Get Shift Done: Tips and Tricks

Use Your Google Apps Account to Get Free Phone Service for Your Business

Guess what? With your Google Apps account you can get a phone number for your business that rings on your cell phone, transcribe your voicemails, and then sends those transcriptions to your Gmail inbox.

You can even send free text messages and make cheap international calls. Here’s how:

First, go to the Google Voice site. It will ask you to log in with your Google account. Make sure to click the account associated with your Google Apps business account.

Tick the box that says you agree to the Google Voice’s Terms and Privacy Policy, after you read them, of course. Then click Proceed.

In the next step, Google Voice will ask you if you want to create a new number or use your mobile number. Choose I want a new number.

To make this work, you also need to enter an existing phone number. I used my cell number, but you can pick a home number or any number you like (as long as it’s yours). Put the number in the Phone Number box.

Then, click on the dropdown menu and choose Home, Work or Mobile from the list and click Continue.

Now, Google Voice will give you a code to verify your phone. Click on the Call Me Now button, wait for the call and key in your code when asked to do so on the phone call.

Now for the fun part. You get to choose your new number. You can find an available number by searching by zip code, area code, a word, or a phrase.

Select your number from the search results, click Continue then Finish and you’re done.

You can add more numbers to your account by going to Settings > Phones > Add another phone.

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