# What kind of office phone do u have????



## alwayz-plowin (Mar 4, 2010)

Ok well i was wondering what kind of phne/ hone system u have:

I know i only have a cell phone but i REALLLYYYY Hate having all these people calling it during a storm wanting to know where i am etc...
That is also my personal phone so i cant really turn it off. 


But i think im going to either get an office phone i dont want another cell tho. 


But im just wondering what phone you have.......
I know some guys have a answering system 
and some just go straight to voicemail which would be annoying to customers....


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## Matson Snow (Oct 3, 2009)

alwayz-plowin;1125828 said:


> Ok well i was wondering what kind of phne/ hone system u have:
> 
> I know i only have a cell phone but i REALLLYYYY Hate having all these people calling it during a storm wanting to know where i am etc...
> That is also my personal phone so i cant really turn it off.
> ...


This works for us.......


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

Mines pretty complex for a one man show... It's an office line that gives me yellow page advertizing but its linked to my cell, if the cell is on it will ring 3 times in the office and automatically forward to the cell if it's not answered. If the cell goes unanswered after 4 rings or is in use then to voicemail. If the cell is in use the office phone can still be used, and vise versa.
My office line, 800 # and fax line all ring through the same line with different coded rings. I won't give it up. It's great. When I'm tired of answering (while plowing) simply turn off the cell... check messages when it's convienient.


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## dayexco (Oct 30, 2003)

i would definitely get a phone that forwarded any information of how much i charged, or my client lists, etc...were forwarded onto my snow plowing organization that i had had subscribed, paid dues to...so they could easily share this information with all my competition and.take this business back to pennsylvania, and piece meal it back to me as they saw fit.


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## mercer_me (Sep 13, 2008)

I have a Samsung Reality through Verizon. It's the only phone I have so my customers can reach me on it. I usualy just anser it, unles it's somebody I realy don't want to talk to. LOL


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## paponte (Oct 28, 2003)

We have a three line system with timed hours of operations programmed. You can enable a hunt group, find me, or forwarding at anytime via a call in code. Cost a couple hundred bucks, but well worth it.


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## adan (Nov 24, 2010)

We use Blackberry torchs with unlimited usage and alot of call - forwarding.


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## ajslands (Sep 3, 2009)

Matson Snow;1125834 said:


> This works for us.......


Can It text?


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## EdNewman (Jan 27, 2004)

Not a fair question for us. We have a Cisco IP system with redundant switches and it covers 4 offices across 2 states. It emails us voicemails and has all kinds of fancy automatted attendent stuff. For a one man office, you are probably better off with a package from the phone company or cable company that can do call forwarding.


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## ajslands (Sep 3, 2009)

EdNewman;1126012 said:


> Not a fair question for us. We have a Cisco IP system with redundant switches and it covers 4 offices across 2 states. It emails us voicemails and has all kinds of fancy automatted attendent stuff. For a one man office, you are probably better off with a package from the phone company or cable company that can do call forwarding.


That's cool!
I'll bet it's not cheap though!


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## biggreens (Nov 25, 2010)

I have had the same problem since begining of my business, and finally i think i have a handle on it. Alls we use in my business is cell phones. This year while I am out in a piece of equipment my wife is going to be at home answering the company cell phone so I dont have to be bothered with it while I am working. So with all that said, if you have a wife or someone who could take your phone during the storms and answer it and you use another phone that would probably be you best bet.


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## jgoetter1 (Feb 23, 2007)

Matson Snow;1125834 said:


> This works for us.......


Good one man


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## Red Bull Junkie (Nov 24, 2009)

AnswerConnect.com-They R the Sh*t. They make my life a little more sane. They answer all my calls-take messages, customer info, RFP requests, or forward calls to my cell, all based on a script and set of instructions that can be changed at any time. great service too.


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## Tubby's Snow Plowing (Dec 13, 2009)

I have an iPhone. Fills my needs perfectly.


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## deereequipment (Jul 12, 2007)

I use a cell phone for my business too.
Anyone of real importance during a snow storm (my contract's contacts) are all in my phone, so I know when they are calling. ANyone else goes to voicemail, and will get their calls returned when I am done with my contracts.

