Though the facility of voicemail is of recent origin, it has steadily grown in popularity because of its sheer value particularly to the business community. The purpose of voice-mail systems is to communicate a caller's recorded audio message to a call recipient. There is a user interface to select, play, and manage messages as also an alert notification facility to inform the user of a waiting voice message.

Most systems use, cellular or land-line based phone-networks, to facilitate all of these functions. Some systems use multiple telecommunications methods, permitting recipients and callers to retrieve or leave messages through multiple methods - PCs, PDA, Cell phones or Smart phones.

Setting up

The initial setting up of a voice mail is somewhat cumbersome and calls for some planning. You can always enter a new PIN number to activate your voicemail service. But, the callers will receive a mechanical voice reciting your phone number followed by prosaic instructions to leave a message, and then a beep. But a properly set up voice mail will be capable of an improved way of dealing with incoming calls.

Recording a customized voicemail greeting is the key to voicemail. You can avoid being overly fanciful with voicemail greetings. No caller is ever interested in hearing you burp or listen for one whole minute to your favorite song before leaving a message. So, the golden rule is to keep the greeting message short and sweet without annoying the caller. Please know that professional voicemail greeting recording services are available for writing a script or even to record the greeting with professional voice givers.

Voicemail features

Voicemail groups are extremely useful for business voicemail users. A voicemail group is a list of phone numbers that belong to people who have some commonality. Call forwarding is a valuable feature provided you set it up carefully lest it may lead to missed calls. It may take time to properly set up voicemail options. But once set up, most options will be of great help.

Simple voice-mail systems may play the audio message through the phone whereas more advanced systems may have other delivery methods like email or text message delivery, message transfer and forwarding options, and multiple mailboxes.

Toll-Free Voicemail

Whatever the size, scale and nature of your business, it will be highly necessary that customers are able to contact you free of charge. Toll free numbers facility means more incoming customer calls and thus more sales. A toll-free, 800 number voice mail services greatly enlarge your customer base and enhance your potential business. A voicemail 800 toll free number is essential in today's fiercely competitive business environment.

Voicemail to Email

It has to be admitted that constantly checking for new voicemail messages can be a bothersome. But if you have a computer with Internet connection, the voicemail can be made to straightaway land in your email inbox. When you use a virtual voicemail service, your voice messages are recorded and stored in digital audio files on the hard drives of servers. Voicemail files can be attached to an email message and sent to the email address.

Virtual Voicemail

You can opt for virtual voicemail that is an online answering service that makes a physical telephone optional. Small businesses and mobile professionals will find it useful in handling their incoming calls and voice messages online.

When a caller leaves you a voicemail message, it is recorded as a digital audio file and stored on a server. The server sends an alert to your phone when a new voicemail arrives, and your phone passes the alert message on to you through the flashing of a LED or a message on its screen. You can thereafter call a voicemail phone number that connects your phone to the server.

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