Google Voice auto-attendant: How it works + 9 limitations

Time is money when you’re on the phone with customers, so why not save both with an auto-attendant? These were designed to automatically route calls and filter out spam so you can spend more time helping callers one-on-one.

While most business phone systems offer auto-attendants, not all of them are actually helpful. This includes Google Voice; while it does offer automated attendants, they’re limited in what they can do.

This guide explains everything you should know about Google Voice’s auto-attendant, including its features, limitations, and platform-wide drawbacks.

Already hunting for Google Voice alternatives? We list one (with a better auto-attendant) at the bottom of the guide. 

Can you set up an auto-attendant with Google Voice?

Google Voice offers an auto-attendant on its higher-level Standard and Premier plans (which cost $20 and $30 per user per month, respectively). It offers all the basic functionality you might expect from an auto-attendant, such as:

• Playing back messages
• Creating text-to-speech greetings (or auto-attendant scripts)
• Setting business hours
• Sending callers to voicemail
• Letting callers choose menu options (such as ‘press one for sales’)

Unfortunately, Google Voice’s auto-attendant isn’t the easiest to use. You’ll first need to assign a phone number to the auto-attendant, which means purchasing a new number and user license or reassigning one your team is already using. Porting a number into Google Voice could help you save money if you already have an existing line, but the process can be difficult.

You also can’t send or receive text messages from Google Voice numbers with auto-attendants, which could be a dealbreaker if you manage SMS messages and incoming calls.

But the nail in the coffin is poor reliability. Many customer reviews cite issues with Google Voice’s auto-attendants and report bugs and glitches that prevent them from routing calls.

Some of the most commonly reported issues include:

• Calls failing to transfer 
• Voicemails won’t record
• Google Voice voicemails become inaccessible

9 Google Voice limitations you need to know

Already frustrated with Google Voice? This is only the tip of the iceberg.

Here are nine other Google Voice cons to keep in mind:

1. Collaboration with your team is limited 

You can use Google Voice’s auto-attendants to help route calls to your team, but there’s no way to collaborate to solve customer problems.

For example:

• Google Voice doesn’t offer shared numbers that let reps send and receive texts and calls from a single phone number
• All texts, calls, and voicemails are stored in separate folders 
• There are no internal threads or mentions to better communicate with teammates, for example, tagging a rep to get their attention when you need their help 

Your best bet is connecting with a third-party tool like Slack to collaborate. But since Google doesn’t offer third-party integrations, you’ll have to settle for switching between platforms (more on this later).

2. You have to pay for two subscriptions 

If you already use Google Voice for business, you know how expensive it can get. You’re not just paying for a Google Voice plan — you also have to pay for a Google Workspace subscription.

The least expensive Workspace subscription starts at $6 per user per month, so combined with the base plan for Google Voice, you’ll pay $16 per user per month.

Of course, you’re eventually going to need more features as you grow. You might be paying $48+ per user per month after upgrading to the highest-tier plans.

We cover the rest in our guide to Google Voice pricing.

3. Three-way calling is limited

It’s possible to set up a three-way call in Google Voice. It just won’t be easy (or private) since Google Voice doesn’t natively support three-way calling.

Your first option is to have participants call your Google Voice number at an indicated time and merge the calls. However, this may not portray the most professional image. A second option is to call participants from the mobile app, but there’s a caveat: participant #2 will see your personal mobile number. 

Your only other option is to use Google Meet. But if you want longer calls, more participants, video call recordings, and noise cancellation, be prepared to add on a Google One Premium plan.

4. No third-party integrations 

You can only configure your Google Voice account with other tools in the Google Cloud. This means the best you can do is connect your business phone number to Gmail, Calendar, or another tool in the G-Suite.

In other words? There are no Google Voice integrations or a Google Voice API to integrate with Microsoft Teams, send call logs to your CRM, or keep your Slack account updated with recently missed calls. This could create communication silos that hinder your team and create confusion. 

5. No desktop app

Unlike many other VoIP phone services, Google Voice doesn’t offer a desktop app. This might slow down reps trying to find the right browser tab, especially when Google’s IVR suddenly transfers a call.

6. Texting is only available to US customers

Texting through Google Voice is only available for US customers, even if you’re based in the US and living overseas. This could be a serious limitation as your business grows and you want to start sending messages to international customers.

Want to get around this by forwarding your calls? Unfortunately, Google Voice doesn’t support call forwarding for international numbers.

Texting isn’t available anyway if you use Google Voice’s auto-attendant. Remember: text messaging is disabled on numbers with auto-attendants.

