With the launch of Google Voice this past year, awareness surrounding the virtual phone, virtual pbx, hosted pbx industry has skyrocketed, and here at Grasshopper we have been fortunate enough to enjoy the benefits. More awareness means more people wanting to know what a virtual number is, what a virtual phone system is, how it works, who does this, how it can benefit them and how they can get it?
It also means more people asking, 'What is the difference between Grasshopper and Google Voice?'.
The first thing we say is, Grasshopper is designed for small businesses and entrepreneurs versus the general consumer. We are dedicated to helping our customers sound professional, stay connected and ultimately grow their business.
That being said, our feature set has been built as a focused set of tools for entrepreneurs and their businesses - that is really the key difference.
Below we have highlighted just a few of the core features of the Grasshopper virtual phone system – all items not available with Google Voice:
Toll Free 800 Numbers
- A primary difference and business essential - A toll free number is a great way to help a business grow, look bigger and more professional, and provide customers with a means to reach you. With Grasshopper you can get general 1800 numbers (800,888,877 & 866 numbers) along with custom vanity numbers (i.e. 1-800-AWESOME) and have them forwarded to any number on any phone in the world.
Phone Number Ownership
- As a Grasshopper customer you own the rights to your toll free or local phone number. If you decide to change service providers you can take the phone number with you. For businesses this is extremely important as the majority of marketing materials (business cards, website, etc) contain a business phone number. When you own the phone number, you don’t have to worry about adjusting all of your current materials just because you change providers.
Multiple Extensions
- As a business you probably want to add extensions for your employees. This is not only possible with Grasshopper, but also extremely easy. We offer unlimited extensions! That’s right we said UNLIMITED. Each extension includes voice mail, call forwarding, custom greetings and more.
Multiple Numbers in ONE Account
- With Grasshopper you have multiple numbers within the same account. These numbers can all forward to any number you wish without limitations. This is important when you have several local numbers and a toll free number for your business. You need the ability to forward all numbers to one phone (whether this is home, office or cell). With Google Voice, you currently have the ability to forward two numbers to landline but only one to a mobile phone.
Voicemail Transcription
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One great feature with Google Voice is the voice mail transcription. As a general consumer, using my phone just for personal use, it is an awesome feature. Grasshopper not only transcribes your voicemail messages but we also email you your voicemail transcriptions so you can easily access them while you are working from your computer.
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Example: Say you’re in a business meeting, can't take a call, see the voice mail is from an important person but the transcription just doesn't read correctly. You never have to listen to your voice mail and perhaps miss an important message.
24/7 Live Support
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This is probably the biggest difference when it comes to our service and Google Voice. With our users being business men and women, we know how important it is to make sure service is always available and reliable. Just as we wouldn't want to miss a call, we don't want our customers to either. Our 24/7 dedicated support team offers help with set up, online account management and any issues or questions you may be having.
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That means if you live in California and decide to improve your business at 3am PST a real live Grasshopper support team member (yes we understand it is a rare occasion to get a real person on the phone nowadays) is just a phone call away at 800-820-8210 to help you out.
Away Greetings (After Hours, Vacations, Holidays etc.)
- You are a 1-2 person operation who has business calls forwarded to your cell phone using Grasshopper. Do you want to be receiving calls at 9 o'clock at night when you have settled down with your family? Probably not. With Away Greetings you have the option of creating a specific greeting for designated hours each day. Phone calls will not be sent to your phone and callers will hear the message you want them to.
On Hold Music
- You are on your cell phone, you put someone on hold, what do they hear? Silence. With Grasshopper you are able to upload your own on hold music or commercial. Choose music, commercials, jokes, whatever it is you want your customers to hear. Again, it helps your business sound professional and maybe even promote your lasted product to your customer, which is our goal.
We hope that answers any questions you have but if not, please feel free to contact our previously mentioned “live 24 hour/7 days a week” support team at 800-820-8210.
Interested in more information on Grasshopper vs. Google Voice?
This article was written by Allison Canty.
