Pricing and costs of voice mail varies depending on your company's needs, size and call volume. Plans range from basic voice mail services with a limited number of mailboxes to voice mail components that are part of large Private Branch Exchange (PBX) systems.

To get an idea of how much you'll need to spend, compare features and prices of various types of voice mail systems. Determine your needs and find a system that will grow with your company. To find costs and pricing for voice mail service providers:

1. Find out if your telephone system provider offers small business voice mail as part of your plan.

2. Consider hosted solutions to save money on voice mail services.

3. Compare the offerings of large providers for more complex voice mail and telecom needs.

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Look to your local phone company for voice mail solutions

Your local provider probably gives you basic voice mail features you can add to your phone service. Be sure to check the features of Incumbent Local Exchange Companies (ILEC) and Competitive Local Exchange Companies (CLEC) in your area. Contact them to get pricing and information.

I recommend: Many national telephone providers offer voice mail services. Prices are generally less than $20 per month in addition to regular phone service fees. Verizon and AT&T have a variety of solutions and offer discounts for purchasing a contract for multiple years. Comcast offers voice mail as part of its business class Internet service, with packages starting at around $150.

Consider hosted solutions that offer voice messaging for business

Hosted solutions can give you many valuable features, including a toll free number, voice mail and advanced features. With these solutions, voice mail is forwarded to a hosted service and retrieved by phone or email.

I recommend: GotVMail Communications and FreedomVOICE Systems offer a toll free number, a set amount of minutes and voice mail service, with plans starting at less than $15 per month. VoiceMailSolution from Coren Telecommunications is a hosted Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) solution that sends voice mail to your email inbox for prices starting at less than $10 per month.

Compare features and costs of large providers of voice messaging systems

If your company has many users and lots of voice traffic, a large provider may be right for you. Prices are considerably higher than with other solutions. Large providers offer voice mail as part of a PBX or VoIP phone system that is either located on your premises or hosted elsewhere.

I recommend: Mitel Networks and Alcatel-Lucent are two national providers that offer advanced solutions for businesses of all sizes. Prices vary depending on your company's needs, but generally range from $250 to $500 per user. PBXtra by Fonality is a simpler VoIP solution for small- to-medium-sized companies that costs from $1,000 to $7,000.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Remember to factor in the costs of additional equipment and support contracts when purchasing voice mail systems from large vendors.

Nearly every small business today can benefit from a voicemail system. When used properly, voicemail can improve productivity, give your business a professional image, enhance customer relations, and make ordering products and services quicker and more efficient. Here are a few keys to making sense of voicemail systems.

1. Learn which voicemail system best meets your company's current needs, but don't forget to plan for growth.
2. Determine which providers will offer you the best long-term investment. While most traditional voicemail systems designed for small businesses are cost-effective, they can range from less than $1,000 to more than $40,000, depending on the features you select. Own a very small business? Consider a Web-hosted voicemail system, which can start at less than $10 a month.
3. No matter which type you choose, select only the features that you and your customers need. A simple system provides individual mailboxes, while more comprehensive ones offer options like music, virtual hold and question-and-answer scripts.
4. Get quotes from several vendors, including local and national providers.

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Learn the lingo

There are lots to know. For example: PC-based systems, usually low-cost, require a standard desktop PC to act as the system's server. Traditional Private Branch Exchange (PBX) voicemail solutions use operating systems just for messaging.

I recommend: Check out Everything VoiceMail to learn more about how voicemail systems and services work.

Examine different providers

Voicemail systems include a variety of expenses from setup charges to maintenance fees.

I recommend: For help determining how much you can and should spend check BuyerZone for prices that sample customers paid for various configurations. For a list of voicemail system dealers, visit Everything Voicemail.

Do I really need that feature?

Most small businesses share basic voicemail features, like mailboxes and auto attendants. After that, the similarity ends. Depending on the services or products you provide and the image you want to project, you may consider options like music on hold, messaging on hold, 'screen pops' (an automatic display of a caller's information), route-to-fax capabilities, automatic routing and remote voicemail pickup.

I recommend: Check out IVM Telephone. Voice Assistant from NCH Swift Sound, which is PC-based. Other popular vendors include Vodavi and Covad (the latter specializes in VOIP-based systems).

Compare systems within your budget

Many suppliers offer free quotes online.

I recommend: BuyerZone provides free phone-system quotes from multiple dealers. You can also go to Work Easy for a free quote.

Rent virtual voicemail

If you're a sole proprietor or have only one or two employees, consider the least expensive, least intrusive option of all: a Web-based virtual phone service, which can provide many of the most commonly used features of any business phone system, such as automated answering, call forwarding, music on hold, multiple mail boxes, and caller ID, plus delivery of messages via email or the Web.

I recommend: GotVMail's service starts at $9.95 a month for five mailboxes; an extra $10 per month gives you Web and email message delivery. FreedomVOICE Systems offers a similarly priced service, as does VoiceNation. For a large directory of voicemail service providers, see Everything Voicemail.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Ask potential voicemail providers for references.
• •  Make sure the voicemail system you select is expandable. Avoid systems that have limited capacity for growth.
• •  No matter which voicemail system you use, always give customers the option to speak to a real person.
• •  Expect some annual maintenance expenses for your system. Maintenance costs should not exceed 5 to 10 percent of the initial purchase price.
• •  If you choose a 'virtual,' Web-based phone system, watch out for per-minute fees. Read the fine print carefully.
• •  Virtual PBX, one of the newest options, features an automated attendant over existing mobile, land and VoIP phone lines.
• •  No matter which technical configuration you choose, you'll need to decide how many 'ports' the system will have. The greater the number of ports, the greater the number of phone calls that the voicemail system can answer simultaneously. As a rule of thumb, a system costs about $1,000 per port.

