Craig Crossman photo Craig Crossman
National Newspaper Computer Columnist

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NEVER MISS A CALL WHEN USING INTERNET SERVICE

If you think about it, the Internet is the ultimate chameleon, able to change, transform and adapt itself so that it perfectly mimics a process done by a dedicated system. In other words, the Internet can become something else by performing the same function and in many cases, it can perform that function even better than the system it's replacing. Take mail for example. Before the Internet, you had to write a letter, fold it, stick it in an envelope, lick it shut, stick a stamp on it, address the envelope and then you had to go out, find a mailbox and drop it in. With the Internet, you just send an email. And it gets there a lot faster than that envelope you had to post.

Now let's take a simplified look at a telephone Private Branch Exchange or PBX system. This is a sophisticated telephone network system typically used within a business. Primarily comprised of switching hardware and software, a PBX is typically used by medium to large businesses that need to interconnect a number of telephones to each other so that all the employees can be reached from the outside by calling just one phone number. When outside calls come in, a live or automated attendant can route them to the proper person. If they are away from the phone, messages can be left.
Needless to say, a PBX system is typically a costly investment. One way to reduce the cost is using a variation of the PBX theme called a Centrex where all the switching occurs at a local telephone office rather than the business. Typically this is less costly because there's no switching hardware to buy. But now let's see how all of this can be done via the Internet, how it can be done better and at a fraction of the cost.

my1voice is a virtual PBX system that gives your company one phone number for all your phones, no matter where they are. First of all, my1voice works with your existing phones including cell, landline and even VoIP so there's no expensive switching equipment to buy. You don't even have to switch your phone service. You get a single business phone number that works with all your existing phones. my1voice offers three service levels that come with different features and abilities. I'm going to write about some of the key features and you can go to their website and decide which service plan is right for you.

my1voice begins by giving you a local or toll free number that becomes your one number to call. Customers hear a greeting that you can customize. From there, the Virtual Auto Attendant will route the calls to the proper person via a variety of methods. You can for example, have it present a company automatic dial-by-name directory. In fact, you can create your own phone menu structure for employees, departments or groups. "Press 1 for Customer Services, press 2 for Sales, 3 for Technical Support" is a typical example of what you can create with my1voice. Depending on whom they are trying to reach, you can setup my1voice to call anyone, anywhere and at anytime. You can even structure my1voice so that the same selection will call different phones based upon the hour of the day which is ideal for after-hour departments.

my1voice lets you record, upload and schedule day, night and after hour messages so that clients will hear different time-relevant recordings. Another feature lets you configure your auto-attendant so that it will find you, even follow you wherever you go. To do this, you select call forward numbers such as your office, home and cell phone. You can even choose to ring all those number simultaneously or in any sequential order you define. You have enough flexibility here so that you can insure that your callers never receive a busy signal and always get in touch with a live person. It's completely up to you.

If messages are left, you can access your voicemail from the Internet. You can store and manage your messages online as you would your email. Instant message notifications let you know new messages are waiting for you. my1voice can even convert those messages into audio files that can be emailed directly to you. You can't do that with PBX system which is how the Internet chameleon does this a lot better than the original.

my1voice is available in Basic for $10 a month, Essential for $30 a month or Premium for $50 a month. Check the my1voice website for all the details. If you're looking for a modern way to get your phones managed, sound more professional and do it at a minimal cost, then my1voice may just be your Internet chameleon. You can try my1voice free for 30 days at:

http://www.my1voice.com/computeramerica

 

Craig Crossman is a McClatchy-Tribune newspaper columnist writing about computers and technology. He also hosts the nation's longest running nationally syndicated radio talk show on computers and technology, Computer America, heard on both the Business TalkRadio Network® and the Lifestyle TalkRadio Network®, weeknights at 10PM Eastern time.  Visit his website at http://www.computeramerica.com

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