Analysis
The quiet return of the landline in small businesses
Shops, clinics and workshops are bringing back a number that rings on a desk. The reason is not nostalgia.
Data & investigations editor
6 min read
A number that rings on a desk, not in someone’s pocket.
The bike shop moved its phone number to the owner’s mobile in 2019. This spring it moved it back, to a handset on the counter.
Providers report the first rise in new business landlines in more than a decade.
One number, many hands
A desk phone belongs to the business, not to whoever is on shift. When staff change, the number and the voicemail stay.
Customers do not want to message us. They want to ask if the part is in, and get an answer.
Most of the new lines are internet phones that look like the old ones. The cost is low and the setup takes an afternoon.
What it says about apps
Owners we spoke to were not against messaging. They were tired of five inboxes for one shop.
Topics
Mateo Ruiz
Data & investigations editor
Mateo leads Pressio’s data team and the investigations that come out of spreadsheets.
