Whilst the internet has revolutionised the way we communicate with each other, the telephone is still essential for communicating between you and your clients.

What is a virtual number?

A virtual number is a telephone number that is not directly linked to a telephone line.

The digitisation of communication is quickly replacing older hardware such as desk phones, wires and all the typical facilities that were once required to serve a business-oriented phone system.

Whether you are small or more established, many businesses start by giving out their private number to customers. The thing is, once it’s out there, it’s out there for good. Some people have built up big businesses but still have their mobile numbers online available for everyone to see.

The benefit of having a business number is that you can better organise your calls between your work life and your private life. You are not going to disappear if you switch your mobile off. Instead, you will have a business number on hand. You can reserve your private number for your family and friends. Perhaps even certain trusted customers once you’ve got yourself up and running. You can pick it up and take it with you if you move home or office. Plus, it looks a lot more professional than a standard mobile number.

With Cleartone, there is a whole range of technical aspects to the number that can make your life easier. Our service can alert you which company is calling you before the call comes through. Ideally, all calls will go straight through to your mobile number. You could even dial out that number on your private mobile phone through an app. If, for example, you get an 0800, 0161, 0121, or 0208 number, you could dial out through that number, meaning that you also maintain an element of privacy. We also record all business calls, and any missed calls or callers on call will be sent an email. When you are on the go, out of network service, or in a meeting you will have records of it in your voicemail that you can come back to later.

For people who want to operate within the UK, Amazon requires them to have a UK mobile phone number. This is necessary for two-factor authentication. A six-digit code will be sent through SMS to that mobile number. However, this is not cost-effective for people based in the UK. Instead, we can provide you with your very own virtual mobile. A virtual mobile number will enable you to operate within the UK with Amazon, eBay and other marketplace sellers. You will receive calls and SMS on it. You will operate as normal.

We can supply you with a UK address and optionally answer the calls for you virtually. Our strategy involves putting ourselves into our customer’s shoes and gaining their perspective on what demands need to be met. Research shows that customers like the credibility of a company based in the UK. Products and services are seen as more reputable if you have a presence in the UK. Having a presence in the UK makes your products and services appear as reputable. We can facilitate that for all Amazonians.

If you mainly use Whatsapp to talk to your clients, we can provide you with a WhatsApp business number. We all use WhatsApp among family and friends, but it is proving to be an especially powerful tool in business. You can advertise your different products, promotions and communicate with customers directly on their phones through Whatsapp. You can achieve all of this without revealing your private and personal details.

Some might worry that this is unnecessarily complex as opposed to just having two separate phones for business and private life. With our service, the numbers you have will appear as two separate apps: one for WhatsApp and one for WhatsApp business. They will also appear as separate icons that are similar but easily differentiated from each other.

The WhatsApp business number is a standalone channel. It is used purely to communicate with your customers on an app that they are comfortable with. If you are still worried about any technical difficulties, we have an instant messenger on our website where you can contact us. There is no need for possessing two phones when we can converge your numbers to one phone. Thereby keeping business and private communication separate.

There is no need to buy new hardware to install or service. We can even set it up on top of personal mobile phones for you. Whether it is calling out from your number, calling from your number, or communicating through Whatsapp: we can provide you with a mobile number with which you can do all of these things on a single phone. We aim to help make your business more streamlined, flexible and personalised to your customers.

With over 25 years of experience, we ensure our products are wholly compatible, relevant and effective for whichever market we operate in. Be it with government bodies, high street retailers, or simply new businesses or small to medium enterprises – we provide. Our services exist to help businesses raise their profile by providing innovative communication with the plus of presenting a professional image.

By using our services, let your customers feel they are dealing with an established, professionally run, successful company

If you are interested in possessing a virtual number, or any of the services, contact us today or call us on 0800 0016 222

If you want to learn more about the regulations concerning virtual numbers in the UK follow the link.