Google Voice

[DrSchramm]

I hope this is in the correct place.

Google voice (business) does not allow you modify the outgoing caller ID information.

As a business owner using google voice, it would be most beneficial to accurately represent the business fully by identifying us by name and number. The current ID is an inaccurate location and blocking the number fully is not helpful for our business as a medical provider. 

[icrew]

You might want to post this to the Feature Ideas section here (https://www.googlecloudcommunity.com/gc/Feature-Ideas/gh-p/workspace-ideas-group) so that it can be upvoted by others and possibly considered as a future feature enhancement.

If you are submitting a feature idea, be sure to explain the problem that you're trying to solve with the feature idea, not just the idea itself. For example, saying "when my users are trying to do 'A', they often get confused by the fact that the buttons to do 'X' and to do 'Y' look quite similar to each other, which leads to this unintended consequence" is far more likely to get fixed than a feature idea that just says "change the color of the button 'Y'".

Cheers,

Ian

[achandrababu]

Just to clarify - is the request here to choose the number that is used as caller ID  when placing an outgoing call?

[mschwartz]

yes for me, that is my request.  Im able to do it on the desktop client, just not with the polycom desk phone

[scdietitians]

I believe that is what DrSchramm is referring to. I am in a similar position, I think. I guess to put it in the format that icrew mentioned:

We have one primary phone number, I'll refer to it as our "published" number, but each employee has their own Google Voice number. When my users are trying to place outbound calls, customers often get confused by the fact that our published business number does not appear, which leads them to believe it's either a wrong phone number or a scam call. So as not to cause confusion for clients, customers, patients, etc., I would like for their caller IDs to reflect the published number.

[mschwartz]

currently you can do that on the desktop computer client, just not on a polycom phone.  I dont remember the exact step, but customer support helped me.  you basically make a ring group, and you add the auto attendant to that ring group and then it lets you select that # as caller ID for outgoing calls on the desktop computer app

[scdietitians]

For that last "their", I am referring to my employees (users).

[PatrickWynn]

Thanks for the feedback. It should be possible to change your outgoing callerID to that of a Ring Group number today.

[JasonTM1]

What CallerID Name (CNAM) gets published with each users' CallerID Number(CNUM) and for the Ring Group numbers? Do they all use the name listed on the Workspace account or something else?

Thanks!

[jshupe]

It is not clear from your reference (Ring Group) how you select or assign the ring group caller id while making an outbound call from the google voice app or from a desk phone under google workspace.

[PatrickWynn]

Hi. Please see the animated image in this post from when Ring Groups were launched. Once a member of a ring group, your 'call as' number in the UI becomes modifiable.

[sunrisethera]

Is this feature available regardless of the voice level subscription you have?

[KAM]

@sunrisethera per the blog, it's "Available to all [Workspace] customers with Google Voice standard and premier licenses."  -KAM

[dbainbridge12]

I think I have the same issue.  I have a published number set to answer by the Auto-Attendant.  I can change the outbound caller ID for the user to the user's defined number, or the call group, but not the number set for the Auto-Attendant (published number).  Additionally, on the Google Voice App that you would install on a mobile phone (Android specifically), there is no option to change the outbound caller ID at all, so there is no option to choose the ring group, or the auto-attendant numbers.

[CGT-Jodi]

I have the Google Voice Starter package (we only have three total staff, I'm not paying more than $30 a month for 10 calls/week). As an online retailer our focus is on email support.

Currently our user names are pulled through the Google Voice license to show on the Caller ID to our customers, without any brand identity at all. This confuses our customers who are expecting a call from the company, not the person. My staff are work-from-home moms, reluctant to have personal information like names and addresses show, so this is also a potential source of harassment. 

The other option the Google Voice app allows is for our calls to be Anonymous which then makes us look like spammers! If we're trying to reach a customer to arrange delivery, they want to take our call, but they only will if they can tell it's us.

