77% of people believe that a phone call is the most efficient way to get business done. But have you got the right call handling protocols in place?
The voicemail reception capacity varies depending on the voicemail system you use.
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For many small businesses, it may not be possible to pick up the phone immediately. Other times, you may receive a call after hours or during a busy time when no staff is available to assist a caller.
Your message is a period of time that they are forced to wait through in order to do what they called to do in the first place — relay information to you.
A good voicemail greeting is short and professional, lets people know that you’ll get back to them, and invites callers to continue engaging with a call-to-action. You should also show your personality if you’re in an industry or role that allows that. If your industry is more conservative, however, you’ll want to keep humor and personal touches to a minimum. 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 rough estimate of when you’ll get back to the person An alternative person to reach out to (if you’re out of office) An alternative mode of communication (if you prefer email or text) A call-to-action such as “Leave a message” or “Send me an email at [email protected]”
If you have a main business phone number that’s shared with the customers or publicly listed, you’ll want to make sure it has a professional voicemail message to greet callers. Here are sample greetings you can use to help you craft your own.
The first thing you should consider in a voicemail is to indicate that the caller has reached the right person. Thus, those who cannot reach you may leave a voicemail by not giving up their intentions and not hanging up. Here are some of the best examples of voicemail you may use for your own business. There are also tips for leaving the best possible greeting. So, let’s start creating the best possible voicemail messages for your business.
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.
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As I mentioned above, some words like ‘can’t’ are often mispronounced by non-native speakers and it can sound like a swear word!
5. Emergency Situation Voicemail Greeting. In the case that your business is closed due to an emergency, it's only worth it to go into detail if the problem is affecting everyone in the area.
That’s the simple structure of a voicemail greeting. Overall, your greeting should be professional, but the wording can vary depending on the situation. Check out a sample below.
23. "Happy holidays! [I'm, the team at X company is] away until [date]. We'll make sure to call you back straight away when we return. If your request is urgent, email [emergency contact] at [email address]. Thanks, and have a wonderful day."
Company-level calls are usually directed to your general business number. There are occasions when everyone in the office is tied up and unable to pick up calls. It’s important to gather information about the reason for the call so that the right person or team can call them back. These greetings ensure that customers do not feel neglected while also providing assurance that their call will be attended to as soon as possible.
Thank you for calling [LinkedPhone]. Due to the current pandemic, our team members are working remotely and are available [Monday through Friday from 9am to 7pm Eastern Standard Time]. Please leave a message with your name, number, and how we can serve you. We will respond as promptly as possible. Thank you for your patience during this unprecedented time. Let’s get through this together. Stay safe and well.
Hello! You have reached the voicemail of (…). Please leave your name, number, and your message after the beep. I will call you back as soon as possible.
(in british accent) oh my god nooooo you’ve made me spill my tea you trotter !!!!! *running footsteps and random sscreaming* leave a message ill listen and call back when Im not busy beating my bloody siblings with a shoe.