The above section details types of phrasing to avoid; however, it doesn’t detail what users should NOT say on their greeting. Though this is a bit loaded, as there are hundreds of combinations of things one shouldn’t say, there are some key components users should ALWAYS avoid. a. Forget About Slang: You should strive to be as professional and welcoming as possible in your greeting. While this may steer you towards using slang, in an attempt to make callers comfortable, it’ll most likely work against you. As a professional, your demeanor, tone, and speech should be clear cut and well articulated. Using slang undercuts this and works against you. b. Don’t Even Think About Profanity: This is a no-brainer. Never, under any circumstances, curse in your greeting EVER! c. Keep Your Sentences Clean, Don’t Ramble: Introduce yourself and give your caller specific direction. Avoid long diatribes detailing tangent thoughts. Keep it simple and quick. d. Always Return Your Calls: It’s important for callers to feel they are valued. Nothing dissolves this quicker than a greeting that doesn’t stress this. For example, “I’ll call you when I can,” “If I don’t return your call, please call back”—these phrases are terrible and completely destroy any good will you may have with a caller.
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.
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Never underestimate the power of a professional voicemail! It may be the first impression you make with a customer or prospect, so put some time and effort into yours. Also, keep in mind that an easy to use business phone system can make recording a voicemail quick and easy. So use our tips to help you write your voicemail script today!
Professional — Lets them know who they’ve reached, why their call has not been answered and when they can expect a return call.Personable — Lets them know their message has been received by a real person who values their call and will reach back out to them. Including humor and a personal touch is extremely important here (even if your industry prefers to be more “robotic” in their communications). What is the most professional voicemail message?
7. Hello, this is [your name] at [your company]. I’m currently out of the office, but if you leave your name, number, and a brief message, and I’ll return your call as soon as I get back.
Never miss an important voicemail when you’re out of the office or away from a computer. Checking your messages by phone is a snap. Just follow these five easy steps: 1. Dial your RingCentral number. 2. Press * as soon as you hear the phone ring or the recorded message play.
You have reached the , Strategic Air Command Nuclear Missile Storage Facility. We are unable to come to the phone right now. At the tone, please leave your name, number and target or list of targets and we’ll launch as soon as we can. And have a nice day.
Open your voicemail greeting with a 'Thank you for your call. We're not available right now by please leave your message and we'll get back to you within [specify time]'.
Saying the pitch out loud before you hop on the phone can make sure you don’t stumble or miss important information when it’s time to record.
40. Hi, I’m not in right now, but if you leave a detailed message I’ll call you back promptly.
8. Morgan Freeman Shares His Voice for Voicemail Greetings. Morgan Freeman is known for his voice so much that he was asked to play the voice and image of God in Bruce Almighty.
You don’t want to answer calls 24/7 (unless you’re serving clients globally and there’s an expectation of 24/7 support). If you’re unavailable during specific hours of the day, use the voicemail examples below for after-hours business calls.
You should also aim to refresh your voicemail greeting in English every year. It’s likely that your pronunciation skills will improve and change over time – especially if you are taking online training like ours! So it is a good idea to refresh your English voicemail greeting regularly. When it’s time to refresh it and it’s time to record a voicemail greeting, revise our video. Each time you watch it, you’ll pick up more tips and improve your pronunciation skills.
The voicemail reception capacity varies depending on the voicemail system you use.
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.
Listen to your messages and return your calls as soon as possible. Of all the lines of communication available (social media, text, email, etc.,) your callers resulted in picking up the phone to call you because they wanted to speak with a live person. Do them the common courtesy and give them a call back when you first have the chance.
06Hi, you’ve reached the offices of [your company/name]. I will be out of the office between [dates] and [date]. You can reach me on my private cell [your number] if this is an emergency. Alternatively, you can call me when I get back to the office or leave a brief message.