I liked DrSchramm's post because I would also like to be able to change the outgoing caller ID information for each Google Voice license. This would solve a lot of problems for my users and my customers, and seems simple enough to implement--it's just changing the text field. 

Thank you for your time. 

[christiannewman]

Ring groups is your answer - they will allow your outbound calls to be from the Ring group's number - not their individual Google Voice number - protecting their privacy and ensuring missed calls are returned to a central number answerable by all team members (or routed to an auto-attendant, or voicemail, etc)

[scdietitians]

How do you do this exactly? I have a ring group but have been unable to place outbound calls through it from individuals. Well, using a desk phone that is.

[christiannewman]

@scdietitians  Add the users as members of the ring group, then they'll see a pull-down menu in Google Voice (above the dial pad) where they can select whether they want to call from their direct number, or the ring group(s) they're members of. This applies to Google Voice interface itself - third-party hardware may introduce limitations. Working with Google Voice through the web app itself is the most secure, and flexible.

There are many other options you can use to finesse the workflow/experience - feel free to reach out if you get stuck.

[Kyuule]

Are you able to get this to work with multiple desk phone calling out from the same number? @christiannewman 

Ring groups work great when calling from the app or from a cell phone but to do what you've described above is not available on desk phones.

Currently in the process of switching to a different voip provider due to this issue, but you could save me lots of work if multiple desk phones can us the same number to call out.

[christiannewman]

@Kyuule  All of our clients use the Google Voice web and mobile apps, not third-party hardware/software. I'm sure third-party hardware/software introduce certain limitations, but you'd have to work with their manufacturers/developers to better understand what those limitations are and how to work around them.

[Kyuule]

Yes unfortunately this is a problem with Google not implementing this
feature for any desk phone manufacture. You made it sound like you had
found a solution when you actually just have repeated what has been said.

It is possible to call out with the same number if (and ONLY if) one is
using a computer or a cell phone. This is not possible with a desk phone.
I spoke with Google and they acknowledged it is a feature they are working
on but confirmed does not work currently.

[mschwartz]

yes, you are on it

[mschwartz]

fyi there is no limitation by polycom.  I spoke to them and confirmed that, as I was getting to the bottom of this issue.  And by my own experience with polycom phones with perior voip providers, its not an issue because this feature was available with all of them.  the good news is that a google staff person has indicated on this thread that google voice is rolling out this feature early next year.  Until then I try to make outgoing calls from my computer instead of the polycom so that the outbound caller ID is proper.  I have a polycom voxbox hooked up for amazing sounds reception on speakerphone

[mschwartz]

right now you can do it on the desktop computer app, but not the polycom desk phone. And yes, each user in our google workspace is able to select our main # as outbound caller ID

[mschwartz]

currently its not possible with the polycom desk phone, but a google staff has replied to this thread saying they are rolling that out early next year.  Currently you can do this on the computer app.  once you get the ring group established you are able to set it so that you can select it as your outbound caller ID.  I wish I could remember the steps to set that up.  Im sure if you call google support they can hook you up.

[dbainbridge12]

Although this would be much easier if Google would provide a simple “set all outgoing calls to dial from “ dropdown list of assigned numbers”, I have been able to configure a workaround that may work for some.  This works for me personally, and all my users are able to call out from my public facing company number and don't have to use an unknown Google number, or make an Anonymous call.

Settings for Google Voice under Admin (admin.google.com)

1. Create a “Standard Greeting” Auto Attendant that users will get when they call into the public facing office number.  DO NOT ASSIGN the public facing office number, but rather assign one of the available numbers from Google.  Configure with your Welcome Message, and menu trees as you desire.  (I set differing menu options to transfer the caller to specified ring groups, ie. 1 for Sales, 2 for Tech Support, etc.)  
2.  Create a "Main Office" Ring Group and assign the public facing office number to it. 
1. On the Configuration, Open Call Routing and set the Call Routing Pattern as "Simultaneous" and the Total Ring Duration at 15 seconds.
2. Open the Unanswered Calls, set it to "Forward the Caller", Forward Type to "Auto attendant" and Target Auto Attendant to "Standard Greeting".
3. Create Ring Groups as necessary (ie. Sales, Tech Support, etc.) and route accordingly.

