Receiving voicemail messages via email
The use of voicemail has declined significantly over the past decade with the emergence of better alternatives for communications including Presence, Instant Messaging, email, conferencing and collaborative workspaces. Unified Messaging (UM) is the modern solution for telephone call answering in most businesses, voicemail messages and unanswered incoming telephone calls can now be recorded and stored in email for later retrieval.
Galdon Data director Garry Ackerman says Microsoft unified communications gives businesses more choice for the way they connect and collaborate in the workplace. “We’re bringing voice back into the enterprise by weaving it through familiar business processes. By combining voicemail, e-mail, phone and video with the power of ‘presence’, Unified Communications solutions offer users a single point of contact and makes it easier for them to connect.”
For most modern companies, voice messaging is a minor, low-usage application, but one that still requires separate provisioning, management and maintenance. UM is an add-on to the existing email system, it simplifies and lowers the cost of operations compared to voicemail and is also a powerful tool to improve business results and productivity. The business value of UM is compelling both for decreasing costs and for improving business outcomes.
Ackerman says by implementing UM, organisations can not only improve end user productivity and business outcomes, but can reduce costs compared to traditional voicemail systems. “In most businesses, the residual value of voice mail is to answer the phone for the few callers who don’t have other options. By combining the remaining voicemail workload with e-mail, businesses can ensure enhanced user productivity and reduced costs.”
The unified messaging solution provides users with all their information in one place, eliminating phone calls to check for messages and increasing responsiveness for customers and business transactions. It answers telephone calls and stores the voice recordings in the users’ email inboxes, using the email client software like Microsoft Outlook to deliver the messages to the users’ desktop PC or mobile device. This produces business value by saving time and improving end users’ productivity.
Furthermore, UM systems also provide the users with voice telephone access to their messages, calendars and tasks for convenience in a hands-free mobile situation or when data links are not available. The best UM systems provide a robust speech command interface so the user literally does not need to touch their mobile device to be productive. Again, this improves end users’ mobile access to information and their overall productivity.
For more information contact Galdon Data on (011) 805 4420 or email sales@galdon.co.za.
