Here's a super short tutorial which may save you a lot of confusion.
There's a common mis-use of the term "Voice Mail". Users, and even some administrators, use the word as a blanket description of every aspect of the Auto Attendant, IVR, and voice messaging.
Here's a frequent example: "
I need help setting up the company's voicemail".
What they really mean: "
I need help setting up the automated greeting that answers the company's main line and announces the options for the callers"
This is properly referred-to as the "
Auto Attendant or
IVR". More casually it can be called the: Call Barker, main greeting, call handler.
To a telecom professional the term "
Voice Mail" generally only refers to the messaging system. In other words, the part of the system where a personal greeting is played and the caller can leave a voice message.
Using the correct term in the future may save you some time. :-)
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Steve ONeal
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