Work-life balance has always been hard to achieve, but the remote work boom has made it even harder. Employees are working from laptops and mobile devices more frequently than ever. In fact, business-related mobile usage saw a 200% increase in 2020.
And while this increase in flexibility has had wonderful effects on your employees’ mental health and productivity, it can negatively impact their privacy – and yours. According to a study by Ponemon Institute, 55% of businesses reported that smartphones are the most vulnerable communication endpoint within their organization.
We think it’s safe to say that mobile number privacy is a growing concern for most businesses.
Mobile Number Privacy: Common Approaches
Mobile Number Privacy Approach #1: Refrain from Using Your Mobile Device
If you’re looking to protect your privacy, one of the easiest ways is to stop using your mobile device for work altogether. That way work conversations are restricted to just your desktop phone. While simple in practice, it’s not at all practical in the long run. Remote work isn’t as rare as it used to be, and employees appreciate the flexibility of taking their work calls when they’re away from their desks. At Yabbit, mobile number privacy is possible with the YABBITMobile App.
Mobile Number Privacy Approach #2: Withhold Your Mobile Number from Customers and Clients
There are many different ways to hide, or withhold, your number from the people you’re calling. From dialing 1831 before the phone number when making the call to blocking your number automatically via your mobile phone’s settings. This ensures your number will not be displayed, or read, by the other person’s device. But this raises another problem: customers won’t pick up a call from a number they don’t recognize. This defeats the purpose of giving out your personal number to clients.
Mobile Number Privacy Approach #3: Purchase a Mobile Device Specifically for Business Calls
With 55% of employees preferring cell phones to work phones for business communications, this seems like a decent solution, right? And it might be if you’re a smaller business, with only five or ten employees. But for larger companies, who must purchase hundreds of mobile phones and train their employees on how to use them, this might not be financially sound. Plus, keeping track of multiple devices is difficult for even the most organized worker. And having a business-only mobile doesn’t help maintain a healthy work-life boundary either.
If you’ve made it through this list and are thinking that the situation is hopeless – it isn’t. There is a way to take your business number anywhere you go, without compromising your privacy on any level. Enter Yabbit UC mobile applications.
Mobile Number Privacy: How UC Solutions Can Help
If you utilize a UC solution for business communication, odds are your system comes with a built-in mobile application. Commonly called “softphones,” these apps transform any internet-connected device into a secure business line. How? By logging users into the phone system’s online portal. But how does this benefit you and your employees?
It lets users make and receive calls on their mobile device.
Now you and your employees can give business contacts one number – their business number – and stay in touch without giving out personal details. Many apps also have built-in caller ID, so you can see who’s calling before you even answer.
It keeps a log of all calls made within the app’s administrative portal.
A big concern about mobile number privacy is about the accidental sharing of proprietary information. With a UC mobile app, you can mitigate that risk by monitoring calls and saving the recordings in a secure system library.
It separates personal contacts from business contacts.
Say you have a client named Bill Smith and a friend from university named Bill Smith. If you’re using your personal device, you might call your college friend rather than your client. With the app, you’ll only have access to work contacts within the system, which will prevent any misuse of their information if your phone is misplaced. Not only that, but you can also access your work-related voicemails within the app as well.
This separation also helps more calls get answered. We’ve all seen someone look at their phone, then choose not to answer because they don’t recognize the number. Many of your team members could accidentally be doing the same thing to customers! But when they can easily determine what calls are business-related and what calls are personal (or even spam) they’ll answer calls quicker and more effectively. This higher response rate can lead to better customer service and a positive impact on the reputation of your organisation!
It encrypts voice conversations naturally.
Most, if not all, UC providers encrypt the information stored within the phone system, making it difficult for outside parties to infiltrate.
And that’s only the beginning. The best softphone apps give you access to all the typical office phone features – conferencing, putting customers on hold, the ability to transfer calls, and so on, all from a mobile device.
Get the Best of Mobile Number Privacy with Yabbit Mobile
If your current phone system can’t give you this flexibility, consider upgrading to Yabbit Mobile. Not only is it simple to use, and cost-effective, but it’s backed by our powerful VoIP phone system, jam-packed with all the features you need to succeed. If you’re ready to go mobile securely and well, take a trip down the Yabbit hole and contact us today!