Virtual Receptionist + Google Voice Forwarding?

April 2, 2018 10:38 AM

I recently started a small service business and I'm trying to sort out the phone situation before I start advertising. I'd like to accomplish two things: 1) Find a decent answering service/virtual receptionist that will answer occasional calls when I'm busy so callers reach a person rather than voicemail, and 2) Use my current google voice number if possible to keep down costs. Can this be done?

Previous asks date back to at least 2012 and aren't exactly related, hence this post. And a search led me to this FAQ but it isn't my exact situation either.

I anticipate getting up to 10 calls a week, and I won't be available to answer all of them for reasons. When I'm busy, I'd like to arrange for a virtual receptionist to take the caller's details so I can return the call when I'm available. So this would be inbound-messaging only.

* Any recommendations on good virtual receptionist companies? I'd prefer U.S.-based. I don't want to pay a ton but I'm not sure what is typical. A quick search shows a wide range of monthly fees: 39 (although affordable, written communication with them was really unprofessional), 100, 150, and 239. I'll be looking more into the different companies, but I welcome any suggestions.
* Is it possible to arrange for my google voice number, which is tied to my personal cell phone, to be forwarded periodically to the virtual receptionist company?

I'd like to keep costs on the lower end, which is why I'm trying to use the free GV line, but I'll abandon this combo plan if it gets too convoluted. It's more important to me that callers reach a professional-sounding receptionist.

posted by mayta to Technology (2 answers total)

One thing to factor in is that my MIL runs her own business and gets a TON of spam, advertising, fake calls on that line so your 10 legit calls a week may quickly become more than that. Sorry that I don't have more information on the actual virtual receptionist aspect of this.
posted by edbles at 11:43 AM on April 2, 2018 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Update: I called some companies and got information about the call forwarding process using GV. Sharing it here in case others are interested. Essentially, one just goes into the GV settings to change the forwarding number from one's own number to the company's number and then coordinates with the company to get the pin number to verify it all.

Now that's solved, I still welcome any tips on specific companies that anyone prefers.

And thanks, edbles.
posted by mayta at 3:59 PM on April 2, 2018 [2 favorites]