“Believe it or not, George isn't at home, please leave a message at the beep. I must be out, or I'd pick up the phone. Where could I be? Believe it or not, I'm not home.” Click here to watch and listen to George’s hilarious voicemail sample.
A separate after-hours attendant menu can inform callers that your office is closed, state your business’ operating hours, and provide options that callers can immediately act upon. For example, you can direct them to your website for FAQs. If your business provides an account login page, remind your customers that they can login at any time to get general account information. In this situation, be proactive.
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The voicemail message can be anywhere between 10- 25 seconds. Keep it as short as you can because the prospects need to hear the vital details in it.
With a small or mid-sized company, you have fewer staff dedicated to answering the phone, and fewer resources to invest in a phone answering service. In fact, the most recent government data indicates that 80 percent of US businesses are “nonemployers,” meaning a single person runs their own company and doesn’t have any employees.
"These sound great. Thanks for the excellent service. We'll be using you again in the near future. Many thanks."
21. Hello, you’ve reached the Sales Department at [X company]. We can’t take your call right now, but please leave your name, contact information, and the reason for reaching out, and one of our team members will be in touch within 24 hours.
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.
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.
-…and I’ll return your call as soon as possible. I would have answered, but I was already on the phone with Bill Gates—I swear.
Editor’s Note: The article is part of the blog series Grow Your Business brought to you by the marketing team at UniTel Voice, the virtual phone system priced and designed for startups and small business owners.
Each number can handle 2 simultaneous calls at the same time. You can purchase additional voice channel at $15/channel. 1 voice channel is equivalent to 1 voice call.
Whether it’s an out-of-stock product, a canceled event, or social media snafu, there are times when your business may see an influx of frustrated callers. While it is important to address their concerns head-on, you may not be able to answer each call as it’s received. Make sure you use best practices for dealing with angry customers, and that your voicemail greeting sets the appropriate tone. Avoid defensive language, validate their concerns, and keep them informed as to how you are handling the situation.
Different businesses may require different types of greetings. This is the ultimate list that can work for a wide array of company messages.
Typically, a good business voicemail greeting should comprise the following elements: A warm greeting. Your name, the name of your company and department name. Make an apology for being unable to take the call. Ask the caller to leave a message. Let the caller know when to expect a return call.
After you state your name, ask the customer for theirs. It’s a natural transition, and it will lead you seamlessly into “Alright, Gary, what can we do for you today?”
“Good morning. You’ve reached the voicemail of [your name]. Today is [date]. Please leave me a message with your name and contact information. Oh, and here’s my motivational quote of the day: [read quote].”
Over 1,000 pre-licensed on hold music tracks available to complement your professional phone messages!