After Poulsen’s Telegraphone, the next model of answering machine wouldn’t be created until almost 20 years later. In 1914, Thomas Edison created the Telescribe, followed by Truman Stevens’ Phonograph created in 1925. While both the Telescribe and the Phonograph were unsuccessful products, they led to the design of other models that would launch the technology of telephone recording devices into a whole new playing field.

Starting in the 1930’s, the first automatic answering machine was created by Willy Mueller, and by the 1980’s there was a new model coming out almost every year. As new answering machines developed, they became smaller and more efficient by offering features like call screening, remote operation, digital voice prompting and more. At the turn of the new millennium, technology began to take off at a rapid speed, and answering machines soon developed into voicemail boxes that were pre-programmed into telephones. Not long after that, smart phone technology was introduced and today in 2019, separate answering machine devices are pretty much obsolete.

To learn more about answering machines, please check out the complete history of answering machines, where you can get an in-depth look at machines throughout the years. In our timeline, we’ve included pieces of history like newspaper clippings, TV advertisements, and more!

The post The History of the Answering Machine appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

If you don’t know what a novelty phone is or what one looks like, don’t worry. Check out our Ultimate Novelty Phone page to take a trip down memory lane. Some of the phones can still be found on eBay, and with Christmas just around the corner, we’re sure your loved ones would love to have a phone shaped like Crest toothpaste. Who doesn’t love a good novelty telephone! Click here to learn more about novelty telephones!

The post The Ultimate Novelty Phone Guide appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

#1. The Bat Phone

Where it appeared: Batman

Sure, you can get Batman’s attention with the bat signal. However, if you’re in the know, then you know that calls for help always originated from the bat phone.

#2. Sony Ericsson Phone

Where it appeared: James Bond

James Bond is a cool cat with a lot of gadgets, so it’s only right for him to have a cool phone too.

#3. Eyephone

Where it appeared: Futurama

What’s better than an iPhone? An EYEphone (minus the painful installation).

#4. Phone Booth Time Machine

Where it appeared: Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure

Don’t you wish you could go back in time and stop yourself from buying those MC Hammer pants? With Bill & Ted’s phone booth time machine, you can!

#5. Tiny Phone

Where it appeared: Zoolander

The chances of losing your phone are high, but look how cute it is!

#6. Gigantic Phone

Where it appeared: Zoolander 2

When small phones become retro, phones as big as a cargo container are all the rage.

#7. Shoe Phone

Where it appeared: Get Smart

Secret agents need secret devices. Although, having to take your shoe off every time the phone rings doesn’t seem that convenient.

#8. The Communicator

Where it appeared: Star Trek

“Beam me up, Scotty!”

#9. See-through Phone

Where it appeared: Clarissa Explains it All

Hands down the coolest phone from the 90’s.

#10. Hamburger Phone

Where it appeared: Juno

On an important phone call but getting hangry? Just take a bite out of your hamburger phone!

#11. Shell Phone

Where it appeared: Spongebob

“Shello? Clam you hear me?”

#12. Duck Phone

Where it appeared: Jersey Shore

Duck phones aren’t all they’re quacked up to be…

#13. Football Phone

Where it appeared: Friends

Imagine being rewarded for noticing extra money in your account with even more money and a football phone. Score!

#14. Morpheus Phone

Where it appeared: The Matrix

Not sure which pill to take? Just call up your mom on the Morpheus phone and ask her.

#15. Brick Phone

Where it appeared: Saved by the Bell

Before mobile phones could fit in your pocket and when mullets were still cool.

#16. Top Secret Gadget Phone

Where it appeared: Inspector Gadget

Inspector Gadget never had to worry about misplacing his phone – It was attached to his hand!

#17. Suitcase Phone

Where it appeared: Lethal Weapon

Roger Murtaugh is too old for his job, and his phone is too old for everyone.

The post Answer It: The 17 Most Famous Phones From TV And Movies appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

Where Did it Come From?

