6 Best phone systems for plumbers

From clogged drains to burst pipes, people want help with plumbing issues fast. But that’s not always possible when you’re busy fixing a water heater. You could try asking your team to call them back. But if you use a personal number, they’ll need context from you. Plus, if you don’t pick up the first time, your prospects might move on to your competition.

The better solution is to get a dedicated business phone system for plumbers. That way, all your context is in one place and shared with coworkers. You and your team can handle incoming calls 24/7. Plus, you can coordinate with your plumbing technicians every step of the way.

In this article, we’ll cover the six best phone systems for plumbers. We’ll highlight essential features to look for in your phone system. We’ll also share why you should use a shared number vs a personal number to manage your business communications. 

6 Best phone systems for plumbers you should know

Let’s break down the best cloud phone systems that small and growing plumbing businesses need.

6 Best plumber phone systems compared

First, here’s a side-by-side breakdown of the best plumber phone systems:

Provider	Starting price	Free calling to the US & Canada	SMS/MMS to US & Canada	Shared numbers
Quo, formerly OpenPhone	$15 per user per month	✓	✓	✓
Nextiva	$15 per user per month	✓	100 texts per user per month	✓
RingCentral	$20 per user per month	✓	25 texts per user per month	Calls only without add-on fee
Grasshopper	$14 per month	✓	MMS messaging for local numbers only	Multiple users require upgrade
Google Voice	$17 per user per month, including Google Workspace subscription	Unlimited calls to Canada from the US only	US customers only	Requires upgrade, ring groups only
Zoom Phone	$10.50 per user per month	Metered outbound minutes on base plan	✔️	Calls only

We’ll start with the business phone service rated #1 in customer satisfaction on G2:

1. Quo: Best phone system for fast-growing plumbers

Pros

• Unlimited messaging and calling in the US and Canada
• Local, toll-free, and vanity numbers
• Shared numbers to split responsibility for calls and texts
• Call recording on every plan
• AI-generated call summaries and transcriptions
• 24/7 multilingual AI voice agent to answer calls automatically
• 8,000+ integrations, including Jobber and DripJobs
• Mac, Windows, Android, iPhone, and web apps

Cons

• Can’t verify accounts through two-factor authentication*

*Nearly all virtual phone numbers share this problem. For safety reasons, companies like Facebook, Uber, and Google rarely let you authenticate accounts through a virtual phone number.

Quo, formerly OpenPhone, is a VoIP phone system designed for fast-growing home service businesses. With it, you can make and receive unlimited calls and send texts in the US and Canada. You also get one local US, Canadian, or North American toll-free number per user on your account. 

With Quo, you can turn any number into a shared phone number to distribute responsibility for incoming calls and texts. Any available team member assigned to that number can handle incoming customer calls. Your team can also view every customer conversation in your shared inboxes. Easily catch up on any conversation; in Quo, you can see your past interactions, including voicemails, recordings, and call transcriptions, organized chronologically. 

What if no one’s around to pick up the phone? You can set up SMS auto-replies that respond to missed calls, texts, and voicemails. This sets expectations so callers know when to expect a response. 

You can also use Quo’s 24/7 AI voice agent, Sona, to handle incoming calls during and after business hours. First, train Sona on your company knowledge. Then provide custom scripts based on different caller’s needs. You can set up Sona to qualify leads, take messages, and answer routine questions. Before you go live, you can test Sona with demo calls to make sure it performs as expected.

