verizon wireless 411 directory assistance stinks

[trader_4]

More importantly, a smartphone or GPS can quickly give you the best route to your desired destination and talk you through it while you're driving. You can't be reading maps and driving safely at the same time. Plus there's a detailed street level map for you wherever you happen to be. Just finding the correct map out of a whole book for the street area you wanted was a pain. And if you travel to any city, you'd have to have a map book for there too. With a SP, it's all there at your fingertips.

People who haven't actually used one don't realize how well and how seamless it works. You can google for a business, find it, then with one more tap, place a call to it or with a couple taps start the navigation with voice driving directions to it.

[trader_4]

With a smartphone and an app like Youmail, you can set up sophisticated call answering. For example, you could have it direct all cell phone incoming calls to voicemail from 8AM to 6PM. You can also have different recorded greetings for different callers, by number or selectively block calls, etc. Not saying that's better than having the separate phone, just that it's available and you would see a list of calls, by number, who they are from and could listen to any one, at any time, out of order.

[DerbyDad03]

So, let me see if I understand your process and problem. Some of this replay will be "facts" (based on your postings) and some will be assumptions that I am making by piecing together your various responses. Please correct any "facts" and assumptions if I may have gotten them wrong.

1 - Your customers leave messages on an answering machine on a landline. 2 - Your customers leave messages and you can understand their name, but you can't understand the phone number they left. 3 - These are not "known" customers, because if they were, I assume you would have their numbers in a file and you could look them up. 4 - Your answering machine does not have a call log that you can access or you are retrieving the messages remotely and don't have access to the log. 5 - You are using the understandable information from the message so that you can call directory assistance while driving to your next stop. I assume that means that only the phone numbers are not understandable. 6 - There are enough of these un-understandable phone numbers that it is worth the money you are spending to have access to a directory assistance service. 7 - You are willing to call this directory assistance service while driving to your next stop, but only if traffic is light.

Does that about sum it up?

[bob haller]

thats a pretty good description. plus my customers are primarily schools, most use large phone systems. the caller id numbers vary a lot, if i call a caller id number back its often a random main number.

the issue was 411 worked perfect for me, till verizoin ruined it.

Incidently i have had GPS forever. my first one cost over 600 bucks and paid for itself in less than a month, in time saved....

[bob haller]

i generally get one or two not understandable numbers a week, ocasionally a month might go by without a problem.

so the costs of 411 were a minor issue..

[DerbyDad03]

I don't see how. If the caller ID is showing a "random main number" from a school, how does 411 know the number of the end user you are trying to contact? As far as I know, I can't call 411 and get the number of Sally Berkawitz in the 10th grade counseling center.

Can't you just all the main number and ask for the extension of the person that mumbled their phone number when they left the message?

Imagine what a smartphone could do for you! GPS, answering machine, calendar, parts lookup, memos, spare parts docs and machine diagrams stored right on the phone, HD pictures of parts, machines, locations, etc. The list goes on!

[Dusty]

I like to be able to record calls using a smart phone, especially when someone gives me messed up directions for how to get somewhere.

[Tekkie®]

DerbyDad03 posted for all of us...

BINGO! I also set up our schools with different prefixes and then the room number. He doesn't really need a room number because the laminating machines in our schools were centralized in one room. Also he probably has to report to the check in and get his drivers license scanned. Every time. Didn't want outsiders roaming the halls. Parent too. Never know when the PFA hits. I don't understand the problem, he has a work order, probably been there before and know whom to talk to. It can't be too hard but then again it is holloarbutt we are talking about.

[bob haller]

f the day. I have the customers call my landline number, to a answering mac hine, a basic call drop..

t to be taking phone calls

ols, most use large phone systems. the caller id numbers vary a lot, if i c all a caller id number back its often a random main number.

nd paid for itself in less than a month, in time saved....

no work orders here, they call i go fix it.

my time is valuable, smart phones eat time. the last thing i need is to spe nd lots of time messing with a smart phone.,.

its better i am working on machines///////

[DerbyDad03]

of the day. I have the customers call my landline number, to a answering m achine, a basic call drop..

ant to be taking phone calls

t it is worth

le driving to

hools, most use large phone systems. the caller id numbers vary a lot, if i call a caller id number back its often a random main number.

and paid for itself in less than a month, in time saved....

pend lots of time messing with a smart phone.,.

...said the guy without a smartphone. ;-)

[Tekkie®]

bob haller posted for all of us...

of the day. I have the customers call my landline number, to a answering m achine, a basic call drop..

ant to be taking phone calls

t it is worth

le driving to

hools, most use large phone systems. the caller id numbers vary a lot, if i call a caller id number back its often a random main number.

and paid for itself in less than a month, in time saved....

pend lots of time messing with a smart phone.,.

So taking the call, writing on a slip of paper, no contact info, no phone, losing the paper, thinking about it, calling 411 is more efficient. Our laminators didn't require many repairs...

Ok, however you want to run your business is fine with me.

[Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney]

most of the day. I have the customers call my landline number, to a answering machine, a basic call drop..

want to be taking phone calls

understandable.

schools, most use large phone systems. the caller id numbers vary a lot, if i call a caller id number back its often a random main number.

bucks and paid for itself in less than a month, in time saved....

no work orders here, they call i go fix it.

my time is valuable, smart phones eat time. the last thing i need is to spend lots of time messing with a smart phone.,.

its better i am working on machines///////

===

BH, I agree with you 100%. Smart phones are not allowed here where I work. They have proven to be of no value to the company at all and are a distraction. If they have a question, they call and TALK to someone. And text messages are frowned on too.

[trader_4]

st of the day. I have the customers call my landline number, to a answering machine, a basic call drop..

want to be taking phone calls

f this replay

ptions that I

name, but you

sume you would

hat it is worth

ance service.

hile driving to

schools, most use large phone systems. the caller id numbers vary a lot, if i call a caller id number back its often a random main number.

ks and paid for itself in less than a month, in time saved....

spend lots of time messing with a smart phone.,.

I've said many times here that if you haven't used one, you can't appreciate how useful they are. Hard to imagine in a service call industry where it wouldn't be useful to pull up a schematic, a manual, find a part number, besides the other things, like using visual voice mail to manage messages that are left. But to each his own.

[Ed Pawlowski]

They can eat time or save time. Depends on how you use them Tool or toy, it is up to the user.

At work we have a paging system and a few people have walkie=talkies, but at times, texting is faster and easier. A couple of the truck drivers will text the shipper. my maintenance supervisor uses it to contact the boiler service guy. A couple of customers like to get a text from the salesman if he is going to be stopping by.

Tomorrow I'm picking up someone at the airport. I'll use my phone to be sure the flight is on time before I leave the office.

It can be a good tool.

[Tekkie®]

Oren posted for all of us...

Let the "smart phone" figure it out...