# Cell phone or land line?



## Chipfo (Mar 24, 2017)

So far in my ads, business cards, etc I have been using my landline so to not have excess calls on my cell phone. In the voicemail of my land line I do state that it is a land line and cannot get texts and stuff, and to please leave a message and I will get back asap. I return all my calls but it is usually when I get home and at first contact I do give out my cell number.

I can't decide if that is good business practice or not, I would really like to keep my cell for customers or potential customers and not just broadcasted all over the place. What do ya'll think about this, or know from experience? Thank you


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Chipfo said:


> So far in my ads, business cards, etc I have been using my landline so to not have excess calls on my cell phone. In the voicemail of my land line I do state that it is a land line and cannot get texts and stuff, and to please leave a message and I will get back asap. I return all my calls but it is usually when I get home and at first contact I do give out my cell number.
> 
> I can't decide if that is good business practice or not, I would really like to keep my cell for customers or potential customers and not just broadcasted all over the place. What do ya'll think about this, or know from experience? Thank you


If you don't have anyone answering the land line I don't see the point of using it....I'd probably just forward it to my cell.


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## Chipfo (Mar 24, 2017)

Yeah I know, why keep the land line. Well it is also my high speed internet, I have to pay for internet anyway so why not keep the phone. Plus I have had it for so many years everyone knows it. 

That's not a bad idea however, forwarding my calls to the cell.


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## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

I haven't had a land line since 2003 so I'm a little biased. I actually have a Google Voice number for the business so I can access it via my cell phone. The reason I like this setup is so I can limit when it will actually ring on my cell but I still can check it whenever I want. One of my favorite things is that I get all the voicemails transcribed and sent as texts so I can quickly look and see who called, and why, without having to answer the phone.

The amount of spam calls has risen substantially so I wouldn't put my personal cell phone # on the internet.

If competition in your area is strong then you may have already lost the job by the time you get home and return the call.


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## avenge (Sep 25, 2008)

I've had a landline since 1989 I also list my cell on my business card. Almost all of my communication is with text and email. Most potential clients call the landline, I also have clients that have memorized my landline and I get so many bull**** calls there's no way I'll forward them.

I never take my calls unless it's the client I'm working for at the time. I'm not worried about losing a potential client, if they can't wait for a return call later that day then I don't have time to mess with them. If I never had a landline then I wouldn't get one.


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## Ohio painter (Dec 4, 2011)

I keep my landline in addition to my cell. The primary reason is because I make international phone calls to my family. I have debated different options but because of my elderly parents I keep it. 

Any potential new customer can call either of my numbers as I put both out, but it is unlikely I will answer my cell if it is an unknown number to me. I expect them to leave a message and I return their call at my convenience, usually that lunchtime or evening. Too many times I have been duped by a telemarketer making it look like they are a local call.

I also think if I only had a cell phone how much more would it be ringing, and I would be ignoring. My cell now is bad enough with junk calls. My landline is 90% junk calls, in due time inevitably they would end up on my cell too. 

On a final positive note about the landline, older customers prefer it as it reassures them they are calling a local number, and frankly where I am at being a local is an important point to most.


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## aquakbd (Aug 19, 2016)

It's great to have a landline but if you promote this number you should have someone answering it. You could also forward the calls to your cell or you could get another cell just for the business purposes. That way you could answer the texts you receive immediately and you wouldn't have to advertise your private number.


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## NYgutterguy (Mar 3, 2014)

All the telemarketers and bs calls would drive me crazy all day if I only had a cell number. Tried call forwarding a few times still prefer calling the office line to retrieve messages few times a day. Office phone rings very often just wish it was only with customers. 


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

Used to be, advertising only a cellular number was a 75% sure indicator that a guy wasn't a bona fide full scale contractor. More likely, he was operating out of a rusty pickup truck with Harbor Freight tools.

That's changed these days, especially since it's hard to even tell any more whether a given prefix is cellular or landline. So in that sense, I don't think it makes much difference.

