Communication Services

Tips to Recording

When a telephone call cannot be answered, a voice mailbox records messages from callers or routes the calls to another extension, department, or designated "personal assistant." Use the tips listed below to help your callers leave a message or be directed to another extension when you are unable to answer telephone calls. All of these customizations can be performed at the system's READY prompt. A personalized greeting can be recorded that provides callers with useful information when you are unavailable to answer calls. Many people have a practice of recording a new greeting every day indicating whether or not they are on campus and/or when they are likely to respond to messages.

How to Record Your Name

The Message Header (Jane Doe, Biology Department, extension 3-1234) identifies the caller if the caller has a mailbox on the system. The message header precedes any message left by the caller. This "introduction" ensures that the recipient knows the information needed (i.e., the caller's name and extension) to return the call. The message header also becomes a default greeting for mailbox owners who have not recorded a personal greeting, or have turned the greeting off. The message header, combined with a system recording would announce, for example, “Jane Doe, Biology Department, extension 3-1234...is unavailable.” With this recording, the caller confirms that the correct person and extension have been reached. In addition, when creating a telephone distribution list, the message header of each individual added to the list is “read back” as confirmation that the correct extension was included.

How to Record Your Greeting

A personalized greeting can be recorded that provides callers with useful information when you are unavailable to answer calls. Many people have a practice of recording a new greeting every day indicating whether or not they are on campus and/or when they are likely to respond to messages.