In the late 80’s, magazine sales were tanking, which put the pressure on marketing agencies to come up with ideas on how to move more subscriptions. To spark sales, Sport’s Illustrated offered VHS tapes of sports bloopers as an incentive for new subscribers. This idea was marginally successful, but it was getting tough to fill up a tape with new material. There’s only so many times you could watch Jeff Francoeur misfire on the throw to first. So, the SI marketing team went back to the drawing board.

Sport’s Illustrated VHS Blooper Ad

And now for a John Slattery break.

Frog Phone = Football Phone

In 1986, the marketing director for Sport’s Illustrated, Martin Shampaine, came across a phone that resembled a frog, which then led him to the idea (obviously) of creating a phone that looked like a football. Because you know how many times you’ve tried to dial a frog.

Shampaine, the Einstein of his time, spent months working out the logistics of how the product could look like a football, and still have the functionality of a telephone. By the early 90’s, SI had successfully gene spliced a football with a phone and they were ready to show the masses.

Sport’s Illustrated Football Phone Ad

What started as a simple gimmick to try and get people to subscribe to a magazine, the Sport’s Illustrated Football Phone scored major points among fans and helped contribute to 1.6 million new subscriptions between 1986 and 1991. The company had so much success with the football phone, that they played around with other variations as well.

They eventually created the sneaker phone but by the mid 90’s, Sport’s Illustrated resorted back to offering VHS compilations as their premium freebie. Like anyone could ever throw a perfect spiral with a shoe.

Sport’s Illustrated Sneaker Phone Commercial

But will it help my time in the quarter mile? Yes.

Fast forward to present day, where technology has evolved from football phones to face and fingerprint recognition to unlock your cell phone. Technology is always progressing, but that doesn’t mean we’ll ever forget about the OG of sports equipment shaped telephones.

Spoof Football Phone Ad from Howler Magazine

Great line to watch out for: ‘Where’s the camera on this thing’

Sport’s Illustrated Football Phone Ad Transcript

But wait, there’s more! We’ve transcribed the SI football phone advertisement for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!

Girl #1: Buying Christmas presents for my boyfriend is one of the most impossible things ever.

Girl #2: Everything I give him, he always wants to return it.

Grandma: Stores are busy, the cashiers are impatient.

Girl #3: Christmas shopping is just about the only thing that wrecks the holiday season.

Narrator: Catch this, it’s Sport’s Illustrated’s most exciting Christmas gift ever – the football phone! Free with a paid subscription to SI.

Couple #1 (after being thrown the football phone): It’s a phone!

Grandma (after being thrown the football phone): My goodness, it’s a telephone inside of a football!

Girl #1 (after being thrown the football phone): Awesome! It’s a phone!

Guy #1 (after being thrown the football phone): Oh, cool! I would love something like this. Mom, if you’re watching, I would love something like this for Christmas

Couple #1 (after being thrown the football phone): He’s looking for the pass, it’s a phone call!

Narrator: it looks like a football, but works like a regular phone. The football phone plugs into a standard jack and has push button dialing, on/off ringer, mute button and automatic redial.

Guy #2: Hello, Colleen? This is fantastic, I’m at the stadium right now and I have a football phone!

Couple #2: Cute! This has got to be out of her price range, though, something like this.

Narrator: And the football phone is free!

Girl #1: No way… It’s free?

Girl #2: Free?

Girl from couple #2: That’s even better! And I don’t even have to go shopping for it, I hope!

Grandma: What do I have to do to get this?

Narrator: Here’s the unbelievable catch. The football phone is free if you get Sport’s Illustrated at their biggest Christmas savings ever. A year’s subscription at almost 65% off the cover price. You can be billed after the new year, or you can use your credit card today. So, call now!

Girl #2: I’d say you’re crazy. Nobody cuts prices before Christmas!

Girl #1: I’ll buy it for my father, my brother and my boyfriend!

Narrator: You only pay 99 cents an issue and the subscription includes the NFL, NBA and baseball previews, the yearend double issue and the 1991 swimsuit issue.

