User's Guide To Voice Mail System

• Introduction
  • Overview
  • Terms
• Beginning to Use Mailbox Owner Remote Access
• The Mailbox Owner Remote Access Menu
• Performing Specific Mailbox Owner Tasks
  • Changing the Mailbox ID Speech
  • Changing the Mailbox Main Speech
  • Retrieving Messages
  • Selecting Message Forwarding Options

Chapter 9: Mailbox Ownership

Introduction

Overview

Mailbox ownership is simply the maintenance of a Mailbox in your system tree by the Mailbox owner. 'Maintenance' in this case refers to the tasks that the Mailbox owner may perform. These tasks include listening to left messages, deleting old messages, changing their ID speech, and changing their Main speech. Beyond these things, there is little else that the Mailbox owner must do (except pay for services, of course).

This chapter details the processes and procedures that a Mailbox owner uses to perform their tasks. Specifically, you will learn the procedures that a Mailbox owner uses to:

• Access their Mailbox

• Change their Mailbox ID speech

• Change their Mailbox Main speech

• Retrieve old and new messages

• Select message forwarding options

Terms

Declined but delivered	This is a message that has been forwarded to a phone in voice form. The person who answers the phone decides not to take the message, and the system will not try to redial this number to deliver this message again.
Mailbox owner	This is the person who 'owns' (rents) their Mailbox so that callers may leave messages for them.
Mailbox Main speech	This is the speech that the Mailbox owner typically records. It tells the caller who reaches their Mailbox to leave them a message.
Mailbox ID speech	This is the speech that identifies this Mailbox on the corresponding menu. If the parent prompt is using the auto-menuing feature, it is important to record the ID speech. The ID speech allows the caller to identify which Mailbox is which.

Beginning to Use Mailbox Owner Remote Access

To begin their remote access session, the Mailbox owner calls the system (using a touch tone phone) when the system is up and running. The Mailbox owner uses the following procedure to access their Mailbox in your Voice Mail system:

• The Mailbox owner begins by dialing your system's phone number. They then move through the system until they reach their Mailbox.

• While their Mailboxes' Main speech plays, the Mailbox owner presses the 0 key (the number zero, not the letter "O"). A tone sounds, and the Mailbox owner enters their Mailbox password, followed by the # key. If they enter the wrong number, a message tells them that the number is invalid, and they enter the system as a normal caller.

• If the Mailbox owner enters the Mailbox Password correctly, they hear a count of how many old and new messages they have, then the Mailbox menu plays.

The Mailbox Owner Remote Access Menu

Appendix C contains the Instruction Sheets for your Mailbox owners. You give these instructions to your Mailbox owners so that they may access their Mailbox and perform the necessary tasks.

This is the actual menu that the Mailbox owner uses to perform the necessary tasks within their Mailbox. The Mailbox menu contains a number of options, and each is described in this section. The Mailbox menu that the Mailbox owner hears is as follows: "Press 0 to change the Mailbox password." "Press 1 to retrieve messages." "Press 2 to change the ID speech." "Press 3 to change the Main speech." "Press 6 to select forwarding options." "Press * to return to the system."

Here is a breakdown of these menu options and how they work:

0 Change Your Password - This option allows the Mailbox owner to change their Password. When the Mailbox owner presses the 0 key (zero, not the letter "O"), a speech tells them to enter the new password, followed by the pound (#) key. If they press the pound key without entering any numbers, they return to the Mailbox menu. If they enter the new password and press #, then they are asked to enter the number again to verify the change.

1 Retrieve Messages - This option allows the Mailbox owner to retrieve all old and new messages left in their Mailbox. An 'old' message is a message that has already been listened to, while a 'new' message is a message that has not yet been listened to. Once the Mailbox owner presses 1, the following menu plays:

"Press 1 to retrieve new messages."

"Press 2 to retrieve old messages."

"Press 3 to return to the Mailbox Menu."

2 Change ID Speech - This allows the Mailbox owner to change the ID speech of the Mailbox. When the Mailbox owner selects this option, they have five options:

• The Mailbox owner may press the 1 key to record a new ID speech, and begin recording after the tone (pressing # allows them to stop recording, or they may simply stop speaking).