Here are a few more features in Quo that make a huge difference for plumbing teams:

• Third-party integrations with your field service management software. Connect Quo to tools like Jobber and DripJobs in minutes. Sync your conversations to Jobber requests so you don’t lose track of project details.
• MMS messaging — send photos and videos in our desktop and mobile apps. Show customers proof of service with before-and-after photographs. 
• Real-time collaboration. Assign follow-up tasks and troubleshoot customer issues in your Quo inbox with internal threads. Tag your colleagues and have an internal discussion without switching apps. 
• Advanced texting features. Reply to customers faster with pre-written text templates, or snippets. Send automated texts to customers with our Zapier and Make integrations. For example, you can automatically send appointment reminders to reduce cancellations and no-shows. 
• Maintain work-life balance easily. Separate business and personal contacts and know when customers are calling you. You can also set up business hours and work schedules so your team only receives calls when they’re on the clock. Turn your notifications off with Do Not Disturb when you’re at a job site. 

See why thousands of home service businesses use Quo for yourself. Sign up today for free with our seven-day trial. 

Key features of Quo

• Voicemail transcriptions
• Drag and drop call flow builder
• Email, Slack, and Google Contacts integrations
• Custom ring groups
• IVR phone menus
• AI call summaries and transcripts
• On demand and automatic call recording

Quo pricing

There are three Quo pricing plans to choose from:

• Starter: $15 per user per month for calls to US and Canadian numbers, SMS and MMS support, one local, toll-free, or vanity phone number per new user on your account, voicemail transcripts, and more
• Business: $23 per user per month for call transfers, group calling, AI call transcripts, phone menus, integrations with HubSpot and Salesforce, and more
• Scale: $35 per user per month for inbound phone support, priority chat and email support, dedicated onboarding, and AI call tags

2. Nextiva: Best for omnichannel communication

Pros

• Connects with web chat, social media, online review sites, and more

Cons

• Voicemail transcriptions
• Call recording requires an upgrade
• Third-party CRM integrations are only available as add-ons

Nextiva brings phone calls, web chats, and social media conversations into one platform. It also integrates with online review sites like Yelp and Google Business. This makes it easier for plumbers to request reviews, catch negative feedback, and reply to both appropriately. 

But while Nextiva offers unlimited calls on its base plan, it limits SMS messages to 100 texts per month. If you run over, you’ll pay extra fees. But you should know these aren’t transparently listed online.

Other essential business phone features also require add-ons if you’re on Nextiva’s base plan. That includes call recording and CRM integrations. Unfortunately, there’s no transparent pricing for these. You’ll have to contact sales for a quote.

Key features of Nextiva

• Social media integrations
• SMS support
• Voicemail transcriptions
• Team chat
• Mobile app

Nextiva pricing

There are three tiers of Nextiva’s pricing:

• Core: $15 per user per month for voice calls, 100 text messages, team chat, voicemail transcriptions, and access to the mobile app
• Engage: $25 per user per month for 500 SMS messages, 2,000 toll-free minutes, voice analytics, digital fax, call recording, and access to the Microsoft Teams integration
• Power Suite: $75 per user per month for IVR, skills-based routing, call transcriptions and summaries, and API integrations for up to 100 agents

3. RingCentral: Best for traditional desk phone rentals

Pros

• Desk phone rentals on every plan

Cons

• Texting and storage limits
• Lengthy texting registration timelines
• Advanced texting features require upgrades

RingCentral offers desk phone rentals to plumbing companies that prefer old-school devices. It also offers desktop and mobile apps you can use alongside your landline phones.

Just keep in mind, RingCentral’s texting and call recording features have usage limits. For example, RingCentral limits customers to 25 SMS messages per user per month on its base plan. You also need the Business SMS Booster add-on to access shared texting and text templates. Worse, RingCentral limits call recording storage to 90 days unless you upgrade to the Ultra plan. This makes it difficult to maintain records in case anyone has a dispute about service or billing.

Apart from SMS limits, you should know RingCentral’s TCR registration may have months-long delays. Some users have had their applications rejected multiple times for different reasons. Others have seen their applications sit in the “review in progress” stage for weeks.

