1800 Vmail

[jpstephens]

I am starting to get my business in order and am looking to get a voicemail box for as cheap as possible to serve as my lead generation mailbox. I will put this # on business cards, flyers, posters, signs, etc.  I was thinking of adding a second line to my home as a regular local # but my family is moving soon.

Now I am looking at just voicemail box options.  Does anyone use any of these services or know of any that are cheap and reliable. I am looking in the range of 9.99 a month.

[propertymanager]

You will lose a LOT of deals if you don't answer the phone or have someone answer the phone that has the power to do something.  I use a cell phone as my business phone and answer it 30 to 40 times each day.  Answering the phone makes all the difference, but it sure isn't a Legrand autopilot strategy.

Mike

[jpstephens]

I wish I could do that but I work full time and theres no way I can answer 40 phone calls a day. A voicemail sure may lose some callers but at this point what other option do I have?

[d_sbrown]

JP,
Can you use the vm box only during work hours?  maybe have the number rerouted to you before and after work.  Advertise to call you anytime day or night?

I would think that many people would like to call and talk after work. (If they have a job too.)

Just a thought to get your live voice on the line as much as possible.
PropertyManager is right.  If I get VM I usually just hang up and call the next number.

my two cents,

DB

[jpstephens]

That could totally work, anyone know of any services that offer this?

[JeffInCT]

I use a toll free service that you can program to follow you wherever you are.  Cell phone, office house.  You program it yourself instantly over the web.

You can also use it to receive faxes at your email that you can print our from any computer.  It's 6.9 cents a minute. My highest monthly bill has been about 14bucks.

It is all in real time so once you hit submit, it will ring at the number of your choice IMMEDIATELY.

I use it for business, faxes, and when I place ads for tenants or homes for sale.

It tracks all the numbers who called you in a database in case you lose a number.  It is way cool.

I have an extra line you can try out for a couple of days.  Leaving messages and faxing.

Email me for info.  I will tell you where find the service if you want to get your own number.  but like I said you can try mine to see if you like it first.

It has been awesome. No commitment and you can cancel at any time.  It is ideal for travelling office.

Jeff

[wricg]

I found this in a magazine the other day, as i sipped down my 8 dollar coffee (i made it up by reading all the magazines for free though ) www.gotvmail.com/b20

[kdhastedt]

cbrech...

You really make up for the $8 Gucci coffee by taking 4-6 pounds of sugar and 2-3 quarts of creamer that is needed to drink the crap (whether you need it or not)!

Keith

[Mdhaas]

I will never understand why you would buy a "gourmet" coffee and then kill it with cream and sugar or all of those artsy fartsy flavors.  It kind of defeats the purpose.

Real coffee drinkers drink it au natural (black)!

How this went from Vmail to coffee I do not know I am just going with the flow! 8)

[ForeverInvestor]

Jeff -
How does the charging by the minute work? So if they leave a 20 second voicemail, you get charged a minute? How about hang ups?

Also if you have it forwarded to say your cell  phone and you pick up the call and talk for 10 minutes. Does this mean you're charged 6.9 cents x 10 minutes?

Any other charging I'm missing. Thanks!

[DeeinAustin]

I tried Gotvmail and other toll free services. They're pretty expensive even when you barely use the line. The trick is that most charge you twice when you answer an inbound call. This is called double-leg billing and it really added up.  I used other services that didn't charge double-legged billing, but their ploy was that you lose your prepaid minutes if they aren't used within a few months.

I switched to FreedomVoice.com and have been happy with it because I was able to buy a plan for up to 1000 mins per month and there's no double-leg billing. I have it set to call my mobile phone and if I don't answer, it goes to my answering service.

Here's a definition of the double-leg billing: Double-Leg Billing -  A connected toll free call stands on two "legs": an inbound leg into your toll-free number and another outbound leg to the phone where the call is actually taken. Some companies charge for each of these legs separately so you pay as much as twice their published rate per minute.

[jamestc]

GREAT FLATE RATE SERVICE
no per minute charge
faxes - via email or cell phone
10 mail boxes
normally $34 a month
have access to discount

jt
[email protected]