For small businesses, there are a variety of voicemail service providers you can use that offer different features. From transcription and voice to text to more convenient features of handling multiple phones through one number, availability varies by service. Shared voicemail and call routing is intended for multiple access and directing calls to one or multiple phones. Mobile apps are also available that allow you to check your messages from your phone. The below infographic outlines the current state and trends of voicemails.
-Hello. All of our operators are busy right now, but if you’ll leave your name, telephone number, a brief message, and the time you called, we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you and have a pleasant day.
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The Android operating system includes a native visual voicemail that lets you view voicemail messages in text form. If you have an older Android phone or if your service provider doesn’t offer visual voicemail, you can download a third-party app. Select Phone. Select Keypad. Press and hold the number 1. If your voicemail is not set up, select ADD NUMBER. Select Voicemail number. Enter the Voicemail number and select OK. Repeat steps 2-4 to check your voicemail.
To improve a a business voicemail greeting, keep these eight rules at the forefront of the creative process: Avoid turning customers off with overused and impersonal phrases like “your call is very important to us..." Avoid leaving customers unsure by not immediately telling them the business, department, and/or person they’ve reached. Avoid leaving customers confused with too many details and complications; just keep it simple. Avoid messages longer than 25 seconds. Do apologize for being unavailable at the moment. Do invite the caller to leave a message. Do tell the caller when they can expect a return call and actually follow through within that timeframe. Do tell the caller about any applicable alternative options of contact and information- website, live chat, email, social media, or emergency numbers. Voicemail Greetings 101
4. Humorous Voicemail Greetings. While straightforward is always the safe bet, certain entities can go to the humorous side of voicemail greetings. Before taking this route, consider the type of callers and the persona the recipient is trying to convey.
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Standard greeting with your name: "At the tone, please record your message to [name]."
I will be checking my voicemail messages periodically, so please leave me a message and I will return your call as soon as possible. If you need immediate assistance, please contact my assistant, Suzy Jones at 1-800-555-1212 extension 6336.
A dentist is similar to a doctor. Unlike a doctor, a dentist is going to get far more non-urgent calls as patients will want to know when they can pick up various orders, as well as to book follow-up appointments. The key here is prioritizing so the dentist can respond promptly to the patients who need emergency dental work and other urgent consultations.
A formal voicemail greeting is one with a professional tone. It could be for a business or for personal reasons. Formal voicemail greetings are designed to impart a sense of authenticity. They leave the caller with a sense of trust in your abilities, whatever they may be.
Messages on Hold – continuous loop of music and messaging that plays as callers wait to speak to a business representative. Messages On Hold present a mix of marketing messages and customer service information that is mixed with music to play in a loop for callers waiting on hold.
Business Intro – quick intro announcement heard by the caller before they speak with a business representative. Usually quite short and welcoming, introducing the business to the caller.
By asking for information such as full patient name, date of birth, and phone number, you can increase your chances of being able to successfully return a call, even if the message is difficult to decipher.
Are you creating a voicemail greeting for your entire company or team? These business voicemail greetings will do the trick.
You can record a personal greeting, or you can use one of the pre-recorded CenturyLink greetings. Follow the system prompts to select your greeting:
The answering machine was one of such great inventions that provided the public with the capability to record messages without answering them for decades before the invention of smartphones. The design of the answering machine was a team effort of various researchers that changed the telecom industry.
Are you thinking about changing your voicemail greeting? Would you like some help from us? Set up a cranky, funny voicemail, and share a moment of laughter with your dear ones, before they understand your intention behind it and run to get you!