I have a confession to make: I haven’t recorded a new voicemail greeting since 2014. In the past four years, I (hopefully) have become more articulate, poised, and self-assured. But hear my voicemail recording, and you’d think I was still new to the work world, a little unsure of myself — and probably not an authority. Obviously I need toupdate it. And if you haven’t changed your voicemail greeting in over a year, you’re likely in the same boat. After all, a professional voicemail recording boosts your credibility, makes you seem more competent, and encourages whoever’s listening to it to continue the relationship. A relatively unprofessional one — like mine, for instance — does the opposite: It encourages prospects, recruiters, and potential connections to run in the other direction. With that in mind, I’ve written 18 unique voicemail greetings for every situation. Pick your favorite, practice a few times, then record your new voicemail.
A clear, professional voicemail greeting is essential for job seekers and professionals living in English speaking countries. Job recruiters, managers and colleagues will all expect a good, clear, professional voicemail greeting when they call you.
.
Expand your message with 'We're sorry we couldn't take your call this time.' The inclusion of 'this time' or 'on this occasion' suggests that the voicemail is the exception rather than the rule.
If you’re rarely in the office and don’t use a mobile cell phone app to receive calls, be sure to provide alternatives so that customers can still receive the support they need.
Your business voicemail recording is a great opportunity to extend your marketing to current and potential customers. Make sure you are maximizing your marketing reach with these 5 tips to optimize your voicemail recording.
a standard greeting as per Option 4, followed by the mailbox owner's name (as recorded by the owner), followed by the leave-message tone, and then silence.
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.
Your call is important to us and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Please leave your full name, contact details, phone number, and availability after the beep and we will call you back straight away. Thank you!”
14. “Hello, you’ve reached [company]. If you’re looking for information on [X], please check out our [Facebook page, company website, etc.] If you want to know more about [Y], take a look at [Z page on our site, our YouTube channel, etc.] Still have more questions, or just want to hear our lovely voices? Leave your name and number, and we’ll return your call straight away.”
8. "Hi, you've reached [your name]. I'm unable to come to the phone right now. But if you leave your name, number, and a short message, I'll be sure to call back."
"Even responses have gotten shorter," she adds. "I was noticing that with some emails from four years ago where I had these very long, 'Hello, I hope all is well,' sort of like longer emails to now I'm much more — blunt." voicemail voice mail JPMorgan Chase workplace productivity Read & Listen Home News Arts & Life Music Podcasts Programs Connect Newsletters Facebook Twitter Instagram Press Contact & Help About NPR Overview Diversity Ethics Finances Public Editor Corrections Get Involved Support Public Radio Sponsor NPR NPR Careers NPR Shop NPR Events NPR Extra Terms of Use Privacy Your Privacy Choices Text Only Home Subscribe CRM Magazine CRM eWeekly (e-Newsletter) News CRM Featured Articles CRM Across the Wire In Depth Features ViewPoints Case Studies Columns Insight Blog Customer Service Marketing Sales More Topics Analytics Big Data CRM Channel Management Cloud-based CRM Enterprise CRM Integration Mobile SMB/Mid-market CRM Social CRM Topics Industries White Papers Best Practices Series Reports & Research Resources CRM Buyer's Guide & Directory Current Issue Previous Issues Market Awards Service Awards Jobs Webinars Events CXConnect CRM Evolution Conference Smart Customer Service Conference SpeechTek Digital Experience Conference About What Is CRM? About Us Contact US How to Advertise Getting Covered Editorial Calendar Reprints November 1, 2014 By Leonard Klie, Editor, CRM magazine and SmartCustomerService.com Business Voicemail Goes Unanswered
Your message should be 20 seconds at most. Remember, your clients or co-workers may listen to this dozens of times.
Rehearse or write down your message before recording it. Remember that old saying “practice makes perfect?” It’s certainly true when it comes to creating an electronic greeting. The more you’ve rehearsed, the easier the message will be to restate. If you don’t have time to practice, writing down the greeting before recording it – and then reading it aloud from the paper – may help you stay focused on the correct wording.
While email and text support saw an increase in recent years, many customers, partners, and potential hires still prefer to call your company directly. When writing your voicemail script, include basic information such as a short greeting, your company name, an invitation to leave a short message, and the time frame in which the caller can expect a return call. If relevant, you may want to include your office hours, extensions for company departments, and the contact information for your office manager or HR department.
Keep the memory alive of those that passed. There is nothing more comforting than the voice of a loved one. Keepsake Memories Relief for Full Mailbox Upgrading Phones
If you’re out of the office, a voicemail greeting will essentially act as the first line of communication between you and clients or potential clients. So of course, this could be a great opportunity to add a hint of personality, while of course still remaining as professional as possible. That doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun with it!
17. “Happy Holidays from [company name]. Our hours are a little bit different this holiday season. [List hours]. We hope it’s not an emergency, but if so, we’ve got you covered. Contact us at [company email/other support lines] and we’ll get back to you ASAP. For all other inquiries, we’ll contact you when we are back from the holiday – we might be a few pounds heavier but eager to speak with you! Happy Holidays.” Things happen during the holidays, we know. Let your callers know you are still there just in case!