You may have started your home business with a single phone line, maybe even your home phone number. But as business picks up, it's time to give telecommunication needs some more thought.
Grow your telecommunication wisely. Phones and fax machines can be costly and new gadgets come out on the market every year. Don't shop for years to come. Make decisions based on your current needs for the next couple of years or so.
Outlining the communication needs of your business is the key. Does your business require you to be in constant contact with clients or suppliers? Do your clients expect to get a reply during working hours? Only during working hours? How quickly do you need to respond? Within minutes? Hours? Days? Do you travel outside the home a lot? Do your clients usually call in or do they send in emails or use forms on your website? Do you need to receive sketches or send out proposals via fax?
At-Home Phone Lines
If your clients need to reach you by phone, a separate phone number may be in order. If a shared line means your three-years-old sometimes picks up the phone and greets your client, it may be cute, but not very good for business. Make sure the separate line is indeed separated and that whoever picks up the calls is an adult who can deal with your clients (even if it only means handing the phone over to you).
If the phone is the main channel of communication for you and you are not available at all times, you may want to look into hiring a secretary. No, you don't need to set up another home office, simply outsource secretarial services to a home-based secretary. It could be very inexpensive, depending on the volume of work you provide your secretary, and you'll be helping another work-from-home business!
If you are the one answering the phone, you might want to think about getting a good headset. Free your hands to do other work (even house chores when you're officially "off duty").
The Fax Machine
Having your own fax machine can be very convenient, especially if you need to fax a lot of documents. If you seldom need to use a fax, you could look into receiving faxes online. Some Internet fax services let you fax documents out by sending them as an email, saving you the need to use a scanner!
Internet Connection
Few businesses can do without an Internet connection these days. Choose an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and a plan that suits your needs. Do you need to be online 24/7? Do you need to send or receive large attachments via email? Choose a plan according to your needs to save on budget.
A Cell Phone
If your business requires you to be available to clients at all times, or if you travel a lot, you should probably get a cell phone. Whether a pre-paid or a regular plan depends on how frequently you would have to make outgoing calls. If all you need is availability to clients, then a pre-paid phone can be a good option. If you intend to contact your clients or business partners during traveling time, then a monthly plan may be cheaper in the long term.
Think what it is you need from your cell phone. With most businesses your main priority should be reliability and good coverage. With others you may actually need internet connection via the phone. Think before you opt for the latest gadget – do you really need a built-in camera? Make a budget-wise decision and buy according to what you need.
