Your voicemail recording should include several key elements to communicate with your customers. The most important parts of your greeting are: Announcement and identification (“Hello! You’ve reached [your name] with [your business’s name]”) A brief apology (“I’m sorry, but we are unable to take your call as we are [closed, assisting guests, away from the desk, etc.]”) Invitation to leave a message Information you want from them (“Please leave your name, number, and reason for calling”) Promise of a callback and timeframe (“You’ll hear from us within 24 hours!”) How to Sound Your Best
Now, we’ve covered the topic a bit at length in the past, with sure-fire ways to engage callers with your business voicemail greeting. Still a solid basis for constructing your new voicemail greeting, we’ll cover a quick recap of the most important aspects of a voicemail greeting for those that are unfamiliar.
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Your voicemail PIN can be any number 4 to 15 digits long. Be sure to make note of it because you'll need it to access your messages in the future.
If you are a burglar, then we’re probably at home cleaning our weapons right now and can’t come to the phone. Otherwise, we probably aren’t home and it’s safe to leave us a message.
Take the time to make your voice mail greeting sound perfect. Give callers a positive impression. Then be as responsive as you can be to messages that are left for you. This entry was posted in Business, Sales and Marketing, Technology, Voicemail and tagged business tips, office management by Brian Gabriel. Bookmark the permalink.
On the Phone tab, click the voicemail icon below the dial pad, and then click Change Greetings. Skype for Business calls your voicemail and guides you to record a personal greeting. When asked to press a number, pause on the phone/mic icon and click a number under the DIAL PAD tab.
ProTip: When recording a business voicemail greeting, do a trial run and listen to your message once it’s recorded to make sure it sounds great.
Give everyone on your team their own extension. Create department and employee extensions that ring multiple phones in any order and forward anywhere: home, office, or cell phones.
5. Catch their attention: “Hey, there! This is [your name]. Please leave me a message with your name, number, and the reason you’re calling. If you also tell me [insert random fact] I’ll be sure to move you to the top of my call list.
The thing with voicemail is it can be really handy when it comes to catering to your prospects when you are not available after work hours.
“Hi, you’ve reached [your name]. I’m away from[date] to [date]. If you need help with [X] before then, please contact [name] at [phone number]. Everyone else, please leave your name and number and I’ll return your call when I return. Thanks and have a great day.” “Hello, you’ve reached [your name]. I’m currently [exploring Asia, hiking through the jungle in Costa Rica, hanging out on the beach in Bermuda] — or more likely, [recovering from extreme jet lag, googling ‘Are red spiders poisonous,’ or looking for SPF 150 sunscreen] and won’t be back in the office until [date]. Leave your contact info and reason for calling and I’ll get in touch then.” “Hey there, this is [your name] from [your company]. I’m out of the office until [date]. In the meantime, please direct your inquiries to [coworker’s name] at [email address]. [He, she] can also be reached at [phone number]. Thank you.”
Sending an email to each prospect before you call gives them an additional way to get in touch with you when they're ready. As you're leaving your voicemail, mention that you've sent them a quick email as well that has further details on who you are and the purpose of your call. As Florin Tatulea of Loopio explains:
Just because it’s your business voicemail, doesn’t mean you have to sound like a robot. It’s important to make sure your callers know you’re actually human, and injecting some fun and wit into your greeting is the perfect way to say cue Scarlett Johansson voice I’m Samantha, and I have empathy.
Since I pride myself in being responsible, if I don’t receive a return call I have to assume I wrote down wrong number. If I were irresponsible I would just blow it off and not care. But if I wrote down the wrong number I have a responsibility to get a hold of this person. This extra work combined with wondering if it’s the right number, leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
“Hi! You have reached [your business]. All of our staff are currently busy helping other callers. We understand how valuable your time is, and rather than keeping you on hold, we will make sure to call you back.Be sure to leave us a detailed message with your name and number. We will return your call within two business hours. Thanks!”
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.
I love my job because [XYZ company] is the best place to work at. Please leave your full name, contact info, number and other details and I’ll call back within 24 hours! Thanks a bunch.”