Messages can be messy. Emails, voice mails, even faxes … if you're on the go, accessing critical messages can be difficult, if not impossible.

Unified messaging services address this issue. They provide a common inbox for all your voice mail, email, and fax messages. And it's surprisingly affordable (sometimes even free).

Unified messaging is quickly evolving: IDC predicts unified messaging inboxes to rise from 35,000 in 1998 to 25.4 million by 2003.

With such explosive growth, the question no longer seems to be "What's unified messaging?" but rather: "What features can I get with a unified messaging service?"

Features vary depending on what system you choose for your business.

What is unified messaging?

Unified messaging is a computer-based messaging system that allows users to manage all their messages -- email and faxes as well as voice mail -- via a single inbox.

Your service will provide you with a phone number and an email address, you can use a web-based service or a traditional software-based system that is installed on your company's server.

Web-based
With Web-based products, users are provided with a single phone number where both faxes and voice messages can be sent. Users retrieve their messages using their regular e-mail, by phone, or through the Web.

If you've got a staff of road warriors, these services can be particularly attractive because they can be accessed from any Web browser.

Software-based
A software-based unified messaging system stores incoming voice messages and faxes (that arrive via the user's personal phone line) on the computer where the software is running. Messages can be accessed via phone or email as with web-based messaging - but not through the web.

If your business stays put, this is a good option. You can access your info from your PC without having to jump on the web and log on to a password-protected site.

But the same idea lies behind all unified messaging systems: all of your incoming messages are conveniently stored in one inbox, which you can retrieve via the phone, your PC, or your Web browser, depending on your system or service.

How Does Unifiied Messaging Work?

A unified messaging service is simple to use. Your service or software will accept and transfer your incoming messages to your inbox.

You just need to worry about retrieval and responding - both of which can be done by phone or via your PC.

Access via the web/PC
By accessing your inbox through the Web or your PC, you can read through your emails, voicemails, and faxes. You can also organize your messages into specific folders as well as delete, respond to, and forward them.

Access via phone
On the flip side, phone-based unified messaging provides you with a phone number so you can call in and listen to your voice mail, faxes, and email that are in your inbox, using a technology known as text-to-speech.

Colleagues can also leave messages at and send faxes to this same number. To listen to your messages, you'll either navigate via the keypad on the phone, or (for a higher cost) some services incorporate voice recognition software, so you can maneuver around your inbox with voice commands.

Extra Features and Options

Besides just managing your messages, as unified messaging becomes more popular, the features become more elaborate.

New message notification. Now you can be notified when a new message arrives in your inbox. Some services will forward messages to your cell phone, or page you when a new message arrives in your inbox.

Fax broadcasting. If you often send faxes to multiple recipients, you may want to check out a unified messaging system with this option. All you have to do is send the fax with a recipient list and your service will send out the fax to everyone.

Attachments and forwards. Options with your messages are being enhanced, too. You can attach messages now -- attach a fax in your inbox to an email message and forward it. You can even have a fax forwarded to a machine nearby to get a hard copy.

Info updates. Want stock quotes? Sports scores? News updates? Some unified messaging services will offer this as well.

Differences from Service to Service

It's important to note that not all unified messaging systems perform the same functions. All web and software-based systems range in pricing and function.

And some of the more expensive services and systems will allow you extra features and goodies as an add-on, while some provide only the basic service.

However, that's not always easy to tell from brochures-you'll want to check out exactly what a program can or cannot do by testing it yourself through demos.

The bottom line: If a specific feature is critical to your business, make sure it currently exists as a standard feature or an add-on with the service or system you are considering. Promises of future implementation isn't enough to warrant your purchase.

You may want to keep in mind some differences we have uncovered:

Email options can be limited

• Not all services are ready-to-go; some plans require subscribing to certain email providers if you want email messages to be included in your unified inbox.

• Not every web-based service uses text-to-speech technology, so you won't always have the option to listen to your email or faxes over the phone.

• Some software-based systems don't allow remote access to email, so you can't access email from the road.

Commitment levels and testing opportunities can vary
Most web-based services are paid on a monthly basis, but make sure before signing up that you can safely cancel your service without penalties at any time. (Many offer the first month free.)

For software-based systems, ask them about demos. Some offer downloadable demos (they'll give details on the procedure) that will last about a month or so.

Testing systems and services can give you insight into the typical user experience. For example, some unified messaging systems require the user to open one window to read faxes and email and another window for voice mail, which some users may find unwieldy.

Who Should Use Unified Messaging?

Even if it were less expensive, unified messaging doesn't make sense for all organizations.

Your probably don't need to consider unified messaging if

• not everybody at your company has a computer

• voice mail messages are the primary way of communicating messages

• receiving faxes isn't crucial

• your staff spends most of the time in the office

But if you or your employees are road warriors that receive a flood of different types of critical messages, or you value the simplicity of having all messages in one central place, you could probably benefit from unified messaging.

The good news is that the services are now very affordable -- and flexible enough to fit the different needs of different users.

Pricing

Unified messaging is now easily available -- and affordable. Its price tag hovered around $50,000 when it first starting making waves in 1997, but now you can unify your office's messages at a far lower cost. For some, it's even free.

For software-based systems: Expect to pay an average of $100-$250 per user.

For web-based services: Most services run $10-$50 per user per month. This fee includes:

• a phone number to access your inbox

• an email address

• the service that will manage getting those messages into your inbox.

The more features you want, the higher your cost. For example, for $10/month you can get a basic service that includes a phone number to access your voice mail and to listen to your email and faxes. You may also get an extra or two, like stock updates or sports scores.

But for $30/month, your service could include extras (which you may or may not need) like:

• new message notification

• fax forwarding

• conferencing

• space to host a personal web page.

Even more sophisticated services include voice-recognition technology, so you can actually speak your commands ("read message", "delete message") rather than use a keypad or a web browser.

Don't forget the hidden costs
Activation fees. Web-based services commonly charge activation fees (around $15) to get you started with the service.

Fax transmissions. You can be charged about 15 cents per fax transmission.

New message notification. Being notified when new messages arrive can cost five cents each.

As should be standard practice, make sure you've got the skinny on all the fees before signing on the dotted line.

And for free...
Free unified messaging is increasingly available from Web-based services -- for very basic messaging needs, of course.

If fancy features don't matter to you and you don't need to handle a great deal of incoming messages, there's nothing wrong with free. A few caveats, though:

• some of these services make you call a long-distance number in order to access your inbox

• you may have ads placed on your faxes

• your space for storing messages could be very limited

• you may have a limit to the number of messages you can receive per day.

Extra Buying Tips

Calling all small businesses
There are unified messaging services created just for small businesses. Features are geared to a small group of employees that may be on the go and need to communicate.

Consider voice recognition
This may seem like a frivolous bonus, but it actually makes a big difference. If you don't have a PC nearby with Web access and get easily annoyed with maneuvering with a phone keypad, the extra dollars may be worth it.

When free is not so "free"
When registering for a free service, find out if your phone number is toll-free. Having to call number local to your office while you're on the go could quickly escalate your bills. And watch for those services that are going to put ads on your faxes.

Use the right email address
Find out if you can use your existing email address when you sign up with a service. If not, you'll have to update your contacts with another email address - or find another way to access your existing address, which kind of defeats the purpose.

When buying software...
Make sure the software you purchase will support multiple users and is compatible with your network software.