Grasshopper Review
Grasshopper comes with the further cost which is not associated with our current Market Standard. This is a fee which is charged following the creation of a personal account -- a total of 5.63 will be added to the bill for "taxes and surcharges".
At the same time, with the basic plan, there are no minutes included. If one does not include the additional expense of this fee, the overall price is more or less standard. With the account, users will receive a 30-day money back guarantee, which is helpful as there is no free trial preceding creation.
Without the drawbacks that come with no free trial, and the minor additional expense, Grasshopper makes for a decent service. For advanced PBX users looking for full internet fax, call blocking, call recording and call tagging, another service should be sought after.
As for customer support, Grasshopper provides standard quality assistance around the clock, available through phone, email and live chat.
Prices
The basic plan you will have access to offers a total of 500 minutes. Mid-level, users will be provided with a high-quality service which is comparable to the current market.
A toll-free number comes as part of the overall fee -- though 800 toll numbers will cost users 30 for activation. For all vanity and existing numbers which are placed within the system, users will also be charged 30. The start-up fee and the lack of free trial are eclipsed by the 30-day money back guarantee.
Online User Interface
The online interface that is offered by Grasshopper is relatively average, which means users have the ability to put together an account quite easily and without bother. On the downside, there is no setup wizard to offer assistance. It is possible to upload and store contacts with the particular interface -- and this is possible either by cutting and pasting, or by using the import option from Microsoft Outlook.
Additional features of Grasshopper include accessing call logs, setting up voicemail alerts, customizing music and uploading greetings. There is no mobile app.
Call Features
As far as call management features go, Grasshopper's online user interface does no offer users the option of setting up call handling rules.
Alternatively, it offers all users the chance to forward and transfer calls made. When on call, it is possible to place the caller on hold, or transfer that caller to voicemail, simply by making use of the keypad. One drawback is the inability to block calls.
By using the Follow Me handling option, users of Grasshopper can set up a selection of extensions that will then proceed in ringing once incoming calls are received.
There is no call recording, no call tagging function -- though there is the option of call screening. If outgoing calls need to be places across America, the extensions provided may function as a virtual calling card.
PBX Features
There is a function that allows users to store their voicemails online, while receiving an alert in the form of an email when a voicemail is received.
There is a voicemail-to-text service for another 10 each month. Users have a total of 30 days to store an infinite number of voicemails on the net.
Grasshopper provides all users with an infinite amount of extensions attached to their specific monthly plan. This is a huge improvement compared to our Market Standard, which currently stands at 10.
In addition to this, it allows for conference calling, but with the drawback of not automatically providing a bridge number. It charges for conference calls by taking the minutes used up and multiplying them by the number of people involved in the call. There is a limit of 10 people per call. Grasshopper does not provide the ability to hold multiple conferences, and simply includes receive-only internet fax services.
Customer Support
The phone and email customer support is standard. There is no live chat support, but assistance is available 24 hours a day and without significant hold times.
|
