Remember the days of constantly checking a blinking light on your desk phone, wondering what crucial message might be waiting? For many of us, that's a distant memory, especially with the rise of unified communications. If you're using Skype for Business, your voicemail experience has likely evolved quite a bit, and it's probably more integrated and accessible than you might think.
When a new message pops up, you'll often see a notification right in the main Skype for Business window, usually on the 'Phone' tab. It's like a little digital nudge saying, 'Hey, someone left you a message!' Clicking on that tab brings up a list of your voicemails, complete with caller information. Hovering over a message and clicking the play button is the straightforward way to listen. But what if you want to do more than just listen?
Skype for Business offers a handy 'More Options' menu for each voicemail. From there, you can quickly call the person back, initiate a video call, or even view their full contact card, which might include their office location or email. If you need more context, 'Open Item in Outlook' can be a lifesaver, pulling up details about the call. And of course, you can easily delete or mark messages as read. For a deeper dive, clicking 'View more in Outlook' takes you directly to your voicemail folder.
Listening to your messages can also be a bit more dynamic. If you're dialing into your voicemail, or using the visual voicemail feature, you have some control over playback speed. Pressing '1' rewinds, '2' pauses or resumes, and '3' fast-forwards. Want to slow it down or speed it up? Keys '4' and '6' are your friends here. It’s a small touch, but it can make a difference when you're trying to catch every word.
One of the most significant advancements is voicemail transcription. Since around April 2017, if you're a Phone System in Microsoft 365 user, your voicemails are automatically transcribed and appear in the body of the email notification you receive. This is incredibly useful for quickly scanning messages or for those who prefer reading over listening. If this feature isn't enabled or you'd prefer it off, your administrator can adjust that setting.
And what about your personal touch? If you haven't set up a custom greeting, callers will hear a standard system message. But you can easily change that. On the 'Phone' tab, look for the voicemail icon below the dial pad and select 'Change Greetings.' Skype for Business will actually call your voicemail system and guide you through recording your own personal welcome. It’s a simple way to add a bit of personality to your professional presence.
Beyond greetings, you can fine-tune your voicemail settings by visiting the Skype for Business Settings page. You can access this through a web browser at aka.ms/vmsettings, or sometimes directly from the desktop app or a voicemail email. Here, you can manage your 'Call Answering Rules' – deciding what happens when someone reaches your voicemail. You can also change the 'prompt language' that callers hear and even configure an 'Out of Office' greeting that plays when your status reflects that you're away.
Ultimately, getting your voicemails is designed to be flexible. You can access them through email clients like Outlook, via visual voicemail on your Skype for Business desktop phone or app, or even through Microsoft Teams devices and apps. It’s all about making sure those important messages find their way to you, no matter where you are or how you prefer to communicate.
