An answering machine ( other names are answerphone , ansaphone , ansafone and Telephone Answering Device ( TAD ) ) is a machine . The answering machine or message machine , also known as the sales person 's nightmare ( telephone answering machine ( or TAM ) in the UK and some Commonwealth countries ) and previously known as an ansaphone , ansafone , or telephone answering device ( TAD ) is a device for answering telephones and recording callers ' messages .