Key features of RingCentral

• Three-way calling
• IVR with multi-level auto attendants
• Call whisper
• Call barge
• Hot desking, with an upgrade

RingCentral pricing

You can pick from one of three RingCentral pricing plans, depending on the bandwidth you need:

• Core: $20 per user per month for multi-level auto-attendants, IVR, and video meetings with up to 100 users
• Advanced: $25 per user per month for 100 texts, voicemail transcriptions, automatic call recordings, and integrations with CRMs
• Ultra: $35 per user per month for unlimited storage, 200 text messages, and device analytics

Want features like shared texting, compliance, and company reply templates? You’ll need to purchase RingCentral’s Business SMS Booster at $25 per month.

4. Grasshopper: Best for multi-digit extensions

Pros

• Add extensions to your main plumbing number

Cons

• No collaboration features
• No third-party integrations
• Shared calling and call recording require an upgrade

Grasshopper is a virtual phone system aimed at solo business owners. It charges a flat monthly fee based on the number of lines and extensions you need. The base plan comes with one number and one extension, plus unlimited calls and texts in the US and Canada. However, it doesn’t offer call recording or simultaneous call handling. These essential features are only available when you upgrade to a higher-tier plan.

Even if you do upgrade for more than one user, you should know Grasshopper doesn’t offer collaboration features. Want to assign a follow-up task to a team member? Or troubleshoot a customer request in real time? This isn’t possible with Grasshopper. You’ll need to switch between apps to share context with your team.

Grasshopper also doesn’t offer any third-party integrations. It can’t integrate with plumbing business software tools, which silos conversations from your jobs. Without context, your techs will have to toggle between multiple tools in the field. This makes it much easier to forget customer requirements.

Key features of Grasshopper

• Call forwarding
• Voicemail to email
• Additional extensions, with an upgrade
• Simultaneous call handling, with an upgrade
• IVR, with an upgrade

Grasshopper pricing

Grasshopper’s pricing breaks down into three plans:

• True Solo: $14 per month for one user, one number, and one extension
• Solo Plus: $25 per month for unlimited users, one number, three extensions, auto-attendant, simultaneous call handling, call transfers, and call recording
• Small Business: $55 per month for unlimited users, four numbers, and unlimited extensions

5. Google Voice: Best for existing Google Workspace users 

Pros

• Integrated with the Google ecosystem

Cons

• No shared numbers
• No third-party integrations outside the Google ecosystem
• No ways to save time texting
• Requires a Google Workspace subscription

Google Voice is a phone system that’s  integrated into the Google Workspace ecosystem. With it, you can connect your team’s shared Google Calendar to automatically send calls to voicemail after hours. You can also send missed calls and texts to your team’s Gmail accounts.

But while Google Voice is a decent starter business phone, it can’t scale with your business. It doesn’t offer third-party integrations outside the Google ecosystem, for example. That means you can’t connect with your CRM or plumbing software like DripJobs. Google Voice is also not designed for team collaboration. There are no shared numbers and no way to save time texting. 

You should also know that Google Voice requires a Google Workspace subscription for more than one user. This adds a minimum of $7 extra per user per month to your bill, which can get expensive as your business grows.

Key features of Google Voice

• Unlimited calls in the US and Canada
• Voicemail transcriptions
• Connected to Gmail and Google Calendar
• Three-way calling
• Call recording

Google Voice pricing

Google Voice pricing includes four plans:

• Starter without Workspace: $10 per month, limited to one user, for call recording, three-way calling, voicemail transcription, and mobile and web apps
• Starter: $10 per user per month, with a 10-user maximum, for calls and texts in the US, call forwarding, and SLAs
• Standard: $20 per user per month to access on-demand call recordings, ring groups, and phone menus
• Premier: $30 per user per month to access automatic call recordings and advanced reporting

For every plan other than Starter without Workspace, you’ll need a Google Workspace subscription. This starts at $7 per user per month.