What does make a difference though, is whether a human or a machine answers the call. Going straight to voice mail implies you're small time. Nothing wrong with that per se; lots of guys make a very good living while staying small time. Just boils down to what you want the perception to be.


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## NYgutterguy (Mar 3, 2014)

Tinstaafl said:


> Used to be, advertising only a cellular number was a 75% sure indicator that a guy wasn't a bona fide full scale contractor. More likely, he was operating out of a rusty pickup truck with Harbor Freight tools.
> 
> That's changed these days, especially since it's hard to even tell any more whether a given prefix is cellular or landline. So in that sense, I don't think it makes much difference.
> 
> What does make a difference though, is whether a human or a machine answers the call. Going straight to voice mail implies you're small time. Nothing wrong with that per se; lots of guys make a very good living while staying small time. Just boils down to what you want the perception to be.




I agree with perception part for sure in a service business. I have two pick ups and 2 cube vans even though there are 2 guys doing most of the work. Most people can't believe we are a one crew operation lol 


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

I only give out my cell number to clients. I don't want all the BS calls I get from solicitors to come to my cell phone. And if you are interested in doing business (with any business) and don't have the time to leave a short message and number, you probably aren't that serious about your project anyway.

Landline says you have a true presence, a building, a physical place someone can go to. Cell phone doesn't relay that as much.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

We keep a landline for 911. Oftentimes when's there's an emergency, cell towers are the first to go out and cell networks get jammed up from everyone calling at once. It's nice to have another source.


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## Chipfo (Mar 24, 2017)

Good points made by everyone. Not often can you see a conversation go so many ways but everyone is still right, LOL! 

Yeah I like the way the land line shows I have a definate address, I do advertise that I have been in the same house for almost 20 yrs and not going anywhere. I may try having the calls forwarded for a while. Also like I said, all my customers get the cell phone number. 

Thanks!


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## SectorSecurity (Nov 26, 2013)

Ohio painter said:


> I keep my landline in addition to my cell. The primary reason is because I make international phone calls to my family. I have debated different options but because of my elderly parents I keep it.
> 
> Any potential new customer can call either of my numbers as I put both out, but it is unlikely I will answer my cell if it is an unknown number to me. I expect them to leave a message and I return their call at my convenience, usually that lunchtime or evening. Too many times I have been duped by a telemarketer making it look like they are a local call.
> 
> ...


Sounds like you need VoIP with some international DID numbers.

Then your family can call a local number and be connected to you without paying long distance.

Do this all the time for customers who have offices all over Canada, we get them DID numbers for all their remote offices so they can call head office without long distance.

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## FloorsByAlex (Jun 21, 2017)

I personally use Sideline. An app which allows you to have a 2nd number on your cell. Advertise my sideline number. If I get sideline call, I know it's a customer. It's free in app store or play store. 

Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk


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## Aluforms (Jun 28, 2017)

We have a 1-800 number so we need a landline. When we moved to a new location, they couldn't keep our old number so we had to port it to a cell phone. 

I use the cell 98% of the time. I think its also quicker for those customers who prefer to text and send quick photos.


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## ExcelHome (Jun 16, 2017)

FloorsByAlex said:


> I personally use Sideline. An app which allows you to have a 2nd number on your cell. Advertise my sideline number. If I get sideline call, I know it's a customer. It's free in app store or play store.
> 
> Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk


Does sideline let you call from your second number?

the frustration I have with google voice is that when you call someone back they see your true number and not your buisness number.

it defeats the whole purpose when the customer doesnt answer or thinks your out of state..


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## bentech (Jul 17, 2017)

Keeping both landline and cellphone is good in business. Not all people use only cellphone for inquiries but other also love to use landline.


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## builditguy (Nov 10, 2013)

I still have my landline. Older customers still call it. Most call my cell phone. One of these days the land line will disappear. Or, I'll just switch it to a cell phone, but keep the number.

The days of an actual landline are disappearing. Will all be wireless at some point.


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## ExteriorPros (Jul 26, 2017)

Both are important for business. Not all customers use landline for inquiring your business services.


