Google Voice - FAQs
We have officially switched to Google Voice! Here is a document of FAQs to answer your questions about the transition and differences between Ringcentral.
What is Google Voice?
Google Voice is a phone system like Ringcentral, we use it for calling and receiving calls to our company.
How do I use it?
It is a little simpler than Ringcentral, but very similar. Simply download the Google Voice app, sign in with your Google credentials (“email@locdoc.net”) and you will have a number that was already assigned to you by the admin.
What do I need to do with the app?
This answer will differ depending on your role.
All employees will use Do Not Disturb if they want to avoid calls during a particular period. For instructions on Do Not Disturb, click here.
If you are a member of support staff, you will likely use Google Voice to receive calls through a ring group. The calls will come in through the app much like it did through RingCentral, with standard functions like the dialpad, contacts, call history, and voicemails.
If you are a technician, you will mostly use it for taking calls after hours, or if needed to make calls from your branch’s main number. Due to the process technicians follow for after hours ring groups, they will not receive calls to their Google Voice number, so make sure you are transferring to their direct lines. For more information on the On Call Technician Process, click here.
If you are a manager of a Ring Group, on top of the above processes, there are a few additional processes to follow in order to update or change the Ring Group settings. This includes changing who receives calls, voicemails, business hours, holidays, etc. For instructions on these processes click here.
How do I access contacts? Who should I transfer to? Google pulls from 3 places: your phone contacts, your Google Contacts, and your Google Directory. You can transfer to contacts from any of these locations. You will want to transfer to a Ring Group in order to send to a department generally, and you will want to transfer to a technician's physical phone if someone is trying to reach them directly (as mentioned above). (Google Voice will also tell you the source of a number, either from your phone or Directory, as well as if it is a Voice number or not, see screenshot below)
How can I add the Ring Groups to my contacts?
Each Ring Group has a specific number, so you can transfer to or call them directly. However you need to add these to your contacts so that you have access to them. Here is the link to the Ring Groups Contacts in a vcf file which can be downloaded via phone or computer. Click here for a video demonstration on importing contacts via either method.
How do I call from a different number? If you are assigned a number to call from (such as a ring group number or the main branch number), you can change the number you call from in the dial pad. See screenshot below, you will have a drop down and then you can select the number from there.