6. Zoom Phone: Best for existing Zoom users

Pros

• Works with Zoom video meetings

Cons

• No unlimited minutes on the base plan
• Complicated shared texting
• Auto-receptionist requires an add-on
• Poor user experience, according to reviews

Zoom Phone is a business phone that integrates with other Zoom software, including their video conferencing tool. It works on laptops, phones, and computers, so you can call coworkers and clients from any device. You can also turn any phone call into a video call, and vice versa. This lets you triage problems before dispatching a truck, like looking at a leak or a cracked pipe up close. 

But you should know Zoom Phone has complicated rules around shared texting:

• You can share text conversations with a call queue or auto-receptionist number, but not your main company number. 
• Team members who claim responsibility for team SMS conversations must “release” them to the team so someone else can pick them up. 
• Tam SMS requires you to purchase the Zoom Power Pack add-on for an additional $25 per month. 
• Other key features, like Zoom’s AI receptionist, also require the Zoom Power Pack. 

Apart from add-ons, you may need to upgrade for basic features. If you want unlimited calling to US and Canadian numbers, you have to upgrade to a higher-tier plan. Keep in mind, past users say Zoom’s upgraded features aren’t easy to use. Zoom’s automated recording and transcription, for example, can be glitchy and inconsistent. 

Key features of Zoom Phone

• SMS and MMS
• AI call summaries
• Unlimited calls in the US and Canada, with an upgrade
• Voicemail transcriptions, with an upgrade
• Integration with Zoom video meetings, with an upgrade

Zoom Phone pricing

Zoom Phone’s pricing is difficult to understand from its pricing page. Here’s what each of its five plans includes:

• US & Canada Metered: $10.50 per user per month for pay-as-you-go calling, AI post-call summaries, and SMS and MMS
• US & Canada Unlimited: $16 per user per month for unlimited domestic calling, voicemail transcriptions, and SMS and MMS
• Global Select: $25 per user per month for unlimited calling in 40+ countries and direct dial numbers
• Pro Plus: $20.50 per user per month for everything in Unlimited plus Zoom Workplace Pro
• Business Plus: $24.50 per user per month for visitor management tools, real-time reporting dashboards, and international calling add-ons, plus Zoom Workspace Business

Benefits of VoIP vs personal cell numbers for plumbing businesses

Here are the six biggest benefits of VoIP vs personal numbers for plumbers:

1. Provide mobility and flexibility to your team

VoIP systems let plumbers take calls anywhere with an internet connection. You can use VoIP apps on your existing devices to manage business communications remotely. Customers don’t have to wait for you to be in the office to talk to you. You can keep the conversation going whether you’re at the job site or at home.

In contrast, personal numbers only work on a single phone. You can’t use other devices, like your laptop or tablet. You also can’t attend to multiple calls simultaneously. As your call volume grows, you’ll need to purchase more cell phones to keep up.

2. Reduce missed calls and lost leads

Shared numbers let everyone on your team answer calls and texts together. This helps you reduce your missed calls and unanswered texts. Plus, it boosts customer satisfaction and prevents callers from reaching out to your competitors.

Personal numbers, on the other hand, don’t provide shared texting or calling. Incoming calls and texts go to the sole person who has access to the number. If they’re not available, no one else can help without physically having the device.

3. Maintain a work-life balance for your team

The best VoIP providers separate work from personal contacts so you know how to respond when you pick up the phone. For example, Quo lets you know when your business contacts are calling you with an incoming caller ID. 

With a personal number, you can’t differentiate between work and personal calls. That means you can’t prioritize which calls to pick up. 

VoIP phone systems also let you control when you receive work notifications. You can set business hours, work schedules, and choose when you do not want to be disturbed. This allows you to stay responsive at work without sacrificing your time at home.

4. Take repetitive tasks off your team’s plate

VoIP tools offer automations that help teams operate more efficiently. This includes:

• AI call summaries and transcriptions. Quickly get context on past calls without reviewing entire recordings.
• Third-party integrations. Sync data in your CRM, field software tools, and more.
• Automated text workflows. Instantly send confirmation texts after customers book appointments.

