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Can I use Skype for my Main Business Line?

by JoMo
23 replies
Right now my main product site's phone number is with old school Ma Bell. It is working well, but I need to have my phone number to be much more mobile, as I will be spending about half of the year in another state away from my main office.

I don't have that many sales calls, maybe 2 or 3 a day at most, but those are always the big orders.

It seems like a Skype (or some other cloud based VOIP) would work perfect for me. This way I can have my business phone ring wherever I am, but it will also allow me to transfer it back to my other office so my partner can answer when I am not able.

Is this a good idea? What's a better one?
#business #line #main #skype
  • Profile picture of the author sonas
    Works perfectly fine for me, I've many Skype Online Numbers for different business, both online and offline businesses.
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    • Profile picture of the author KazzaK
      Originally Posted by sonas View Post

      Works perfectly fine for me, I've many Skype Online Numbers for different business, both online and offline businesses.
      sonas, can you tell me more?
      I use skype for personal reasons, with a Skype name, no phone number.
      I have 2 businesses, sole trader/proprietor for both, 1 is brand new.
      My 1st business is my mobile number, give my Skype name if I need to do a conference call.
      Don't have a number for new biz yet.
      Planning on biz #2 to have work in 2 countries.
      Would like 3 phone numbers:
      1. Biz #1 australia
      2. Biz #2 australia
      3. Biz #2 USA

      Mobile number - is it possible for Skype numbers to all forward to my Australian mobile, and for me to know what number they called when the call comes in?

      Should I have more than one Skype account? Do the numbers connect to my skype name that I use for personal reasons?
      Can I set a different voicemail message for each number in Skype if I don't forward them?
      When it's forwarded it goes into my mobile voicemail doesn't it? Not bounce back and reconnect to skype voicemail?

      Any suggestions? Thank you!
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  • Profile picture of the author Danny Cutts
    I use Cheap International Calls | Localphone

    only costs £0.75p a month per number and you can point it to any number you like... I have all my landline numbers going to my mobile... but when I am on holiday i can forward it to my hotel rooms telephone number :-)

    Nice easy solution :-)

    Danny

    PS also means you dont have to give out your mobile number :-)
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  • Profile picture of the author JoMo
    If I get numbers through localphone can I move them to another service if I decide to change, or am I stuck with localphone as long as I keep them?
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    • Profile picture of the author Danny Cutts
      Originally Posted by JoMo View Post

      If I get numbers through localphone can I move them to another service if I decide to change, or am I stuck with localphone as long as I keep them?
      I dont know to be honest... I am not sure why you would move its mega cheap :-)

      Their support is pretty damn good so you can always ask the question

      Danny
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      • Profile picture of the author JoMo
        Originally Posted by Danny Cutts View Post

        I dont know to be honest... I am not sure why you would move its mega cheap :-)

        Their support is pretty damn good so you can always ask the question

        Danny
        I'd move if the company went out of business or started giving me unreliable service.
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  • Profile picture of the author letsmakeit
    Originally Posted by JoMo View Post

    Right now my main product site's phone number is with old school Ma Bell. It is working well, but I need to have my phone number to be much more mobile, as I will be spending about half of the year in another state away from my main office.

    I don't have that many sales calls, maybe 2 or 3 a day at most, but those are always the big orders.

    It seems like a Skype (or some other cloud based VOIP) would work perfect for me. This way I can have my business phone ring wherever I am, but it will also allow me to transfer it back to my other office so my partner can answer when I am not able.

    Is this a good idea? What's a better one?
    I would not think that using a skype number is good for this. Skype still has alot of bugs in it for some reason. I just would not take a chance on it for a business.
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  • Profile picture of the author YasirYar
    I have no problems with Skype as it caters to almost every location. So, you shouldn't have any problems with it either.
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  • Profile picture of the author Evocess
    Skype is really a great tool for communication and most of the people have a Skype account. Their support people are really communicative.
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  • Profile picture of the author totalprocessing.net
    VIOP can really suck at times. My 2 cents
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  • Profile picture of the author WillR
    I use the Skype online number and it works very well.
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  • Profile picture of the author jessiem
    If I can’t use my phone Skype is always my second option to contact clients, friends, family and even chat with someone else from other regions in the world.
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  • Profile picture of the author ahlexis
    I know you are asking about Skype, but have you thought about Google Voice as an option?

    The reason I mention it is, the way I use Google Voice is, I can give the number out and tell people if they do not get me to leave a message (just like with any other number with voicemail attached). But Google Voice has voice recognition, so you can set it up so that it will page/SMS your cell phone when you get a phone call. So instead of just getting a notification of the message awaiting my attention, I get a text with the CONTENTS of the message transcribed. While the recognition is not perfect, in most cases I find that I do not need to check the actual message in order to know what it's about and get the message, which saves time. If something is not clear (like I said the recognition is not 100%) then I can go to the actual message and play it back via any computer if I want, or call the number and play it back via phone.

    Another thing about Google Voice is, you have a choice on how you want the caller ID to be set up. You can choose to see the number of the incoming call, or you can choose to see the Google Voice number. Choosing the Google Voice number for me has meant savings on my cell phone bill, as I have a plan that lets me list certain frequent numbers and they ring on my cell phone without subtracting minutes from my cell phone plan.

    The price of Google Voice isn't too bad, either! (It's free.)

    I've been giving out my Google Voice number instead of my cell phone number. If I happen to change my cell phone number I don't have to notify anyone, just change the number the Google number is forwarded to.

    And another interesting thing about Google Voice is, if you get calls from weird people you don't want to hear from, you can go to your account and block their number. Once you do that, then the next time they call you they get to hear a sound like the land lines make when the phone number has been disconnected. You can do that just caller by caller, instead of having to change your phone number if for some reason you end up with a caller that harasses you.
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  • Profile picture of the author eternubis
    Skype is really a great tool for me
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  • Profile picture of the author vne5
    DO you guys ever run into the "fair usage" issue? Don't they limit the number of minutes before a disconnect?
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  • Profile picture of the author howtogurus
    I've used a Skype number for years for my business with no problems.
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  • Profile picture of the author Tim_Carter
    Yup

    I use it for my San Francisco office number. I live in Canada.

    As far as anyone knows when they call I am in the Bay Area, whether I am or not.
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  • Profile picture of the author GarrieWilson
    I use Google Voice. It let's me forwards calls to and make calls from any number. It can forward calls during certain times and not during others. It also allows me to receive text messages.

    Not that you asked but I am currently using Ooma Core for my home phone. The version that has no monthly or yearly fees. One of the best >$200 investments I've made. For my cell, I was using Republic Wireless but cancelled it because I would use it maybe 3 times a month.

    Garrie
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    • Profile picture of the author KazzaK
      Originally Posted by GarrieWilson View Post

      I use Google Voice. It let's me forwards calls to and make calls from any number. It can forward calls during certain times and not during others. It also allows me to receive text messages.

      Not that you asked but I am currently using Ooma Core for my home phone. The version that has no monthly or yearly fees. One of the best >$200 investments I've made. For my cell, I was using Republic Wireless but cancelled it because I would use it maybe 3 times a month.

      Garrie
      Thanks Garrie, I'll look into Ooma for my mother. I'm based in Australia, so have less options than the US. Google keeps asking me to sign in when I go to Google for info re voice.
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  • Profile picture of the author laracoates28
    I use Skype as a secondary Business Line.
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