First and foremost, it nearly goes without saying that it’s important to get a dedicated number specifically for work-related calls, but let’s just say it. Many of us working from home have had to deal with using our home phone number or getting an additional land-line installed. Those days of dial-up are long gone for most of us and it seems nearly everyone on earth now has a cell phone. There’s really no excuse not to have a dedicated work number these days. If you don’t have one, secure one today. It’s even easier than you think if you also consider options like Google Voice and My1Voice. You’d think this also goes without saying, but don’t leave the standard voicemail provided by your cell phone carrier or answering machine. It’s annoying. Everyone hates them. And don’t think that saying your name at the beep to customize your message helps. It’s just as annoying to hear the robotic voice that pauses as your voice interrupts the message to insert your name. Actually say your name You think I’m joking? I called someone just last week and when I got the voicemail it just repeated the number. I dialed by choosing the contact from my contacts and I’m not good with numbers. I wasn’t sure if the number was the number I mean to call, so I just hung up. It happens. Reveal specific information If it’s a typical work day and you’re just unable to answer your phone, it’s fine to say you’re currently unavailable. But if you’re sunning yourself on the beaches of Tahiti and have no intention of even checking your voicemail until you return to your desk in two weeks, it would be nice to let someone know. If they’re calling you they must need something. Let them know when you’ll be available. Give an emergency option Depending on what you do for a living, or just how accessible you want to appear to a potential employer, leaving an additional option for the caller to reach you often makes a good impression. Doctors offices do that all the time, right. If you can’t reach me this way, you can reach me THIS way. Or, you can reach someone else who can help you right now. KISS Keep It Simple, Stupid. You don’t want to speak like an auctioneer, but you do want to get as much information across as quickly as possible and get on to the beep. Your caller doesn’t need to know your life history, just the current facts and then sufficient space to leave you a message. Write it down Put some thought into exactly what you want to say. Don’t just hit record and play around until you’re satisfied that your message doesn’t suck. Think about it. Write down what you want to say and give it a try. Rearrange things, revise things. And, when you’re ready, hit the record button and give it a whirl. Smile Did you know that it’s believed that some 50 different types of smiles exist, from triumphant ones to bitter ones. Interestingly enough, there was a study a couple years ago where scientists used the phrase “I do in the summertime” to study the effects of smiling on person’s voice. Read all about in Smile – And The World Can Hear You, Even If You Hide. Or listen to the NPR show, Hearing a Smile in Tone of Voice. So close your eyes and think of your happy place. Think of something funny or amusing. Then, right before you hit the record button and begin speaking, SMILE. Callers will hear it. Just make sure you’re not actively laughing like the Joker from Batman throughout your voicemail greeting. Cut the comedy Smiling is a good thing. Acting like a clown, not so much. Cutesy comedic messages really don’t have a place on your work voicemail greeting. Be considerate Above all, consider the caller. A considerate message lets them know they’re important and that you’ll be returning their call. Even if the sun and moon revolve around your every move, your voicemail greeting isn’t the place for egocentric SOMETHING Listen to your messages and return calls
For users who want to avoid the scripting process altogether, there are also services that provide prerecorded messages. Again, your voicemail greeting shoulders a lot of responsibility. Some people aren’t comfortable with having to create a message to deal with it. As such, users can choose from libraries of prerecorded messages, which are standardized greetings, for their voicemail. There are a variety of applications, services, and companies that provide this service. For example, VoiceNation, a voicemail, virtual PBX, and answering services provider, offers users a variety of samples.
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Standard greeting with phone number: "At the tone, please record your message to [phone number]."
Before you read this, stop and listen to the voicemail greetings for your cellphone and business line. Seriously, I’ll wait.
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.
At OpenPhone, we used Fiverr and definitely recommend this service. It was quick, affordable, and got the job done. For our project, it took over 36 hours of work between submitting the script and getting the final result. The cost was roughly $115 for the final project.
Learn how to set up voicemail and use your AT&T Voicemail features to stay connected when you’re unavailable! You’re not always available to answer your phone but, don’t worry - AT&T Voicemail can do the answering for you! Review setup manuals and tutorials, learn about the latest voicemail features such as Visual Voicemail, and have the
Here are 5 sample business voicemail greeting scripts that will leave a positive and personable impression on your callers.
I purchased this base phone along with 4 handsets in January. Setup for the voicemail was a beast and we had to call tech support twice to get outgoing voice message established. A few days after setup, the voice messages that were left by our customers were being cut off. The line would simply hang up …
I began my career with over 15 years in sales and sales training. Among other roles, I was a national sales trainer and a branch manager for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.
You have reached (Your Name) at (Your Business). We help (What Your Business Does). I wasn’t able to take your call right now, but leave your name and number and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.
Solution: Have voicemails transcribed into text format so they can be quickly read as well as stored on a computer like any text file. “Then you can search voicemails for keywords like ‘I need a quote’ or ‘price is too high,’” says Dan Baldwin, an information and communications technology consultant for business owners with ICTLA in Lake Elsinore, California. Spectrum Business Voice offers customers more than 30 calling features, including the ability to have voicemails transcribed and then viewed online.
6. Keep Your Recording Up to Date. If your business is closing on one of its normal operating days for a holiday, or is dealing with an emergency or unforseen situation, you should update your after hours announcement to avoid confusion. · Utilizing scripted professional voice over recording in music on-hold messaging is an essential tool in shifting caller experiences in a positive direction, using proven techniques to maximize phone-based customer service. A successful scripted hold message must be designed to minimize negative customer emotions, create an overall positive
You found and applied for the perfect telecommuting job but it’s been weeks and you can’t understand why you haven’t heard back. Well, maybe they called and got your voicemail and it sounded something like this . . .
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If you’re ready to go the professional direction, congratulations! Here are some websites you can use to hire a service to record your greeting.
Top 13 Professional Voicemail Greetings – Examples, Scripts, Samples, Audio Recordings