Voice Mail Buyer's Guide

Get the facts on choosing a voice mail service for your company.

Introduction

A voice mail system acts as a corporate answering machine, recording messages from people both inside and outside a company.

Voice mail systems use centralized recording equipment to record, store, and play back messages. Each user has access to an individual mailbox, which allows messages to be kept private.

These systems are sized according to the number of ports, or connections, that are established between the phone system and the voice mail system. Having more ports on a voice mail system means more people can simultaneously leave or pick up messages.

This buying guide is designed to give you the facts you need to purchase the right voice mail system for your firm. You can choose to read this guide from beginning to end, or jump directly to a section of interest by clicking on the links above.

Advantages

Compared to written notes, voice recording allows longer and more complex messages to be accurately relayed. The ability to leave detailed, private messages frequently means that callers can relay information without the need for a return call. This is especially useful when you consider that half of all calls are for one-way transfers of information.

Voice mail systems also guarantee a common messaging platform within a company. Features such as broadcasting allow employees to send messages to multiple people at once, allowing a voice mail system to serve as a central messaging center for a workgroup or the entire company.

Types of Systems

Voice mail systems come in two basic designs, PC-based and proprietary.

PC-based systems
Most newer systems are PC-based, meaning they use a standard desktop PC as the core of the system. Manufacturers then add voice boards to peripheral slots in the back of the computer, and write software to run on OS/2, Windows or other high-end desktop operating systems. These systems are then integrated to work with phone systems.

The greatest advantage of PC-based systems is their low cost. Because these systems use widely available PC components, they benefit from the lower prices associated with mass production.

Proprietary systems
Most older systems are based on proprietary hardware. These systems are designed from scratch to store voice messages, and typically use operating systems developed specifically for messaging. Today, proprietary systems are strongest at the high end of the market, where concerns of stability and size outweigh the lower cost of PC hardware. There are also a few proprietary systems designed for the low end of the market. These are usually non-expandable systems designed for very small businesses.

Integration with Phones

Voice mail systems are designed to work with a phone system. The term "integration" is used to refer to a high level of phone system and voice mail system interactivity.

In most cases, integration comes down to three features. First, a light on the phone indicates when messages are waiting in the mailbox. This notifies users when to check the system.

A second integration feature is the ability to automatically forward calls to the correct mailbox when a call is not answered. This alleviates the need for the caller to remember the correct mailbox number to leave a message.

A third integration feature is known as "return to operator." This allows a caller to exit the voice mail system and reach a live attendant at any time.

Not all voice mail and phone system combinations can attain this level of integration. Before buying, you need to check that the particular combination you are considering will at least handle these three tasks.

Same-brand Systems

Many phone systems can be equipped with a voice mail system manufactured or relabeled by the phone system vendor. In most cases, this means you must choose between this same-brand system and one of the many available systems from third-party manufacturers.

Same-brand systems are generally easy to install, since the systems do not have to be compatible with a wide range of phone systems. Debates about which part of the system is at fault when breakdowns occur are also less of a concern, since both components come from the same manufacturer.

On the other hand, third-party systems tend to be more competitively priced and do not lock firms into the same brand phone system in the future. For some applications, third-party systems may offer more capabilities than a same-brand system can provide.

Selecting a Dealer

The key to choosing a dealer is finding one who has previously installed the voice mail system you are considering with the same type of phone system you currently use. Nothing eases the installation and integration process as much as past experience in performing the same job.

In addition, firms should judge the dealer's responsiveness to service calls and general expertise in the voice mail arena. This can be done by inquiring about the dealer's history, asking about the staff, and visiting their office. You can also check a dealer's references, making sure to talk to companies that are similar in size to yours.

Pricing

In general, you will find PC-based systems to be less expensive than expandable standalone models. You can expect to pay $5,000-$6500 for a basic four-port voice mail system with an automated attendant. Each additional port (and accompanying storage hours) will add about $1,000-$2,000 to the price tag. Expect to bargain 10%-20% off the asking price for most systems.

For companies of less than five people, buying a full-fledged voice mail system is often prohibitively expensive. However, it is possible to purchase a no-frills system that will offer individual mailboxes for under $1,000.

Buying Tips

Zero for the operator
Make sure that callers in the voice mail system can reach a human at any time. In general, it is a good idea to use the zero key to reach a live operator.

Voice mailbox rentals
One alternative to buying a voice mail system is to rent mailboxes from a service bureau. This can be particularly helpful for companies that do not have phone systems that work with voice mail. Service bureaus typically charge each subscriber on a monthly basis, with some adding charges for connection time, saved messages, or the number of messages you receive.

Maintenance
A voice mail system will require occasional reprogramming, as well as (hopefully infrequent) emergency repairs. Your maintenance costs should typically not exceed 5%-10% of the purchase price per year.

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