7. You can’t use toll-free numbers

Google Voice doesn’t support vanity or toll-free numbers.

This means you can’t buy a toll-free number on Google Voice or port one in from an existing carrier to use for your auto-attendant.

8. Automatic call recordings require upgrading to the highest-tier plan

Want to record your calls with Google Voice? Get ready to pay $20 per user per month for the Standard plan (plus a Google Workspace subscription).

If you want automatic call recordings, you’ll have to upgrade again to the Premier plan ($30 per user per month).

The more team members you add, the higher your monthly costs.

9. You can’t schedule customer texts

If you use Google Voice, you’ll find it tough to put your work on autopilot.

For example, there’s no way to schedule texts, create message snippets, or queue up Google Voice auto-replies to promptly respond to customers. 

You also can’t set up texting automations that streamline your workflows, like sending customers a confirmation message after they fill out a form on your website.

How to set up an auto-attendant in OpenPhone

You can use Google Voice to set up an auto-attendant, but for most business owners, it’s more trouble than it’s worth. That’s one of the reasons Google Voice users switch to OpenPhone — with AI-powered auto-attendants, you can build a dynamic phone menu in minutes.

Here’s how to set up an auto-attendant with OpenPhone in seven steps:

1. Sign up for an OpenPhone account.
2. Navigate to Settings, then Phone Numbers, and select the phone number you wish to add an auto-attendant to.
3. If you haven’t already set your business hours so you have the option to add a phone menu during or after your company’s working hours.

4. Scroll down to Call flow and click Edit call flow to start setting up your menu. You’ll be taken to the call flow builder that lets you map out your call routing.
5. Drag and drop the Phone menu block on the right hand menu below either during or after hours
6. Add an auto-attendant that callers will hear when they call your phone number. Click Add greeting message to upload an audio file, record a message, or type out a message to generate an automated voice recording.

7. Under Menu Options, you can set your number of menu options (you can have up to 10 menu options including the numbers 0-9) the specific keywords customers can say if they select option by speaking.
8. Next you can route callers based on the menu option; click Replace step below each menu option.You can choose from these other phone menu options: Voicemail, Ring users, Play audio and route to default action, and Forward call.
9. Once you add extensions to your phone menu, you can choose a default destination for callers who don’t type or say any command. By default, if a caller stays on the call without selecting a phone menu option, the call flow builder will default to a Voicemail step. Under No selection you can set a destination when a caller stays on the call without selecting an option. You can change this destination by selecting the ellipses (three dots) menu on the top right-hand corner of the step.
10. Hit Save and toggle on the phone menu.

That’s not all you can do with OpenPhone, though. We also provide features that make it easier to build better relationships with your customers:

• Make and receive unlimited calls to the US and Canada. You never have to worry about hidden costs or fees. You also get one new local or toll-free number for every new user on your account, which means it’s easy to scale as your business grows.
• Send unlimited SMS and MMS to the US and Canada. You can do this whether or not you live in the US (and whether or not you have an auto-attendant on your number).
• Texting automations on the base plan. Speaking of sending unlimited text messages, OpenPhone offers all the tools you need to put your SMS on autopilot. We offer snippets, auto-replies, and scheduled messages so you can quickly respond to customer conversations.
• Access a single-view inbox for all calls, texts, and voice messages with a customer. That way, it’s easy to catch up on customer conversations and get the right context before responding to questions and comments.
• Shared phone numbers make it easy to collaborate. With OpenPhone, you can set up auto-attendants on shared phone numbers so everyone on your team can see who’s receiving what. They can also work together and respond to customers as a team by communicating with internal threads and mentions in the app.
• 7,000+ integrations with Zapier. You have everything you need to keep your tech stack connected and push information from one app to the next. OpenPhone also offers native integrations so you can plug and play with the tools you already own (think Salesforce, HubSpot, and more).
• Customizable API. Want to trigger a sequence of events like reminder texts? You can with the new OpenPhone API. You can also automate information to keep everyone in the loop, whether you’re tracking call histories, transcripts, or activity logs.

Never miss a customer call with OpenPhone’s auto-attendant

Google Voice’s auto-attendant may offer some value, but compared to other virtual phone services, it’s limited, costly, and confusing.

With an auto-attendant phone system like OpenPhone, you can design intuitive phone menus in 15 minutes or less. You also get access to the tools modern business owners need, like third-party integrations, toll-free number support, and a customizable API.

Is OpenPhone’s auto-attendant right for your team? See for yourself with our seven-day free trial.