While it is important to leave your contact information it is also important to leave details as to why you are calling. People have conversations with many other people every day so it is important to leave all relevant details in your message in order to jog the listener’s memory and ensure they know exactly how to respond when they call you back.
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
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Customer experience is today’s business battleground. At a time where it’s common for even the most established businesses to deliver poor service, incompetent support, and just outright bad communication, how do you stand out? As big companies fail in the customer experience department, doors open for small business owners and entrepreneurs to distinguish themselves.
I am not a voice talent, and I hate the sound of my own voice. Every time I lose my cell phone (daily), I call it from another line to help myself find it. And every time I do this, I wish my voicemail message sounded…different. I’m always reminded that I should sit down and rerecord it, so it makes a more professional first impression.
• This is XYZ. I’m sorry I cannot take your call right now. Please leave your name, phone number, and a detailed message, and I will contact you as soon as possible. Thank you.
Every professional knows how important having a LinkedIn profile is to network with people in the...
For example, you could say something like “I was going over your company’s numbers for last year and I saw something really interesting in the first quarter… I’d love to talk about it when you call.”
Leaving a message on someone’s voicemail seems like a simple task but unlike a text or email you don’t have a chance to read over what you’ve said. This can cause problems because it is easy to forget important elements in your message and because of that it can be difficult for the listener of your message to follow up with you if they cannot hear your crucial information.
“Hi, you’ve reached [your name] at [your company]. I’m unavailable right now — probably helping [type of company] get [X results, e.g. ‘double their leads in 60 days,’ ‘hire the best and brightest engineers,’ ‘convert 40% more customers.’] Leave your name and number, and we’ll discuss how your company can see similar results.” “Hello, this is [your name] at [company]. Thanks for calling. Please leave your name, number, and reason you’d like to chat, and I’ll get to back to you ASAP.” “Hi, you’ve reached [name] at [company]. If you need a quick response, please shoot me an email at [insert email address] and I’ll be in touch by EOD tomorrow. If it’s not urgent, leave me a message with your name and number. Have a great day.” “Hey, this is [your name]. If you’re calling for [X reason], please [contact so-and-so] or [go to our website, send me an email]. For all other inquiries, leave your name and a brief message and I’ll call you back within [one, two, three] business day[s].” “Hello, you’ve reached [name] at company. I’m unable to come to the phone right now. Leave your name and number, and I’ll return your call as soon as I’m free. Thank you.”
4. “Thanks for calling [your company]. We’re looking forward to speaking with you. Let us call you back as soon as we are available by leaving your name, contact information and the reason for your call. Have a great day.” A simple, concise, and, of course, friendly voicemail greeting for your main business line.
Note: If necessary, delete an existing greeting (limit of 2 greetings) to make room for the new greeting: Tap the Menu key, tap Delete greetings, tap the check box next to the desired greeting, and then tap Delete. Tap the Record icon to record your greeting. Tap the Stop recording icon to stop recording.
Your personal voicemail greeting should be brief and to the point. State your name and your availability, project a welcoming aura, and ask the caller for whatever information you need from them. Hi, you've reached the voicemail of Mike Downing. I'm not available to answer the phone right now. My office hours are Monday through Thursday, 10 am to 4 pm. Please leave your name and phone number and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks. 2. Company Wide Voicemail Greeting
Many businesses want to sound professional and, as a result, end up creating boring, monotonous, and overly generic messages such as: “Hi, this is Joe. I’m either on the phone or away from my desk. Please leave me a message.”
What to Say in a Voicemail Greeting. Here’s what you should say in a professional voicemail greeting: A greeting; Your name; Your company; A simple explanation for missing the call (e.g. you’re away from the phone or are on holiday) A …
In previous blogs, I’ve mentioned the importance of making a good first impression on a potential client. Most of the time, the first contact will be over the telephone. Since we are often in session, it is very likely that the first time a client hears our voice is on our voicemail greeting. This is why a professional greeting is so important. Identify yourself because you need to reassure the client that they have called the correct number. Clients will be a lot less likely to leave a message if they wonder who will get it. Use a warm friendly voice to say something like, “You have reached xxxx, licensed mental health counselor.” Tell clients what to do if they are in crisis. Although it seems obvious to us, clients may not realize that it could be several hours until we can return their call. I suggest something like, “If you require immediate assistance, please dial 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.” Ask for what information you need. Yes, the obvious name and number, but if it would be helpful to get their insurance information, ask for that, too. Give clients an idea about when you’ll return their call. Common business practice is within 24 business hours. Any extra messages or information you’d like clients to know. For example, if you are no longer accepting a particular insurance plan, the end of your voicemail greeting is a great place to convey that information.
Hi, you have reached the voicemail box of X. I am currently busy with a client of mine and hence will not be able to take your call right now. Kindly accept my apologies for the same. Please leave your phone number, name and purpose of your call so that I can get in touch when I am free. Thanks for understanding.
Example: 'Thank you for calling [insert name here]. We're sorry we couldn't take your call this time. However, if you'd like to leave us a voicemail we will get back to you within [for example] 30 minutes of receiving this message. Alternatively, if you'd like to reach out by email you can do so at [insert email address]. Again, thank you for calling [insert company name]. We look forward to your message.'