Ever daydreamt about life as a secret agent? I know I have.
You’ve got the outfits, the cars, the confidence to tell every bartender you meet how to properly mix a martini.
But as sweet as these perks can be—the gadgets are really where it’s at.
I mean, how nifty would it be to have a credit card lockpick? Or an x-ray document scanner? Or a wristwatch communicator (oh wait, we already have those!).
And how cool would it be to have a phone that houses both your personal and business numbers?
That exists too! Porting your business number is a convenient way to keep your personal and professional lives separate. But that isn’t the only benefit. Let’s take a closer look at the advantages that come with porting your business line.
What is porting?
“Switch to the nation’s largest network and keep your same phone number!”
If you’ve been within earshot of a TV or radio at any point over the past decade, you’ve probably heard a mobile carrier commercial like this.
Back in the day, changing phone providers also meant changing your phone number. That’s all changed with the advent of number porting. Any wireline, IP, or wireless customer now has the option to keep their existing number when they switch to a new service.
And while these commercials might make it sound like they’re offering you an exclusive benefit—the fact is that every consumer has the right to port their number by law.
Benefits of porting for your business
1. Retain your current number.
Having to change your company’s phone number can be a massive headache. Maybe you just had 10,000 new business cards made with your current number plastered on them. Or you might be worried that your existing customers or clients won’t be able to get in touch with you.
Either way, the ability to keep your existing number is a big win for both customer loyalty and your brand—giving you the freedom to move between locations or carriers without the hassle.
Keep in mind that changing your phone number isn’t always a bad thing! Learn why a new set of digits can be a powerful opportunity to stand out and set caller expectations.
2. Keep your personal and professional lines separate.
For small business owners, there is often little to no divide between work and personal life. Fortunately, porting allows you to keep your personal number private while driving call traffic to your company’s business line.
How does it work? Certain companies (including Ruby) can host your business number for you, allowing you to use a mobile app to switch between your professional and personal numbers on your device. Calling from an app lets you maintain your professional presence from wherever you are—eliminating the need for in-office phone equipment or a second business-only cell phone.
3. Text customers directly from your business number.
60% of today’s customers want the option to receive and send texts to your business. But if you’re still exclusively using a landline to communicate with clients, meeting those expectations won’t be easy (because it’s impossible.)
Porting your number to a communication solution like the ones described above gives you the power to text customers directly from your business number. Using a mobile app, you can send and respond to SMS messages from your mobile device instead of fumbling with a landline.
How Ruby makes porting simple
You know what they always say: When you play the Game of Phones, you make it easy for customers, or you perish.
And by they, I mean me. And by always, I mean just this once and never again.
Bad puns aside, it is true that the best communication solutions make it quick and easy for you to port your business number to their service. With Ruby, we not only make the process simple, we also provide additional benefits to porting your business number. These include:
- Eliminating your phone bill: You’ll be able to eliminate your phone bill if you aren’t using your current provider for any additional services like fax, chat, auto-attendants, extensions, or additional backline numbers.
- Call forwarding customization: Using our app, you can choose to forward your published number to your Ruby account or directly to your cell phone if you’d prefer to take calls yourself at any given moment.
- No setup or monthly service charge: Gain access to all the features mentioned thus far (plus countless others) all as part of your normal service!
1. Fill out a letter of authorization. This document will reflect your name, number, and account information for your current phone provider, and will need to be signed by the authorized user on your account.
2. Gather a copy of your phone bill. It should exactly match your letter of authorization and include your name, number, and billing address.*
*Google charges a small fee to release a Google Voice number.
3. Send it over to Ruby.
Voila! You’re done.
It can take up to two to four weeks for your number to port to Ruby, but we’ll keep you informed during the process. Once your number ports, you’ll have access to a suite of sweet Ruby perks!
Learn more about Ruby’s virtual receptionist solution.
