Today I was pointed to the GotVoice Web site which will check your voicemail for you and e-mail you your messages as MP3 attachments for free. I’ve got to admit this sounds very slick but I have my cell phone with me at all times so I hardly need to receive those messages via e-mail. Now, my home phone however, that’s another story. I never take that on the road with me and I rarely remember to check those messages. (Granted, anyone who I actually want to get a hold of me while I’m on the road either knows to e-mail me or has my cell phone number.) Trouble is, I don’t have voicemail for my home phone, I have an answering machine. I didn’t think this would work but I’d see how far I could get through the process before this was confirmed.
So, I clicked on the sign up link and I’m asked to select the type of voicemail service that I wish to connect to a GotVoice account. There are four choices to choose from: Home Phone Voicemail, Cellular Phone Voicemail, Home Answering Machine, and VoIP / Digital Phone. What! Can this system actually work with a home answering machine? Well, I picked that option and received the following response:
No, it doesn’t work with home answering machines. So, here’s the obvious question: if it doesn’t work why is it an option? Just don’t list it or tell me up front that it doesn’t work. Don’t give your user false hope only to dash those hopes seconds later. Not only is that poor Web site usability, it’s horrible customer relations.
