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Whether you are starting a web-based business or building a website for your current business, you will think about the relevance of including your business phone number on your contact page.
Even though some people might argue that people use phones more for things like messaging, gaming, and playing music than making calls, it is quite a different ball game for business owners.
They need to communicate via voice calls with their customers. But what kind of phone number should you use?
How to Get a Local Phone Number, e.g. in New York, Without Getting a New Phone Line
Did you know that customers are likely to buy from a business that uses a local phone number? Well, the truth is that modern customers want to do business with companies they can trust and identify with.
For your business to be successful, you need a local phone number. Fortunately, you do not have to get a new phone line for you to get a local phone number.
For instance, with a smartphone, tablet, or computer and an internet connection, you can get a New York phone number for your business. This way, you will build trust among your customers, something that is important for the growth of your business.
So, should you include the local phone number on your contact page?
Pros
Increases the Trust of Your Web Visitors
Research has indicated that almost 50% of mobile search users can do business with a company that has included a phone number on its contact page.
Even though most people purchase products online to avoid interacting with salespeople physically, they also want to be able to communicate with a representative in case they have any problems.
Including a phone number on your website shows your clients or even potential clients that you are doing a legit business and are ready to assist them in case of any problems. This increases the trust they have in your business.
Ensures Customer Problems are Solved Fast
A customer having a problem with one of your products would prefer to talk directly with one of your representatives for their problems to be solved. If you have included a phone number on your contact page, such a customer can easily find it and give you a call.
Most of the time, customers call when they are facing problems. They do this because it is easier than engaging in back-and-forth emails that might not even solve the problems that they are facing. At the end of it all, you are left with a satisfied customer.
Improves the Conversion Rate of Your Visitors
As discussed above, including a phone number on your contact page increases the trust your web visitors have in your business. As a result, this leads to an increase in web conversion rate, one of the website metrics you need to pay attention to.
This is something that every business needs to generate from their websites. Apart from creating an online presence, businesses should be able to sell and convert web visitors into customers. A phone number is one way of doing this.
Cons
Some Businesses Might Lose Customers
Including a phone number on your contact page is going to bring in more customers as discussed above. You are going to have existing and potential customers calling you when they need something addressed.
However, what would happen if you do not have enough resources to handle a large volume of calls? This would mean that you are not able to address the requirements of your customers. Unfortunately, customers are not patient and you might end up losing a good number of them.
High Number of Unqualified Calls
The last thing you need is to receive a lot of calls from people who do not have any problems with your products or people who might not be interested in your products or services.
Apart from being frustrating, this ensures that you have spent a lot of time answering phone calls instead of doing other things important to your business.
You might find it easier to leave contact forms and email addresses on your contact page instead of a phone number.
In conclusion, you need your business to grow and remain profitable. You can achieve this by making sure that your customers are satisfied with your service. So, do you think you should include a phone number on your contact page?