The phone system of your business serves as your direct contact to all important people in your company or business. Thus, you must opt for an efficient solution that provides the tools and features you require to enhance and support your communication without burning a hole in your wallet. This is where Googles’ business phone service comes in!
With this business phone service, you get a number of calling tools, capabilities, and features. This article delves into a detailed review of Google Voice for Business. You will also learn about its pricing structure and the difference between its various plans. However, before that, let us look into what really is this communication solution.
Our Review of Google Voice Business
What is Google’s Business Phone Service?
Google Voice for Business is a VoIP (Voice over internet protocol) application that Google offers. This phone service provides business users with an assortment of tools and features along with a phone number. This can make all your business communication more convenient and accessible on any smartphone device.
Using this phone service is very straightforward. All you have to do is download the application or register and sign up for an account. You may then choose your phone number to start making low-cost calls. Furthermore, you will also have access to several communication features and tools.
What this phone service does is that it links with all the other modes of communication in the Google domain. These communication modes include email via Chat and Gmail, and video calls and voice in Google Hangouts.
Google Voice provides very economical calls in Canada and the United States of America and has great pricing for international calls as well. That makes Google Voice for business an extremely budget-friendly and efficient solution for receiving and making calls from virtually any place in the world.
How do Businesses usually use Google Voice?
One of the most remarkable aspects of Google Voice is its versatility. Businesses use the service primarily in 6 ways:
- To utilize a different area code
- As a certain answering service
- For taking care of high call volumes
- For and customer relationship management (CRM) and SMS
- For call privacy and screening
- For instant video and messaging
People also use this business phone service to keep their personal phone numbers completely private. It is not wise to use your personal cell number for your business needs for several reasons. One of these many reasons is lack of privacy. Google Voice enables your business telephone number to forward to your smartphone.
In addition, you can configure it to ring out during the particular hours that you set. In this way, you will not have to answer any calls through the nighttime, and you will have a healthy work-life balance!
Key Features of Google Voice for Business
There is no doubt that this company provides various useful communication capabilities, tools, and features that fully enhance and support voice communications. The following are some of these key features which make the service a great option.
Call Screening & Privacy
Google Voice for Business offers you the option for safeguarding your privacy by making a distinct business phone number. You may highlight this particular phone number anywhere online to promote client calls or service. You can do this without becoming anxious regarding exposing the contact numbers that you have for personal use.
Virtual Number
Just like a decade back, Google Voice offers clients by offering a virtual number that individuals can use for business or even personal purposes. Like other Voice over Internet Protocol solutions, all the incoming calls to the Google Voice number will redirect to your smartphone. In addition, you may also opt to route this particular number to a number of different devices, such as different tablets. These devices will then ring all together simultaneously.
Call Forwarding
Call forwarding is undoubtedly one of the most beneficial features of this Google phone service. This particular feature helps you manage high call volume by providing you the option to list one official business number. Moreover, calls to the members of your work team get effectively and swiftly rerouted as they roll in.
Google Voice for Business is, in fact, ideal for anyone who often switches his or her working locations. The flexibility to have messages online and forward a call to any number you want makes this the best communication platform. This is especially true for any person who works at different locations from time to time and is constantly on the move.
Transcription from Voicemail to Email
Google VoIP business phone service offers a terrific feature of voicemail to email transcription. This is a splendid means to manage all your communications in a single place.
When a certain caller leaves behind a voicemail to someone, the system sends the message’s transcription to a particular email address. Consequently, any member of your work team can address it. This valuable feature can be very effective if you frequently travel or work alongside a scattered team. Thus, you can easily work through your voice messages and email in a single location.
You can go through transcriptions while you are on the move to make sure that you respond to all critical messages on time. Furthermore, you can also route these messages to anyone on your work team who can address queries or provide information.
While making sure you always attend and return business clients and customers, you are able to create trustworthy and loyal relationships with others. This also assists in giving your company’s brand a strong reputation of attentiveness and responsiveness.
Local Area Codes
You have an option to choose your phone number from a list that Google provides when you are setting up your account.
These options regularly refresh. That said, not every area is always readily available. You might receive the option to select a certain area code localized to your primary service, local to your business, or even localized to prospecting areas.
