So who your business primarily serves could impact how many customers you lose by not providing immediate service to customers who call.
Despite the popularity of calling businesses, consumers have their frustrations with this channel. Accenture surveyed 13,168 consumers across 33 countries, and they found that “91 percent [of] respondents are frustrated that they have to contact a company multiple times for the same reason; 90 percent by being put on hold for a long time and 89 percent by having to repeat their issue to multiple representatives.”
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Thank you for calling ABC Company. We are currently closed for the holiday. Our normal business hours are 8 am to 8 pm, eastern time, Monday through Friday. Your call is very important to us. Please leave your name, phone number, and a brief message regarding your call. We will return your call on our next business day. Thank you.
Years ago, eVoice surveyed consumers about whether or not they listened to their voicemail, and 67 percent of the respondents said they do not listen to messages that come from business contacts. They recognize the number and even have it saved in their phone, but they ignore the voicemail.
2. Hello, you have reached the office of [your name]; I will be out of my office starting on [date] and will be returning on [date]. You can call me when I return or leave a brief message. If this is an emergency I can be reached on my cell, which is [your number].
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].
1. Hi this is [you name], I’m either away from my desk or on the phone, please leave your name and number along with a short message and I’ll be sure to get back to you.
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.
Hi, you have reached …. Please leave your name, phone number and a message and if we like it we will return your call.
Hello, you have reached the food delivery services of X. I am currently speaking to a customer and will not be able to take your call now. If you want some urgent delivery of food items, you can call our other number Y and place your order. Otherwise, kindly leave your details like your name, contact number and your order details so that I can get back to you for confirmation. Thanks for your cooperation.
Expand your opening to with 'Thank you for calling [insert company/individual name]' or 'You've reached the voicemail of [insert company/individual name]'. This personal touch goes a long way towards building a rapport even when you're not available to answer the call directly.
With the Holiday season right around the corner, your office’s voicemail greeting should quickly inform callers of any potential changes in hours, days or availability. Oh, and what better way to spread holiday wishes than with a personalized, updated greeting – of course, while at the same time, keeping your clients and prospects in the loop of where you’ll be and when.
Hello! You’ve reached [LinkedPhone’s Tech Support Team]. We are currently closed but we’re always eager to help. Our regular business hours are from [9am to 7pm Easter Standard Time, 7 days a week]. Please include your name, number, and a short description of the issue you’re experiencing. We promise to return your call by the end of the next business day. [If this is an urgent matter, press ‘0’ to be connected with our VIP support team]. Thank you.
10. Nobody Misses The Clever Answering Machine Message. Connect Your Team All Under One Number, No Matter If They Are Working Down The Hall Or Across The Country.
18. “Thanks for calling [Company name/your name]. We hope you’re enjoying the holiday season. We aren’t available at the moment due to our holiday hours. Leave your name, number and the reason for your call and we’ll get back to you ASAP! Thanks for calling.” Everyone deserves a break. Let your callers know although you might be enjoying one too, that their needs are important.
While they are listening to your voice, they are internally deciding whether or not it is worth their time to continue or hang up. Look at your voicemail message as its own short advertisement.
Record a personalized greeting, up to 3 minutes long. A common template you can follow is: "You've reached [name]. We can't get to the phone right now, but if you leave a message, we'll call you back."