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Private Use of Virtual Numbers
There is no doubt that communication is an essential part of a business in its day-to-day transactions. Without proper communication, a business would not thrive. It is also for that reason many business owners rely on their private mobile numbers just to have continuous communication with their customers.
Unfortunately, using your personal cell phone number proved to be unreliable. You might be surprised but that’s the truth. Aside from the fact that you are mixing your personal life with your business transactions, chances are, you’ll get higher bills every end of the month.
So, what is the best solution to avoid this kind of scenario from happening? Acquire a virtual number.
What is a Virtual Number?
Upon hearing the phrase “virtual number”, many people are still confused about the meaning and usage of this indispensable tool. Most of them might think that the number is some sort of ‘invisible number’ that is sophisticated and extraordinary.
Well, we cannot blame them since a virtual number, although it functions the same as your ordinary cell phone number, offers numerous advantages that your SIM card number cannot provide. Let’s take a look at them one by one.
How Does a Virtual Number Work?
A virtual number depends on the power of the Internet. It means that, unlike your mobile phone number that depends on the network coverage of your service provider, virtual numbers can be used anywhere around the world as long as there is a presence of a stable Internet connection.
A virtual number is actually the same as an ordinary phone number we are using with our mobile devices. But in terms of privacy, virtual numbers are so effective in protecting us from scammers, hackers, and other online fraudsters.
Virtual numbers are not physically associated with mobile devices, unlike SIM cards that are registered with their respective mobile networks. With a virtual number, you can make and receive calls anywhere provided that there is an Internet connection.
Benefits of Virtual Numbers
- Accessibility—your cell phone number is accessible as well, and that is true. However, virtual numbers can be easily accessed through computers, desk phones, and mobile devices. Aside from that, your potential customers can dial your virtual number without the fear of being charged for making long-distance calls. Especially if you use a toll-free number during your marketing or advertising campaign. Any types of businesses—small, medium, and large scale enterprises—that are easy to communicate with will thrive better than businesses that are beyond reach.
- Enhance professional image—if you will only notice, successful companies and organizations utilize toll-free and local numbers. Toll-free numbers create an atmosphere of professionalism with customers and potential clients. Local numbers establish a trust to local customers since they will perceive that your business is familiar with their pain points and that you hold the solution for their problems.
- Cost-efficiency—especially for those startups, we tend to start our business using our personal numbers as the contact point. At first, this setup may be fine. But as your business starts to grow, you’ll eventually find it stressful to handle calls and private matters in one medium. Of course, you want to separate business from your private life. Moreover, you’ll also find it very costly particularly if you have to make overseas calls from time to time.
And since virtual numbers offer total flexibility for the business communication system, you don’t need to waste your time computing the possible additional expenses associated with buying additional hardware and equipment. Virtual numbers function just like the same as regular phone numbers.
That is why a virtual number is perhaps the best choice of making all these things into reality. Integrating this cloud-based technology into your communication system will put your business into greater comfort. Plus, the fact that the overhead cost is relatively lower than that of cellphone calls. Local and international calls to a virtual number can be automatically redirected through toll-free internet links. Since virtual numbers utilize the power of the Internet, there is no need for you to worry about being ‘out of service’ from your network provider.
- Business presence—building a local business presence is paramount for every business. Even if you’re targeting international potential customers or clients, the fact that individuals prefer to do business transactions with a local service provider. A local virtual number can greatly help you establish a solid business presence nationally and internationally.
Furthermore, customers prefer to call a local number rather than international numbers. Psychologically speaking, they tend to assume that it is more expensive to place a call to a long-distance number.
- Enhance your business image—this is true especially for small business owners. To enhance your small business profile, you have to project it as larger than it actually is to boost your company’s image.
Assigning various virtual numbers for different departments – though at the end, calls from these departments end up to the same person – will enhance not just your business profile but your professional image as well.
- Privacy security—one of the reasons why many businesses are integrating cloud-based telephony systems such as virtual numbers to their business is because of privacy. Think of running a marketing campaign where you put your personal number as the contact point. Doing this will certainly mess your personal number and private calls. Worse, many hackers are lurking on the Internet that might possibly be interested in digging more information about you using only your personal phone number.
It may sound unalarming to you but there are countless cases already where individuals were hacked with their personal details including bank account numbers and login details of their credit cards. By using virtual numbers, you can eliminate these things from happening to you and to your business.
- Register safely online—we all browse the Internet at some point in our life. And there may be instances that we got curious with online offers about e-books, e-courses, webinars, or even products that are being sold online.
However, before we can make an online purchase or download e-books, for example, we need to register on their online registration form. And for them to be sure that they are dealing with real human beings, most websites require phone numbers to be provided so they can send a verification code.
That is totally understandable. But the fact that you are sharing your personal information especially your phone number with the public will also mean that you are providing those unscrupulous individuals lurking on the Internet the chance of digging into your personal information through your contact number. but providing a virtual number instead of your real phone number abruptly eliminates this untoward incident from happening.
Final Thoughts
Private life should remain private. And it is true with phone numbers as well. Carelessly sharing your personal contact number may result in a more stressful situation than you would ever think. It is far better to separate private matters from business transactions.
If you are interested to learn more about how a virtual number can make your life easier and safer, you can always visit Telnum to gain more knowledge about cloud-based technology. Telnum provides the most innovative cloud-based technology system that you can effectively integrate to your daily communication.
