"never deal with any company that only has a mobile phone number"

[somebusinessadviceplease]

Hi all,

My husband and I own a home improvements company. We've been going three years now, and business is steady. We run it from our home office.

We did at first have a landline number as the business number, but decided about a year in that it's an unnecessary expense and that plenty of businesses just use mobiles these days, plus using a mobile means we can answer any time, any where. So we switched our business number to a mobile number on all our literature, website and it's written on our van.

Someone commented on one of our adverts on SM today - "never deal with any company that only has a mobile phone number"

Lots of people commented saying that's old fashioned or nonsense, but one or two did agree.

We get enough work to keep us going, our reviews are excellent and we've won a couple of small awards, but is only having a mobile number making us miss out on more work we could be winning?

Would you deal with a company that only has a mobile number?

Yes absolutely lots of tradespeople who work for themselves just have a mobile.

It's an old-fashioned view that somehow a place with a landline is more solid/stable/relilable. But in the real world, a mobile number usually means you can get hold of someone more quickly, plus back in the days when I used to work in an office with a landline I would always forward it to my mobile to answer anyway, because that way I could answer on the go if I was travelling between meetings etc. I have no problem with a company that only has a mobile number.

I also only have a mobile phone. If inwas to get a landline which i am not planning to do, it will diverted to my mobile anyway. Carry on. You probably dont want them as clients anyway - they sound like hard work.

Yes and no.
If I get a flyer through the door with just a mobile number on then no.
If said flyer gives an address and mentions a website or FB page then yes.

It's more about finding out more about them. Lots of trades don't have websites but do have a FB page (it's the only reason I use FB). I want to check them out somehow and you need more than just a mobile phone number.

Still doesn't guarantee they'll turn up of course.

It wouldn't bother me but you can buy a VOIP landline number quite cheaply if you are concerned about not looking professional.

Sort of yes and no ... I think (especially if I was sorting out a tradesperson for my elderly parents) I'd like to see very comprehensive contact details. A landline perhaps, definitely a website, an email and a business address.

Sorry of course you need a website and social medias, and recommendations.

i was only talking about landlines and mibiles

Our very busy electrician friend has a landline which diverts to his mobile. He finds that his 'older' clients like to ring a landline (even if they've used him before). I need to see evidence that a company exists (website, Facebook or Checkatrade) but then don't mind if they want contact via text, emailm WhatsApp or a call to a mobile or landline.

If there's more information like a physical address, companies house registration, a useful website then I don't care about the phone being a mobile. It's the fact that a landline is linked to a physical address that gives you the confidence you're dealing with a real business and not a cowboy.

I ran a gardening business with 90% elderly clients. I only had a mobile line and it was never a problem. Nobody ever mentioned it or batted an eyelid.

When you are out working your clients can contact you immediately and don't have to leave messages and wait for you to call them back - I think people prefer that.

Is your address on your website? I like to know where my tradespeople/ businesses are, if only so I'm not speaking to someone in Aberystwyth when I'm in Aberdeen.

It's amazing the number that don't and it is a bit irritating.

We do have a presence on social media, Facebook, NextDoor, and a bit of twitter and Instagram (I'm not very good at working those last two) as well as a checkatrade, and mybuilder, and obviously we're registered on company's house.
OK, thanks all, I think we'll carry on not worrying about it

A decade ago I would have agreed, but most people don't have landline numbers now, and tradespeople are no exception. It wouldn't put me off. They should have a home address on their ad though. If there is no home address, (or at least a business address,) then that's a red flag IMO.

I think it depends, obviously, my parents would prefer to ring a landline number because that's the way they are

Like most things there's no one answer that suits everyone

I agree with everyone who is saying it's not just about the number it's all the other indicators that it's a genuine business

This, the painter i contacted today i Whatsapped. My dog walker is on a mobile number.

I've noticed on other threads that Mumsnet thinks companies house is some kind of reliable measure of a business

It really isn't , they don't check the information thats submitted. You can pretty much file anything although they are starting to tighten up a bit

@cyvguhb You're right, it is a combination of things. My business was almost entirely in the small town in which I live. People would have seen my signwritten van around town even if they didn't know me personally. A lot of my referrals were word of mouth and I had a website and posted up before and after pictures on local social media pages.

I think it would depend on the kind of business for me. In your case I probably wouldn’t mind if there wasn’t a landline, as around me are plenty of people who work for themselves doing that job and they seem to work mainly out of a van with a mobile phone. BUT I think a landline is a big bonus and would make me choose one over another identical option.

I do research beforehand though, and like to see an actual website (not just a IG/FB page) and even a verifiable UK address for the company. On social media, regular updates is also a plus.

proper landlines don’t even exist in many areas now, so YANBU.
I’d expect most businesses to also have an email address not just a mobile, but landlines are (sadly) dying out.

I'm a freelancer / self-employed and run my own business. I am not a "trade" but it's more office based services - along the lines of desktop publishing or website building, but not.

I have a website, I have an email address which is mycompanyname @ gmail.com, I have a facebook page, instagram account and if you google me or my company name you will get lots of hits. I have never ever had a query through a landline.

For me the email address is more important, if I'm dealing with someone @ Gmail.com that raises flags Vs if they have their name @ company name instead

Most sole traders are not registered with Companies House, I'm definitely not and I'm a legit business.

I don't have an email which is @ mybusiness.co.uk as there is a cost involved in that. People can use the gmail (and regularly do) or contact me through the messaging box on the website and I'll email them back. If it was a big company saying they have 30 plumbers working for them I'd expect a dedicated domain email, a sole trader probably not.

It’s something my mum says. Is your business something that needs to appeal to older people, if so, it might be worth getting a voip number as PPs say.

If you also have email and a post address and good reviews yes.

If the only contact info was a mobile I might hesitate without a personal recommendation