Settings for Google Voice under User (voice.google.com)

1. For each user, log into the user account from web browser.  On the right side, set the Call As to “Main Office Ring Group”.  (The app should remember the setting for future outgoing calls unless changed.)

Settings for Google Voice App (confirmed for Android version, IOS should be the same)

1. For each user, log into the Google Voice app.  Select the keypad as if you are going to dial a number and set the Call As to “Main Office Ring Group”.  (The app should remember the setting for future outgoing calls unless changed.)

[tom_nehrlich]

Yes, this method works OK for our small insurance office (5 employees).  Getting all our users used to answering/placing calls via voice.google.com is the trick. We supply everyone with a headset that allows for handsfree phone work via voice.google.com, and we configure it so all out-going calls are sent via our public facing office number. 

We all have Poly VVX desk phones and so far Google has not provided a method for using the public facing office number when placing calls from desk phones.  As has been discussed in this group many times before, not having the ability to place calls from desk phones using the main number is very confusing to our clients who expect to see our main number and not some otherwise random number which can lead to our calls often not getting answered and/or returned.  Our users would also naturally rather use a desk phones for easy answers, transfers, etc. 

Is there a technical reason for the desk phone - main number limitation? Is it a limitation with the desk phones themselves or with Google Voice for Business?  

[mschwartz]

yes this is an issue for my company as well.  We got it working for outgoing calls made on each person's computer but for outgoing calls from the polycom phone we are unable to set outgoing caller ID to our main number (which is now a ring group).  I doubt its an issue with polycom phone because I had a number of other voip providers over the years prior to google voice for business and it wasnt an issue for any of them.  All in all I am sticking with google voice because there are things i like about it.  But this is the main missing feature currently

[Kyuule]

Desperately need a answer on how to do this with desk phones, specifically the vvx 350. 

[achandrababu]

We will launch a feature early next year to allow you to change the outgoing caller ID for your deskphones via the Voice Web client. Hope that helps. 

[mschwartz]

great news Achandrababu.  Can't wait

[JWT]

It's now September of "next year" and I don't see the ability to do this. Is it still in the works, or am I missing something? Thanks.

[Demitri]

I'm a new Google Voice for business user, and I'm trying to figure out if there's a way for my company name to show up on the caller ID for outgoing calls. Please help!

[christiannewman]

Google Voice does not currently support the use of outgoing CNAM... you'd have to list yourself on CNAM and there's a post that details potential solution to this here.

[Life_House]

We are in the same boat as you.  I want our company's name to show up for the Caller ID when we call, not just the phone number.  I hope this feature will be included as an enhancement in the future.  I'm submitting it as a suggestion today.

[shawnseattle]

Here is the info I received from Google Workplace Support today. I'm going to try it and see if it works. Sharing here for others searching for a solution in the future:

1) Please log in to your user interface at Voice.google.com or in your Google voice app. 

2) Then please go to Settings and scroll down to find "Anonymous caller id" option.

2) Toggle that ON and leave it for at least 24 to 48 hours. After that, you can turn off that option. 

3) This will refresh the receivers directories, and then you can see that only the number and the city name is visible and will remove the saved name from the directories

[achandrababu]

We are looking into options to support this in 2023/24

[Life_House]

Thanks for the update, achandrababu!

[KAM]

You might look at this post re:CNAM which I have NOT tried but it makes sense: https://www.reddit.com/r/Googlevoice/comments/lu5b53/fix_for_google_voice_outgoing_caller_id/ -KAM

[Life_House]

Thanks for the link, KAM!!  Much appreciated. 😊