Choosing a phone plan for your small business involves more consideration than choosing a plan for personal use. Dropping a call because of a bad signal or missing a text because of a poor connection can translate to money lost. Your clients and customers need to know they can reach you if there is a problem, and in a way, your company's phone plan reflects your customer service. Here's how to choose one that mirrors your dedication to your customers.

1. Evaluate your phone habits

How often do you and your employees need to use the phone? If you have a service-based company, you may only need a couple of business phone lines for making appointments. If you have a web-based service, you may need several phone lines dedicated to customer support.

Cost is also a factor. Any phone plan you choose should be an affordable option for the number of lines you need. Remember, the more you spend on utilities and other expenses, the lower your bottom line will be.

2. Consider the type of small business phone system you need

Phone systems are not limited solely to landlines any longer — you can choose a small business cell phone plan or even use a VoIP system. There are advantages and disadvantages to each type, but an easy way to think about phone services is this:

• VoIP services cost less than half of a traditional phone line but rely on an Internet connection to operate.
• A traditional phone line will work whether you have an Internet connection or not.
• Cell phones are a bit of a hybrid but are still reliant upon compatible cell towers for service.

3. Is a personal phone line enough?

In the modern world, most people have versatile personal phone plans. Unlimited data, calls, and texts mean you can reach nearly anyone at any time without worrying about overages on your bill. Even long-distance calls can be made for low or no cost through WiFi calling services. However, there are factors to consider.

Robocalling, for example. When you keep your number private, you may receive a few spam calls from time to time. If you use your personal number as a business number and advertise it, you're likely to see a huge uptick how many fake calls you receive. This can be especially tough on small business owners who have no way of filtering real calls from fake ones.

4. Think about hotspot usage

If your small business requires you to leave the office, you'll need a reliable way to connect to the Internet when you’re out and about. With Comcast Business Internet, you have access to millions of Xfinity hotspots nationwide. Whether you need to download a document or upload a file, these hotspots will get the job done much faster than your plan's data connection.

5. The phone plan you choose makes all the difference

Deciding between a personal and business phone plan isn't easy, and your decision may not stay the same. After all, as your small business grows, your phone plan may need to change, too. To save money, consider starting with a smaller, more cost-effective plan and upgrading it as your needs grow.

Whether you decide on a business plan or personal plan, set aside a dedicated number and use it for all your marketing and communications. This will keep your personal and business lines separate and provide some level of protection against spam calls.

Comcast Business and Xfinity Mobile offer landline, VoIP, digital, and mobile phone services. Unlimited calling, texting, and ample amounts of data mean you'll always be connected, no matter where your work takes you.