Ready to start texting customers from your new business phone number? Not so fast. You’ll need to complete TCR registration first to ensure you comply with the A2P 10DLC regulations for texting. And if you’re using RingCentral, the process might take longer and be more painful than you think (according to customer reviews).
In this post, we take a look at what RingCentral customers say about completing the RingCentral TCR registration. Plus, we’ll explore other limitations — from its confusing interface to text messaging limits — helping you decide if it’s right for your business. We’ll also offer a better RingCentral alternative that makes the registration process easier.
Is RingCentral a reliable platform to complete the TCR registration?
RingCentral states it can take 20-30 business days to complete the entire TCR registration and review process. In reality, you might end up waiting months with no end in sight. Some customers have faced multiple registration rejections:
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And while RingCentral has a dedicated TCR support team, customers say they rarely hear back and get little guidance when they do. One user cited:
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The most frustrating part? You’ll still pay for texting features you can’t use while customers try to reach you through messages you can’t receive.
10 other RingCentral limitations you need to know
The TCR registration headache might be just the beginning if you decide to choose RingCentral as your VoIP provider. Here are other limitations to consider before making an investment.
1. Texting limitations
RingCentral limits the number of text messages you can send per user per month, which can become a problem if you rely on texts to communicate with customers.
For example, on the Core plan, you’re limited to 25 texts per user per month. Upgrading to the Advanced plan bumps the number up to 100 messages. The highest-tier plan only lets you send 200.
If you need to send more texts, you’ll have to pay an extra $0.01 per message. This can add up quickly, leading to unexpectedly high bills at the end of the month.
2. Calls aren’t stored forever
Want to listen to an important client call you had four months ago? You can’t. RingCentral’s call recording only lets you store them for 90 days, and then they’re gone forever. This limitation can be an issue if you need to review past conversations for training purposes or resolve customer disputes that come up after the 90-day window.
3. No shared phone numbers for texting
RingCentral doesn’t offer shared phone numbers for texting customers, preventing your team from working together to solve customer issues. This can also create problems when team members are out sick or on vacation — since customer conversations are locked until they return.
4. The interface is complicated to use
Want a modern business phone system that’s easy to navigate? You won’t find it with RingCentral. While other business phone systems like OpenPhone have clean, intuitive designs, RingCentral’s outdated layout and clunky interface feel stuck in the early 2000s and won’t provide your reps with a good user experience.
5. Conversations stored in separate folders
RingCentral stores calls, texts, and voicemails in different folders. This means you’ll waste time trying to piece together information to get the full context of conversations instead of quickly responding to customers.
6. Toll-free calling is limited
RingCentral’s Core plan users share just 100 toll-free minutes across their entire team. Run out? That’ll cost you 3.9¢ per minute. Even if you upgrade to the Advanced plan, you’re still limited to 1,000 toll-free minutes. This can quickly become expensive for businesses that handle a high volume of incoming customer calls from toll-free phone numbers.
7. Vanity numbers require a one-time set-up fee of $30
While vanity phone numbers make it easier for customers to remember your business, be prepared to pay a $30 set-up fee if you buy one with RingCentral. This extra charge is pricier than necessary since VoIP providers like OpenPhone offer vanity numbers without having to pay a set-up fee.
8. AI Assistant for SMS requires an upgrade to the highest tier
Looking to use AI to perfect the messages you send to customers? RingCentral’s AI assistant can help you draft responses faster, improve your message quality, and maintain a consistent tone across your team. However, RingCentral keeps these features locked behind their premium tier, forcing you to pay for the most expensive plan even if you don’t need the other features that come with it.
9. Salesforce integration has a steep learning curve
Setting up and managing RingCentral’s Salesforce integration is a time-consuming task. Users report frequent issues, from the RingCentral softphone not appearing in the Salesforce app to the click-to-dial feature failing to work properly. Plus, many problems require a developer to fix, which can be expensive and time-consuming to hire the right one.
10. Expensive add-ons
RingCentral’s pricing plans are just the beginning of your costs. Beyond your monthly subscription, you’ll need to budget for add-ons like:
- RingCentral Rooms at $49 per room
- RingCentral Webinar™ at $40 per organizer per month
- Push-to-Talk at $5 per user per month
OpenPhone makes the TCR registration process quick and easy
Don’t want to wait months to start texting your customers? OpenPhone gets you up and running fast. Our in-app registration process guides you through each step, taking the guesswork out of TCR registration. Plus, while other providers leave you hanging, your registration can be approved in as quickly as 5-7 business days.
Once you’re registered, OpenPhone also makes it easier to stay compliant:
- Schedule text messages during business hours so you can stay TCPA compliant, which is between 8 AM and 9 PM in your customers’ timezone.
- Create pre-saved compliant text messages with snippets, letting customers quickly opt-in to receive promotional or informational text messages from your business.
- Don’t have to spend time registering new local phone numbers. With OpenPhone, you only need to register with the TCR once, no matter how many additional numbers you purchase.
The best RingCentral alternative: OpenPhone
While RingCentral promises a straightforward TCR registration process, you might experience month-long delays, repeated denials, and poor support. Add in their limited texting capabilities, no shared phone numbers, and expensive add-ons, and it’s clear why businesses are looking for a better alternative.
In contrast, OpenPhone can help you complete the TCR registration and review process in as little as 5-7 business days. Plus, you’ll get all the features your business needs to scale:
- Never let customers feel ignored by setting up auto-replies that immediately respond to them.
- Work together to solve customer issues with shared phone numbers.
- Identify which customers need your attention first with call views.
- Save time with texting automations like snippets and scheduled texts.
- Make and receive as many calls as you need with unlimited calls and texts in the US and Canada.
Ready to get your business number registered and start calling and texting within days, not months? Sign up to OpenPhone today.