Website: https://support.openphone.co/hc/en-us/articles/1500009862102-How-to-record-a-professional-voicemail-greeting-for-your-business
Let’s be honest, you (hopefully) set up your voicemail when you first got your phone, and it probably hasn’t changed since then. If you’re about to start job-hunting, now is the perfect time to refresh your professional voicemail greeting.

To provide as much helpful insight to businesses as possible, we've compiled the top must-have information that should be included in your office's temporary voicemail greeting. 1. Your voicemail should be timely and relevant to the situation at hand. 2. Indicate if you’re working remotely or changing office hours temporarily. 3. Set clear, reasonable expectations for your callers about when they should expect to hear back from someone. 4. State clearly what types of matters are urgent and give examples of issues that are not. This way, patients and callers can have a good understanding of what to expect about call-backs and reduce unnecessary follow-up calls. 5. If you have made disruptions to existing appointments, you should note this, as well as how you plan to reach people to reschedule.
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.