Last year, it was sometimes 48 hours after we were done, I still called, and they still needed help, but had to turn most of them away because they were gravel driveways (and because I was just too tired to do anymore).


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## FLMan (Jan 4, 2006)

RCA visys


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## hometown lawn (Nov 25, 2010)

We use Google Voice. I was able to get a vanity number in my area code such as 913-256-LAWN and I can control it all from my iphone and the new Google Voice app. Best of all it is free.I can send it to ring to any number of phones, when I call a customer their caller id shows my Google Voice number and not my personal cell phone number, it is a separate voice mail than my personal cell phone and it is all accessible from the web. It's amazing for a free service that works wonders for a small business. With today being Thanksgiving, I have it set to Do Not Disturb until 6:30 tomorrow morning so all calls until then go directly to VM and won't ring my phone.

Hope this helps.


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## FLMan (Jan 4, 2006)

I have google voice as well, I have not done too much with it, I already have a phone number that is known by my customers.


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## Tubby's Snow Plowing (Dec 13, 2009)

I was wondering about Google Voice for iPhone. Haven't looked into it that much. Another thing I heard of is Ring Central. Supposed to be an 800 number that simply redirects to your office or cell phone. or both.


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## alwayz-plowin (Mar 4, 2010)

hometown lawn;1126761 said:


> We use Google Voice. I was able to get a vanity number in my area code such as 913-256-LAWN and I can control it all from my iphone and the new Google Voice app. Best of all it is free.I can send it to ring to any number of phones, when I call a customer their caller id shows my Google Voice number and not my personal cell phone number, it is a separate voice mail than my personal cell phone and it is all accessible from the web. It's amazing for a free service that works wonders for a small business. With today being Thanksgiving, I have it set to Do Not Disturb until 6:30 tomorrow morning so all calls until then go directly to VM and won't ring my phone.
> 
> Hope this helps.





Tubby's Snow Plowing;1126830 said:


> I was wondering about Google Voice for iPhone. Haven't looked into it that much. Another thing I heard of is Ring Central. Supposed to be an 800 number that simply redirects to your office or cell phone. or both.


Wow! 
See that is exactly what i need! im going to look into it! 
Thanks everyone keep the suggestions/ comments coming!


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## Turf Commando (Dec 16, 2007)

Cell phone when someone needs me I'm there, if not available caller id,voicemail,text....


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## erkoehler (Sep 25, 2008)

Google voice w/ SNOW at the end of your number is cool, to bad not available in my area.


GOT ONE! My new business phone # is 224-698-SNOW!


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## born2farm (Dec 24, 2007)

Glad someone posted this because this is something that I have been thinking about. I was just gonna add a line to my existing cell phone plan and just take it with me or leave it at the shop if someone is there to answer it. 

This google voice kind of presents a new option though. The way I understand I can create and number say 1 800 SNOW and have it ring to my cell phone, maybe a lot managers cell phone and my landline in the office depending on the day or time?? Kinda confusing on there site.


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## Tubby's Snow Plowing (Dec 13, 2009)

erkoehler;1127217 said:


> Google voice w/ SNOW at the end of your number is cool, to bad not available in my area.
> 
> GOT ONE! My new business phone # is 224-698-SNOW!


Yeah, nothing available in my area code.


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## LaPlante's (Dec 6, 2008)

We use black berries but all hooked to a blue tooth in truck


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## AMGLandscape (Sep 11, 2010)

I have vonage's cheapest package... like 10 bucks a month.. they have visual voice mail which as soon as some one leaves a voice mail the email is transcribed and sent to my blackberry via email so I can read the message as well as listen to the message... Works fine for the price!


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## lude1990 (Jan 19, 2010)

Cell phone is all I have for my fence company


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

Onebox. Best system hands down. The things you can do wil amaze you. Cost is minimal.

