Google Voice – A New Tool for Ministry
Posted on July 14, 2009
Google is finally rolling out Google Voice to the masses – albeit slowly – via invitation. To get an invitation, you simply need to enter your email address at this site. The site also has a really good demo video that details what Google Voice can do. I recently received my official invitation and proceeded to set up my Google Voice Number. After using GVoice for a few days, I wanted to detail how I see this tool being used as a GREAT ministry tool.
In a nutshell, GVoice is a true one-number service. Calls made to the GVoice number can be automatically forwarded to one or several other telephone numbers, or be forwarded directly to voicemail. Voicemails are run through the transcription engine and dropped into the Gvoice inbox. At this point, you as the user have the option to read the transcript or listen to the message. While the transcription is far from perfect at this point, Google states that improvements will continue based on user feedback. Users may also choose to have a copy of the voicemail and transcript emailed to their Gmail account.
When answering calls forwarded to a designated number, options exist to screen the calls somewhat. When I answer my Google Voice calls, I have the option of pressing one (1) to take the call, two (2) to send the call to voicemail or three (3) to listen in on the voicemail as it is being left and pick up on the call if necessary (remember screening calls with your answering machine?).
Are you worried about having a call come to your GVoice number in the middle of the night? Don’t be. GVoice also supports advanced scheduling for when calls are delivered and to what number. Want to override your schedule for a brief “Do Not Disturb”? Yep, GVoice supports that function too. During these “quiet times”, GVoice still takes a voicemail, transcribes it if possible and then forwards a copy of the voicemail and transcript to whatever email(s) you choose.
Some of the key features include:
- Local telephone number availability – may depend on telephone provider and locale. I had to get an AT&T number for a neighboring town.
- Unlimited 48 continental state calling with no Long Distance
- Tight integration to Google Contacts
- Low International Long Distance – For example, $0.01 per minute to Canada from the US (a/o today)
- Built in voicemail with transcription
- Unlimited SMS to and from your GVoice number
- Unified messaging with voicemail and SMS dropping into the same interface
- Custom call routing – Determine how specific calling numbers are handled (which number they are forwarded to, which voicemail message they receive, etc)
- Multiple destination telephone numbers
- Ability to record calls
Google Voice has a familiar email-type interface making it easy to do all GVoice functions from one place.
Potential Ministry Uses
Personally, I work with both Junior and Senior High Youth at our church. I will be using Google Voice for this ministry specifically for these features:
- Unlimited inbound and outbound SMS – While these plans are available for my cell, the inbox interface allows our ministry to send announcements, updates, handle multiple messages quickly and archive communications.
- Unlimited calling to any number allows us to use this tool to make free Long Distance calls from anywhere to anywhere in the continental US.
- I also have a widget on my blog where anyone can click, enter their number and call me at no cost to them or me (in the continental US).
During my early usage, I have also identified the following other potential uses for other ministries:
- Church Plants / Small Churches – Use GVoice as the published # for the church thus saving the cost of telephone/voicemail service/systems each month. Call routing can be set up in the background to route to one or many numbers. If staff changes, the church simply changes the call routing and continues to use the Gvoice number. Therefore, no need to change numbers.
- Long Distance savings – while many church staff may use cell service to call Long Distance numbers, thus saving Long Distance charges for the church, this still uses package minutes. GVoice calls are free within the continental US.
- Voicemail distribution – As church members leave voicemails on the GVoice #, notifications can be immediately emailed to the appropriate address.
- SMS notifications – churches may use the unlimited Inbound and Outbound SMS feature to send notifications and updates to church members without having to have an unlimited package on a cell phone. Plus the web interface makes message management easier.
As I use GVoice this fall, I will post significant updates as the service changes.
Does your church/ministry use GVoice? Do you plan to? Or, do you NOT see GVoice as a possible tool? Join the discussion in our forums.
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Tags: Google Voice, Ministry Tools
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6 Responses to “Google Voice – A New Tool for Ministry”
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Do the SMS features that Google Voice offers make services like Textmate less desirable for stuff like notifications?
Eric,
Thanks for stopping by. I’m not familiar with Textmate. I did some searching and wasn’t sure if I found the right product or not. Do you have a link?
You could probably set GVoice up for alerts, but that wasn’t the original design intent – IMO. It’s more set up for two-way communications.
If you can find a link, post it and I’ll look into it deeper.
Ha! I meant to type textmarks.com. We use it at HHBC to send notifications about inclement weather as well as event reminders.
If Google Voice is able to send 1 SMS message to a large list of people, it still (likely) does not have the opt-in/out features that Textmarks has.
No. GVoice doesn’t have the opt in/out feature like textmarks.
Are you using the free version or one of the pro versions?
Let’s move this conversation to the forum. Others might want to chime in. See the link to the forum entry at the bottom of the post.
I got my invite to Google Voice last week, and I’m doing some testing.
I’ve also just set up a Church phone email address, and have submitted that for an invite. Your suggestion for using it as a main phone number may be a perfect solution for us.
We’ve been looking into the purchase of a new phone system, and they are so very expensive. It seemed to me that there should be someway to just use our church cell phones instead of a traditional desk phone which goes unused for the most part.
This may be the solution, or the beginnings of one.
Thank you for the fantastic post! We’re on it!
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