Making the most of business voicemail involves using the best practices and latest technology to make voice mail work for your company. Voice mail is a valuable service for most businesses. It allows callers to leave information for each other even when they can't be reached on the phone.

With advancements in technology, voice mail has become an even greater communications tool. Many voicemail services have providers that offer advanced voice mail features to make it more convenient. Some things to consider to make the most of business voice mail services are:

1. Get professional advice on using business voice mail effectively.

2. Find voice mail features that keep you connected and make voice mail easier to use.

3. Save money by getting only what you need.

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Find out how to use voice mail services effectively

Used correctly, voice mail can be a professional tool used to communicate with clients and colleagues. Too often, voice mail leaves callers and recipients frustrated and results in lost calls. Get tips on using voice mail to its full advantage.

I recommend: 43Folders provides helpful advice on using voice mail effectively. Accessline Communications gives pointers on creating an effective message, checking voice mail and responding to calls. The Bridge Group provides voice mail tips geared to sales professionals.

Use voice messaging systems that send messages to your email inbox

Many companies offer technology that sends voice mail right to your email inbox. This solution is ideal for small companies and allows staff to check their email and voice mail all at once. Voice mail is sent to the inbox as an attachment and listened to with proprietary software.

I recommend: Evoice and JConnect from j2 Global Communications offer voice mail to email solutions at low monthly fees. Calls are sent to an inbox and played using special software through computer speakers or headsets.

Look for forwarding features in a business voice mail system

One way to make the most of your voice mail is to make sure customers don't end up in it. Look for voice mail systems that forward calls to a cell phone or other number so that customers and colleagues can always reach you.

I recommend: With VoiceNation, you can program your phone number to forward to a cell phone, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) line or regular telephone line. 800-Voicemail is an authorized distributor for FreedomVOICE Systems. They offer Follow-Me-Live software that forwards calls to your cell phone or other numbers, announces the caller's name and you can talk to the caller or have the caller leave a message.

Save with open source or basic hosted plans from voice mail service providers

Open source software for VoIP is written by developers and offered to the public for free or a very low price. Voice mail open source software integrates with open source VoIP software for company Private Brabch Exchange (PBX) systems. Another way to save money, especially for small offices that don't require a lot of lines, is to use a hosted system for a low monthly fee. Your telephone provider may also provide low-cost voice mail as part of your calling package.

I recommend: VoIP Now provides a directory of open source providers for voice mail. Voice mail is also a feature of Digium's Asterisk, the largest open source software for telecom solutions. Skype gives you the ability to make and receive calls and get voice mail on your computer for a low annual fee. Check with local telephone service providers to find out if they offer voice mail packages for business. Local providers for your state can be found on your state's public utility commission website. Use Construction WebLinks from Thelen to find links for each state's agency.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Make sure training is included with the small business voice mail software that you choose. Don't wait until you need to use a feature to figure out how it works.

Nearly every business uses voice mail as a service assistance program for their businesses or corporations. Comparable to the answering machines of residential areas, voice mail takes messages for those who are unable to come to the phone when calls get put through. Voice mail is available for business lines as well as cell phones. However, the industry has a lot of nuances available, the intricacies of which can offer additional important and beneficial opportunities. By being aware of the potential presented by voice mail, businesses have the opportunity to make the most of such services. Learning about voice mail key terms and concepts is integral to this opportunity.

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Greeting

A user records their own outgoing message to be heard by callers that reach their voice mail box. This message is known as the greeting and typically expresses the user's appreciation for the call and a promise to return calls in a prompt manner.

I recommend: Voice mail greeting etiquette and additional information is provided at SIU.edu.

Forwarding features

The forwarding features of a voice mail system allow users to ensure that they miss as few calls as possible. Instead of getting sent to the voice mail box, the forwarding features of such voice mail providers forward the calls to other phones, such as cell phones, in an effort to ensure that the maximum number of customers are helped and receive live assistance.

I recommend: Forwarding features, as described by the company on their MessagingService.com website, are offered by voice mail providers such as Access Direct.

Mailbox

A voicemail mailbox is the aspect of a voicemail system with which most individuals are familiar. It is here that messages are left by callers and heard by users.

I recommend: To learn more about what a voicemail mailbox is, visit Tech-Faq.com.

Virtual hold

Virtual hold allows individuals to receive assistance in their query without having to actually remain on hold. With virtual hold features, callers are able to call in, leave information and receive a call back from an assistance specialist in the estimated amount of time they would have otherwise waited on hold for their call to be picked up. Rather than keeping the phone glued to their ear, callers are able to perform other tasks and duties until their wait time is up and they receive a call back from the individual they called.

I recommend: Virtual hold technology is explored in detail at VirtualHold.com.

Call processing

Call processing is an aspect of the voicemail system in which a menu of options are made available to callers. By choosing from the menu, their calls are routed to their proper and intended channels, such as a specific department or individual or another mailbox.

I recommend: Voice mail and call processing features are described at Illinois.edu.

Message waiting notification

Message waiting notification occurs when users of a voicemail system have a message waiting for them to listen to. The notification of waiting messages can vary, but some popular notification methods include a waiting light and a stuttering dial tone, which alerts the user to their waiting message or messages.

I recommend: Options for message waiting notification are explored at MIT.edu.