Virtual Phone Numbers Explained: Why Your Mobile Number Isn’t Enough

Plenty of small businesses start out giving customers a personal mobile number, simply because it’s the number they’ve already got. It works, right up until it doesn’t — and that’s usually when a virtual number starts to make sense.

What is a virtual number?

A virtual number is a phone number that isn’t tied to a specific phone line. When someone calls it, the call is routed instantly to wherever you’ve told it to go — a landline, a mobile, or a VoIP device — and your caller has no idea any of that routing has happened. As far as they’re concerned, they’ve just called your business.

Why not just use a mobile number?

A mobile number works fine when you’re a one-person operation and don’t mind blending “business” and “personal.” The trouble starts as soon as you want to look established, hand calls over to someone else, or stop being reachable at all hours simply because your business number and your personal number are the same thing.

A virtual number solves that instantly. You can advertise a proper landline-style number, point it wherever suits you, and change that destination whenever you like — without customers ever having to learn a new number.

Look bigger than you are (in a good way)

One of the more underrated uses of a virtual number is projecting presence you don’t technically have. Want a London office number despite being based in Birmingham? An 02 number does that. Running a national campaign and want to feel local wherever your customer is? A geographic number for each region does the trick, all pointing back to the same team.

The types available

Geographic numbers (01/02) suit businesses wanting a local or regional presence. Nationwide 03 numbers work well if you want one number that isn’t tied to a specific area. Freephone 0800 numbers remove any cost barrier for customers calling you. Business and local rate numbers (0844/0845) sit in between. Whichever you choose, they all come with an online portal, real-time call statistics, voicemail-to-email, and the option to block nuisance callers at the click of a button.

Beyond just answering calls

Once you’re using virtual numbers, a few other things open up. Because each number can be tracked individually, they double up neatly as call tracking numbers — put a different number on each advert or campaign and you’ll know exactly which one is generating enquiries. Detailed call statistics also make it easy to see busy periods, missed calls, and how your team is actually handling the volume coming in.

Getting set up

It’s a three-step process: pick a number from the available range, set up your account, and tell it where to send calls. Invoco can have a number live within minutes during normal working hours, with no contract tying you in — cancel any time if it’s no longer needed.

Have a browse of Invoco’s virtual numbers to see the full range on offer, from geographic to freephone, or get in touch if you’re not sure which type would suit how your business operates.