Although this system is showing its age, Visual Voicemail is built-in on the larger display Synapse phone (pictured above), allowing you to navigate and manage voicemails as you scroll through your e-mail on your smartphone. Reliability and build quality are absolutely exceptional. It also offers the ability to connect multiple locations together for calling from store-to-store, for example. The included warranty is 2 years with an option to extend to 5 years. You cannot go wrong with this versatile AT&T solution! Unfortunately, it doesn’t support upgrading later to VoIP and the system does not offer a mobile app and the system was discontinued last year.
Grasshopper provides high-quality phone features to business owners that do not require equipment to be installed in their office, home, or on their smartphone. Grasshopper provides users with unlimited calling, call forwarding, and an automated attendant for an extremely low base price. This option is great for remote workers and business owners who need to stay in contact with customers and clients. Grasshopper offers a 7-day free trial. Click here to sign up for the trial and get a $75 discount.
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Editors' note: Line2 is owned by J2 Global, the parent company of PCMag's publisher, Ziff Davis.
“Hello, you’ve reached the special agent Bond. James Bond. Okay okay, it’s actually [last name]. I’m currently away saving the world on a top-secret mission but I will get back to you as soon as possible. Please leave your name, contact info, number, and availability and I’ll call back as soon as I’m done helping M16. Have a great day. [last name] out!”
(I use Verizon. My Smartphone IS my business phone. I got rid of the land line a year ago.)
I realize there are still those that swear by voicemail and use it regularly in business. However, consider that the telegraph was once an innovative form of communication!
The more feature-rich plans include team collaboration tools, conference bridging for up to nine people, call recording, and Nextiva Anywhere. Nextiva Anywhere is a feature that allows users to make and receive calls from any device, anywhere—all using one number.
Users of VirtualPhone.com applaud the company for its international calling features. Some users report frustration with customer service delays. These delays seem to be especially frustrating for customers experiencing billing issues. This problem should probably be considered when deciding between this and other companies.
RingCentral is one of the top names in VOIP for business. Their cloud-based solution gives users the trusted connectivity of a traditional phone line, with the mobility of whatever device they choose to work from on the go like a laptop or smartphone. The company offers subscribers a variety of toll-free numbers so customers can call from anywhere–including from long-distance–free of charge. Video calling helps add another form of connection to suit your business as well. At $19.99 per month, per user, RingCentral is competitively priced with its peers.
Thank you for calling (Your Name) at (Your Business), where (What You Do). I’m sorry that I was unable to take your call. Please leave me your name, number, and a quick message and I’ll call you back shortly.
Grasshopper provides a rich array of features, including custom greetings, call forwarding, call screening, and inbound fax. Voice mail and inbound faxes are automatically converted to email, so there are no documents to convert. Grasshopper will even read your voicemail to you. With Instant Response (included as part of the package), if you miss a call, a pre-determined text message will be sent to the caller.
With voicemail transcription, you have readable text that you can search and filter right in your inbox. This is helpful when you need to look up an important detail in a message, like a name or phone number, but don’t have time to listen to an entire voicemail message. Since messages are text-based, you can easily search their contents without having to remember who left you the voicemail and on what date and time.
The Premium and Ultimate plans, starting at $34.99 and $49.99 respectively, include advanced features, like conference calls with 200 people at once, automatic call recording, and multi-site support. The Ultimate plan additionally offers useful device status reports and alerts.
4. Vacation Day Voicemail Greeting. If your business is off for a holiday, it's a common courtesy to update your voicemail to acknowledge the closure. Mention the closure in the beginning of the message, convey when your business is reopening, and don't forget to wish the callers a happy holiday if the occasion calls for it.
A virtual business phone system like Grasshopper can help you create a professional, reliable voicemail greeting. It includes instant response and custom greetings, as well as access to the Grasshopper Voice Studio and professional voice talent for a one-time fee of $75.
If all this is starting to sound like more trouble than it's worth, remember that turning your PBX into a software solution means a significant opportunity for flexibility and integration that you simply can't get any other way. After all, programmers can now treat your phone as an app. Where that's taken us is to the fast-changing UCaaS paradigm mentioned above. Here, VoIP providers, like the ones we've reviewed, provide additional software capabilities that are all implemented and managed from a single, unified console.
Check out our roundup of the Best CRMs for Small BusinessesHow does VoIP pricing work?