While phones and other devices are getting better all the time, there are frequently problems with audio recorded on low-quality equipment. Static pops, grainy voice quality, and background noise interference are all common with audio recorded on non-professional equipment.
Nobody wants to play phone tag. Skip the back and forth by explicitly telling the caller to leave their name, number, and the best day(s) and time(s) to reach them. Your clients will appreciate you not wanting to waste their time.
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1. State Your Business Name. The first thing your callers should hear is the name of your business or organization. This assures them that they have dialed the right phone number and keeps them on the line.
@umbra21 - It's not jokes that annoys me so much as someone who leaves a message ten minutes long, particularly when you have to wait out the whole thing before you can leave your voicemail.
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
If this option is selected, enter the email address to send the notifications and attached messages to. 8 Allow Callers to Transfer From Your Voicemail Greeting
3) Try to give callers other options of individuals that they can reach if you are not readily available. Be sure to state their extension in the message.
Nobody wants to play phone tag. Skip the back and forth by explicitly telling the caller to leave their name, number, and the best day(s) and time(s) to reach them. Your clients will appreciate you not wanting to waste their time.
Virtual Receptionist allows all calls to be answered automatically - 24/7/365. Set up a customizable greetings that can route your callers to specific departments or extensions, and you can even give your Virtual Receptionist its own office hours with time-of-day scheduling, ensuring your customers hear the right greeting at the right time. Combine with other advanced features like rollover hunting and call queue with hold music that makes the wait enjoyable to ensure you never miss a call again.
Polycom VVX Quick Setup Guide on Skype for Business Online Page 1 Polycom VVX Quick Setup Guide on Skype for Business Online This guide provides steps to perform a basic setup a Polycom VVX phone (Skype Edition device) on Office 365 (Skype for Business Online) using the Web Sign-in method. For large deployment, a Provisioning server is recommended.
17. “Hi, you’ve reached [your name, the office of X company]. We’re closed until [date]. Please leave your name and phone number and someone will return your call ASAP. Have a great [New Year’s, Fourth of July, day].”
ProTip: When recording a business voicemail greeting, do a trial run and listen to your message once it’s recorded to make sure it sounds great.
Skype for Business Online (Plan 2): All the functionality of the Skype for Business Online Plan 1, but also gives users the ability to create and initiate Skype for Business Online and on-premises meetings. Keep in mind, this doesn’t provide PSTN conferencing online, as that would require the PSTN conferencing add-on.
Keep it brief and concise Remember that customers and clients are also busy so make sure that you get the message across in the shortest possible time.Give options to get more details Creating a voicemail menu can be a timesaver for both you and your callers. ...Ask for detailed messagesHow do I create a personal voicemail greeting? Open the Phone app on your iPhone. It's green with an image of a phone, and it's located in the dock at the bottom of your Home Screen by ... Click on the "Voicemail" icon in the bottom right-hand corner. Tap on "Voicemail" to open up the voicemail menu. ... Once there, click on "Greeting" in the top left corner. ... More items...
41. Hello, you’ve reached [X company]. Leave a message so we can call you back as soon as our team has a spare moment.
2. Company Wide Voicemail Greeting. You want to be a little more formal when you're recording a business voicemail greeting for your company. State your business name, your hours of operation, the manner in which you'll reach out to the caller, and a place where he or she can obtain more information about your business.
“Hello! You’ve reached the voicemail of [your name], [your job title]. I’m currently either away from my desk or on the other line. Please leave your name, telephone number, and a short message after the beep, and I’ll be sure to get back to you as soon as I’m available.”