However, Hinze says that the way businesses use voicemail has changed radically. What once meant a constantly clogged answering machine is now a service that almost always involves the incorporation of more modern functions like automated message transcription. For customers picking up a phone after your normal hours of operation, rather than going to your website, voicemail greetings can keep them apprised of business hours, brief company news items and other critical information.
One of the most challenging aspects of writing for speech is optimising text to be read aloud and recorded. On paper, long, complex sentences are easily accommodated. When read out aloud, the same sentences can sound awkward and confusing.

I am not a voice talent, and I hate the sound of my own voice. Every time I lose my cell phone (daily), I call it from another line to help myself find it. And every time I do this, I wish my voicemail message sounded…different. I’m always reminded that I should sit down and rerecord it, so it makes a more professional first impression.
“Voicemail is a highly available, affordable, easy-to-use tool that can be leveraged in many ways to help businesses manage their communication needs,” says Holly Hinze, director of Commercial Products for Spectrum Business. “Business owners may not always be available to answer live calls, which makes voicemail still a necessary function,” says Hinze.