November 12, 2009
Much has been said about ‘visual voicemail’ the last year or so. As an ever-increasing number of people migrate to smart phones (thanks Apple!) there is ever more discussion of the ‘visual voicemail’ feature offered. But just what is visual voicemail?
Is it the ability to see the voicemails logged on your handset and you choose which one to listen to first (if any at all – instead just calling the person back and have them re-tell you their reason for calling?). Or is visual voicemail really defined by the ability to read the content of your messages as text or email and have embedded in the text/email message options as to how you can choose to respond? We at SpinVox (and Mutare Software) are inclined to go with the latter point of view.
There’s a lot of confusion in the marketplace nowadays – especially as exclusivity deals for the iPhone are coming to an end (for instance in Canada as of November 5th the ‘Big 3’ carriers now all sell the iPhone and in the UK o2’s exclusivity will end this month ). As the ever-coveted iPhone becomes more broadly available ever more people will be exposed to one of the key features routinely associated with this phone – visual voicemail! And many people will be scratching their heads trying to sort out what exactly does this mean and how should I use it?!
I’ve been using the Samsung Instinct for a year-and-a-half now. Visual voicemail, in the former definition above, always left me wanting. I still had to listen to the messages. Living in New York that is not always so easy to do when outside with all the cars honking or siren-blaring vehicles passing by. So in many cases I had to listen to the voicemail several times just to sort out what the person said. Not only annoying but incredibly inefficient!
Now having SpinVox true visual voicemail I can read my messages, file them in email folders, and easily save contact details without having to transcribe the message with pen and paper with the added step of typing the information into my outlook contacts (assuming the paper with the details had not been misplaced or lost!). And best of all I NEVER have to listen to voicemail. I actually cancelled my home phone voicemail service because it was way too cumbersome to have to punch in so many access numbers, PIN codes and menu selection options only to find out it was a hang up call?! Ugh. Are you kidding me?!
As the saying goes – ‘You say “to-may-to”, I say ‘to-mah-to’. But when we talk about visual voicemail we can agree true visual voicemail provides so many more options to us in how we receive, retain and follow-up our voice messages day-to-day. And really, as consumers don’t we demand more and better options to tailor and use a service our way?
Have any visual voicemail stories you’d like to share? Drop us a comment!
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