Suggestions 2nd cell phone# for business

[Gary Wiant]

We have owned a signshop for 29 years and we are currently in the process of starting a new engraving business out of our home (this will be for my future semi retirement / retirement).

I would like to get a 2nd number app for my cell phone so i can professionally answer my calls. Does anyone have experience with an app like this?

TIA

 

[ikarasu]

Do you use traditionally, or VOIP for your provider? We use voip... And we can forward unanswered calls automatically to our cell phones, and it'll show up as our business name, that way we know to answer the cell phone "Professionally" instead of "hello". Of course we only set it to do it during our business hours.... But maybe whatever phone service you use has a forwarding during business hours option like that?

If you're just wanting a completely seperate #... Most cell phones can have 2 sim cards these days - 1 sim, and 1 E-sim.. I have my business line on an E-sim, and it's marked as "Business", and when someone calls it I know it's ringing my business # instead of my personal number... Much better than An App, imo.

 

[Gary Wiant]

Do you use traditionally, or VOIP for your provider? We use voip... And we can forward unanswered calls automatically to our cell phones, and it'll show up as our business name, that way we know to answer the cell phone "Professionally" instead of "hello". Of course we only set it to do it during our business hours.... But maybe whatever phone service you use has a forwarding during business hours option like that?

If you're just wanting a completely seperate #... Most cell phones can have 2 sim cards these days - 1 sim, and 1 E-sim.. I have my business line on an E-sim, and it's marked as "Business", and when someone calls it I know it's ringing my business # instead of my personal number... Much better than An App, imo.

Thank you for the reply, at the office we have a VOIP & we can forward calls to our cell phones as well, I will call them & see about getting an additional number, I want it to be different than our Signshop number. The second Sim card may be the answer. I'll check into that as well.

Again thank you for the reply.

Gary

 

[netsol]

Several options
AT&T can still provide an iPhone with a standard sim & an esim
the virtual sim gives you a “second line” that can only ring during business hours

you can use voip (ring central, Microsoft teams, etc) which allows multiple people to “hand off” the phone number depending on who is working.
l personally had a bad ring central experience in 2016 but most people LOVE IT

 

[netsol]

Either way, you have the choice of using a hardware “voip phone” (a phone that sits on a desk) an app on your personal phone, or a “Jabari headset” connected to a computer. You can login and out of all 3 depending on your needs

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Second sim

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

You can get a virtual number and use it on your regular phone number and when you return a call just flip a switch on phone to show its coming from your virtual number.
I been using a virtual phone number to make it look like im still local while im living overseas

 

[MelloImagingTechnologies]

Is your name Walter White?
Lol

 

[SGC]

Google voice, you can have it run your phone.

 

[tulsagraphics]

A 2nd SIM card is certainly convenient, and may cost an extra $10-20/mo. depending on your provider. There are low cost VOIP options out there if you don't mind a little bit of setup (e.g. Twilio), but chances are you need SMS / MMS support, caller ID etc. which can add to the monthly cost. Personally, I would just use Google Voice (it's free). It does basically everything, has voicemail, calling hours, etc) and is super easy to set up. I really like the web interface since I often use headphones for hands free calling.

Also, I'm sure you want a local area code + prefix.... so when looking at different options, make sure the provider you choose has your preferred area code + prefix. Number availability varies by provider.

 

[Gary Wiant]

Thank you to everyone who has responded. The more I think about it I want to use / piggyback off of my cell phone (Verizon - Android) for sure, since I'll be technically running the engraving business both at our commercial location at our sign shop and at your home in the evenings (90% of the engraving equipment is at our house) I'll look into Google Voice & double asim cards.

If this added information changes anyone's answer or if you have any ideas I'd appreciate hearing them
TIA
Gary

 

[chester215]

I have an app on my phone called hushed.
It rings a second number to my phone.
Got it on a groupon years ago, I think it was $30 for a lifetime subscription.
Or get a google # and forward it to your primary number.

 

[The Sign Goddess]

I use Google Voice. App runs on both my phone and computer.

 

[caribmike]

My Ooma voip phone system redirects calls to my cell phone if I don't answer them on the office phone. It sends a digital transcription to my email too.

 

[Evan Gillette]

I had a friend who has a small voip provided business set up a "soft phone" app (sangnoma) on my phone, no sim required and can act just like a desk phone at the shop (we have 5 desk phones around the shop) so I can answer/call or even transfer and internally call another desk. Works well when I'm in the back and don't want to run to a desk to answer or I'm in the field. We are working on setting up for sms/mms on our original business line, it seems that a certain generation that didn't get set up with email seem to find it easy to text as apposed to email and also think landlines should somehow magically get mms.

 

[netsol]

I had a friend who has a small voip provided business set up a "soft phone" app (sangnoma) on my phone, no sim required and can act just like a desk phone at the shop (we have 5 desk phones around the shop) so I can answer/call or even transfer and internally call another desk. Works well when I'm in the back and don't want to run to a desk to answer or I'm in the field. We are working on setting up for sms/mms on our original business line, it seems that a certain generation that didn't get set up with email seem to find it easy to text as apposed to email and also think landlines should somehow magically get mms.

Landlines can get mms & sms.
Get "text box" and everyone can text to your landline

 

[netsol]

Very handy to receive texts at the number "in the yellow pages"

 

[njkreger]

I'll affirm Google Voice. It's free, has its own app, will make and receive calls BOTH through your cell carrier and via wifi through the app itself, you can SMS via the app, it's pretty easy to use, and may be a good solution as you venture out with the engraving biz.

 

[gnubler]

Is your name Walter White?
Lol

"Blue Sky Signs", where most of the magic happens down in the basement.

 

[Gary Wiant]

I'll affirm Google Voice. It's free, has its own app, will make and receive calls BOTH through your cell carrier and via wifi through the app itself, you can SMS via the app, it's pretty easy to use, and may be a good solution as you venture out with the engraving biz.

Thank you