Context does matter here. If the caller would reasonably expect you to answer the phone (such as if they were calling a store or other place of business), an apology for not being able to get to the phone makes the most sense.
A good business voicemail greeting creates a favorable impression on the customer, whether it’s their first or fifteenth time calling your business. What to say in a business voicemail greeting At the very minimum, you want to say the name of the person or department, and company name so the caller knows they have reached the right place .
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In this quick guide, we’ll take a look at what makes a good business voicemail greeting, breaking it down into the elements that every voicemail greeting should contain. For many businesses and professionals, your voicemail greeting is going to be the first point-of-contact for your customers.
Record Your Thoughts in Teams Personal and Group Chats To record a voice memo, hold down the microphone icon (Figure 1) and speak. Release the hold to stop the recording and then send it as you would a normal message. Teams Feature Storage Location Voicemail Messages Stored in users’ Outlook mailbox Meeting Recordings (1:1 and Group) Stored in the OneDrive account of the user who started the recording in a folder named Recordings
4. From the Account Overview page. Select (+) from the My digital phone section. Select Manage my plan. From the My Phone Service page, scroll to My voicemail and select Set up voicemail.
As a bonus, here is an example of our own holiday voicemail greeting here at OpenPhone:
45. Hi, this is [X department] at [X company]. We’re not able to take your call right now, but if you leave a quick message after the tone, our next available representative will call you back shortly.
The Best Way to Set up a Voicemail Greeting. Normally, small business owners use a landline or mobile phone number to manage calls. While it may get the job done, they do not allow you to properly manage business calls or set up an effective automated voicemail greeting. The best way to manage business calls is by using a business phone service.
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
3. Department Wide Voicemail Greeting. This voicemail greeting should list the name of the department, the hours of operation or the whereabouts of your personnel, the protocol for following up with the customer, and another way to get in touch with the department.
When on vacation, provide your callers with a return date and a back-up contact person to accommodate emergencies. This prevents you from potentially damaging a valued relationship while you enjoy some time off.
“Hi, you’ve reached [your name] at [your company]. I’m unavailable right now — probably helping [type of company] get [X results, e.g. ‘double their leads in 60 days,’ ‘hire the best and brightest engineers,’ ‘convert 40% more customers.’] Leave your name and number, and we’ll discuss how your company can see similar results.” “Hello, this is [your name] at [company]. Thanks for calling. Please leave your name, number, and reason you’d like to chat, and I’ll get to back to you ASAP.” “Hi, you’ve reached [name] at [company]. If you need a quick response, please shoot me an email at [insert email address] and I’ll be in touch by EOD tomorrow. If it’s not urgent, leave me a message with your name and number. Have a great day.” “Hey, this is [your name]. If you’re calling for [X reason], please [contact so-and-so] or [go to our website, send me an email]. For all other inquiries, leave your name and a brief message and I’ll call you back within [one, two, three] business day[s].” “Hello, you’ve reached [name] at company. I’m unable to come to the phone right now. Leave your name and number, and I’ll return your call as soon as I’m free. Thank you.”
Rehearse your greeting a few times before you press record. Plan your pauses and select natural places to take a breath. If you are recording directly into your phone don't hold it to your ear like you are talking on the phone. This can produce a muffled tone. Hold the phone out in front of you a few inches from your mouth for the clearest recording. This may require some trial and error. So playback your greeting and make necessary adjustments on your re-record.
Most people screen their phone calls and often avoid answering unknown numbers. If you’re applying for new positions, you should try to view each unexpected call as an exciting opportunity! In the event that you simply can’t pick up the phone, you’ll want a polished voicemail greeting to let the caller know they’ve reached the right person.
One of the things that can irritate the customer or client is when they come to a meeting without knowing what to bring along. Your business voicemail greetings can be a way for them to know the documents they must come with so that they do not waste their time.
This voicemail greeting should list the name of the department, the hours of operation or the whereabouts of your personnel, the protocol for following up with the customer, and another way to get in touch with the department. You've reached the Delivery Department of Wringley Furniture. All of our personnel are currently occupied on the floor. Please leave your contact information and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. Or email us at [email protected]. 4. Vacation Day Voicemail Greeting
If this feature is enabled, be sure to record your voicemail greeting with the appropriate guidance for the caller. For example, “To reach my assistant, press 0.” Set Up Your Voicemail Greetings