[Information] 2024 Edition: 03 Number Services for Starting a Business in Tokyo

Hello, this is @Satoyuu.

As always, here is my profile🍃

Just started a business and still using a virtual office...

In times like that, app-based phone APIs are very useful✨ Here is an introduction to such services.

1. The value of using a Tokyo 03 number via an app

Numbers starting with 03 are specific area codes used within Tokyo, but for freelancers and those starting businesses in the Tokyo metropolitan area, they are important numbers that combine reliability and convenience.

In particular, in business settings, just having a Tokyo number definitely has the effect of enhancing your corporate image.That is why most people doing business in the Tokyo area are particular about having a Tokyo 03 number.

Simply by doing business in an urban area, even if you are a freelancer, living in Tokyo can give those around you a sense of trust, and although it is a minor detail,a phone number can surprisingly have a significant impact in business situations.

2. Comparison between general telephone line contracts and apps

If you have started a business and have more than 10 employees, NTT's FLET'S Hikari + Hikari Cloud Phone might be more expensive, but it offers higher convenience and allows for various estimates, such as flat-rate pricing, so general telephone lines can sometimes provide faster and more reliable support.

However, for freelancers or those working with just a few people, you don't get enough calls to justify installing a dedicated phone line, yet you still want to have a phone number starting with Tokyo 03. For such people, companies that provide numbers via smartphone apps are recommended.

For example, the smartphone app developed by a company called "Zero Sun Plus" provides users with the ability to use the Tokyo "03" area code to utilize a local number from anywhere.

This service is revolutionary for freelancers and business people based in Tokyo, and by using the Zero Sun Plus app,users can transcend geographical constraints and use a Tokyo 03 number for communicationwith their clients.

Furthermore, this app emphasizes ease of use and accessibility, and the interface is intuitive and very user-friendly.

3. I think you should use a Tokyo 03 service

As a freelancer working as a systems engineer, I felt thatI missed out on business opportunities because I did not have a Tokyo personal number.(By the way, even though I went from being a freelancer to starting a business and still have my headquarters in Tokyo, I am in the awkward situation of using a 048 area code, which is for Saitama City...)

This is the company I started, and I registered a number starting with 048 at the beginning and am still using it today, but if you are thinking of doing business in Tokyo from now on, I think you should use one starting with 03, so please take this as a reference.

That said, getting a phone number for a small company is a very high hurdle, so when I learned about a service that allows you to get a phone number via a smartphone app, I thought it was an incredibly convenient world we live in.

What I found particularly convenient is that you can handle incoming calls and transfers with just one smartphone, making it possible to answer calls from anywhere, and the voice quality is almost indistinguishable from a regular phone line.

However, since it uses mobile carrier lines, I do sometimes feel that the conversation gets choppy in areas with poor signal, but that is the only downside I have felt so far.

4. Recommended App Phone Companies

03plus (Zero San Plus)

I have been using this for many years, and it is overwhelmingly convenient. The monthly fee is low to begin with, and you can get a number immediately after registration.

Usually, when you need a number as a freelancer, it is often needed in a hurry, such as when signing up for a credit card or when you suddenly need a phone number for a client.

In such cases, this app, which allows you to get a number instantly, is extremely convenient, and since it looks like a proper Tokyo 03 number to the other party, the credibility is excellent. I would especially like to recommend it to startup entrepreneurs and those working as freelancers. It is truly convenient.

Naisen Cloud

As a pioneer in cloud communication services in Japan, it offers high reliability and security, and can accommodate businesses of all sizes.

In particular, the ability to manage multiple communication methods centrally with simple operations is attractive, which directly leads to time and cost savings. Also, Naisen Cloud is highly flexible and can scale up as the company grows.

In that sense, I would recommend using Zero San Plus at first, and then switching to this company once you have expanded your business and grown larger.

However, since Zero San Plus is overwhelmingly cheaper in terms of initial costs and monthly fees, I feel a bit conflicted introducing it, but for startups, I still think Zero San Plus is the way to go.

5. Why I decided to get a number

I had been working as a freelancer for several years, but when I needed a credit card and was about to fill out the application, I couldn't write down a company phone number, which led me to use an app phone. (Perhaps a mobile phone number would have been fine, but I felt it was a matter of credibility...)

As a result, it started with using it for a credit card application, but now I have started a business and use it as my company number, and I have never felt any inconvenience. Rather, because I can answer the phone regardless of where I am, I have avoided missing business opportunities due to not being able to answer the phone more than once or twice.

I hope this will be helpful to others who are about to become freelancers or start their own businesses.

See you later🍃