• The Mailbox owner may press the 2 key to listen to their newly recorded speech.

• The Mailbox owner may press the 3 key to play the old ID speech.

• The Mailbox owner may press the 4 key to save the new ID speech and exit to the Mailbox menu.

• The Mailbox owner may press the 5 key to discard the new ID speech and exit this menu.

• The Mailbox owner may press the 1 key to record a new Main speech, and begin recording after the tone (pressing # allows the Mailbox owner to stop recording, or they may simply stop speaking).

• The Mailbox owner may press the 2 key to listen to their newly recorded speech.

• The Mailbox owner may press the 3 key to play the old Main speech.

• The Mailbox owner may press the 4 key to save the new Main speech and exit to the Mailbox menu.

• The Mailbox owner may press the 5 key to discard the new Main speech and exit this menu.

When selecting this option, the Mailbox owner hears the Forwarding options menu. This menu allows the Mailbox owner to do one of five things:

• The Mailbox owner may press the 1 key to forward the message in voice form to a telephone.

• The Mailbox owner may press the 2 key to forward the message to a beeper. This causes the Mailbox owner's beeper to sound, indicating that a caller left a message in their Mailbox.

• The Mailbox owner may press the 3 key to forward the message to a display pager. This causes the Mailbox owner's pager to sound, and it displays the system's phone number. This alerts the Mailbox owner that a caller left a message in their Mailbox.

• The Mailbox owner may press the 4 key to disable their message forwarding feature. This means that none of the messages left in their Mailbox will be forwarded.

• The Mailbox owner may press the 5 key to cancel this operation and exit this menu. They then return to the Mailbox menu.

• The Mailbox owner may press the 1 key to record a new forwarding number. This phone number must be seven digits long. After the tone, the Mailbox owner enters the seven-digit phone number, then returns to the Phone Number menu.

• The Mailbox owner may press the 2 key to play back the newly recorded phone number. The phone number plays, then the Mailbox owner returns to the Phone Number menu.

• The Mailbox owner may press the 3 key to play the current phone number. The phone number plays, then the Mailbox owner returns to the Phone Number menu.

• The Mailbox owner may press the 4 key to save the newly recorded phone number and exit this menu. They then return to the Mailbox menu.

• The Mailbox owner may press the 5 key to cancel this operation and exit this menu. They then return to the Mailbox menu.

Performing Specific Mailbox Owner Tasks

In the following procedures, we assume that the Mailbox owner has already called the system, arrived at their Mailbox, and accessed the Mailbox menu.

This section contains the procedures that the Mailbox owner uses to manage and maintain their Mailbox. At the beginning of each procedure, there is a discussion of the tasks (if any) that the System Administrator or Branch Administrator must perform to allow the Mailbox owner to do the procedure.

Changing the Mailbox ID Speech

This procedure allows the Mailbox owner to change the ID speech of the Mailbox:

• The Mailbox owner begins by pressing the 2 key to select the Change ID speech option from the Mailbox menu.

• The Record menu plays, and the Mailbox owner presses the 1 key to record a new ID speech.

• A tone sounds, and the Mailbox owner begins recording their ID speech. When they finish, they press the # key to stop the recording.

• The Mailbox owner presses the 4 key to save the new ID speech and exits back to the Mailbox menu.

• Back on the Mailbox menu, the Mailbox owner presses the * key to return to the normal system. They then hang up, and the call ends.

Changing the Mailbox Main Speech

This procedure allows the Mailbox owner to change the Main speech of the Mailbox:

• The Mailbox owner begins by pressing the 3 key to select the Change Main speech option from the Mailbox menu.

• The Record menu plays, and the Mailbox owner presses the 1 key to record a new Main speech.

• A tone sounds, and the Mailbox owner begins recording their Main speech. When they finish, they press the # key to stop the recording.

• The Mailbox owner presses the 4 key to save the new Main speech and exits back to the Mailbox menu.

