Firstly, 93% of small business owners check their business-related calls during their free time. And in an age where downtime is increasingly vital for better mental health, that’s not a good thing.

Yes, the desire to stay continually connected to work is understandable.

Perhaps you’re an owner of an independent business; as such, you’re probably living, eating, breathing and sleeping your business needs. You want to remain dialled in 24/7 (literally), always available to customers and your phone offers that pivotal line of communication.

However, being non-stop accessible to your customers isn’t as crucial to your success as you might think. To that point, a real work-life balance actually generates twice as much productivity.

There’s another reason why owners of local businesses might hesitate to get a specific work phone number. That being the costs and inconvenience when installing a new phone.

Fortunately, in 2023, these pitfalls no longer exist.

A professional business can have two phone numbers and only one phone

When looking at mobile phone prices in the UK, it’s clear why owners of local businesses want to avoid paying for an extra work phone. Increased costs are the last thing independent businesses need.

You could potentially ask your mobile provider for a second number, but you’ll still have to pay.

All the same, even if you’re the most budget-conscious business owner, there’s no need to make your life difficult. Nor do you need to splurge on a brand new phone.

There’s a middle-ground solution to your work phone problem: a second phone number. Adding another number to your phone will provide that much-needed work-life separation with little impact on your budget.

Other advantages to having a separate business phone number

Take a look at these further benefits that come with using a business phone number for work hours:

Automation

Automated business phone systems allow you to manage sizeable incoming call volumes while saving you money.

Built-in call handling is one of the main selling points of phone automation. Not only is this feature time-efficient, but it’ll also make life easier for customers. It’ll quickly direct them to the right person who can answer their questions.

This option isn’t available when your business phone is your personal phone – unless you want your family and friends talking to an automated voice whenever they call.

Professional voicemail

Business and personal don’t mix when it comes to voicemail. You don’t want a customer calling and responding to a recorded greeting like, “Hey, it’s Josh, drop me a line at the beep.” That won’t present your company in the most professional light.

Conversely, when your grandparents call, you don’t want them being greeted by a recording, such as, “Thank you for calling AAA Inc., please leave your name and number.”

A separate phone number for work and business gives you both options.

Customised greetings

A separate business phone number means you can adjust greetings for when you’re open, closed and during different times of the year.

Having this level of freedom means you can be less generic and add a personal touch to your greetings. Considering 36% of consumers say retailers need to offer more personalised experiences, you shouldn’t overlook this advantage.

Outlining business hours

Your company voicemail – when you’re home for the day – can outline your business hours, providing customers with valuable information about your company. It’s subtly helpful because your clientele will be educated on the best time to get a hold of you.

It's time to separate your business life from your personal life

We hope these benefits have given you food for thought about why you should consider a second phone number for your business. Namely, you owe yourself a good work-life balance and you should utilise all that modern technology has to offer.