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Yes I think it still does, bearing in mind that the majority of customers are probably over 50 and values dont change with age. I'm not sure about costs now, but landline to mobile used to be horrendously expensive.
I haven't given out my landline for years; I want to choose when I stop answering calls in the evenings, and can turn the mobile off. A seperate landline for business use is an unecessary extra cost IMO.
I think it's very few potential clients who'd find this unacceptable, and they'd likely be the elderly as Colin says. That's not my market, personally, so not an issue for me. I think mobiles are just the norm now, and having premium-rate numbers is the big turn-off. If they won't call a business on it's mobile number due to cost, they probably won't expect to pay a decent price for any work.
I have been considering this recently as the rental cost of a land line seemed to be an additional expense as it is hardly used with the mobile plan I have. However when I advertise most of the new enquiries tell me that they replied because they recognised that I was local and also instilled more confidence that they were not dealing with a * fly by night* business . As you say many clients are elderly - increasing demographic now ...... and old school !
Strange, maybe I'm in a minority here. I think it's exactly the "fly by night" businesses that rely on people trusting landlines to appear as legitimate.
Every dodgy tree surgeon and driveway "technician" around my area has their van and literature emblazoned with landline numbers, websites, office addresses, along with the usual promises of carrying full insurance, being qualified and approved, and an official recycler! They are all accomodation addresses, and numbers that divert to a mobile anyway, and I thought people had seen enough TV horror shows that they'd have learned not to trust a landline as being a sign of a legit company.
I've found, since my first mobile in 1986, that customers expect me to be out in the open due to the job, so that's the only way to get hold of me. I last listed a landline in about 1997 having moved to a new house, and have never installed an office line since.
How do you access the internet Paul ?, do you use a 3G dongler and laptop or just use your phone to do it, or do you have a broadband line, but no home phone number?.
If your van is signed up etc etc and your well known around your town it doesn't really matter, but if you live in a big city or your market is based in the city then I would always carry a landline number and mobile number.
Its what ever works for your business at the end of the day. I always advertise my proper office number on my vans and media advertising. I have a "yell" number on my secondary yell website which transfers to my own office number, but that's just so I can track how many calls are coming via my yell website and yell.com adverts, compared to my own website.
Hi Brian,
I have a home line, but don't give the number out. It's the family telephone, and I don't want it ringing when it's not convenient. I also don't think it's professional to have the kids answering work enquiries, so that was a concern when they were younger. I used to have two lines, but after about ten years of owning a mobile I found at least 90% of clients never rang the landline as they knew I'd be out working, so it was really only the occasional evening call I ever got on it.
Different if you have an office, of course, but even my commercial clients know I won't be manning a landline during their working day, so they would use my mobile even if I listed a landline. I'm certainly well-known, having been in the same area for so long and driving a distinctive turquoise van. I have it logo'd, but no contact details on it as I work on word of mouth only now; I just don't need to spend evenings replying to people who just want a cash-in-hand gardener for £10 per hour!
Bottom line is all down to how your particular clients see you, one / two man band, mobile is fine but on the flip side, I know a lot of clients still insist on phoning the land line even though they know you will be out working!
Assuming that everyone has broadband at home, why not consider using VOIP and have a line just for business and very affordable and of course can be off set against tax. This way you are covering all bases.
Check out the features at http://www.vonage.co.uk