15 Out of Office Messages for Professionals. February 26, 2021. Out of office messages are automatic email replies, or autoresponder email messages, that go out to colleagues, customers and clients when you are away from work. They let others know you are unavailable for contact and when they can expect a response to their emails.
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Default Greeting—Plays a default greeting for incoming calls.
Hey, not here right now and not really interested in who this is, I’m out on a wilderness retreat learning about the importance of making connections.
-This is you-know who. We are you-know-where. Leave your you-know-what you-know-when.
This is (your name). You have reached my voice mail for the week of (month & day). I will be in the office during regular business hours Monday-Friday. If you need help right away, please PRESS "0" to speak with our receptionist.
Note that the secretary has asked for the reason for calling so she can prioritize the patients who need the most help. She’s also keeping it short and to the point.
Recognize Their Need. When someone calls your business, the voicemail should give them a sense of validation. This means that your voicemail should extend gratitude for their interest in your business, or an apology for not being there to answer your call. These two simple courtesies can go a long way in the creation or establishment of client/business trust. Make it Informative for the Caller. Your voicemail must include all the information the customer will need for your particular business. For instance, if you’re a brick and mortar establishment, it’s wise to include your store hours. It’s also a good idea to leave them an alternate way to contact you, especially if it’s after hours. After all, you don’t want to miss just one potential customer. Here are some suggestions for elements to include in your voicemail: Business name Hours (if brick and mortar) Alternate method of contact, such as email Your name
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.
If you find that your business voice message is running a bit long, break it down into sections and decide which parts you can cut out to reduce the message’s length.
Why not also direct the caller towards your website for the time being? This enables them to find out more about your business, products and services while they wait until they can call you back.
Voicemail essentials: 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.”
4. Keep your after hours voicemail greetings current. If your business will be closed during its normal operating days for a holiday or is dealing with some type of emergency situation you will want to update your after-hours announcement.
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.
Thank you for calling ______. We are currently closed. Our regular business hours are Monday through Friday from 9am – 5pm, Pacific Standard Time. Please leave a message, and we will return your call the next business day.
We have a visual representation of the Auto Attendant settings for your convenience. The colored graph on the main page of the Auto Attendant shows all active menus day-by-day along with their names and activity periods.
When recording your business voicemail greetings on your VoIP phone system, make sure to state the correct time when your callers can expect you to call back. If your call-back policy is within two hours or 24 hours, make sure to say the correct expected time so your callers don’t waste their time waiting for your call.