June 27, 2024
Online businesses make use of many channels for customer support online – social media, website contact forms, email, live chat – but due to the nature of these businesses, many don’t set up a business phone number and instead use cell phones for any business calls that need to be made.
Is this the right move for businesses because they primarily connect with and do business with their customers online? Does an online business need a phone number? That depends. Oracle recently conducted a consumer research study that found “live telephone support is the overwhelming preference for nearly all consumers in North America.” A full 71% of consumers reported they prefer using a business number and 19% said they enjoy Click-to-Call services.
Even if the purchase is being made online, consumers (for the most part) still want to be able to connect with a company via live telephone support. If an online business doesn’t offer that option, it’s failing to accommodate a preference that a majority of North Americans have.
Does an online business need a phone number?
An online business that doesn’t have a dedicated business phone number probably won’t suffer immediate consequences, but it will begin to affect the reputation being built with customers. Companies that operate entirely online may be under increased scrutiny by some consumers, who may take a lack of a business phone number as a sign of illegitimacy.
The phone offers one of the quickest ways to get support – provided that the customer gets to speak with a live representative and not an IVR system – and is still favored by a majority of customers to other channels of support- 71% prefer phone support.
Read more here to find out why a number is good for your business and what types to choose from that suit your business needs.
