealth of extra features, from the ability to pick your own memorable number to conference calling and even video services.

The FSB chairman warns that almost half a million small businesses could go bust in weeks without a fresh wave of support from the government.

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It is not uncommon for a small business owner to use their personal mobile phone to run their business. It may appear to be a convenient and cheaper way to run a business but the truth is that these owners pay a heavy price not just with how damaging it can be to their businesses but also to their personal wellbeing.

People have this perception that using separate numbers for personal and professional reasons will overcomplicate things. Managing both will become an issue for them. But as time goes by and business owners evaluate the situation, they always find themselves in the dilemma of whether or not they should take a new business number.

Putting your number online for your small business seems like the easiest thing to do. But trust me, it's not. You might end up in a messy situation where you get spam calls and robocalls. You might also get customers or prospects calling you after hours or late at night disturbing your peace or your time with family. Running a small business is stressful and the last thing you want is to have your downtime with family or friends taken away from you.

By putting your mobile phone in the public sphere, you also increase the risk of identity theft. As a business owner, you may give out your number and your details without giving a second thought but this could have grave repercussions with regard to identity theft or hacking exposure.

As your business grows, using a mobile becomes increasingly limiting as you add customers and staff. You need to add employees as users to your business number so that you can take more customer calls and avoid dropping calls from customers. You also need a more professional out of hours greeting while your normal greeting may require call menus and hold music to handle more calls. None of this can be done on a mobile phone unless you have a VoIP app like bOnline Phone.

Here is why you should keep a different number for your personal and professional life:

The digital age has revolutionised the way people work. Even more so after the pandemic began. 

Gone are the days of people wanting traditional landlines using 100-year-old technology for their business. After BT announced that the traditional phone lines will become obsolete by 2025, many businesses are now switching to digital landlines and VoIP phone systems and benefiting. 

Before the pandemic, working remotely wasn’t top of mind, or was an earned privilege. But since the pandemic forced everyone around the world to stay indoors, remote working was the only option left.