• Back on the Mailbox menu, the Mailbox owner presses the * key to return to the normal system. They then hang up, and the call ends.

Retrieving Messages

This procedure allows the Mailbox owner to retrieve messages from their Mailbox. The Mailbox owner uses the following procedure to do so:

• While on the Mailbox menu, the Mailbox owner presses 1, to select the Retrieve messages option. A menu then allows them to retrieve new or old messages (1 for new, 2 for old).

• After they choose which messages to listen to (new or old), the messages play, preceded by the date and time the message was left.

• After each message plays, a menu allows the Mailbox owner to save, repeat, erase, or forward the message before moving to the next one.

• If the Mailbox owner decides to forward the message, then the system prompts them for the object ID of the destination Mailbox. The Mailbox owner enters the ID number of the destination Mailbox, then presses the # key to send the message.

• When all messages finish playing, the Mailbox owner returns to the Mailbox menu. Pressing the * key allows the Mailbox owner to cancel the message retrieval procedure and return to the Mailbox menu.

Selecting Message Forwarding Options

This procedure allows the Mailbox owner to select the number to which the forwarded message will be delivered, as well as the format of the message (i.e., voice, beeper, or display beeper format):

• The Mailbox owner begins by pressing the 6 key to select the Select forwarding options option from the Mailbox menu.

• The Forwarding Options menu plays, and the Mailbox owner may press 1 to forward a voice message to a phone, 2 to forward to a beeper, 3 to forward to a display beeper, or 4 to disable the forwarding feature.

• If the Mailbox owner presses the 1 key to choose the message format as Voice, then they move to the Phone Number menu. A speech asks them to enter the seven-digit phone number they want their messages forwarded to. A tone sounds, and the Mailbox owner begins entering the phone number, using the buttons on their phone. When the Mailbox owner finishes, they return to the Phone Number menu.

When a caller calls in to leave a message in this Mailbox, the message will forward to the number that the Mailbox owner entered. This means that once the caller records their message and hangs up, the system forwards the message to the phone.

When someone answers the phone, the system plays a speech that says "This is a voice mail system, delivering a message for [the Mailbox owner's name]. Press 1 to accept this message, or press any other key or hang up to end this call." If the person on the phone presses 1, then the system asks for their password. Once they enter the password (followed by the # key), the Mailbox owner is in remote access. The system tells the Mailbox owner the number of old and new messages in their Mailbox. At this point, the Mailbox owner may retrieve their messages, as well as perform any other remote access Mailbox owner task.

If the person who picks up the phone presses any key other than 1 or hangs up, then the system hangs up. In this case, the system considers the message 'declined but delivered', and will not try to forward the message again.

The number of forwarding retries and the time interval between forwarding retries is determined by the setting for the controls on the System Greeting.

• If the Mailbox owner presses the 2 key to select the Beeper option, then they move to the Phone Number menu. A speech asks them to enter the seven-digit phone number they want their messages forwarded to. A tone sounds, and the Mailbox owner begins entering the phone number, using the buttons on their phone. When the Mailbox owner finishes, they return to the Phone Number menu.

If a caller leaves a message in the Mailbox owner's Mailbox, then their beeper will sound. This signals the Mailbox owner that someone has just left a message in their Mailbox.

• If the Mailbox owner presses the 3 key to select the Display Pager option, then they move to the Phone Number menu. A speech asks them to enter the seven-digit phone number they want their messages forwarded to. A tone sounds, and the Mailbox owner begins entering the phone number, using the buttons on their phone. When the Mailbox owner finishes, they return to the Phone Number menu.

If a caller leaves a message in the Mailbox owner's Mailbox, then their display will sound. The phone number of the system will appear on the display pagers display This signals the Mailbox owner that someone has just left a message in their Mailbox.

• Back on the Mailbox menu, the Mailbox owner presses the * key to return to the normal system. They then hang up, and the call ends.

It is common to set the Mailbox owner up with a long distance forwarding number if he or she agrees to pay for the long distance charges. You may only configure long distance message forwarding from your system; it cannot be done remotely.