When was the last time you saw a rotary phone? In an old movie? In a museum? It’s hard to imagine it used to take so much effort to dial a phone number. But with the invention of the phone button, making calls suddenly became so easy, and it’s a technology still in place with landline phones. At Voice Nation, we celebrate all things phone related, after all, we phones are our business. So let’s take a look at the push-button phone, which was introduced November 18, 1963.
A new kind of telephone
The Bell System released the push-button phone to customers in Pennsylvania. This new technology revolved around “touch tones,” which means each number (or button) had a specific tone associated with it. Prior to that, rotary phones used pulse dialing. Essentially, operators still had to connect phone lines when a caller wanted to make a long-distance call. Touch-tone dialing changed that, so customers could dial a number directly without having to speak to an operator.
Keypad arrangement still what we use today
Take a look at the keypad on your cell phone. Engineers tested 15 different keypad arrangements before they settled on that layout, with 1 at the top left corner and 0 in the bottom row. The pound (or hashtag) key and the asterisk keys were added in order to access computers through telephone lines.
Popularity was slow
Surprisingly, although the push-button phone was introduced in the 60s, it wasn’t until the 80s that the push-button phone was in most homes.
Better customer service
With push-button phones came the ability for businesses to offer better customer service. Initially, it made it possible for banks to set up direct access for customers to check current balances and latest activity. From there, more and more businesses joined in using the telephone to create better customer service.
Live answering loves the telephone!
At VoiceNation, we believe the telephone is one of the best ways to provide great customer service. Customer service is becoming an important factor for customers choosing a business. You want to be available to existing and prospective customers – accessibility is key.
VoiceNation top-rated for call answering
Never miss another call with our 24/7 live answering service. When you sign up for one of our plans, your account is activated instantly, which means we start taking your calls right away. Our team of live virtual receptionists will take messages and send them to you immediately through our mobile app, online dashboard, text and email. But that’s not all! We offer so many great features, and they’re all part of our affordable plans. Want to learn more? Give us a call at 877.679.3777.