People don’t have to wait on hold to send a text. They don’t have to explain their situation multiple times to four different representatives. They just send the text, then go do something else while waiting for a reply. Interacting with your business doesn’t require someone to take a break from work or try to talk over screaming kids. It takes seconds to send, and it’s easy to follow up asynchronously.
Check the Enable extension dialing without requiring a menu item check box to allow callers to directly dial an extension at any time.

Hello. You have reached Erin Klineman, Marketing Manager for Stone & Associates. I am currently out of the office attending a conference until August 4th. I will be checking messages daily, however, if you need immediate assistance, please contact Marketing Specialist, Michael Kim at extension 240. Otherwise, please leave a message, and I will call you back at my earliest opportunity.
When you’re closed for the holiday, it’s good to forgo your usual out-of-office greeting for a custom holiday message. Keep it cheery and brief, and be sure to let callers know when you’ll resume normal business operations.