Guy #1:  I would love to have Sport’s Illustrated for Christmas, I never get anything I want.

Girl #3: Sport’s Illustrated, I should have thought of that a long time ago!

Grandma: All I have to do is buy this for all the men in my life and I wouldn’t have any problems at all!

Girl #1: My Christmas worries are over!

Guy #2: I hope she orders that for Christmas for me!

Guy #1: I would love to have this for Christmas. So, mom if you’re watching, please, for once (gestures to football phone).

Narrator: Don’t wait, call our toll-free number now. Get Sport’s Illustrated for all your favorite fans at SI’s biggest Christmas savings ever, and get the football phone free, plus a gift card.

Guy #2 (on the phone) get Sport’s Illustrated for me for Christmas. I want this phone!

The post Pay Your Respects To The Sport’s Illustrated Football Phone appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

Your business is booming! You receive hundreds of calls daily on each number, so each of these calls needs to go to the appropriate agent. How does the answering service software know which number your callers dialed in order to route the calls correctly? If you guessed DNIS, then give yourself a round of applause!

Dialed Number Identification Service is a feature offered by telecom network providers that allows the recipient, in this case the answering service, to determine the number each customer dialed to reach you. It works by transmitting DTMF digits to a decoder that will make them available to a device on the receiving end. So, when the phone rings at the Private Branch Exchange (PBX), the DTMF is transmitted along with the call, telling the PBX if the call came in on your rocket line, washing machine line, or garage door opener line. Based on that information, the system will route the call to an agent who is using the corresponding support script.

If you’re setting up DNIS at your own business location, here’s a great infographic to explain a bit more about how DNIS works.

In addition to DNIS giving virtual receptionist businesses the ability to answer for more than one customer, it can be used as a means to improve productivity in the call center itself. Accurate call routing means that the right agent gets the right call every time, thereby increasing efficiency, and decreasing the time agents spend on calls.

Read our extended resource to learn more about how DNIS works and how it’s used by call centers.

If you’re writing about DNIS on your own website, please copy the code below to use this infographic:

[html]
<img title=”Learn DNIS Infographic” alt=”Learn DNIS Infographic” src=”https://www.specialtyansweringservice.net/wp-content/uploads/DNIS-Infographic.jpg” width=”710″ height=”4578″ />
<pre><em>Image originally posted on <a href=”https://www.specialtyansweringservice.net/learn-dnis-infographic/”>The SAS Blog</a></em>
[/html]

The post Infographic: How Answering Services Use DNIS appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

1. By identifying phone call lead sources and monitoring online activity during internet campaigns, sales consultants can reach out to prospective customers to increase their conversion rate and generate revenue.
2. Even Google has conducted research that brings to light the importance of call tracking with regard to AdWords and Pay-Per-Click service.
3. Tracking sales calls allows business owners to evaluate the usefulness of their marketing campaigns and focus on areas that may require some tweaking.

Call metrics are a cost-effective approach to reviewing your business strategy in action. Should you decide to move forward, listed below are 13 call tracking services along with their features to help narrow your search.

1. Century Interactive

Call for pricing: 1-866-257-8479.

• Inbound call tracking – Track and record your inbound phone calls.
• Keyword level dynamic website call tracking – Tie your calls to keywords and their referral source.
• Human call categorization – Call categorization system combines automated call tagging with humans to filter calls and tell you what’s happening.
• Recorded outbound call tracking – Track and record your outbound phone calls.
• Call coaching – Built-in call coaching.
• Dynamic call routing – Connect each phone call to the right person at the right time, based on time of day, day of week, caller interest, etc.
• Integrations/Open API – Integration with CRM and digital marketing tools to push phone call data wherever you need it.

2. Call Source

Call for pricing: 1-877-225-5768.

