The main objective of a caller navigating an IVR system is to get to the desired destination as quickly as possible. If the script contains overly wordy phrases and long descriptions, the callers will get frustrated with every passing word.
Hi! This is (insert name and title.) My apologies, but I’m away from my phone until (insert date.) While I’m …
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Hi. This is John: If you are the phone company, I already sent the money. If you are my parents, please send money. If you are my financial aid institution, you didn’t lend me enough money. If you are my friends, you owe me money. If you are a female, don’t worry,
2. "Hi, you've reached [name] at [company]. If you need a quick response, please shoot me an email at [insert email address] and I'll be in touch by EOD tomorrow. If it's not urgent, leave me a message with your name and number. Have a great day."
When you have new voicemail, the Phone tab in the Skype for Business main window displays the number of your messages. See Contact Card opens the caller's contact card, which lists their phone number, email address, office location, and so on. Open Item in Outlook provides more information about the call.
19. "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."
Length – if your callers typically wait 2 minutes at a time, then at least 2 minutes of programming should be the goal. The idea is to ensure the callers don’t hear repeated messages every time they call. A typical on-hold message is 4-8 minutes in length.
For When to Forward or When Not to Forward, select a Business Schedule and Holiday Schedule from the drop-down menu. 10
First impressions matter, and even if someone is familiar enough with your business to get on the phone and reach out, that first call can have a big impact on how they perceive your business.
Departments and teams are typically organized by function – customer service, tech support, sales, billing questions, etc. When a team is busy handling other calls, encourage your callers to leave a message and reassure them that you will get back to them within a reasonable time frame. It’s important that you actually follow through to avoid upsetting your callers.
As I was about to get into advising you on the best practices of voicemail recordings and greetings, here’s what was blasting in my ears: “I can’t keep on losing you / Over complications / Gone too soon / Wait, we was just hangin’”… I’ll let you make the parallel.
Image credit to Far Reach Inc. http://www.farreachinc.com/blog/far-reach/2015/01/08/ho-ho-oh-how-to-create-unforgettable-corporate-holiday-greetings
Jackie Manici, co-owner of Paul Kenneth Salon and Spa in Woburn, Massachusetts, says new guests to their salon are surprised by two things: “When they arrive, they see their names posted on our Welcome Board, and they are offered a latte, cappuccino or tea. Guests have actually posted on City Search about how special this makes them feel.”
Callers don’t have the luxury of seeing the script laid out in front of them while they’re listening to the various menu options. With this in mind, it’s important to use language that’s easy for callers to comprehend the first time they hear it.
35. Hello, we’re wishing you all a happy [X holiday]. Our office is currently closed so our employees can celebrate with their loved ones. Please leave your name, number, and reason for calling and a member of our team will return your call when we reopen on [X date].
Snap Recordings offers a comprehensive voice talent library. We have over 100 voice talents available, including male and female voices. Select a voice talent that best represents your brand for your business.
39. Hi, this is [your name]. I’m not at my desk right now, so leave a message and I’ll call you back within 24 hours.