Google voice customer service.

cell14 · Post by **cell14** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 9:48 pm

I was very happy about Google Voice untill the very moment I discovered that there is no customer service. You have a problem, you are on your own. You can spend hours on forums and if you are lucky, you may find help. In my case, I tried to get an additional GV number through one of my numerous addresses ( you cannot have multiple accounts on the same one) and when I tried to register, I got an "invalid invitation" message upon clicking the link. It seems to be a wide spread problem. I had to sign up again for an invitation.
You cannot and should not complain about a free service. However, the lack of customer service is a warning sign whether a service is free or not.
I do not know what they are up to, maybe keeping a limited "basic"' service free and charge a "premium" service fee for a better one.
For my part I rescinded my decision to put the GV number on my business cards, untill certain issues are solved. MJ has at least a (crappy) customer service.

murphy · Post by **murphy** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 7:19 am

An "invitation" can only be used once. It sounds like you tried to use the original invitation to get a second number.

Darkman90808 · Post by **Darkman90808** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 4:29 pm

Actually, I have a bigger concern since I have begun using GV as my permanent number. While I agree, it's hard to complain about free stuff, I feel caveat emptor is in order.

It's not uncommon or unheard of for providers of free technology or even pay-for-service to abandon it later. A couple I can think of are X-drive, Yahoo photos and Google Pages.

It may not be the end of the world to have to move your files or photos but if GV becomes an orphan, it could be a real grunt. Or, if they change the rules so it becomes undesirable for conventional use. (I'm thinking of the idea discussed where they interject advertising while waiting to be connected.)

I think it's a cool service and one for which I would pay a nominal amount, but I would sure hate to have to change everything back now that I've put it out as my main number.

tazxx · Post by **tazxx** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 7:40 pm

This is still Beta. I agree with Darkman90808, buyer beware. Google does not go in to detail with anything they put out. But there is a wealth of info on the forums. Google employees monitor some of these and are quick to respond. You also have a feedback link in GV. To my suprise, they actually read this and it is not a bot.

As far as putting your GV# on business cards, I think your safe, had my GC/GV for 2 years without a problem, but I would also include a backup # on them. No one knows what the future will bring, be ready just in case.

Tazxx

cell14 · Post by **cell14** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 8:59 pm

Or, if they change the rules so it becomes undesirable for conventional use. (I'm thinking of the idea discussed where they interject advertising while waiting to be connected.)

That would be a real killer. I would drop it faster than a hot potato.

Google employees monitor some of these and are quick to respond. You also have a feedback link in GV. To my suprise, they actually read this and it is not a bot.

They certainly did not read or respond to the numerous postings on the above issue. there were so many of them that I did not even bother to post it myself

I think your safe, had my GC/GV for 2 years without a problem, but I would also include a backup # on them

Yeah, but that's the point. GV was supposed to be a real "grand central" number, the one number you give out and you manage all incoming calls through your private switch. If I have to include my cell phone, which is the only number which has been around for 16 years and which will not change, the whole thing loses much of it s purpose. It will be, more or less. just an additional voice mail plus a number you give to undesirable people

tazxx · Post by **tazxx** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 10:39 pm

cell14

I really do not know what's buggin you? It IS Beta, it IS free, do you want a legal binding contract that states, you should abandon ALL your other communications because, IT should work this way???

Did that with Verizon. Paid $90 a month for service, lost $6000 in ONE week due to their lack of ability to get their service in order to acomodate my needs (getting a VM in a "timely manor", should not be a problem, NOT a week later), recieved sorry about the inconvenience we are working on it??? Well when you get it fixed let me know. Dropped like a "HOT POTATO" and a $320 cancelation fee later, it was better than taking a chance on losing another customer. After that, I just said it was an expensive lesson, and DO NOT count on any one provider for your needs.

If you want an alternative for your calling needs give it a try, if it does not meet your expectations, by all means drop it like a "HOT POTATO", there are many that can use it, and can give it a try, give feedback (firsthand, not through others), and see how it progresses.

Tazxx

Darkman90808 · Post by **Darkman90808** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 12:18 pm

(getting a VM in a "timely manor", should not be a problem, NOT a week later),

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. I'm glad I'm not the only one that has experienced this. I thought I was losing it.

I'm also with Verizon and I've had some pi$$ed off clients who have called and left messages that I didn't get for two or three days. I lost total credibility with them. (Who's going to believe you didn't get their message for three days?) Even more frequently, I've watched as calls go straight to VM, but if you don't look at your phone for a while, you don't know you have a message.

I think this is one of the reasons I have such high hopes for Google Voice. If they can make a go of this, which I believe they will, I would love to have a premium service with features like the ability to adjust the number of rings before going to VM and to ring back through an extension.

cell14 · Post by **cell14** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 4:55 pm

Been there, done that

Sure. We all know how reliable those brand name big corporations can be.
Good example was the fancy Toyota technician, after I came back complaining about heavily overfilled engine oil, who claimed that it was not over filled, just my dipstick was wrong.
What that other rude poster missed : I do not expect an abolute reliability from anything. I am rather happy with magic jack and we know how reliable THAT is. The question was whether you want to use the GV number for it's intended purpose, meaning as your main or only number and a switch, knowing that the service may not be around ( or be around in a not acceptable form) a year from now.

Darkman90808 · Post by **Darkman90808** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 5:44 pm

just my dipstick was wrong.

Now I don't care who you are; that's funny right there.
Larry the Cable Guy

Back to the topic at hand. It's about risk management, right? But even large organizations move, may be subjected to area code changes, etc.

I s'pose I'm being redundant but I'm willing to give GV the benefit of the doubt, knowing they could easily yank the plug on the whole program at any time.

unlimiteduser · Post by **unlimiteduser** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 7:25 pm

Ive been an avid user of Grand Central " Now Google Voice" since day one , gave out many new lines to the Katrina victim and Ike to the displaced families , Im a tester so all I can say is its never failed and has worked flawlessly for almost 3 yrs.

I just bought a MJ to do nothing but pickup my calls coming from GV, I can tell you use nothing less than a 6ghz portable phone and a very good internet cable or dsl connection high band width mine runs at 12meg and 1.5 up .

Im setup on a dedicated PC , is its sole function and Email from all my GV numbers 16 total.

I carry my Laptop every where plus a Vtech 6ghz portable hooked to my power inverter in my truck, and where I live near Houston Texas there is always a unsecured wireless connection . so Im excited to see how MJ will work this way

BTW I ran vonage the above way in my truck with GV worked flawlessly.

so if this works like I think Ill pick up a few more to play with.

Im a MS beta tester with Win7 so Ill be playing with this also

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