Having a local and familiar phone number boosts the likelihood that potential customers will pick up your phone calls. It also gets rid of long-distance problems for various customers or clients in the business zones you are targeting.
Mobile application
You can download the mobile application of Google Voice from Google Play and App Store to manage all of your business communications from any place. Google Voice’s mobile application perfectly syncs across all common devices that users use, such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, computers, etc.
Other Advantages of Google Voice for Business
The company provides numerous benefits that businesses worldwide can enjoy while paying nothing or very low cost. Moreover, it is important to consider a few limitations as well when you decide if Google Voice is suitable for your business needs.
- Economical calling in Canada and the United States of America and very competitive rates for international calling
- The service can integrate with several Customer Relationship Management solutions
- The service solutions are also mobile and very user-friendly
- This phone service features can assist you in taking care of high call volumes via voicemail to email transcription and call forwarding
- Google Voice for Business has a very intuitive and straightforward interface. Most users find navigating this interface incredibly easy. That, in turn, increases their efficiency and productivity at the workplace.
Limitations to Consider
On the flip side, this business communication application has certain limitations as well that you need to be privy to:
- Quality of calls might differ depending on your location and the device you are using
- User support is limited. You only have access to self-help forums and documentation to turn to for any answers and assistance on the technology
- Google Voice phone numbers are usually recycled. What that means is that you might not be able to get the precise area code or number that you desire
Google Voice Pricing
The pricing structure of Google Voice is divided into 3 distinct four plans. These plans have their own fees, ranging from 10 dollars to 30 dollars per month per user. The chief differences between these plans are accessibility to premium features such as advanced reporting and auto attendants and the allowed number of total users. International calling rates begin at just 1 cent.
| Starter | Standard | Premier | |
| Pricing (per user, per month) | 10 dollars | 20 dollars | 30 dollars |
| Ideal for | Small-sized businesses, with maximum 10 users, who require basic VoIP features | Those who require more than 10 seats and premium features as well | Largebusinesses that are keen on experiencing the full potential of the service and have international offices and reach |
| Number of users | 1-10 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Mobile Apps for iOS and Android | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Voicemail Transcription | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Multilevel auto attendant | No | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced reporting | No | No | Yes |
| Desk telephone support | No | Yes | Yes |
The personal plan of Googles’ phone service is the default option for those individuals who have personal Google accounts. Any subscriber of any G Suite edition, like G Suite Business, G Suite Enterprise, G Suite for Education, G Suite for Nonprofits, and G Suite Basic, might select from Premium, Standard, and Starter plans.
All Business plans also include:
- Each seat gets a single telephone number
- Unlimited minutes for all of the incoming phone calls
- Unlimited minutes for all calls within the entire network of Google
- Unlimited number of minutes for outgoing calls to Canada and the United States of America
- Rate card for each minute is also readily available
One of the best things about these plans is that you have the freedom to cancel your subscription any time you like without paying any extra fees. All users who subscribe to a monthly flex plan may cancel their subscriptions immediately to stop further billing.
Is this Phone Service Perfect for your Needs?
Google Voice is particularly suitable for small-sized businesses, contractors, and consultants, who frequently travel or work remotely. If you are a small business that wants a local number that comes with voicemail, call, and text management features, then Google Voice is the best choice for you.
With this service, you can have a separate local phone number for all your business correspondences. Google Voice for Business also comes with chief VoIP features such as text management, primary call management, and voicemail, all in a single platform synchronized across user devices. All of these features are in addition to a phone number!
That said, perhaps more lightweight voice solutions such as Google Hangouts might be a better fit for you, depending on your particular business requirements. To that end, be sure to know your exact needs and compare them with the key features and pros of this business phone service.
Keep in mind that Google Voice provides a number of free tools and features that many VoIP providers charge a fee for. However, big organizations with intricate customization requirements and higher volume calls may not find Google Voice’s feature set sufficiently robust.
Final Thoughts On Google’s Business Phone Service
When you consider all things, there is no denying that Google Voice is an excellent communication application. It serves the needs of almost every small business. Before you sign up for it, though, it is important that you do your thorough research. Carefully look into all the features it is offering. That would enable you to decide whether Google Voice is the ideal choice for you.