Looking for a very basic virtual call-forwarding and auto-reception service
June 18, 2012 10:06 AM Subscribe
I'm looking for a very basic virtual call-forwarding and auto-reception service. I'd like a service where the actual caller is forwarded to an employee's cell phone number instead of a VOIP call from the service provider.
I work for a small company with three employees. I'm not an IT guy but I'm the only engineer (mechanical) and by far the youngest, so I get stuck doing anything remotely technical or computer-related.
We are getting rid of our phone service at our office because it is rare that any of us are actually at the office. What I envision is an internet-based system where a caller dials a phone number (preferably local, but I could stand toll-free only) and receives an automated response. Dial 1 for this employee, dial 2 for this employee, etc...
Here's the catch: I'd like that call to be directly forwarded to said employee's cell phone.
I'm currently using a trial on RingCentral, and it seems most services I can find are similar. RingCentral will provide the menu, but it routes the caller through their own system. So, for example, if the said employee doesn't answer, the caller leaves a voicemail on the RingCentral system, which then emails an mp3 file of the voicemail to said employee. Also, since everything is routed through RingCentral, the service keeps track of the minutes being used. The default plan only includes 300 minutes, which isn't much for our company.
I'm looking for solutions. I'd prefer a web-based company similar to Ring Central, but with the options I'm looking for. That being said, I'm open to any other suggestions. Unless there are some FCC regulations preventing that type of service, I don't see why it wouldn't exist.
I work for a small company with three employees. I'm not an IT guy but I'm the only engineer (mechanical) and by far the youngest, so I get stuck doing anything remotely technical or computer-related.
We are getting rid of our phone service at our office because it is rare that any of us are actually at the office. What I envision is an internet-based system where a caller dials a phone number (preferably local, but I could stand toll-free only) and receives an automated response. Dial 1 for this employee, dial 2 for this employee, etc...
Here's the catch: I'd like that call to be directly forwarded to said employee's cell phone.
I'm currently using a trial on RingCentral, and it seems most services I can find are similar. RingCentral will provide the menu, but it routes the caller through their own system. So, for example, if the said employee doesn't answer, the caller leaves a voicemail on the RingCentral system, which then emails an mp3 file of the voicemail to said employee. Also, since everything is routed through RingCentral, the service keeps track of the minutes being used. The default plan only includes 300 minutes, which isn't much for our company.
I'm looking for solutions. I'd prefer a web-based company similar to Ring Central, but with the options I'm looking for. That being said, I'm open to any other suggestions. Unless there are some FCC regulations preventing that type of service, I don't see why it wouldn't exist.
Response by poster: Thanks eatcake. I haven't looked at Phonebooth. I'll check it out in more detail and see if it fits what we need.
As for why I want the service in the first place... We get a lot of calls from new customers through our website. I don't really feel comfortable putting all of our individual cell phone numbers on the website for everyone to see. Once we establish said customer, then yes, we'll have them directly call our cell phones.
posted by JacksonEsquire at 11:23 AM on June 18, 2012
As for why I want the service in the first place... We get a lot of calls from new customers through our website. I don't really feel comfortable putting all of our individual cell phone numbers on the website for everyone to see. Once we establish said customer, then yes, we'll have them directly call our cell phones.
posted by JacksonEsquire at 11:23 AM on June 18, 2012
Response by poster: Thanks for the suggestion on Voip.ms. I spoke with customer service and while, still not ideal, it's better than RingCentral and Phonebooth.
However, you have to perform a strange workaround in order for the cell phone's voicemail to answer instead of the VOIP service's voicemail. Also, you're still charged for VOIP minutes after it redirects the caller to your cell phone.
I'm open to any other suggestions, otherwise it looks like I'll try out voip.ms.
posted by JacksonEsquire at 2:25 PM on June 18, 2012
However, you have to perform a strange workaround in order for the cell phone's voicemail to answer instead of the VOIP service's voicemail. Also, you're still charged for VOIP minutes after it redirects the caller to your cell phone.
I'm open to any other suggestions, otherwise it looks like I'll try out voip.ms.
posted by JacksonEsquire at 2:25 PM on June 18, 2012
Normally I'd suggest callcentric.com as an alternative to voip.ms but I don't think either one of those offer the automated attendant feature (Press 1 for Jim, Press 2 for Bob, etc ...) that the OP had mentioned.
I've used Callcentric in the past and although you can set up complex call management (ie forwarding etc) any type of forwarding accrued a double charge. One charge for the incoming call and a second charge for the outgoing (or forwarded) call. So if the per minute rate is $0.015 then a forwarded call would cost $0.030 per minute. This is of course on the pay-per-call plan. They do have monthly plans too.
posted by eatcake at 7:53 PM on June 18, 2012
I've used Callcentric in the past and although you can set up complex call management (ie forwarding etc) any type of forwarding accrued a double charge. One charge for the incoming call and a second charge for the outgoing (or forwarded) call. So if the per minute rate is $0.015 then a forwarded call would cost $0.030 per minute. This is of course on the pay-per-call plan. They do have monthly plans too.
posted by eatcake at 7:53 PM on June 18, 2012
eatcake, voip.ms does indeed provide some IVR (Interactive Voice Response, aka automated attendant) options. You attach an IVR to a number Voip.MS hosts. You set up a list of where various button combinations go. Possible places to have button presses go include; another IVR setup, another phone number.
As odinsdream explained, using call forwarding from basically all cheap providers (if you are not paying thousands a month to a carrier, than the plan is cheap) charge per minute for calls forwarded. As eatcake points out, some providers charge for two minutes instead of one for each minute of call because you are using both an incoming and an outgoing line at the same time.
posted by fief at 10:41 AM on June 19, 2012
As odinsdream explained, using call forwarding from basically all cheap providers (if you are not paying thousands a month to a carrier, than the plan is cheap) charge per minute for calls forwarded. As eatcake points out, some providers charge for two minutes instead of one for each minute of call because you are using both an incoming and an outgoing line at the same time.
posted by fief at 10:41 AM on June 19, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
Having said that, have you looked at Phonebooth?
posted by eatcake at 11:18 AM on June 18, 2012