Buyer Beware - RingCentral Internet PBX

[jhastrello]

Well, this is simply a buyer beware note. I had been attempting to use RingCentral (virtual PBX) for my answering machine/pbx/call routing. For the most part, it uses VOIP and the internet to route and take calls. You download a 'softphone' to your PC, and go from there.

Sounded like a good deal.

Problem was, the on-line help is not up to date with the software/features that they offer. And their on-call Help Desk, is not much better. In short, their help is of no real help to those not very familar with the service.

My problems were amplified over the last few days, trying to setup a call queue, so that all of our 'extensions' could answer a call coming in. Finally got it setup, then my 'soft controller' required me to reset my password every time I re-booted my machine.

Then the unforgiveable happened yesterday. My main line (toll free) was not answering properly, and not giving my company message or directory. It was going to some other voice mail, automatically and immediately.

I cancelled my service - after arguing with the help desk agent, for about 20 minutes.

For the most part, I've found that many (if not all) of their help desk, are India Nationals - not sure where they are located. Also, I've received quite a few emails from their 'help desk' in the last few days, and also found that the 'English' that they are using in their emails is not good language nor punctuated correctly.

So, for anyone out there thinking about using RingCentral - it's strictly Buyer Beware.

Anyone use any of the other Virtual PBX Services? And if so, are you happy with them?

Thanks.

[Proc's Lawncare]

Good to know and thanks for your warning, was considering using a service like this and only started looking into it!

As a side note, we use Dell computers...called there help desk the other day to get replacement software sent out... Talked with (3) different indians (dot, not feather) who all had nice english names... John Smith, Paul Jones, and Nancy Newman.... Couldn't help but chuckle a little when they tried using a little american slang.... Gotta love free enterpise!

[Frontier-Lawn]

i was thinking of using them, but the sales guy(white from ca) was trying to pressure me into a decision right then and there, i said ill need to think about it and after 1 day of getting sales calls from them every hour or so i went with Verizon for my toll service.

[jhastrello]

Very, very push folks. I had to tell them, three different times (with increasing forcefullness in my voice) - to cancel my contract NOW.

Don't guess I'll be getting any of this months 'fees' back as a credit.

[cg1]

We use a VOIP hosted PBX company called Aptela. They have been great so far and we have actual phones, not soft phones. The features are really cool and I dig the call log reports - those have saved us a few times when people claim they call all the time or left us a message and we didn't respond. Another thing I like about the VOIP is that you can set up shop anywhere as long as there's an internet connection. For example, in Houston after Hurricane Ike, our office was out of power two weeks. We simply moved the main VOIP phone to my home office and presto - in business!

[AintNoFun]

We use a VOIP hosted PBX company called Aptela. They have been great so far and we have actual phones, not soft phones. The features are really cool and I dig the call log reports - those have saved us a few times when people claim they call all the time or left us a message and we didn't respond. Another thing I like about the VOIP is that you can set up shop anywhere as long as there's an internet connection. For example, in Houston after Hurricane Ike, our office was out of power two weeks. We simply moved the main VOIP phone to my home office and presto - in business!



what do they charge you after all said and done?