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Guide to Voicemail Solutions
Find a telephone system to meet your voicemail needs
By Julianne Jardine
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Nearly every small business today can benefit from a voicemail system. When used properly, voicemail can improve productivity, give your business a professional image, enhance customer relations, and make ordering products and services quicker and more efficient. Here are a few keys to making sense of voicemail systems. - Learn which voicemail system best meets your company's current needs, but don't forget to plan for growth.
- Determine which providers will offer you the best long-term investment. While most traditional voicemail systems designed for small businesses are cost-effective, they can range from less than $1,000 to more than $40,000, depending on the features you select. Own a very small business? Consider a Web-hosted voicemail system, which can start at less than $10 a month.
- No matter which type you choose, select only the features that you and your customers need. A simple system provides individual mailboxes, while more comprehensive ones offer options like music, virtual hold and question-and-answer scripts.
- Get quotes from several vendors, including local and national providers.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
 Learn the lingo
There are lots to know. For example: PC-based systems, usually low-cost, require a standard desktop PC to act as the system's server. Traditional Private Branch Exchange (PBX) voicemail solutions use operating systems just for messaging.
I recommend: Check out Everything VoiceMail to learn more about how voicemail systems and services work.
Examine different providers
Voicemail systems include a variety of expenses from setup charges to maintenance fees.
I recommend: For help determining how much you can and should spend check BuyerZone for prices that sample customers paid for various configurations. For a list of voicemail system dealers, visit Everything Voicemail.
Do I really need that feature?
Most small businesses share basic voicemail features, like mailboxes and auto attendants. After that, the similarity ends. Depending on the services or products you provide and the image you want to project, you may consider options like music on hold, messaging on hold, "screen pops" (an automatic display of a caller's information), route-to-fax capabilities, automatic routing and remote voicemail pickup.
I recommend: Check out IVM Telephone. Voice Assistant from NCH Swift Sound, which is PC-based. Other popular vendors include Vodavi and Covad (the latter specializes in VOIP-based systems).
Compare systems within your budget
Many suppliers offer free quotes online.
I recommend: BuyerZone provides free phone-system quotes from multiple dealers. You can also go to Work Easy for a free quote.
Rent virtual voicemail
If you're a sole proprietor or have only one or two employees, consider the least expensive, least intrusive option of all: a Web-based virtual phone service, which can provide many of the most commonly used features of any business phone system, such as automated answering, call forwarding, music on hold, multiple mail boxes, and caller ID, plus delivery of messages via email or the Web.
I recommend: GotVMail's service starts at $9.95 a month for five mailboxes; an extra $10 per month gives you Web and email message delivery. FreedomVOICE Systems offers a similarly priced service, as does VoiceNation. For a large directory of voicemail service providers, see Everything Voicemail.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Ask potential voicemail providers for references.
- Make sure the voicemail system you select is expandable. Avoid systems that have limited capacity for growth.
- No matter which voicemail system you use, always give customers the option to speak to a real person.
- Expect some annual maintenance expenses for your system. Maintenance costs should not exceed 5 to 10 percent of the initial purchase price.
- If you choose a "virtual," Web-based phone system, watch out for per-minute fees. Read the fine print carefully.
- Virtual PBX, one of the newest options, features an automated attendant over existing mobile, land and VoIP phone lines.
- No matter which technical configuration you choose, you'll need to decide how many "ports" the system will have. The greater the number of ports, the greater the number of phone calls that the voicemail system can answer simultaneously. As a rule of thumb, a system costs about $1,000 per port.
The official source of Voicemail Solutions is the Voice Mail page at Business.com
 Recommended Solution Providers | Back to top |
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Carriers can offer customers voice mail access by phone or email, with multi-device message notification and customizable greetings.
Provides services for voice and fax messaging, virtual office, call transfer, and one number solutions.
Toll Free with voice mail, call forwarding, internet fax services and fax software.
Offers services for voice mail, virtual pbx, and disaster recovery solutions throughout the United States.
Voicemail features for small to medium sized businesses.
Offers toll free unified messaging services throughout the United States.
Get a voice mail number that delivers voicemail as email attachments or access voice messages by private phone number.
Provides virtual PBX, voicemail, and fax services.
Voice services to improve operational performance.
Combines with free voicemail.
Fax to email, email to fax, voicemail and fax broadcast services.
Offers instant access to voice messages from anywhere.
Advanced toll free service, toll free voice mail, virtual office, unified messaging or a custom application
Digitally integrated voice processing solution.
Developer of IVM voicemail software.
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 Best Sites to Learn More | Back to top |
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Informational site offering information, news, resources, and a directory of voicemail products.
Overview, advantages, and helpful buying tips on voice mail systems.
Find full page company profiles from voicemail solution vendors.
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 Best Blogs and Forums | Back to top |
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Forums featuring voicemail FAQs, tutorials, and additional topics.
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