• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Tri-State Residents Send A Message About Voice Mail: Keep It Brief and Call Back Quickly

Posted on: Friday, 25 August 2006, 12:00 CDT

BETHPAGE, N.Y., Aug. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Ever wonder how long is too long when it comes to leaving a voice mail message? Or how quickly people expect to wait for a response?

If the results of a recent survey commissioned by Cablevision to help mark more than 1 million Optimum Voice(R) digital voice-over-cable customers are any indication, message leavers may be talking too long and not calling back fast enough.

The majority of the 500 Optimum Voice customers polled indicated that voicemail messages are best served short and sweet: 67 percent say the ideal message should be 30 seconds or less. A majority of respondents (53.4 percent) preferred messages of 20 seconds or less, and nearly one-third of those surveyed were even more restrictive, indicating they preferred messages that lasted no longer than 10 seconds -- which may not leave time for much more than a caller's name and number.

When leaving a voice mail message, nearly three out of four area residents, or 73 percent of those surveyed, expect to be called back the same day. More than one in four of those surveyed (26.4 percent) are looking for a return call within the hour.

"Life is moving faster than ever, so it should come as no surprise that most people don't have the patience for long-winded voicemail messages or for those who don't return phone calls quickly," said Joe Varello, Cablevision's vice president of Optimum Voice and small business product management. "Fortunately, every Optimum Voice customer has access to an enhanced Web portal that allows users to retrieve voicemail messages from any Internet-connected computer in the world, set automatic e-mail alerts of new messages, forward calls and manage other elements of their account online."

Area residents may have clear opinions on voice mail messages, but whom do they actually want to speak with? President George W. Bush and Oprah Winfrey topped the list of male and female famous or historic figures people would most like to call. In the male category, actor Denzel Washington came in second followed by former president Bill Clinton. New father Brad Pitt, and the father of our country, George Washington, tied for 4th place. In the female celebrity category, Jennifer Lopez and Angelina Jolie tied for the second spot, followed by Hillary Clinton and Beyonce.

And what about those callers survey respondents said they would most like to avoid connecting with through the wonders of caller ID? Not surprisingly, telemarketers topped the list. The second category of most screened callers were "friends," followed by "an unknown phone number" in third position. Bosses and bill collectors tied for fourth place.

About Optimum Voice

Optimum Voice provides unlimited local and long distance calling to the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico as well as a full array of advanced features for a flat monthly fee of $34.95. Cablevision recently announced that it had surpassed 1 million Optimum Voice customers, meaning that one-third of Cablevision's cable television customers and more than half of its Optimum Online high-speed Internet customers also subscribe to the company's voice service. The most recent enhancement to Optimum Voice was the launch of Optimum Voice World Call, an innovative international calling plan that allows customers to call anywhere in the world for just $19.95 per month. Optimum Voice is available exclusively to Optimum Online(R) high-speed Internet customers.

Last fall, Optimum Online and Optimum Voice were named the top high-speed Internet and VoIP services in the nation by the readers of PC Magazine in the publication's 18th Annual Reader Satisfaction Survey for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and VoIP Digital Voice Service Providers. Optimum Online received the highest overall rating among all high-speed Internet providers in the nation, with top ratings in the categories of speed and reliability. Optimum Voice received the highest rating among all VoIP services, and also top scores in the categories of sound quality and connection reliability.

About Cablevision

Cablevision Systems Corporation is one of the nation's leading entertainment and telecommunications companies. Its cable television operations serve more than 3 million households in the New York metropolitan area. The company's advanced telecommunications offerings include its iO: Interactive Optimum digital television, Optimum Online high-speed Internet, Optimum Voice digital voice-over-cable, and its Optimum Lightpath integrated business communications services. Cablevision's Rainbow Media Holdings LLC operates several successful programming businesses, including AMC, IFC, WE and other national and regional networks. In addition to its telecommunications and programming businesses, Cablevision owns Madison Square Garden and its sports teams, the New York Knicks, Rangers and Liberty. The company also operates New York's famed Radio City Music Hall, and owns and operates Clearview Cinemas.

Contact: Cheryl Pellegrino 212-299-3962 Cheryl.Pellegrino@zenogroup.com

Cablevision Systems Corporation

CONTACT: Cheryl Pellegrino, +1-212-299-3962,Cheryl.Pellegrino@zenogroup.com

Source: PRNewswire

More News in this Category