November 1998 DICTA

Law Office Communications - Using Voice Mail Effectively

	Original Publication: DICTA (Publication of the KBA)
	Author: Dave Kristy, Firm Administrator for Butler, Vines and Babb
	Date Published: November 1998

Today, there are more ways to communicate than ever. The proliferation of fax machines, mobile telephones, pagers, voice mail, and e-mail, have given us the ability to reach anyone, anywhere, at virtually any time. Ironically, when used improperly, these tools can sometimes create a breakdown in communication. In particular, the effective use of voice mail and e-mail in the law office can greatly enhance our ability to communicate, but we must be careful to use these tools properly. In this first part of a two-part series, we will examine some of the "do's" and "don'ts" when it comes to the use of voice mail.
Voice Mail

The impact of a voice messaging system can be far greater than the impact of the pink message slips of the past, and capabilities far exceed that of the home answering machine. Voice messaging features include:

	The ability to send and retrieve messages 24 hours a day from anywhere you can access a telephone. Some argue that the biggest benefit of a voice messaging system is enhancement of internal communications - more so than external. Up to 65% of messages come from other subscribers.
	The ability to leave detailed information instead of simple requests to return a call or "see me". This allows the receiving party to complete a request when physical contact is not possible.
	The ability to forward copies of messages to other subscribers, ensuring that the message is passed along exactly as it was sent.
	The ability to confirm that a message has been retrieved, and exactly when it was retrieved, by the intended party.
	The ability to broadcast a message to a large group of people simultaneously.

Of course, there are still many voice mail skeptics, though that number is dwindling. They may have found themselves at one time or another trapped in "voice mail prison", listening to numerous menu choices given by an automated attendant, seemingly without the option of talking to an actual human being! We have all had such an experience. This gives voice messaging a bad rap. The business you have called has simply not set the system up properly.

Here are some Do's and Don'ts for establishing an effective voice messaging system:

Do:

	Ask for detailed messages. Callers need to be reminded that they can leave detailed information and you wish to receive it.
	Leave detailed messages. The ability to leave detailed information is what sets voice messaging apart from the old pink message slips of the past. A message such as "call me" defeats the purpose of voice messaging. Ask for the information you need or provide requested information.
	Personally record your mail box greeting in your own voice. This gives a caller assurance that they have reached the correct party.
	Give your caller an "escape route" in your greeting to get personal assistance from the receptionist. This would be something like "dial zero for immediate personal assistance."
	Utilize advanced features, such as forwarding messages to other interested parties, or broadcasting a message to a group of people - something you can't easily do with paper messages.
	Return your calls as soon as possible. Voice messages, like paper messages, should be returned within 24 hours.
	Establish a "back door" telephone number, using an automated attendant, for employees or close acquaintances only to connect with the office and reach members of the firm without having to go through the receptionist.

Don't:

	Don't use an automated attendant for regular incoming calls. Except for non-business hours, an automated attendant should have very limited use (see above). Clients expect personal attention in the delivery of law services, and they have a right to expect the same when they call the law firm's office.
	Don't ever force callers to leave messages in a voice mail box. Again, in a professional firm, the option of leaving a voice message should be left to the caller. Written messages can still be taken.
	Don't make your voice mail box greeting longer than 15 seconds. Although virtually all systems permit the bypass of a greeting (by depressing a key on the keypad, such as # or *), callers leaving a message don't want to listen to a long greeting - they just want the beep.
	Don't record greetings such as "today is November 10^th and I'm in the office today...", unless you are certain that you will keep your greeting up to date. It is encouraging for a caller to hear that you have recorded a greeting just for today, but it is discouraging to hear a greeting from three weeks ago. It makes the caller wonder whether you are even checking your messages.

Conclusion

There can be no argument that the best communication always takes place face-to-face. All senses can be used in expressing ideas and emotions. Body language and tone of voice give a great deal of information to the recipient. Unfortunately, most of the time, face-to-face communication is not possible or practical. Some estimate that people fail to reach their intended party the first time, either with a telephone call or visit, up to 90% of the time. In the past, this usually resulted in the standard pink slip message to "see me" or "call me back", only to have the recipient attempt to call back and, naturally, not reach the party up to 90% of the time! This is what we call "telephone tag" - a failure to communicate that is a tremendous waste of time and resources.

Paying special attention to the items above will go a long way toward ensuring that your voice messaging system is an effective communication tool for your law firm, and hopefully dispel some of the myths and poor perceptions about voice mail, eliminating much of that wasted time.

In part two of this series on office communications (December 1998) , we will discuss the proper use of e-mail.

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