Just like a personal assistant, an answering machine operates from instructions. But when hooking up the answering machine, there are instructions you must follow as well, to make sure the machine works accurately. If you do so correctly, your answering machine will be able to record, receive and check messages with few to no problems.
Turning Machine On Off
The most important instruction of operating an answering machine is monitoring the on and off button. This may located on the side of the answering machine, or on the top, depending on the brand, make, and model of the system you have. If you are at home, and do not want your answering machine to pick up for you, you must turn the machine off. You must remember to turn the machine back on, however, or it will not pick up for you when you are not available to take the calls. This is not done automatically.
Connectivity
The answering machine will not work correctly, unless it is properly installed. For starters, the actual phone and the answering machine must be joined together by their two phone cords. The phone cord for the answering machine will be plugged into the phone, and vice versa, the cord for the phone will be plugged into the answering machine. There will be another phone cord attached to the phone that will then be plugged into the phone jack outlet. This will allow the two electronic devices to work together. As the phone rings, the machine has been designed to pick up after there is no answer.
Recording A Greeting
When you do not answer your phone, there is a recorded greeting that will come on before callers leave a message. The time that it takes for this recorded greeting to come on depends on how many rings the owner has the phone set on. For example, there is a switch located on the answering machine that may have 3, 4, 6, 8, and so on. This means that whichever number you choose, that is how many times the phone must ring before the answering machine will come on to alert callers you are unavailable.
Outgoing Messages
When the machine picks up, callers will hear a voice message that you have recorded. Some people do not leave any type of recorded message, and they allow the pre-recorded voices on the answering machine to simply say the caller is unavailable. Regardless of whether or not you record a personal voice message for callers to hear, they still have the option of leaving a voice message for you if the answering machine is turned on and functioning properly.
Extras
Answering machines come with a couple of benefits or extras. Before the days of caller identification, people used the answering machine as a way to screen calls. While the caller is leaving a message, you may pick up the phone, and the answering machine will either continue recording with you talking or it will cut off, and allow you to continue with your conversation. You also have the ability to set up an access code, which allows you to check your answering machine messages from afar. Note, though, that you must routinely clear old messages, or the answering machine will begin recording over messages due to being full.
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