{"id":11400,"date":"2010-02-25T09:58:24","date_gmt":"2010-02-25T16:58:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/?p=11400"},"modified":"2010-02-25T09:58:26","modified_gmt":"2010-02-25T16:58:26","slug":"various-thoughts-on-small-business-tools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/11400\/various-thoughts-on-small-business-tools\/","title":{"rendered":"Various thoughts on small business tools"},"content":{"rendered":"

1. Google Voice<\/p>\n

I know there’s been some sporadic discussion here about Google Voice: whether it’s useful\/wise to use as a business phone number, and about the quality of its transcriptions.<\/p>\n

I’ve been very pleased with it in terms of the call routing functionality, and the integration with my Droid and Google Contacts. <\/p>\n

The transcriptions, true, are sometimes hit or miss. Lately they’ve been more “hits”. I practice in Raleigh, NC, with its share of both southern and other accents. Yes, certain voicemails turn out to be gibberish when transcribed. Frankly, I don’t know that I’d be much better if I were personally transcribing the voicemail myself, let alone leaving it to the warm embrace of Google’s computer systems!<\/p>\n

But here are four of the most recent voicemails I’ve gotten, unedited except for the removal of certain identifying information:<\/p>\n

Voicemail 1: My name is [name]. My number is [accurate!]. Once I have a question regarding a limited driving privilege. If you can give me a call back. I’d appreciate it. Thank you.<\/p>\n

Voicemail 2: Hey, This Is [name]. I’ll talk to my probation officer and he wants me to give you the number is that you can call him as name is [name]. His number is [accurate!] thanks bye.<\/p>\n

Voicemail 3: Hi Damon, Damon, this is [NAME] I was just calling to get a confirmation that you had indeed received my [BADLY TRANSCRIBED NAME OF A FORM] from my insurance agent. If you could please return my call. At [NAME]. Thank you.<\/p>\n

Obviously the names are not even transcribed properly, but the rest of it is pretty good. These are short voicemails. Longer voicemails where the subject matter is more complicated tend to be less accurate. But usually Google is able to accurately transcribe the name of the offense\/crime the person is calling about. This is a big help in my line of work when you’re sitting in court and wondering whether you need to run out to return the call! A speeding ticket can probably wait. A drug trafficking case… that requires an immediately reply.<\/p>\n

2. 1-800 numbers and Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

1. Google Voice I know there’s been some sporadic discussion here about Google Voice: whether it’s useful\/wise to use as a business phone number, and about the quality of its transcriptions. I’ve been very pleased with it in terms of the call routing functionality, and the integration with my Droid and Google Contacts. The transcriptions, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":62,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-11400","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"hentry","6":"category-technology","8":"no-featured-image"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9869,"url":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/9869\/google-voice-ready-for-primetime\/","url_meta":{"origin":11400,"position":0},"title":"Google Voice: Ready for Primetime?","author":"Damon Chetson","date":"September 27, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Greg's written: \"The trouble with free software, is that you don\u2019t really explore what you\u2019re getting with it.\" When I read that, I thought, \"True, but...\" The \"but\" being Google, a company whose free products I've (mostly) explored to death, even when they're not very good. I'm looking at you,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Technology"","block_context":{"text":"Technology","link":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/category\/technology\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":8984,"url":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/8984\/google-wave-goodbye-real-estate-brokerage-as-we-know-it\/","url_meta":{"origin":11400,"position":1},"title":"Google Wave Goodbye Real Estate Brokerage As We Know It?","author":"Ryan Hartman","date":"June 25, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"I found some time to check out the Google Wave Developer preview on youtube a few days ago. And darn if I haven't thought to myself: \"This'll be way easier and more fun to do once Wave comes\" at least 10 times since. So here are some possible applications that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Supplanting the NAR"","block_context":{"text":"Supplanting the NAR","link":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/category\/supplanting-the-nar\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":16248,"url":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/16248\/virtually-belly-to-belly-don-reedys-salesmaniacal-youtube-video-voicemails\/","url_meta":{"origin":11400,"position":2},"title":"Virtually belly-to-belly: Don Reedy’s salesmaniacal YouTube video voicemails.","author":"Greg Swann","date":"November 30, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Reacting to this post from yesterday on a better way to handle video testimonials, Don Reedy brought us this idea in the comments:Greg, this is really easy, and does take planning, but not much time. I\u2019ve started trying to communicate with prospects, people I just meet coming and going, and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Flourishing"","block_context":{"text":"Flourishing","link":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/category\/flourishing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":10355,"url":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/10355\/motorola-droid-first-impressions\/","url_meta":{"origin":11400,"position":3},"title":"Motorola Droid: First Impressions","author":"Damon Chetson","date":"November 19, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"As I mentioned here earlier this week, I've been thinking about switching to a different network.\u00a0 Love the iPhone, but am completely unimpressed with AT&T's network.\u00a0 So I went into a Verizon store to look at the Droid over the weekend, and then bought one after work at BestBuy on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Technology"","block_context":{"text":"Technology","link":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/category\/technology\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":10252,"url":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/10252\/google-voice-redux\/","url_meta":{"origin":11400,"position":4},"title":"Google Voice Redux","author":"Damon Chetson","date":"November 9, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Back in September I gave a lukewarm review of Google Voice.\u00a0 Since September, it's been working much better.\u00a0 Much less lag, much better transcription quality.\u00a0 I use it now on my business cards, website, and so forth, and it's a great tool to help screen calls that come in. Google\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Real Estate"","block_context":{"text":"Real Estate","link":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/category\/real-estate\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":9573,"url":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/9573\/how-good-is-google-voice-transcription\/","url_meta":{"origin":11400,"position":5},"title":"How Good is Google Voice Transcription?","author":"Eric Bramlett","date":"August 20, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Apparently, if you're all business and speak clearly, it's really good: But, if you're one of \"my boys\" and talk really fast...not so good Regardless, Google Voice is mad cool.\u00a0 Here are some instructions on trying it out as Voicemail.","rel":"","context":"In "Real Estate"","block_context":{"text":"Real Estate","link":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/category\/real-estate\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"rose-transcription","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/08\/rose-transcription.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/08\/rose-transcription.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/08\/rose-transcription.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11400","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/62"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11400"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11400\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11401,"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11400\/revisions\/11401"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11400"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11400"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11400"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}