So this past week they were performing an update and consolidation of the Exchange servers at work. We have been running on Exchange 2000 at my location, other locations are on 2003, and other on 2007. So they decided to harmonize them to make them all the same. There were some trade offs. There would be improved mail access using web portals, larger mailboxes, and better scheduling. The downside was that we did not have a compatible version of Unified Messenger so our voice mail system would no longer be connected with our e-mail system.
This seems like a small thing on the surface; but after a few years of using Unified Messaging I am surprised at how hard of a time I am having turning back to the older style of voice mail. Unified Messaging meant that I would receive notifications of the voice mail via e-mail. I would also get a copy of it via e-mail as a sound file (.WAV 11kHz 8 bit) so I could listen to it through the computer. This was really cool. When traveling I would know that I had a voice mail at the office as it would show up as an e-mail on the Blackberry. I still had to call the office to retrieve the message but I even had that figured out. I had it on speed dial, access codes and all. Also the Blackberry would let me highlight the number and if it was in my contact list (1,300+) it would indicate the person and what phone it was.
Now since it is not tied in; there is only one way for me to know I have a message. Be sitting at my desk and wait for the little red light to come on. Being that I am about to go out on the road for about two weeks, I am not looking forward to having to call in and check for messages again. It used to be so nice. I could tell people if you leave a message at the office I will get notification via Blackberry. Now unless I can figure out how to have it alert me, I am going to have to start calling in every so often just to check.
I am also going to have to start writing them down as I have not yet figured out how to catalog them well. Since they were e-mails before I could change the subject line to know what the message was about.
Would it be gauche to tell people to e-mail me instead?
However there is some humor in the situation; I did record the outgoing message for one of our programmers. I wonder how long he will leave me on there.
that seems like one big fat step backwards to me, Brad…the “old” system seems more functional. sounds a lot like another “harmonized” thing that i know of…hmmm? kidding, of course…
And a little update. As I was updating my voice mail I discovered that the “extended absence” feature is not supported. So I have to update the voice mail message every time I travel.