13 Things to Look for in Business Phone Number Services

Get the features that matter

Even in today’s digital world, sometimes the best way to do business is to reach out on the phone. Some people may not trust digital communications. Others might feel their needs are too complex to be described in a text. Having a dedicated business line gives your customers options for reaching you in the way that suits them best.

At Walmart Business, we know that choosing the best business phone line provider means identifying the features that matter most. This list should help you decide.   

Why use a business phone number service?

Business phone numbers are useful for separating work communications from personal ones. You can have a business phone number service that forwards multiple numbers to one device or that transcribes voice messages to text. 

Whatever your needs, these are the features to look for to get the best business phone line for your business. 

Features to look for

• Scalability: Will your service grow with your business? How much will additional lines cost? Make sure you choose an option that not only fits where your business is now, but where you expect it to be over time. 

• Unlimited calling: Unlimited calling is a basic feature for the best business phone lines. Beware of services that charge per call, as those fees can add up, even if they come with a smaller up-front cost.

• Faxing: In spite of an increasing trend toward digitalization, faxing documents remains a fact of life for certain businesses. A business phone number service that can receive and send faxes (and transmit them to you in an email) is an essential tool for anyone who works with official documents requiring physical signatures.

• SMS: Some services will allow you to create and send SMS text messages using your computer. This can be a huge time saver if text messages are a core part of your marketing or communications strategy.

• Text to email: This service accepts incoming text messages and sends them to an email address. It’s useful if you want to receive text messages but don’t necessarily need to send them, or if you want to manage all of your communications through email. 

• Conferencing: Conferencing allows you to create and schedule meetings with multiple participants. Attendees dial the correct number to enter the meeting. Some services also offer a password feature, allowing only those with the password to enter.

• Virtual receptionist: A virtual receptionist answers incoming calls and routes them to specific extensions or telephone numbers. 

• Call management: Different services have different call management tools. Some of the most popular are call forwarding, call transferring and the ability to block certain numbers. 

• Voice response: This feature provides a voice prompt and gives callers the option to select a specific extension or phone number to reach. Some services offer a selection of pre-recorded messages to greet callers or the option to create your own.

• Simultaneous ringing: With this feature, your business phone lines can be set to ring at the same time or in sequence. This will ensure that every call gets answered, even if you have a heavy volume of calls. 

• Contract flexibility: Some services offer a no-contract plan, allowing you to cancel or expand your service at any time. This can be useful for businesses with unpredictable scalability or those not interested in entering into a long-term contract.

• Multiple rings: Some business phone number services offer this feature which rings multiple numbers until someone answers. This is useful if you have a physical location and a mobile phone, for example, and want to receive calls even if you’re away from the office.

• Integrated plans: Business phone line services come in all shapes and sizes—and so do their service plans. Whether you’re getting a single line or lines for your whole team, look for plans that incorporate all of the features you want for a single price. 

Dial up savings with Walmart Business+

At Walmart Business, we know that unavoidable expenses like a business phone number service are a fact of life. That’s why we’re happy to offer a wide selection of low-cost products to help you keep your business humming. With Walmart Business+, you can take advantage of free shipping with no order minimum¹, free delivery from a Walmart store on orders of $35 or more², and the ability to earn 2% back in Walmart Business Rewards on orders of $250 or more³. Visit our website to learn more.

¹Excludes most Marketplace items, freight & certain location surcharges.

²Restrictions apply. Additional fee applies for Express delivery.

³Exclusions apply. See full terms for details.