• Call tracking – Captures every caller’s phone number, identifies the advertising source and records calls for review.
• Lead scoring – Review, sort, and filter out non-prospects from your tracked calls, providing accurate cost-per-lead analysis and sales conversion percentages.
• Telephone performance analysis – Analyze your employees’ sales skills by reviewing and grading sales calls.
• Our university – Central database of all your employees’ online and classroom training.
• Deal saver – Get lost revenue opportunities delivered to your mobile phone.
• Call shield – Complimentary cloud-based service that blocks telephone hacking attempts and computer-generated spam calls.
• Results system – Results platform blends hands-on consulting with cutting edge technology. We track your calls and score them so you know which leads are true leads.

3. Twilio

Visit their web page to submit your contact information and receive a call from their Sales desk.

• Get basic call tracking up and running in a day.
• Design a complex, customized solution in a few weeks.
• Buy virtual phone numbers in real-time.
• Receive unlimited inbound calls.
• Measure everything and send the data to your analytics solution or your CRM system.

4. Call Fire

Call for details: 1-877-897-FIRE. Plans range in price from pay as you go to $599/month.

• SMS enabled call tracking – Use a call tracking number to send text messages from a long code so you can respond to an inquiry via text and track via Google analytics.
• Robust analytics to track your spending – A holistic view of your advertising performance that can be linked to Google analytics.
• Custom notifications routed to your email or mobile device – Create custom alerts or, build your own customized call tracking application for instant reporting.
• Low cost local & toll-free numbers – Extensive phone number tracking and reports. Set office hours to record messages.
• Play a whisper message to agents on transfer. – Receive both call and texts to local numbers. Google Analytics integration.
• Record any inbound calls. – Email notifications on successful calls. Pricing as low as 2¢ per minute.

5. Call Tracking Metrics

Call for details: 1-855-834-8688. Plans from $0 Starter plan to $149/month Enterprise plan.

• Recordings – Listen to calls to train staff, evaluate leads, and capture customer detail. Audio files can be emailed immediately after calls so you can listen to calls from the road.
• Unlimited Users – Add staff and clients using different role types. Use an agency package to create sub-accounts for each client so that they can view their data.
• Whispers – Play custom whispers to callers announcing call recording or menu keypress options. Play whispers to receiving party announcing source of call, call recording etc.
• Dynamic Number Swapping – Insert tracking numbers on your website dynamically based on where the visitor came from.
• Real-time Reporting – Know who is calling and how they found you. Immediately see trends in call volume by advertising channel and sales performance by agent.
• Track online or offline advertising – Place numbers in print, TV, radio ads or have numbers dynamically appear on your website based on where the visitor came from.

6. LOG My Calls

Call for details: 1-855-889-3939. Plans range from $69 to $699 and up.

• Conversation analytics – Tells you what happened on the call. Know good leads from bad leads, phone conversion rates and sales made, initial sales inquiries vs. returning customers
• Marketing automation – Notify your CRM when a hot lead calls, alert a sales manager when a sale doesn’t close, track the number of complaint calls, charge clients more for great leads.
• Scheduled reports – Customize and schedule reports to be emailed to anyone.
• Dynamic number insertion x3 – Track phone conversions of online traffic sources. Automatically change the phone number on your website depending on the referring source.
• Integrations – Easy integration with CRMS, learning management systems, affiliate portals and other web applications. Automated workflows and actions.

7. Dex Media

Call for pricing: 1-866-558-0400.

• 24/7 access to real-time online reports lets you tell at a glance which ads are doing well and which may need adjustment.
• Calls to tracking numbers are automatically forwarded to your existing business line.
• Caller data is collected and stored.
• Calls can be recorded for future reference.
• Run reports online in real time anytime you want.
• Track caller identification data, including name, address, phone number, and ZIP code.
• Track number of calls being generated by your ad.
• Track answer status of each call received: answered, unanswered, or busy.
• Track length of time spent on the line with answered calls.
• Call mapping to identify where calls originate
• Manage your employees’ productivity with call answer status data.
• Monitor the time of day you get the most calls.
• Listen to your calls with call recording to improve customer service and call tactics.
• Build a prospect data base with the detailed caller report.

