Is there an average wait of five minutes, but a live chat option online that may be more convenient for them? It’s ok to mention that, too. Anything that will allow you to best serve your customers should be mentioned upfront, because it gets them where they need to go as quickly as possible, which leads to happier customers in the end.
For small businesses, there are a variety of voicemail service providers you can use that offer different features. From transcription and voice to text to more convenient features of handling multiple phones through one number, availability varies by service. Shared voicemail and call routing is intended for multiple access and directing calls to one or multiple phones. Mobile apps are also available that allow you to check your messages from your phone. The below infographic outlines the current state and trends of voicemails.
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Not many might consider it, but your business voicemail greeting is probably more important than you think. Now, we probably all hate recording those generic voicemail greetings at home or on our cell phones. But when it comes to our business – a generic, lifeless robotic greeting probably just won’t cut it. And thanks to the software that comes with your business VoIP solution, it is easier than ever to change your greetings on the fly.
When a customer is standing inside your business, it’s easy to direct them to a desired action. But when they’re at home, at work, or on the go, how do you steer them toward the things you need them to do?
We'll take you through the five most professional voicemail greetings. This will include how to structure different parts of your voicemail, as well as things to avoid.
11. Hello, you’ve reached [your name]’s cell phone. I can’t take your call at the moment, but if you leave a brief message, I’ll get back to you as quickly as possible.
General Voicemail Greeting Examples Hello, you have reached Jim Smith. Unfortunately, I cannot take your call right now, but I would like to return it as soon as I can. ... Hi, this is Jim Smith. ... You have reached Jim Smith. ... You have reached Jim Smith in operations technology. ... Hello, you have reached Jim Smith. ... Thank you for calling. ...
But texting streamlines the entire process. And the COVID-19 pandemic quickly transformed this luxury service into a basic purchasing method consumers expected businesses to facilitate. And while we had seen restaurants and big box stores dabble with curbside pickup before the pandemic, innovative businesses in other categories quickly developed clever curbside experiences. Healthcare providers, salons, and other companies have essentially used “curbside pickup” to create safer and more comfortable curbside check-ins. Customers pull into the parking lot, check-in via text, and sit comfortably in their car, awaiting a text back telling them when it’s time to come in for their appointment.
As a bonus, here is an example of our own holiday voicemail greeting here at OpenPhone:
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.
Examples of Professional Voicemail Greetings. Below are some examples of professional voicemail greetings: Thank you for calling! You have reached the office of [name], [position]. I am currently unavailable to take this call. If this is an emergency, please call my answering service at [number], which is available 24/7.
19. “Hi, you’ve reached [your name] at [X company]. We are sorry but our office is closed until [date]. Please leave us your name and phone number and our team will get back to you as soon as possible. Enjoy [holiday] and thanks for calling [company name]! If you do happen to be open the holiday season, it’s important to provide holiday hours. Especially if your hours vary from your regular hours.
With music and messaging that appeals to your target market, you will captivate your audience. Your Message On Hold program can be more than a time filler for callers waiting, it can be an informative, entertaining, and educational tool. With the right content, callers will not only stay on hold, but will have an emotional reaction to your message.
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
It is really important to strike a balance between coming off as too cold, conservative and impersonal with making your message too out there, long or eccentric. If you can create something memorable, it will help engage a caller, or potential client. Go too far off the deep end, and you’ll scare them away
-Now I lay me down to sleep; Leave a message at the beep. If I should die before I wake, remember to erase the tape.
Get help with using your TELUS Office phone service with our collection of articles on call forwarding, star commands, voicemail options and other calling features.