Because of a question I got regarding my message, I am providing further information for clarity.
Here is a link to the telephone system we now have:
http://www.intlresources.com/pages/ft484.html
I don’t expect that the attendant and voice mail device I seek will allow the caller to be transferred to a different phone by pressing 1, 2 or 3 on his telephone keypad. That would be too much to hope for using our antiquated system. What I have in mind is that when they press 1 they hear a certain message (for instance for fax number), or press 2 they hear a different message (for instance directions to our location), etc. The voice mail system would also allow them to leave messages in selected mail boxes. Now if none of their questions can be answered by listening to these messages or if there is no place they want to leave a message, then they press zero and actually speak with someone. Given our old system, I don’t believe there is a way (and I’m not expecting it) for a caller to get to a particular person by hitting numbers on their telephone keypad. If their question isn’t answered by the recorded messages and they need to speak with any one of us, the would have to press zero every time for the operator to take over. In truth, practically any $39 answering machine can do what I want the system to do except for holding the call and beeping us if zero is press so that we can pick up the phone.