posted on May 28, 2004 05:43:20 AM new
I am on the hunt for a good answering machine. I offer people the choice to call me with their credit card number if they don't want to use paypal, and for some reason the people who have chosen this option have expressed that they don't want to talk to a live person (which is fine - it interrupts my day anyway).
So, I was on the hunt for an answering machine with multiple mailboxes and the greeting could say "to pay for your order using a credit card press 2". Then after they press 2 there would be instructions to leave your name, address, product number, etc. The problem is that machine doesn't exist (I have searched the internet endlessly). I can find ones that have mailboxes like that, but none that will let you personalize a greeting in the individual mailboxes. The only ones I have found are PC based, and they look perfect.
I have 2 problems, though. I tried to download one of them and apparently my modem is a data modem and not a voice modem. I have road runner (does that have anything to do with the modem?). If I purchase a new modem is that going to screw up my computer (I'm very computer illiterate). And will this answering machine pick up the calls even when the computer is off?
posted on May 28, 2004 08:36:37 AM new
Those are good questions and potential problems with letting your PC answer the phone. I've never found software that I liked that would do this.
Does your local telco offer voicemail? I can have multiple mailboxes and multiple outgoing messages with my voicemail at home.
posted on May 28, 2004 10:34:02 AM new
The ones I looked at a long time ago did not detect the voltage change on a hang-up, so hang up calls were always recorded.
I did not have a good experience, mostly due to this flaw.
posted on May 30, 2004 07:40:52 AM new
I went through this hunt, and tried a few different software and modem configs., but finally went to good old ma bell and used their services offered here locally.
I found that either my PC or modem would crap out on me, a power outage would kill the service, or I just needed to use my PC for something else that interferred with the software.
posted on May 30, 2004 07:44:54 AM new
I actually think I found a pretty good solution. I found http://www.kall8.com/.
For $2.00 a month and 6.9 cents a minute I have my own toll free number (well, it's an 888 number, but still). I thought it would be much more professional. You can have the messages routed to your email and it will be in wav format.
posted on May 30, 2004 08:15:02 AM new
If that doesn't work for you - I had Callwave for years and it seems they had different mailboxes and I know you could customize your message. I have not use them since I went to High Speed cable but they were adding new options all the time. They were not too expense and I was always pleased with the service.
posted on May 30, 2004 10:42:56 PM new
I am pretty sure that a cybergenie cordless phone system can do what you want.
I have a system laying around here that I tried using for a home phone system but it used too much system resources on my computer and interfered with SMP.
Is there any concern with using an email voice-mail system for security of credit card info?
