Generic addresses have the advantages that they do not change over the years, even if the person involved with them does, and they hide member's personal contact information. So ...
Mail: Your club probably has a PO Box, so
that people can always mail to the same address.
E-mail: You can get a club e-mail address for the same
purpose (eg one comes free with a Rotarnet web site if you ask
for it, clubname@rotarnet.com.au, or get a free one from
from yahoo.com.au or email.com or even hotmail.com).
Phone: So how about a permanent phone number, when you
do not have a member's office suitable to act as the role? Here
is just one possibility.
The Product:
Telstra MessageBank - Virtual.
Previously called
MessageBank Call Manager, and the info below is largely from then,
but updated as noted.
Looking through the MessageBank -
Vitual info on the Telstra web site it doesn't look like the same
thing at first, and talks about forwarding calls from other
existing numbers, but eventually you get down to a sentence which
says that other people can ring the separate MessageBank
number direct, and that is the important feature.
Other telcos may offer similar, if you want to check them out.
The cost to the club:
$6.00
per month or $72 pa (correct at Apr 2008).
Users pay for the call to
leave or collect messages, normally just a local call, but more
from mobiles or STD, but also note the toll save feature.
Toll Saver:
Rings 3 or more times if no new messages are present, so don't
let it answer and no call charge is incurred. It answers
immediately if there are new messages.
What you get: (Information from Telstra)
As provided about "MessageBank Call Manager" - but now
called "MessageBank
- Virtual".
MessageBank Call Manager is
ideal for your described scenario. You can enjoy the benefits of
a personal answering service, the security of knowing all your
calls will be answered and added flexibility that MessageBank
Call Manager provides. You don't need an existing phone service
as your callers can dial your mailbox directly to leave messages
or you can forward calls from other phone services. MessageBank
Call Manager rental includes GST. Call forward and message
retrieval charges apply - these are charged at the applicable
carrier rates. These prices are correct as at the date above and
Telstra reserves its rights (where applicable) to amend these
prices at any time. MessageBank Call Manager is available to
homes and businesses throughout Australia. It is usually
operational within forty-eight hours of placing the order. Take
advantage of MessageBank Call Manager : visit your nearest
Telstra Shop, or for business purposes, phone 13 2000, or to
order online, please use the Order Now link on the Telstra web
page for the product.
Experience: (Information from Rotary/Rotaract users)
The system gives us a separate, dedicated, normal
8 digit phone number, to leave and pick up messages, not
associated with any existing or real phone line. Some nice
touches like the toll saver; you can set own welcome spiel with
your meeting details; you can save messages for over a month if
needed; each call is time stamped; etc. ANY person who is given
the access code can pick up messages, from anywhere. So it doesn't
matter if the Secretary is away, or who is filling in, or who the
Secretary is, or if another member altogether handles numbers for
the meeting. We use this number not only for members to advise
apologies or to book guests, but also for community directory
listings, signs, pamphlets, and the like, because it is permanent
just like the PO Box. The fact that we do use it for apologies,
means that any message left by the public will be picked up at
least weekly. You can also modify the welcome message to convey
the status of an event to members if there is a question of
weather affecting it for example, it saves someone having to
answer many calls asking if the event is on or not, and the
messagebank has multiple lines so many people can get through at
once. It is simple, works well, and is just as worth the cost as
is the PO Box, and for a similar annual price. Despite the change
in service name and description, the operation continues to be
exactly the same.
Our tips:
If this suits you, just be aware that a Rotary Club does not fit
into the normal client make up, so take note of the following,
but it might still take you an extra phone call or two:
* You will probably want to start up a new Telstra account for
the Rotary Club, not associate it with an existing phone line.
* (This part may have changed a bit
with the change in service name and arrangement, but this was the
case under the Call Manager incarnation - please advise the
webmaster if you find it is either the same or different):
The set up may be handled by one of Residential, Home
Business, Small Business or Corporate branches. Small Business
seems the best approximation, and gives some advantages (saved
messages could be kept a bit longer than Residential or Home
Business customers for example). Cost is the same. The business
phone number to arrange an order is 13 2000, the residential/home-business
phone number is 13 2200.
* As standard, the account is posted monthly (for less than $10).
Telstra readily agreed to make it quarterly after the first
account was paid, the next account then comes at the end of the
quarter for 2 months back and the next quarter in advance, and it
is then just each quarter in advance after that.
* More information is on Telstra's web site
(their site arrangement changes, making direct links outdated, so
just search for the product "MessageBank Virtual" there).
* There is a PDF file version of the small instruction booklet
for the service on the Telstra site, hit the "User Guide"
link on the page that comes up from the product page.
Page Updated:: 21 Apr 2008 E-mail comments, updates or suggestions to the .