Businesses should have two main types of greetings to create an excellent call experience. The first one is what we call a “welcome greeting” – this greeting welcomes callers to your business. Typically, a welcome greeting will present a menu of call options like hours, location, or customer service. For more details on how to create a welcome greeting for your general business number, read this article.
From the Skype for Business desktop app (if you are running Click-2-Run build C2R 8201.1002 or later), select Set Up Voice Mail. Change your Call Answering Rules You can change what options your callers have when they reach the voicemail service; get disconnected, hear your greeting, record a message, choose to be transferred to the number or user you select. Change your prompt language This is the prompt language that is played to callers. For list of supported languages, see Languages for voicemail greetings and messages from Skype for Business. Configure your Out of Office greeting This is the customized greeting message that is played to callers when your status is Out of Office. This option can be activated "Always," when you have an active "Auto Reply" in Outlook, or whenever you have an out-of-office calendar appointment. Where you can get your voicemail messages from
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4. List extension numbers of available departments or employees - whichever is applicable to your organization- so that your callers would immediately select the right option. For example:
Thanks for calling [Company Name].For more information about our products, press 1. If you have troubleshooting questions, press 2. For billing questions, press 3. For a Dial by Name directory, press 4. For our regular business hours, press 5. If you know your party’s extension, please dial it now. For all other inquiries, please stay on the line, and a representative will be happy to assist you. 5. Offering the Operator First
Always keep in mind the people who will be listening to your professional voicemail greetings. What type of tone and information resonates with them?
When someone reaches your voicemail, it’s important that you help them confirm that they have reached the right person by providing all of the relevant information that they will need. Who have they reached? Did they contact the right person and the right business? Should they leave a message? When will you get back to them? Is there a better time for them to call?
Allows you to specify the name that will appear for your number when you make an outbound call. The person you are calling must have a Caller ID compatible telephone or display device.
Prospects want to feel confident that they have contacted a professional, that the company values their call, and they have made the right choice. So be friendly but not too blunt.
https://www.ruby.com/answering-the-phone-3-ways-to-make-your-companys-greeting-great/
“Hello, you’ve reached [X company]. We can’t take your call right now, but please leave your name, contact information, and reason for reaching out, and one of our team members will be in touch within 24 hours.” “Hi, you’ve reached [company]. Unfortunately, we’re currently unavailable. But we want to talk to you — so please leave your name and number, as well as your reason for calling, and someone will call back ASAP.” “Hi, you’ve reached [company]. We’re available by phone from [hour] to [hour] [time zone] Monday through Friday [optional: and from hour to hour on the weekends]. You can also contact us by going to our website, [URL], and live-chatting or emailing us. If you’d like us to call you back, please leave your name and number after the beep.” “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.”
Or, from any phone, call your business phone number, and then press * to skip the voicemail greeting. Enter your mailbox PIN. For mailbox settings, press 4. For greetings, press 3. Do one of the following, and then follow the prompts: To record a personal greeting, press 1. To record an extended absence greeting, press 2.
2. Google Voice. Google Voice is a top-notch voicemail app. It lets you send free SMS messages to US phones and make international calls at low rates. You can get transcribed voicemail.
IVR means Interactive Voice Response and IVR system delivers all PBX phone system features without hardware.
In sales, immediate communication with your prospects and current customers is important. Being available to answer questions or further negotiate a deal allows your clients to feel secure and more apt to purchase from you. But what if you can’t answer the phone when they call? Make sure you have a voicemail system set up so your clients have the opportunity to leave you a message.
https://www.ruby.com/answering-the-phone-3-ways-to-make-your-companys-greeting-great/
Thank you for calling (business name). This office is closed due to inclement weather. We're normally open from 9am to 6pm Central time. Please call back on the next business day to insure we have re-opened. If this is an emergancy, press 3 for assistance
9. “Hey, it’s [your name] at [your company] – thanks for giving me a call! I can’t wait to chat. Just leave your name, number and I’ll call you back as soon as I have the chance. Better yet, send me a text with the best time to reach you and the reason for your call. Looking forward to hearing from you.” Text communication is becoming much more relevant now. Direct your caller to text you in case they have a question you can answer easier via text. Who knows, they might prefer text messages to phone calls too.