8. Delacon

Call for details: 1-855-390-7512. Pricing varies.

• Track time, date, length and result of calls.
• Track geographical location of calls.
• Track telephone number of the caller.
• Track answering point telephone number.
• Track device the caller used to find to your website.
• Track the internet service provider of the device the caller used.
• Track number of calls per web source.
• Track online browsing activity leading up to the call.
• Track keywords used to find your website.
• Track referring URL.
• Track the call outcome such as whether it was a sale and the sale value.
• Integrate with Google Analytics, Google Universal, bid management, Salesforce, and more.

9. Who’s Calling

Call for pricing: 1-866-403-2938.

• MYDASH – Create a custom call tracking dashboard and view important call data in just one click.
• SNAPSHOT – View call activity broken down by customer or agent in one report.
• ROI Reporting – Match calls with F&I information from Reynolds and Reynolds dealership management software.
• Data & Email Sync – Integrate your dealership management system with your marketing database.
• Call Safe – Safeguard your business from fines for Do Not Call violations.
• Call Evaluation – Get the complete picture of the calls your business receives by having our call evaluation specialists assess your calls.
• Call Sync – Maximize lead management data by exporting call details to your CRM.
• Call Mapping – See exactly where your geo-targeted marketing campaigns are generating calls.
• Call Forwarding – Send unanswered calls to another line, location, voicemail or prerecorded message.

10. IOVOX

Visit their web page to submit your contact information and receive a call from their Sales desk.

• International call tracking in 62 countries
• Intelligent analytics dashboard
• Time-based calling rules
• Call whispers
• Voice messages via email
• Local, national, international, toll free and premium numbers
• Call alerts via email/SMS
• Voice/identity verification
• Dynamic IVR via a key press menu
• Unlimited unique phone numbers
• Inbound and outbound call analytics
• Call recording
• Pay per click, pay per call, pay per lead
• Google AdWords keyword tracking
• Intelligent call routing
• HTTP POST for pre-call customer details
• Call blocking and SPAM protection
• Automated booking system

11. Analytic Call Tracking

Call for details: 1-561-841-1832. $1 seven day trial offer. Basic service one-time fee of $197.

• Direct API access through Twilio to add a number in seconds.
• Set up your own enterprise class call tracking platform.
• Know when calls are coming in real time.
• Record every phone call you route through ACT.
• See the location and number of the caller right in the dashboard.
• Reports can be generated with a few clicks.
• Get email alerts when goals are reached.
• See a complete history of calls including duration and location.
• Set a list of phone numbers to receive calls in the order you determine.
• Restrict access of users to just one phone number, if needed.
• Ring multiple phone numbers at the same time.
• Classify calls by codes to get a better understanding of trends.
• Have as many companies as you need to serve your business or clients.

12. Keymetric

Call for pricing: 1-866-304-6527. Month-to-month service.

• Track referring traffic source
• Track referring domain.
• Track search engine and network.
• Track content network.
• Track affiliate network and ID.
• Track ad source and type.
• Track media source and type.
• Track social network.
• Track pay per click keyword.
• Track organic search term.
• Track offline ad source.
• Track offline ad campaign.
• Unlimited source and keyword call tracking.
• Session-based intelligent number insertion.
• Easy implementation on websites and content.
• Customized administration for agencies.
• Integrate call data with third-party apps.
• Standard and custom real-time reporting.
• Instant local and toll-free numbers.
• Call recording, whisper and annotation.
• Post-call scoring and sales notes.
• Integrated online conversion analytics.
• Track online conversations such as visits, emails, downloads, live chat, etc.

13. Specialty Answering Service

Month-to-month live telephone answering service. Plans from $44.

• Two-week free trial!
• Local and toll-free numbers available.
• Customized programming and FAQs.
• Appointment scheduling and online sales.
• Set up sub accounts for different branches of your business by cloning current programming.
• Real-time reporting puts call details at your fingertips the moment the agent disconnects.
• View call logs, listen to recordings, and track key metrics such as number of calls, length of call, date and time via a secure web portal.

