How to Choose a Phone Number for Business Purposes

If you’ve just started a new business or plan to expand an existing one, one of the first steps is setting up a corporate phone number. Why does it often start with getting a business number?

Besides a website, a phone number is usually the first point of contact between a company and its clients. A number is also essential for making sales, providing customer support, and staying in touch with your team.

Since a phone number is so important, it’s better to choose it deliberately rather than ending up with a random set of ten digits. The choice should be based on its characteristics and the goals you want to achieve.

Let’s look at the advantages of corporate numbers, which type of number to choose depending on your business needs, and which features are most valuable for businesses.

Why a Corporate Number is Useful for Your Organization

A phone number dedicated specifically to your company offers several benefits, even for a small business:

• Professional image
  A separate corporate phone number helps your company appear professional and reliable.
• Data privacy
  Using a business phone number protects employees’ personal numbers and shields them from unwanted calls.
• Preparedness for professional communication
  When a call comes to a corporate business number, the owner or employee can focus on the business context, unlike when all calls come to personal numbers.
• Better work-life balance
  Separating personal and business communications helps prevent burnout.
• Improved marketing effectiveness
  Numbers with repeating digits are easier to remember, making them ideal for TV, radio, or billboard advertising.

Some benefits depend on the type of corporate number, so it’s important to clearly define what kind of number your company needs.

Types of Business Numbers

There are several types of business numbers: geographic, nomadic, multi-channel, Free Phone, “Vanity” (memorable) numbers, and international.

1. Geographic Numbers
Local numbers are tied to a specific location and build trust with clients in that area. They can also reduce the cost of local calls.
Purchasing such a number usually requires proof of an address in the city where the number will be used.

2. Free Phone Numbers
Free phone numbers allow clients to call your company at no cost. They are great for businesses aiming to attract more customers and increase loyalty.
The downside is that the company bears the cost of both incoming and outgoing calls.

3. Vanity (“Attractive”) Numbers
Vanity numbers — combinations with repeating digits — are memorable and can impress clients. Studies show people remember these numbers better, which can help increase revenue.
The main drawback is cost: rare numbers can be expensive, especially for small businesses.

4. International Numbers
International numbers are useful for expanding into other countries, making it cheaper for foreign clients to call.
The challenge is often the multi-step setup, requiring verification of legal entity, address, and bank account to use a geographic number in another country.

5. Nomadic Numbers
Nomadic numbers are flexible and suitable for businesses of any size.
They don’t require proof of an address in a specific region -verification in any city of the country is sufficient.

They allow calls from any internet-connected device, providing mobility and accessibility, while international call costs are lower than using traditional mobile or landlines.

Virtual numbers often come with a range of internet telephony features, especially when connected to a Virtual PBX (Private Branch Exchange).

Top Features of Virtual Numbers for Business

Virtual numbers can work with a Virtual PBX (VPBX), unlocking advanced functionality. Common features include:

• Call forwarding
  Calls to a virtual phone number can be forwarded to any extension, group, voicemail, or answering machine.
• Voice greetings
  Greetings improve your professional image and provide essential information before transferring the caller.
• Smart IVR menu
  An automated attendant guides clients through menu options and self-service instructions, improving service and reducing handling time.
• Call recording
  Recording calls helps monitor client interactions, ensure service quality, and improve operator and customer behavior.
• Virtual fax
  Online faxing eliminates the need for physical devices, reduces equipment costs, and saves office space.

Other features may include complex call routing, queue management, blacklists/whitelists, cost control, call monitoring, and automated voice bots. Some Virtual PBX systems, such as KOMPaaS, offer up to 200 features, with around 30% available for free.

Conclusion

We’ve explored why companies of any size should use a dedicated business number, the types of corporate numbers available, and the features virtual numbers can provide through a Virtual PBX, along with their advantages over other communication methods.