Voice mail has become virtually standard in Canadian businesses and organizations, but that doesn't mean it's universally applauded. Many people simply refuse to deal with voice mail and automated telephone systems, either hanging up at the sound of a personal message, or pressing zero repeatedly until they are connected to a human being. You may even be one of them! Here are a few things your organization can do to provide callers with a constructive experience, rather than a baffling and frustrating one.

Consider using voice mail only at personal extensions and after-hours, with a real person picking up calls at your main number.

If you have an automated system, listen to it as though you had no knowledge of your organization. The difference between "press 1 for communications", "press 2 for public relations" and "press 3 for general information" may be obvious to you, but a harried journalist on a deadline is unlikely to have much patience for vague department titles and a ten minute message.

If you are listed in Sources, then you must be prepared to take calls from the media. Successful organizations often include a message such as "Journalists on a deadline, please press 5 now to connect to our media relations officer on duty" and then make sure that extension is either staffed or gives an after-hours cellular or pager number where someone can be reached. Personal voice mail of those responding to media inquiries should also give alternate and after-hours numbers.

If you decide to have a human rather than a machine answering your main number, you still need to make sure that those answering the phone are educated about your organization, routing calls and most importantly, basic politeness and professionalism. When calling for information, service or purchase, nothing is more likely to make one turn elsewhere than being on hold for ten minutes while an unapologetic receptionist paws through an employee directory. Remember:

Response to callers is like a virtual storefront. If you wouldn't hold meetings with journalists or clients in a dank, run-down, abandonded warehouse, then make sure your treatment of calls isn't a telephone equivalent.

Professional phone manner does not mean being a robot. Even though a smile can't be seen over the phone, it definitely can be heard! Maintaining that human touch by being genuinely relaxed and helpful on the phone makes all the difference.

Make sure those answering the phone are clear about the procedure for dealing with calls from the media. They should know who to route journalists' calls to, be aware of alternate numbers and most important, never, ever, give out inside information to a journalist (or anyone else for that matter). A little forethought before a crisis can save a lot of headaches.

Things you never want said about you when you can't come to the phone (and don't want to know about someone who can't take your call): "he's in the toilet." "She's on a break." "She's out for a cigarette." "He went home early." A simple "I'm sorry, Ms. Johnson has stepped away from her desk." along with an offer to transfer to someone else or take a message is discrete and courteous.

Different methods of dealing with telephone traffic have their pros and cons. Being aware of the type of calls you are getting and what your organization's priorities are will help you choose the right way for you. No matter what your system, remember, Grandma was right: it pays to be polite.

See also:
Answering Machine Tips
Don't play that game: Ending telephone tag