ACD, or Automatic Call Distribution, allows callers to be put on hold in order until someone can take their call.
Activation Fee
The fee assessed upon activation of an account.
Additional Minutes
Additional minutes refer to the minutes used over the included amount. The number of included minutes is dependent on your plan.
After-hours Greeting
A greeting designed to play outside of business hours. These often let customers know you are out of the office and what steps they should take to reach you.
Answering Rules
Answering rules give you the ability to choose how incoming calls are handled.
Auto Receptionist
See Auto-Attendant or Custom Main Greeting
Auto-Attendant
Auto-attendant (also referred to as custom main greeting) automatically greets and directs callers to the appropriate extension using a pre-recorded message chosen by you.
Away greeting
A greeting specifically designed for the times you are not in the office. See After-hours greeting.
A department is a 1-digit extension used to direct your caller to a specific department rather than a specific person.
Dial-by-Name Directory
Dial-by-name directory allows callers to find a person's extension by searching for their first or last name.
Direct Connect
Direct Connect allows you to send the call directly to the destination phone number.
Distribution Lists
Distribution lists are lists you can create within your Grasshopper account, giving you the ability to send one message to multiple voicemail extensions.
Due Date
The Due Date is the earliest date that our underlying carrier can request for your local number transfer to take place depending on your current provider's interval.
Main greeting (or auto-attendant) is the first thing a caller hears when dialing your number. The main greeting can direct them to where they need to be.
Monthly Fee
A fee assessed to an account on a monthly basis. Typically associated with subscription-based services.
Music on Hold
Music or a message that is played while callers remain on hold.
PBX or private branch exchange is a telephone exchange that serves a particular business or office.
PBX Connect
If you have a PBX with an auto-attendant, PBX connect is a way for Grasshopper to interact with your PBX and forward calls to extensions in your office.
Porting
Porting allows you to transfer your number from one telephone service provider to another.
Also known as voicemail transcription, Read Your Voicemail transribes your voicemail and emails it to you.
Regulatory Recovery Fee
This is a surcharge that Grasshopper charges to help defray the costs incurred by complying with telecommunications obligations and charges imposed by State and Federal governments, and State and Federal Universal Service Charges.
A phone number in which the called party is charged the cost of the call. In the U.S, a toll free number is designated by a prefix (800, 888, 877, 866, 855)
Toll Free Rates
The cost per minute incurred when using a toll free number. The cost is assessed to the owner of the number versus the caller.
Transfer Call
Portion of the transfer during which the person who is initiating the transfer is trying to reach the person to whom the call will be transferred.
True 800 Number
A true 800 number is a toll free number with an 800 prefix. Ex: 800-820-8210
A vanity number is a toll free number that uses letters instead of numbers. Ex: 800-Flowers
Virtual Fax
A fax that can be sent through your virtual number and viewed online or via email.
Virtual Number
A virtual number is a telephone number without a directly-associated telephone line. The number can be programmed to forward incoming calls to one a pre-set telephone number.
Virtual Office
A virtual office is a combination of off-site live communication and address services that allow users to reduce traditional office costs while maintaining business professionalism.
Virtual PBX
A business phone system that has no physical connections such as wires and equipment and is hosted by the service provider.
Virtual Voicemail
A virtual answering machine for your phone. Messages are taken through your virtual PBX and stored in digital format. Voicemails can then be emailed directly to you or stored in your online account.
Voice Studio
A feature which allows professional voice actors to create custom greetings for your business based on a script written by you.
Voicemail
A means of electronically sending, receiving, and storing voice-based messages.
Voicemail to Email
Voicemails that can be delivered as digital audio files to your email inbox.
Voicemail Transcription
The ability to convert a voicemail into written text that can then be read via email or by logging into your account.
VOIP
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is the routing of voice calls over the Internet or through any other IP-based network.