Do you have a tel number on your website??

[marcandal]

Hi All

Do you display a contact telephone number on your website? I do but it's driving me insane at the mo!! People calling, but with two kids at home (aged 6 and 2) I can't answer it - with a 2 year shouting/crying/talking in the background! If people email me they would get an instant response so not sure if to take the number off or not? Any opinions? - (It is a separate line to the house phone)

Thanks
Alison

[moomum]

No, I hate the landline with a passion that defies all logic and my mobile is a secret number for friends only.

It is difficult to talk on the phone anyway as T does not get the hang of leaving me alone so I can hear what the other person is saying, and the one occasion I did give out my number I got a dozen emails from people asking for breastfeeding advice which I am in no way qualified to give so I just gave them numbers of helplines, as their health visitors could have done and people phoned at the weekend, early in the morning, late at night........
Being self employed means I work stupid hours anyway, I don't need to add to it.

[storm35]

Yes i have a number on mines.

[LittleSnuggler]

No I haven't. I would rather people contact me by email.

[Mary Poppins]

You have to display a landline telephone number on your site.

[buppybean]

I do,
I probably wouldn't buy from a site without a contact number to be honest.

Can you not put it onto answer phone and leave a message like for a quick reply please email etc ........

[Laura@FYP]

Yes I do, I believe it is a requirement to display a telephone number isn't it?

[Girlieg]

Ditto what others have said, you HAVE to display a landline on your website ... will try and find the regulations (poss under distance selling??), also I wouldn't buy from a website that didnt have one, I am very wary of a site selling items with no landline contact.
Tess
x

[moomum]

well if that is the case I'll just get another landline and not plug it in!

[Girlieg]

MMmmmm, just had a look at OFT's "Selling online" requirements and there is not anything there that you HAVE to provide a tel no .. it states about name and address and e mail address (not just a web form) but nothing about a landline!!!! ... Can anyone else confirm if it is a necessity to display a landline number??
Tess
x

LOL Moomum, what about an answerphone, I often leave my landline to ring to answerphone if I am at home with the kids, normally if someone cant contact me via that they will fill out details online??
Tess
x

[friendlybaby]

I have a landline number going through Skype. I answer it if I can, and if not people can always leave a message if they want. Most people email with queries though, so it isn't usually too draining.

[Mary Poppins]

About 98% of my sales are dealt with via email but the occasional person would like to speak to someone about their query. I had someone on the phone this morning for about 20 minutes. Think it give reassurance that it is a genuine company.

I think that if I phoned a business and didn't get through to either a person or an answering machine (just left ringing), I would presume that the company was either no longer going or it was a scam and would move onto another company.

I have put on our website specific times that I will deal with telephone queries. Have never had anyone phone outside those times. Might be worth you just putting a 1 - 2 hour slot when the kids are distracted.

[chris]

Yes I have a landline number (plus answerphone). The number is just for the business and separate to my home number.
I do not think I would buy from a site without a telepone number displayed (and I hate 0845 numbers with a passion!). Apologies if anyone on here has an 0845 number - just my personal opinion as everyone (banks, insurance etc.) seem to have them and I do not know why they think I should pay to contact them when the query is usually something they have done!

Now I am ranting / rambling................

[funkydorydawn]

I have both my mobile number and my Skype line number on the site.

However, I'm stopping the Skype number because the call quality is terrible.

I've had my mobile number on the site for ages, as well as my address and email number, and people don't seem to mind ringing the mobile - at least if they ring that (at a reasonable hour of the day) they get straight through to me and I don't have to be sitting at the pc.

[moomum]

LOL Moomum, what about an answerphone, I often leave my landline to ring to answerphone if I am at home with the kids, normally if someone cant contact me via that they will fill out details online??
Tess
x

It has an automatic ansaphone thing that is pretty unreliable and I never check it anyway :-)

[Arianna]

i have a phone number but it's a voicemail service only. I check it at least 3 times a week and return calls if/when I can. However, I prefer to use email as I like to be able to think about what information etc a client needs and it's easier as I find it hard to think with a little one around.

Arianna

[BellaMiller]

There's a handly checklist of legal requirements here: http://www.ekmpowershop.com/support/articles/legalrequirementsforecommerce.asp

[Slug]

I have all contact info including phone numbers under Ts and Cs on my website. We were under the impression you were supposed to as well. I think Worldpay insisted on it. I've had a few calls to both my home and mobile but most people email. My kids are usually pretty good if the phone rings but I just point out to the other person that I work from home and there may be background noise - a lot of the people I speak to are in the same boat.
I've also had a few calls from salesmen but mainly to my mobile.
Gail.