A general voicemail greeting is what callers will be greeted with if you are unable to answer the phone at work. It is the everyday greeting, used as the default, unless you have set up a temporary greeting, such as an away message while you're on vacation, or a special message during a holiday.
If you are going to use your own phone to record your greeting, be sure to use a land line. Cell phones can’t always be trusted to produce a high quality sound and often the callers will hear distortion, static, or flight information in the background because you decided to record a new message while waiting for your plane at the airport. Always use a land line in a quiet setting to make your recording.
.
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.
You have reached (Your Name) at (Your Business). I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to get to the phone. If you leave your name and number, I’ll return your call within one business day.
Generally, people that call and leave messages are more likely to be ideal customers of your business. Your voicemail message is often not much more than a formality to the person calling.
It makes sense to have an after-hours / weekend voicemail greeting for important teams at your business so that your clients feel confident that they will be taken care of. You may also suggest alternate resources like a help forum, knowledge base, or online chat to support customers while closed, if available.
Check your voicemail on iPhone. In the Phone app , Visual Voicemail (available from select carriers) shows a list of your messages. You can choose which ones to play and delete without listening to all of them. A badge on the Voicemail icon indicates the number of unheard messages.
7.) Welcome to the law office John Doe. Sorry, we're currently unable to answer your call personally, as you call during our annual holidays. Feel free to send us an email to [email protected] - We will contact as soon as possible at our return. In urgent cases, please contact our office representative. These can be found on our website www.lawoffice-johndoe.de. Many thanks for your call - Good bye.
If they don’t leave a message, you’ll never know who called. Some people may assume they should just call back later. But if you prefer to get back to them at your leisure, encourage them to leave a message.
4. Give them a realistic expectation: “Congratulations! You’ve reached the right person! It’s [your name]. Unfortunately, you’ve called at the wrong time. Please leave a message with all your contact information, and I’ll call you back within 24 hours.”
18. Hello, you’ve reached the voicemail box for [employee name] at [company name]. [Employee first name] has moved onto a different position, but our new [job title, employee name] will be happy to assist you. Please call [number, extension] or leave a message here and a representative will get back to you.
As you can see by reading our article on how to write the best voicemail greetings, they’re a bit more complex than one might imagine. There are important elements that cannot be left out, as to do so could cost you valuable business contacts. We realize this, so have included a selection of more funny, professional, and personal greeting examples, in MS Word and PDF format. By using these voicemail greetings, you’ll be well on your way to craft a greeting that will be pleasant to hear, provide the correct information, as well as requesting the correct information.
Sign up for my blog updates and never miss a post. My sales and time management tips are always FREE and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Rather than the over-used “I’ll check in again on Monday,” leave the conversation off with a reminder of the benefit of chatting or a specific question that gets their gears turning.
“Hello! You’ve reached the voicemail of [your name], [your job title]. I’m currently either away from my desk or on the other line. Please leave your name, telephone number, and a short message after the beep, and I’ll be sure to get back to you as soon as I’m available.”
Having a dedicated emergency contact will help make sure anything important that comes up is taken care of. Another option is directing callers to a separate answering service.
Below are examples of what to say in a voicemail message. Whether recording the message for a personal phone or a business line, these ideas will help. Using humor is appropriate in some situations, but humor should be avoided in situations including serious businesses where reputations could be damaged or people could become upset.