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?
40. Hi, I’m not in right now, but if you leave a detailed message I’ll call you back promptly.
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If you’re calling from your own phone, you’ll be able to access your voicemail without entering a PIN. This will happen even if you’ve previously set one up.
Most people screen their phone calls and often avoid answering unknown numbers. If you’re applying for new positions, you should try to view each unexpected call as an exciting opportunity! In the event that you simply can’t pick up the phone, you’ll want a polished voicemail greeting to let the caller know they’ve reached the right person.
What’s more annoying than being unprepared? Doing business with someone who is. In other words, don’t wing it — practice your script, speaking slowly and annunciating each word.
Include Basic Information: Your voicemail greeting should include basic information such as your hours of operation and location. This will help you to screen out calls during office hours, and also unnecessary voicemail inquiries.
4. Hi, this is [your name]. I’m unable to take your call right now but leave your name and number, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Different businesses may require different types of greetings. This is the ultimate list that can work for a wide array of company messages.
Some of us may still remember a time when voicemail was a blank canvas for pranksters and humorists. They would use voicemail greetings as a place to begin recordings as if they were answering the phone (“Hello? I can’t hear you… Just kidding! Leave a message…”) or to flash some personality with music or themed messages. Unless your business is a costume rental facility or joke and magic trick shop, it’s best to avoid this strategy. Instead, try to remember a few key points to focus on-
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Before you record your business greeting, make sure to write it down first. Finalize your script and then rehearse a few times before you record the final business voicemail.
Set up call forwarding To start forwarding your calls, click your profile picture at the top of Teams, then select Settings > Calls. Under Call answering rules, choose Forward my calls, and then select where you want your forwarded calls to go: voicemail, another person, or a call group.
Record your voicemail away from background noise. While recording your voicemail, background noise can make your message very difficult to understand. Make sure to record your voicemail in an environment with minimal background noise. If you want to optimize your voicemail, practice a lot. Also, do not forget to take notes about the content of your voicemail. Practicing and taking notes while leaving an electronic voicemail is essential. A lot of practice will be so helpful in recording your message. But in some cases, you may not have time to practice. It may help to write your voicemail text on a piece of paper and read it in such cases.
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.
Your customers might need you on the holidays. If you’re a business owner, you know this already. 🙂 Manage customer expectations and let them know how to get assistance.
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.
40. Hi, I’m not in right now, but if you leave a detailed message I’ll call you back promptly.