Google Voice Business Features Overview

We all want to look professional for potential clients who may call us for an offer. We also want a phone system that can perform all the task that we need for our business to run at peak levels of performance. It’s like a well-oiled machine when all the pieces come together. Especially with VoIP technology. So many options are available these days that it becomes tough to understand who to go with. I had the same problem and had many questions at the beginning of the journey. Most recently, when diving into some of these offers, I had an issue and question arise. Can we use google voice business features? After doing some due diligence and research, here is what I have learned.

So, Does google provide google voice business features? Yes, google voice business features are available. Google voice offers answering services, the ability to use different area codes, VoIP texting and several voicemail features that could be appealing to the business owner.

More to Consider

However, more needs to be covered than just those few features listed. Google voice business features and being a household name by no means makes them the immediate and clear choice so let’s dive into what they have to offer and see if it fits the bill for you.

Let’s dive in and take a closer look at some of the features and commonly asked questions regarding google voice. This should help paint the picture if google voice is a wise decision and the correct set-up for your business. Let’s start by breaking down exactly what google voice business features have to offer.

Answering Services Through Google Voice business features

Having an answering service for your business is a must have to maintain a clear image for your business and professional look. Google Voice does offer this. You do have the ability to create custom greetings. Let’s say you work insurance, you can tailor this service to meet those needs. A nice added feature that google voice business features offers is a transcription for the answering services.

This only means that the voice calls and even emails can be transcribed and sent to your sales staff in the method you choose. A nice benefit to have for sure.

The Ability to Use Alternate Area Codes with Google Voice

This is another bonus, but it’s also not always necessary to have.  Google voice business features allows you to select from a wide range of phone numbers and area codes when beginning your account. You don’t necessarily have to pick your local area code. Let’s say that you primarily do business in a nearby county that uses a different area-code, it may be wise to choose that area code to match.

It’s been proven countless times that people will answer the phone much more often for local numbers that they trust and when they see a missed call from a local number, they are more likely to call back. So far so good with google voice features.

Texting and SMS Features with Google Voice and Using VoIP

Google voice business features also offers text messaging for businesses with the package. It’s a common misconception that text isn’t used often in the business world. The opposite is true. Texting is becoming the most widely used form of communication amongst the B2B and B2C world. A nice added benefit is having easy access to these messages on the go using VoIP.

Ease of Access to SMS and Voicemail Messaging

Google users can use a wide variety of applications to use the texting feature including Gmail and Google Hangouts.  The messages are stored and easily accessed through your Gmail and Google Voice account. This is a fantastic feature to have for those who forget things easily or want to follow up diligently with potential clients.

Privacy and Call Screening with Google Voice

We all need the ability to separate our personal lives from our business lives from time to time. Google voice helps accommodate that. Google voice can hide the user’s personal phone number and separate and filter the numbers for business contacts only. You can also select various ringtones using Google Voice business features to help you recognize if it’s a potential client and sale calling, or just the wife calling to remind you to grab a gallon of milk on the way home.

Okay, hopefully, we have your attention. Now is not the time to stop reading just yet. We need to cover all the flaws and common complaints user may experience by choosing google voice. I know you’re probably thinking, it’s Google…What could be wrong with it? Well, plenty of things actually, let’s look and see.

Downfalls and Negative User Experiences from Google Voice

We are going to break a few of these items down for you and give a brief explanation of the importance behind why these should not be negatives that you ignore but actively search for an alternate solution to make your business stand out in the best possible way.

Call Quality and The Customer Perception

One of the biggest complaint’s users have about google voice so far is call quality. What? Call quality? Isn’t this the most important aspect? Yes, by a long shot. This reason alone makes me suspicious to choose them for my own business.  The call quality has been known to lag, drop calls and the service can be spotty, to say the least.

This is going to happen with a free service like Google Voice. It can depend significantly on internet connection due to being a VoIP based call, but google voice business features also picks and chooses what networks to route the call through. It’s not necessarily a dedicated network providing the service to speak. This is going to add some choppy and unclear conversations in your near future.

It Just Looks Bad

Nothing is more frustrating than talking over a client and using the phrase “no, you go ahead” 30 times throughout a call so each person understands who can speak. Not only is it annoying but it looks like you are running a lemon aide stand instead of a real business. Overall, it’s a flaw that’s very hard to ignore.

The Toss a Phone Number Out and Then Use It Again Approach

Google purchases its phone numbers from Tier 1 Network providers. Since Google needs to reach into the piggy bank to purchase these phone numbers, they choose to reuse them. Can’t blame them there. They do have shareholders to please, and profits and yearly reports do matter. However, when you recycle these numbers, you run the risk of getting calls that were designed to reach the previous user.

You Never Know What Number You Will Pull from the Candy Jar

Not only is this annoying but could just look terrible. What if the previous user was subscribed to 15,000 gambling websites? Do you really want to be taking the incoming calls from these “pop up subscriptions” the old user decided to opt-in for? I personally wouldn’t and one of the things I dislike most about Google Voice.

Somewhat Difficult to Understand and Confusing for The Callers

It’s been noted that some callers can get a little confused when placing a call to a google voice user. Especially when it comes to leaving a voicemail. The problem users run into is purely to many options.

At the beginning of the call, you have the option to announce the caller before answering. You can also elect to send the request to voicemail or answer it. Many users who are not very technology gifted can have some difficulty using Google Voice with any efficiency.

Where is The Help When Needed?

Google Voice doesn’t offer tech support currently strictly for google voice users.  Users struggle to find any direct phone lines to reach google voice and complain of problems of achieving any solutions for technical issues with any kind of speed or efficiency. Personally, when it comes to my business, this is enough to make me shy away from using Google Voice as my VOIP provider.

Putting It All Together- Google Voice Is an Option But is it the Best Option for You?

For the cost of free, is google voice business features an option for your business. 100% yes. It should be considered. Especially if you are in those first few weeks where every penny counts. However, assuming you have the budget for something better, more reliable and with some service attached in the means of technical support, I’d surely choose another avenue or path for your services. Businesses need to look and sound the part, and poor quality and confusing options for callers and the user slightly distort this image.

Related Questions

What Does Google Voice Cost?

No, google voice a free service that uses VoIP to complete phone calls, allow for SMS messaging and voicemail services. Some of the poor user experience and issues with call quality and tech support somewhat back up the fact that it’s free. At this point, it’s clear that Google hasn’t added much in the means of improving the service, but we wouldn’t be surprised if it’s something on Google’s to-do list in the immediate future.

What’s your experience with Google Voice or other providers? Who would you recommend?