It's 1996, do you know where your clients are? - includes related articles on Web marketing, using CD-ROMs and reader service card management - Technology Information - Cover Story

Home Office Computing, March, 1996 by Sarah Stambler, Abby McLean

It's easier than you think. Even if you can't afford an additional line, new technologies offer many ways to present a professional face from a small office. One option is to add phone numbers (not lines) to your home line and have each one ring with a distinctive pattern. This capability lets you or your modem know whether the call is for your business or your family, whether it's a fax or a voice call, and more. If you use call waiting to simulate a second line, distinctive ringing will allow you to screen your calls. Each phone number assigned to the line is also given a unique beep pattern for call waiting, so you'll be able to tell if the second call is a personal one before you interrupt a business call.

With a second line and such software packages as Delrina's WinFax Pro 7.0 and Commsuite '95 that support voice, telephone, fax-on-demand, and multimedia, you can build a sophisticated phone system on top of your existing hardware. If you're planning on upgrading to a 28.8Kbps modem, choose a product such as US Robotic's Sportster Vi series, Boca's SoundExpression series, or Cardinal's Plug 'n Play modems, all of which bundle voice mail into their software packages. Fully integrated devices, including Creative Labs's Phoneblaster and Aztech's Audio Telephony 2000, combine a modem, speakerphone, and sound card in one device.

Voice-mail software will allow you to define menu selections and mailboxes where callers can leave messages for various departments--even if you run a one-person shop. And fax-on-demand lets customers continue to get information from you long after you've closed up for the night.

Programs like Connectware's PhoneWorks let you create voice-mail systems that rival expensive proprietary products previously available only with telephone switching equipment, using such basic add-ons as call-transfer and Centrex service from your local provider. When you use PhoneWorks to define mailboxes, custom voice prompts, and programmable features such as call forwarding, speed-dial, and pager notification, your system will sound and perform like a PBX, without incurring the local phone company's monthly service charges for additional system features.

Even when you have sufficient phone lines, you may find all those incoming calls to your PC disruptive rather than productive. Good news--that old 386 gathering dust in your closet is one of the basic building blocks for a dedicated phone system. If you don't have a PC to spare, you can pick up a used one for less than $300. Increase the memory to 8MB, add a fax/modem card and software, dedicate a phone line, and you're well on your way to better customer service.

With all this sophisticated equipment, you'll still never be able to answer two calls at once, but at least you won't need to send your callers to dead space while they wait. Multimedia support from hardware or software telephony packages will let you play prerecorded information from your hard drive, or your favorite CDs from your CD-ROM drive, to educate or entertain callers on hold.