Business Phone Numbers: What to Consider Before Moving Them

Changing phone providers can involve more than installing new phones. Existing numbers and the services attached to them need to be considered.

Inventory the numbers and services

Document main numbers, direct numbers, toll-free numbers, fax services, published numbers and numbers used by automated systems.

Understand what depends on each number

A number may appear on a website, business card, alarm system, advertising campaign or customer account. Some may also be used for authentication or service notifications.

Plan the transition

Number changes can affect call routing, auto attendants, voicemail and business continuity. A transition plan should account for the possibility that different services change at different times.

Keep communication clear

Customers and staff should know what is changing and when. The objective is to make the technology transition largely invisible to customers.

Treat the project as a business change

The phone number is part of the business identity. Protecting continuity is as important as configuring the new phone system.