Smart Phone Versus Landline: Which Is Best For Business?

When it comes to personal communication, most people rely on smartphones and traditional landlines are almost obsolete. However, the situation is a little different in the commercial world. Though many companies also rely on smartphones to conduct business, traditional landlines are still commonly in use as well.

Ultimately, whether you should use smartphones or landlines depends largely on factors such as the type of business you run and the size of your company. Here is a brief overview of the benefits and drawbacks of each.

Landline

Many critics of landline telephones complain that they are limiting, making you feel chained to your desk for fear of missing an important call. This attitude is a little out of date. If mobility is an issue, there are plenty of cordless phone options available. Furthermore, thanks to reliable voicemail service near me, even if you miss a call, you are able to return it quickly.

While cell reception can vary in many areas, a landline is dependable. It is almost always in service, even in an emergency, and the call quality is almost always crystal clear. A hardwired base is always right where you left it, and even if you do have a wireless receiver that you misplace, often the base unit comes with a locator you can use to find it. With that said, the installation of an entire phone system for your office can be complicated and expensive.

Smartphone

Because of the ability to connect to the internet, play videos, etc., a smartphone is far more versatile than a traditional landline. In addition to the increased connectivity, smartphones also offer you increased flexibility, allowing you to work just about anywhere. However, this connectivity can be both a blessing and a curse. When you are accessible to your clients, suppliers, and co-workers whenever and wherever you are, it can be difficult to set clear boundaries between work and personal time.

It can be easy to misplace a smartphone, which can pose a real problem, especially if there is sensitive data stored on it. Because of the connectivity to the internet, smartphones are also more vulnerable to cyberattacks, which is not an issue with a landline. People who are older and/or who aren’t tech-savvy may struggle while learning to use a smartphone, while a landline is more intuitive.

It is one thing to decide whether you are going to adopt a smartphone yourself for your own business use. If you have employees, you also have to decide whether you are going to have them rely on smartphones, and if so, whether you will buy the phones, which is expensive for you, or require them to use their personal phones, which raises concerns about privacy.