The Secret Benefit of Owing an Answering Machine

Should you go with voice mail or an answering machine?  Here's an unusual look.

A couple of years ago, our neighborhood was evacuated because of a wildfire which ultimately consumed over 400,000 acres of land in northeastern Arizona.  My neighborhood was amongst the first to have to leave.

Communication is better now -- but back then, we had no idea whether our homes were still standing. 

The Answering Machine to the Rescue!

My neighbors figured out a unique way to see if their home had burned down:  they called themselves.  If the answering machine came on, they knew the power was still there and their house was still standing.  In my case, I had voice mail which was stored somewhere in another state.  I had to rely on neighbors with their old style answering machines to know if our area was unscathed from the fire.

Outside of emergencies, making sure that your phone is answered is important for business and social reasons.  We hope the following articles will be of interest:

Answering Machine vs. Voice Mail - Are old style cassette answering machines better than the digital answring machine models?  Or is voice mail superior?  Check it out.

Answering Services Add the Personal Touch - One of the most common complaints people have when they try to contact a business is that they can never talk to a real person. They have to punch a series of codes and menus and seem to get nowhere with getting the help they need.

Operating a Home Business?  Your answering machine greeting may be giving the wrong first impression. 

Adventures with a Cordless Phone with Answering Machine - After hearing about Chris' problems with his cordless phone, I'm not sure if a cordless phone with answering machine is my cup of tea.  Read and decide for yourself.

Telephone Answering Systems come in a variety of forms.  With the growing popularity of wireless cell phones, voice mail seems to be the preferred choice.