It is a computerized system for receiving, recording, and sometimes forwarding audio messages. A voice mail system plays a prerecorded message to the caller when the line is not answered, and may provide choices such as paging, talking to an operator, or selecting a number by touchtone to choose between message boxes.
Voice mail is an excellent productivity-enhancer: no more miscommunicated messages or handwritten notes. A caller leaving you a voice mail can speak at length and you can get the benefit of a detailed message - and prioritize its importance - so that you can be prepared to respond appropriately. And statistics show that most callers would prefer to leave a voice mail for someone when they are away or can't otherwise come to the phone, rather than have to play "phone-tag" in order to get the message across.
There are also many other features of voice mail that can make a business more productive with regard to internal communications.
Features such as:
Leave internal messages
You can leave messages for individuals or groups of people. For example, your key staff may be busy on phone calls, and you want to let them all know that your lunch appointment will take a little longer than expected. Easily communicate with multiple people with internal messaging.
Broadcast messages
You can broadcast a message to ALL system users, and that user must listen to your message in its entirety before any other messages may be played. This is a great tool to use when calling for an unplanned staff meeting, or any other event in which you need everyone to know about.
Urgent messages
If you leave someone a message tagged as urgent, it will go to the top of their voice mail list, so you get heard first if there are multiple messages in their mailbox.
Private messages
You can leave someone a private message which cannot be forwarded by the recipient.
Certified messages
If you wish to know that someone has received and listened to your message, then send it certified. You will receive a notification after that user has heard your message.
Voice mail interrupts
Catch a caller in the process of leaving you a message.
