Sometimes, when you maintain a certain phone number for a while, it becomes more than just a selection of digits. Your phone number can become an extension of your brand identity, and something that your loyal customers recognise you by. So, what happens when you decide you want to trade your old PSTN landline in for a shiny new VoIP solution? Can you keep your old number, or do you need to start building a presence again from scratch?
The simple answer is that you can easily keep your number when moving to cloud communications. Cloud number porting is more flexible today than ever before.
Keeping Your Existing Phone Number with “Porting”
The chances are that you’ve heard the phrase “number porting” before if your company has ever switched to a new phone service provider or moved from one premises to another.
Number porting is a very common practice and something that many cloud communications providers will be able to help you with. Many cloud communications vendors and resellers can actually port a selection of numbers for you, including:
- Wireless numbers
- Fax numbers
- Toll-free voice numbers
- Local voice numbers
The critical thing to remember is that some providers will charge a fee for this service. Make sure you find out in advance whether you’ll have to pay for your numbers to be ported. Additionally, sometimes, porting a number can take time, and you may need to use a “temporary” number while the port is taking place.
Why Companies Prefer to Keep Their Existing Phone Number
Transferring a standard landline number into the cloud to use with your VoIP strategy is a lot easier today than it once was. However, the length of time the process takes, and other important details will depend on the provider you choose to work with. It’s a good idea to talk to your potential vendor about your porting needs before you sign up for your new cloud communications strategy.
Ultimately, there are many reasons why businesses prefer to keep the same phone number for as long as they’re in business. First, some customers will become so well-acquainted with your number that they’ll remember it by heart. Asking them to suddenly remember a different number increases the chances that your clients will end up accidentally calling the wrong business or dialling a number that doesn’t exist.
Even if your number hasn’t become a part of your brand identity, it’s probably been a common component in your advertising campaigns up until now. Changing everything from the details on your website to the leaflets and business cards your employees hand out can be a time-consuming and expensive process. It’s much easier to stick with the same number, and make sure you’re always ready to connect with your customers.
