# Any use Google voice?



## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

Looking for ways to shave a bit off my overhead, so I can maybe look into getting a shop, but still have competitive prices. Now obviously getting rid of a phone line won't pay for a shop, but it's just one thing I'm looking at. 

I spend probably 80% of my day out in the field, and almost 100% in the field during business hours. My current phone bill costs me roughly $600/year. I do use the fax, but not much, and there are companies that provide fax through email services. I always have my office phone forwarded to my cell anyway (used to have it ring both phones, but it drove my wife crazy hearing the phone ring at the house).

From what I understand Google voice would work exactly like how I use my current office phone anyway. It forwards all calls to my cellphone, it has a separate voicemail, and it can separate business calls from personal calls. I can also use my current phone number. It emails voice mails to me, and I can read them instead of taking the time to listen to them.

If anyone uses Google voice please let me know how it works for you, if there's a catch, and if there are any down sides. Also, anyone who doesn't use it and thinks office phones are better, let me know why I'd be making a mistake.

Thanks guys


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

What do you have google voice for again?

We haven't had a land line going on 12years...


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

SnoFarmer said:


> What do you have google voice for again?
> 
> We haven't had a land line going on 12years...


I like having my personal and professional numbers separate. How do you guys do it? All on your cell phones? From a personal stand point everyone I know has my cell number and I wouldn't want to have to tell everyone I have a new number (changing cell number to business number), and from a business stand point I like having that separate number that's not just my personal phone. Maybe I'm crazy, or have just been used to having separate numbers I from the beginning.


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## Mitragorz (Oct 11, 2013)

I use google voice and I really like it. I have it on my personal cell, and it's useful for keeping personal and business calls separate.

There are two options as far as how you receive your calls on your cell:

1) it will ring your cell and show the number of the caller. I don't use this option, since you can't tell if the caller is calling your personal or business number.

2) it will ring your cell and show your google voice number. I have my gv number saved as a contact as "Mitragorz google Voice" and gave it a special ringtone. This way, when someone calls my business number, "Mitragorz Google Voice" shows on the caller ID and I know who we called is calling the business number. The downside of this option is that you don't know who is calling. You can go to the "missed calls" in the gv app and see who called if you don't pick up and they don't leave a message.

It works for me. Now I know when to answer the phone in a professional manner!


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## 512high (Jan 18, 2010)

JMHConstruction said:


> I like having my personal and professional numbers separate. How do you guys do it? All on your cell phones? From a personal stand point everyone I know has my cell number and I wouldn't want to have to tell everyone I have a new number (changing cell number to business number), and from a business stand point I like having that separate number that's not just my personal phone. Maybe I'm crazy, or have just been used to having separate numbers I from the beginning.


*Hello JMH, We have been in business since 1987, we started with one business line, we did a lot of work in a different part of the state, so we had another line added, and yes we still have a fax line. I personally would not want everyone calling my cell phone etc. I am a three man operation and like you, are out in the field a lot, i don't have time to answer calls on a cell etc.

Over the last year we have removed all yellow page advertising , since the world of the internet we push the website, also, word of mouth is your best referral , we built our shop about 18 years ago or so and, yup we have a landline there, mostly for alarm system,calling for parts when working on equipment etc, etc. I have plenty of friends that use their cell as their primary work number, i guess if that works for them all the power, good luck on getting a shop!


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

Mitragorz said:


> I use google voice and I really like it. I have it on my personal cell, and it's useful for keeping personal and business calls separate.
> 
> There are two options as far as how you receive your calls on your cell:
> 
> ...


How is the call quality, same as any other phone? Is it a pain to take calls? I see they have an app, does it bring calls in from that or just my phone like normal? Does it use internet connection or regular phone signal? I don't want to lose a call because I don't have 4G service or something.

I think the second way you mentioned is probably the best. I don't really screen business calls and aside from the annoying sales calls, I don't know who's calling anyway.

Thanks for your help. I think I'll make the switch as long as calls sound normal and it doesn't drop calls all the time.


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

512high said:


> *Hello JMH, We have been in business since 1987, we started with one business line, we did a lot of work in a different part of the state, so we had another line added, and yes we still have a fax line. I personally would not want everyone calling my cell phone etc. I am a three man operation and like you, are out in the field a lot, i don't have time to answer calls on a cell etc.
> 
> Over the last year we have removed all yellow page advertising , since the world of the internet we push the website, also, word of mouth is your best referral , we built our shop about 18 years ago or so and, yup we have a landline there, mostly for alarm system,calling for parts when working on equipment etc, etc. I have plenty of friends that use their cell as their primary work number, i guess if that works for them all the power, good luck on getting a shop!


Thanks you. The shop will be a work in progress. I'm a bit hesitant to rent a space for something I wouldn't have someone in full time. I mainly want it for shop space more than an office, but would be nice to be able to set up a showroom and have customers come to my office instead of me ALWAYS having to drive to them. My biggest concern is adding that rent to my overhead. I'll see how it goes. Thanks for sharing your experience and how you do it. I do like having a dedicated phone for business and being able to either use the office phone or my cell, especially in winter where I'm in my office much more than other times of the year.

