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Have you had this problem before? I was looking for the telephone number for a supplier we have used in the past. I found the number in an old email on my computer. Rang the number and got a Telstra message saying the number was disconnected. Oh, no… Looked up the business name in Whitepages online and Google – it was the same phone number. Had they gone out-of-business? |
I eventually found a mobile phone number for the business, so I thought I’d call that as the last resort.
They answered! And yes, they were still operating.
I asked the obvious question – why weren’t they using their old phone number. I found out they had moved and their reply was "We paid for phone diversion for 6 months…then we cancelled it".
Now, your business phone number is very important in marketing. You have no idea how long it will remain around for on the internet, in old emails and on old brochures, business cards, promotional products, etc. Here’s an important marketing tip – never get rid of your old number. Put it on diversion for ever! It will still pay for itself and generate repeat business for you.
This supplier was really lucky that I was persistent – other past customers would have called a different business (their competition).
P.S. This is at least the second time I have had difficulty tracking down past suppliers. These guys just don’t know how many repeat sales they are losing! Please don’t make the same error in your business.