I never really liked my answering machine (this is for my office; I like to know when people call at home, if you’re calling home or Margaret’s cell phone, for instance to congratulate her, don’t by any means stop), but it was useful, and I didn’t get so very many messages, and all I had to do was hit the button to hear the message, and rewind to erase the message.
My ultra-secure, multi-purpose voicemail infuriates me. I don't like its malevolent red eye, glaring at me from the corner of my desk to remind me that I’m ignoring a phone message. I hate having to go through the voice mail press-this-number-now hierarchy just to hear a message that’s usually yet another administrative headache.
Maybe there's some way to just turn off the voice mail features on this phone. If I unplug the phone, it'll just record messages on some central voice mail message repository; Or I could change my message to say, “Please, I beg you, don’t leave a message for me unless you absolutely need to!”
Posted by AKMA at January 22, 2004 09:17 AM | TrackBackI don't mind my office voicemail so much anymore since I irrevocably covered up my "angry red light" (message indicator). If someone's called, I certainly don't know about it.
Posted by: Dennis at January 22, 2004 10:18 AMi have two strategies for it, one let your mailbox fill up, then put a bit of tape over the light, put in your message to send you an email if the mailbox is full. i've found that the persistent light can be ignored for a long time if you are used to it blinking, but black electrical tape over it helps the 'acclimation' second, unplug the phone unless you plan to use it.
Posted by: jeremy hunsinger at January 22, 2004 11:02 AMThe little blinking light makes me feel so guilty. I keep making the resolution to return all calls in 24 hours but of course I don't. In addition to the black tape, there's always coloring the blinky bit with magic marker.
Posted by: Liz at January 22, 2004 07:02 PMI call it the "red LED of despair."
It's never good news.
Posted by: dave rogers at January 22, 2004 08:26 PMJust forward your office phone to your cell when you're out of the office.
Um, er. I suppose that's the WRONG ANSWER.
I do it. But I'm in sales.
Another bright idea:
Have the VM disabled on your phone. It probably takes an act of God, but don't you have an inside track?
;-)
Posted by: Wes at January 23, 2004 11:21 AM