Source: Pexels
In February 2022, Gordon Matthews passed away. Don’t know who he is?
Well, he’s the guy that invented the corporate voicemail inbox as we know it today.
Legend has it the idea came to him while standing in the rain. He was next to a garbage dump where he noticed a huge pile of ‘while you were out’ message pads. There he came up with the idea to record messages on a device instead of paper. [1]
Client calls were important to Matthews, and over the next 20 years, he improved his concept until he convinced 40 million people in the US to use this technology.
Fast forward to 2022, and Matthews must have marvelled that voicemail messages were standard on most communication devices and could even be forwarded from one place to another.
This article will give you a quick guide to voicemail forwarding. But let’s appreciate that there was nothing quick about how this technology became so popular. It took the determination of one man on a mission.
Why would you use voicemail forwarding?
Let’s explore some of the reasons you might use this function:
- You’re unable to take all calls coming in but want to maintain contact with the customer
- You work in Sales or Customer Support and can’t afford to miss a client call
- You want to keep a record of communication with customers and log voice mails on your customer management system
- You need to delegate certain tasks to other departments or co-workers
- You keep records of customer complaints and compliments to measure customer satisfaction
- You have a voicemail recording that you want others to hear
Can I receive a voicemail message in my email inbox?
Forwarded voicemail messages come into your email application with an audio file attached.
Click on the attachment directly (MS Outlook) or click ‘download’ (online email programs), and the audio file will open.
Further reading: Voice mail to email - how does it work and how to do it
How do I forward voicemail messages from my iPhone?
Source: Pexels
In 2016, iPhone added a new feature to its operating system that allows iPhone voicemail to be sent to other smartphone users, even if they do not have an iPhone.
These simple steps will help you to send your voicemail to your email or another device.
- Tap the phone app on your device’s home screen.
- Select the Voice mail Tab from the bottom right hand corner of your screen
- Find the message you want to forward in your list of voicemail messages. Tap it once to open it.
- To forward the message, tap the Share button. This is in the top right hand corner.
- You have multiple options to transfer the voice message. You can send it via text message, email or add it to cloud storage. Tap the relevant option and follow the prompts to complete the transfer
- You can also email a copy of the message to yourself. Access your email application to see the message.
Forwarding voicemails on Android
The android phone operating system can forward voice messages in much the same way as the iPhone.
- Open the Phone app on the home screen
- Select the voice mail tab
- Search for the voice message you want to share
- Tap the Share icon on the top right hand corner
- Select the app you want to share the voicemail through
- Tap Send
Forward voicemails from your computer
Use the VoIP phone system user interface to forward voice mails as an email attachment. (.wav or.mp3). These attachments can then be forwarded to another user address the same way other emails are sent. They will receive the audio file and listen to using their media player.
Some business phone systems, like Thatch, can combine your voice messages with email transcripts. These messages can be sent from their user-friendly platform, allowing you to manage all your communications in one place.
Some cautions for forwarding voicemails
- Send voice notes to trusted contacts only
Once a voicemail message leaves your hands, anyone can use the file. For this reason, only forward messages to people that you trust. It is good practice to listen to the audio file before forwarding it. This way, you can be sure the recipient is not receiving anything confidential.
- Messages are deleted after a certain period
Most service providers have a set time frame for deleting voicemail messages. Set up a reminder in your calendar if it is an important message that you want to forward.
Technological developments
With the help of AI, Virtual Assistants are becoming a new feature of voicemail services.
A Virtual Assistant can transcribe your voicemail, as well as recognise key aspects of a message and forward it automatically to the correct department.
The future of voice recordings is automation, where computer-generated voices will answer questions by customers, even keeping voice recognition prompts for customers.
Thatch is using these latest innovations for the benefit of its customers.
Source: Pexels
Conclusion
In this quick guide, we have reviewed multiple ways to forward voice messages. With so many devices able to do this, there is no reason to miss client calls or lose track of important messages.
Many new and exciting technologies are available to private individuals, small businesses and large corporations that now bring the world together in a giant network.
Since everyone is connected, there should be no reason for you not to keep in touch with loved ones and customers alike.
Footnotes:
[1] https://www.nytimes.com