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## Syner (Jul 26, 2017)

I use a dual-SIM phone.

In my experience, clients prefer having someone answer/call back right away_. Not to mention _estimate requests through text are becoming more popular.


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## JamieAnn (Jul 29, 2017)

I have Comcast as my landline, and there is an app on my cell phone (Samsung/Android) that allows me to answer calls, make calls, and check voicemail as if I am using the landline. My landline number shows on the caller id when making calls from my cell phone if i choose to use the Comcast app. When not using my cell phone, the landline works as you would traditionally expect.


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## 1ContractorPro (Aug 26, 2017)

If you aren't getting back to people quick, you've missed an opportunity. 
Forward your calls, or have someone answer, but get back to them immediately.


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## eastend (Jan 24, 2006)

comparing the immediate response by answering a cellphone call from a client, vs retrieving voice mails, I prefer the cell phone.

sometimes in responding to voice mails, you start playing phone tag, and waste more time by never getting anywhere.

downside is all the BS sales calls and robo calls from the cell.


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## Gumshoe (Dec 24, 2016)

The Sideline app may be free to download, but, it will cost you $9.99 per month to have that 2nd number on your iPhone.


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## bdog1234 (Feb 25, 2008)

Landlines still exist? 

Haven't had one in over 15 years. Doesn't do me any good to have people calling a place I am not at. I say cell phone all the way.


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## BR Remodeler (Aug 29, 2017)

Obviously it's preference but I found a cell phone to be much more convenient. I've found that getting a tracking number, which only cost a couple bucks a month, and setting it up where it will show if the number is for business or not. So I pretty much have personal and business calls coming through one phone. Although, I'm still a relatively small bathroom remodeling company and I don't think this would work as you scale.


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## benjamin66 (Oct 17, 2014)

The ultimate answer to your problem is a Google phone number. I won't go into details because so much to say. I recommend going to YouTube and Google to investigate. If had mine for years, can't do without it. It's free 

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## RobertCDF (Aug 18, 2005)

ExcelHome said:


> Does sideline let you call from your second number?
> 
> the frustration I have with google voice is that when you call someone back they see your true number and not your buisness number.
> 
> it defeats the whole purpose when the customer doesnt answer or thinks your out of state..


Google voice can be called from, go to your setting in VOICE and select "ask each time I call" then it'll ask if you want to call through GV or your real line. CID should show your GV number then. 

I just wish I could have GV show that it is a GV call AND still show the callers number.


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## NJGC (Apr 5, 2014)

RobertCDF said:


> Google voice can be called from, go to your setting in VOICE and select "ask each time I call" then it'll ask if you want to call through GV or your real line. CID should show your GV number then.
> 
> I just wish I could have GV show that it is a GV call AND still show the callers number.


You can see the number if you go into your dashboard

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## RobertCDF (Aug 18, 2005)

NJGC said:


> You can see the number if you go into your dashboard
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk


Yeah, I don't want to see it after the call, I want to see it when they are calling, but also know that it's GV. Currently I can select seeing their number on my phone but I have no clue if they are calling my GV or real number, or seeing my GV number come up so I know it's GV. 

Most of the time when a customer calls I prefer to ask "is the number you called from the best to reach you at?" and then I just save it. If I have to open the app and sort through to save it I'm either going to forget or just not do it and then I'll need it later.


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## johnrburke2 (Sep 29, 2017)

Chipfo said:


> So far in my ads, business cards, etc I have been using my landline so to not have excess calls on my cell phone. In the voicemail of my land line I do state that it is a land line and cannot get texts and stuff, and to please leave a message and I will get back asap. I return all my calls but it is usually when I get home and at first contact I do give out my cell number.
> 
> I can't decide if that is good business practice or not, I would really like to keep my cell for customers or potential customers and not just broadcasted all over the place. What do ya'll think about this, or know from experience? Thank you


Sign up for Google voice and route it to your cell phone. You have to be able to be mobile.

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