For more information on what Specialty Answering Service can do for you, give our Sales office a call at 1-888-532-4794, or learn why our live call center is a great solution for call tracking.

The post 13 of the best call tracking software solutions. appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

Follow the instructions below and learn how to make your own tin can telephone.

Step 1

You will need 2 empty tin cans, a hammer, a nail or screw, masking or duct tape, and a long piece of cotton string or fishing line, about 10 to 30 feet in length.

Step 2

Cut the top completely off each can, and use the hammer and nail to make a hole in the other end of the can just large enough to thread the string through.

Step 3

Thread one end of the string through the first can (it’s easier if you apply a small piece of scotch tape to the frayed end), tying a knot to prevent the string from slipping back through the hole. Thread the opposite end of the string through the other tin can, again tying a knot.

Step 4

Wrap masking or duct tape around the edges of each can to cover any sharp metal.

Step 5

Now, grab a friend, and walk slowly apart from each other holding the cans until the string is straight and taut. Place the tin can up to your ear, then, take turns talking and listening!

Here’s why you can hear each other:

When you talk, your vocal cords make the air in front of your mouth vibrate. Talking into a tin can, or a paper or plastic cup, causes the end of the can or cup to vibrate. Those vibrations travel down the string to the other side, where they make the air on the receiving end vibrate. So when you hold it up to your ear, the little tiny hairs inside pick up the vibrations, send the info to your brain, and interpret them as sound!

The post Learn how to make a tin can phone. appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

1. Use the cord as a picture hanger.

2. Uncap the ends from the receiver, fill with marbles, put the ends back on, and use as a dumbbell.

3. Take the ends off the receiver and make it into a planter.

4. Use it to hold your pencils and pens.

5. Pretend the receiver is a laser gun and shoot down imaginary aliens!

6. Use the base as a support for a table with a busted leg.

7. See how far you can throw it in a shot put contest.

8. Use the cord to booby trap your office door. No one will bother you again!

9. In case of fire, tie some cords together and use them as an emergency exit rope.

10. Stretch out the cord and use it as a clothesline.

11. Hurl the receiver and see if it will come back to you like a boomerang. If it does, duck!

12. Use two phones as bookends.

13. Dress up like Batman, paint the phone red, and pretend it’s the Batphone.

14. Put it in a time capsule.

15. Give it to E.T. Maybe he can use it to phone home.

16. Lean a recipe book in front of it while you’re cooking.

17. Give it to a local theater company for their prop collection.

18. String a few cords together and use them as a jump rope.

19. Use two receivers as supports for doing push-ups.

20. Uncap the ends from the receiver, fill with rice, put the ends back on, and use as a maraca. Ole!

21. Use the receiver and cord as a pretend microphone.

22. Mail it to your mother-in-law with a note that says, “Don’t Call Us. We’ll Call You.”

23. Remove the keypad and adhere it to your office’s exterior. People will think you have an alarm system.

24. Keep it on your desk. Then, pick up the receiver when your boss walks by and pretend you’re working.

25. Whip up some pasta dough and use the receiver as a spaghetti extruder.

The post Using our answering service? 25 uses for your old phone. appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

As you scroll down the website, you’ll listen to sounds from the telephones and switchboards of the 1800s, to the touchtone phones of the 1960s, 70s and 80s, cellular phones from 1983 to present. We’ve also included the Top 10 most popular song ringtone downloads from 2005 to 2013. Cell phones are arranged by year, brand, and approximate sales, and most of their ringtones are listed by name.

Like what you hear? Please share it!

The post The History of Ringtones – From 1870 to Today appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

It could spell something like 555-U-R-G-R-E-A-T (555-874-7328). Or how about this one – 800-F-O-O-L-E-D-U (800-366-5338). It might not spell anything interesting at all. Which would stink.

The post What does your phone number spell? appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.