I don't mind using the cell for everything though, and for what I pay a month for this flippin' thing I might as well utilize it the best I can. As far as answering while I'm out, I can't always answer it right away, but I like to get out to the truck and return calls pretty quick. I figure if they're not talking to me, they're probably talking to my competition.


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## Mitragorz (Oct 11, 2013)

Call quality is just like regular cell quality. 

You don't take calls through the app, you answer calls like you would any other call that comes to your phone. The app lets you dial out using the gv number, listen to voicemails, and see call logs. You can also edit your gv settings.

It uses regular cell signal, as far as I know. I'm pretty sure it goes through some kind of relay, because I noticed that when I dial out, the number it says I'm "dialing" isn't the one I typed it. So I'm thinking it dials into a relay. 

It's free, so it's definitely worth giving it a shot. It took me a little while to tweak it to my liking, but I'm happy with it.


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

Mitragorz said:


> Call quality is just like regular cell quality.
> 
> You don't take calls through the app, you answer calls like you would any other call that comes to your phone. The app lets you dial out using the gv number, listen to voicemails, and see call logs. You can also edit your gv settings.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the help. My bill cycle actually ends Monday for my current provider, I think I'll set it up tomorrow.


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

JMHConstruction said:


> Thanks for the help. My bill cycle actually ends Monday for my current provider, I think I'll set it up tomorrow.


I don't use Google voice. I started my business using my personal cell number, and still use just the one number to this day. I must tell you that I highly regret not having two numbers. I haven't had a land line in years either. I just looked at my call log. I got 37 calls Wednesday, 31 calls yesterday, and 24 calls today. That's 92 calls in the last 3 days. Of which 6 were personal calls. And it's not even busy season yet. And this doesn't even cover all the text messages for the business. So, at this point I I have to do something. I'm just not sure what yet. At this point it will be easier to change my personal number. I've gotten to the point where obviously all my personal contacts pop up with a name on caller ID. As well as snow removal contract holders, and repeat customers for my contracting business are contacts. If it's a named contact I answer the phone, if not voicemail acts as my current secretary to screen calls for me. I have no idea how much business I'm loosing because I'm doing it this way, but I'm sure it's significant, as I know a lot of times people will go with the first person who will answer the phone.

I'm considering using an answering service. I think they are pretty cheap. You can get a second number to give for personal use like you are talking about. But have that number continuously forwarded to your cell. Then have the business number, which is the original cell number, forwarded to the answering service. They will answer calls with whatever script you provide them and say he is working in the field right now, he will call as soon as he is available. They will then get whatever info you need them to collect from the caller, and send it to you. So customers get someone answering the phone within a couple rings, they talk to a human that sounds like your personal secretary, and you never have to pick up the phone except to call back clients. Sales calls, and let's say same day service requests can all be screened for you so you don't have to deal with it. Sorry for being so long winded but I figured maybe a service like this might help you out.


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

ktfbgb said:


> I don't use Google voice. I started my business using my personal cell number, and still use just the one number to this day. I must tell you that I highly regret not having two numbers. I haven't had a land line in years either. I just looked at my call log. I got 37 calls Wednesday, 31 calls yesterday, and 24 calls today. That's 92 calls in the last 3 days. Of which 6 were personal calls. And it's not even busy season yet. And this doesn't even cover all the text messages for the business. So, at this point I I have to do something. I'm just not sure what yet. At this point it will be easier to change my personal number. I've gotten to the point where obviously all my personal contacts pop up with a name on caller ID. As well as snow removal contract holders, and repeat customers for my contracting business are contacts. If it's a named contact I answer the phone, if not voicemail acts as my current secretary to screen calls for me. I have no idea how much business I'm loosing because I'm doing it this way, but I'm sure it's significant, as I know a lot of times people will go with the first person who will answer the phone.
> 
> I'm considering using an answering service. I think they are pretty cheap. You can get a second number to give for personal use like you are talking about. But have that number continuously forwarded to your cell. Then have the business number, which is the original cell number, forwarded to the answering service. They will answer calls with whatever script you provide them and say he is working in the field right now, he will call as soon as he is available. They will then get whatever info you need them to collect from the caller, and send it to you. So customers get someone answering the phone within a couple rings, they talk to a human that sounds like your personal secretary, and you never have to pick up the phone except to call back clients. Sales calls, and let's say same day service requests can all be screened for you so you don't have to deal with it. Sorry for being so long winded but I figured maybe a service like this might help you out.


Don't worry about the long posts, Lord knows mine get pretty long. I have actually never heard of that service. I'll check that out too.


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## citywide (Nov 4, 2006)

We use google voice for years and have never had a problem. We use it because it allows us to simultaneously ring multiple cell phones at the same time. We use vonage for our landline and after three rings if no one picks up it transfers to our google voice which then rings the general mangers cell and the service managers cell at the same time so customers almost never have to deal with voicemail


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