The best VoIP phone solutions also provide collaboration features like internal threads and the ability to messageteam members directly. That way, your plumbing team can coordinate tasks without navigating multiple tools at once. 

Personal cell numbers offer none of these. They slow down your plumbing business and make it harder to work as a team. 

5. Save thousands of dollars every month

VoIP systems are more cost-effective for plumbing teams.

With Quo, a VoIP system starts at $15 per user per month. We also transparently list all add-ons, like our AI voice agent and international calling credits. 

In contrast, personal numbers start at $100 per month or more. You also have to purchase the physical phone, which adds several hundred dollars to your phone costs.

6. Never miss an after-hours call with a 24/7 AI agent

You can’t always be around to answer emergency plumbing calls. But a plumbing answering service can. AI voice agents like Sona pick up the phone 24/7 to capture leads that would otherwise try a competitor.

You can use Sona to:

• Take follow-up messages
• Capture and qualify leads
• Forward calls to emergency contacts
• Send texts with links on live calls

Sona is also natively built into Quo, so all Sona calls appear in context with your other customer communications.

Personal phone numbers don’t come with built-in AI agents. Using a cell number, you’ll have to purchase a separate AI voice system and forward calls to your agent. This requires you to pay for and manage two separate platforms.

8 Essential features for plumbing phone systems

Here are eight key business phone features that plumbing businesses need:

1. Shared business phone numbers. Share incoming calls and texts as a team by distributing call load across your staff. That way, you can reduce missed calls and respond to customers faster. By sharing your number, you increase the likelihood someone will be available to answer the phone.
2. Call recording. Automatically save every conversation, including call transcripts and summaries, for future reference or a dispute. You won’t have to worry about missing details on intake calls. 
3. SMS and MMS messaging. Skip the need to call your customers for every job update. Coordinate on-site visits with SMS messaging. Send photos or videos to add more context to your texts with MMS messaging. 
4. Phone menus. Phone menus, or auto-attendants, show customers that you’re a professional and credible business. Callers can reach your team faster by selecting a keypad option or using voice commands with interactive voice response, or IVR. Your customers can reach different people or departments on their own, and you won’t need to hire a receptionist.
5. Custom call routing. With call routing, you can route your incoming calls based on your team’s preferences. Choose your preferred ring order, IVR paths, and backup routing options. Prioritize business phone systems that offer easy-to-use call routing solutions. For example, Quo provides a drag-and-drop call flow builder so you can see how calls reach your team. 
6. 24/7 AI answering service. Always pick up the phone when clients call after hours. AI voice agents help answer common questions and escalate urgent calls to on-call technicians. Smart agents like Sona can even text standard rate sheets or your quoting process to callers while they’re on the phone.
7. Internal threads. Internal threads let your team troubleshoot customer issues directly inside your phone system. You don’t need to switch to separate apps like Slack or email. Plus, you can tag team members using mentions to ask clarifying questions or delegate tasks. 
8. Third-party integrations. Keep your customer data in one place. Connect your plumbing phone system with other tools you already use. For example, you can create a new lead in Jobber’s plumbing field service management platform when a new client calls your Quo number. Then, you can click-to-call customers within your Jobber contact forms.

Power your plumbing service with Quo

Quo helps plumbing businesses scale over time by building stronger customer relationships. Our VoIP phone system works on devices you already own. Serve customers faster without sacrificing your privacy.

Here’s how Quo helps manage plumbing customer communications from anywhere: 

• Create shared business phone numbers or assign separate numbers to everyone on your team.
• Automatically store and organize conversations with call recording, AI call summaries, and transcripts.
• Answer the phone 24/7 with Sona, our voice agent.
• Keep your conversations in sync with third-party integrations.

See why Quo is the best phone system for plumbing companies by signing up for a seven-day free trial.

FAQs