Here is a good example. Anyone ever loose, break, or forget to charge your phone.....cell stops working how do people get in touch with you. I log onto the Internet onebox system...few clicks now all calls go to a back up cell, or the wires, or heck the shoveler sitting next to me. Customers never even know it. I can route calls, ring multiple phones at once....have it call my phone....then if I don't pick up, it calls my right hand mans phone...they also have an answering service, that will log into your computer system and enter data


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## goinggreen (Dec 1, 2010)

we are using the magicjack for the office and forward all calls to the cell phone when no ones in the office works great, only spend 20 dollars a year


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## aron7676 (Dec 7, 2010)

born2farm;1127235 said:


> Glad someone posted this because this is something that I have been thinking about. I was just gonna add a line to my existing cell phone plan and just take it with me or leave it at the shop if someone is there to answer it.
> 
> This google voice kind of presents a new option though. The way I understand I can create and number say 1 800 SNOW and have it ring to my cell phone, maybe a lot managers cell phone and my landline in the office depending on the day or time?? Kinda confusing on there site.


Yes you can create a number, but I dont think you can have the 800 numbers.it will be an area code.This service will ring a cell, and if you have a android powered device, you can even make calls as that number. I use it all the time. its like you are getting two phones, one is the physical phone you buy from ATT, verizon, etc, the other is a software phone.


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## lawnangel1 (Oct 15, 2009)

elite1msmith;1139492 said:


> Onebox. Best system hands down. The things you can do wil amaze you. Cost is minimal.
> 
> Here is a good example. Anyone ever loose, break, or forget to charge your phone.....cell stops working how do people get in touch with you. I log onto the Internet onebox system...few clicks now all calls go to a back up cell, or the wires, or heck the shoveler sitting next to me. Customers never even know it. I can route calls, ring multiple phones at once....have it call my phone....then if I don't pick up, it calls my right hand mans phone...they also have an answering service, that will log into your computer system and enter data


I have been considering Onebox for a long time now. I guess its time to take the Plunge.


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

lawnangel1;1146810 said:


> I have been considering Onebox for a long time now. I guess its time to take the Plunge.


my only advice for you, after you make a change to your call tree , try it out and test it once or twice. for a while i thought that i had it set up good, turned out there were alot more better ways. but its really nice to have mulitple phones ring at the same time, plus if i dont pick up it goes to a workers phone. voicemail to text, plus you can all out using your cell phone (with their app) and it will display your work number in the caller ID, so my customers never get my personal cell number.

one more neat trick - has a feature called "click to call" basicly you log onto the system, and type in the number of the phone your at, who you want to call, and what you want it to say in the caller ID. hit start, it calls you, you go on hold, it calls them, and boom your connected. Heres the cool part....i had this lady that wouldnt take my calls or pay her bill. so i called her home phone using this system....i had the called ID display her husbands cell phone number. So she picked up thinking it was her husbad calling her.....well ill tell you she was really confused at how i did that.


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## lawnangel1 (Oct 15, 2009)

elite1msmith;1147642 said:


> my only advice for you, after you make a change to your call tree , try it out and test it once or twice. for a while i thought that i had it set up good, turned out there were alot more better ways. but its really nice to have mulitple phones ring at the same time, plus if i dont pick up it goes to a workers phone. voicemail to text, plus you can all out using your cell phone (with their app) and it will display your work number in the caller ID, so my customers never get my personal cell number.
> 
> one more neat trick - has a feature called "click to call" basicly you log onto the system, and type in the number of the phone your at, who you want to call, and what you want it to say in the caller ID. hit start, it calls you, you go on hold, it calls them, and boom your connected. Heres the cool part....i had this lady that wouldnt take my calls or pay her bill. so i called her home phone using this system....i had the called ID display her husbands cell phone number. So she picked up thinking it was her husbad calling her.....well ill tell you she was really confused at how i did that.


Do you guys keep your office phone with one box? How do you integrate the 2? I want to create separate extensions for me and my partner, if someone calls and hits his extension I want to ring on just his desk and vice versa.


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

lawnangel1;1148885 said:


> Do you guys keep your office phone with one box? How do you integrate the 2? I want to create separate extensions for me and my partner, if someone calls and hits his extension I want to ring on just his desk and vice versa.


it depends on the package that you sign up with. just give them a call and they can get you all set up.

my advise, i would get 5 different extentions

1. - sales
2, current service
3, vendors, subs, emplyees
4, you
5 your partner

4,5 are obvious where they woud go.

1 i would have it go to both of your phones, either at the same time, or ring yours then his

2. same as number 1

3, id have it ring 1 phone, and then go to voice mail.

if you need an answering service , they can do that as well, and enter data into your computer system if you have an internet system


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