The thing with voicemail is it can be really handy when it comes to catering to your prospects when you are not available after work hours.
Every VirtualPBX user can access their business voicemail messages through several different methods – over the phone, over the internet, and/or an email. With email, we can simply notify you that a message exists, or we can actually send you the message itself as a .WAV file attachment to the email.
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Interesting Read : Interactive Voice Response: What Is It And How Is It Beneficial?
Voicemail service providers like Voicemail Office offer these life-simplifying features as part of their unified messaging packages, which allow users to obtain both voicemail and fax messages in their email inbox. Voicemail messages that are sent to email are also identified with the extension number in the body of the email, so that the purpose of the call can be foreknown. Surprisingly, rates for these services are very low, starting at just $9.95 per month.
The above section details types of phrasing to avoid; however, it doesn’t detail what users should NOT say on their greeting. Though this is a bit loaded, as there are hundreds of combinations of things one shouldn’t say, there are some key components users should ALWAYS avoid. a. Forget About Slang: You should strive to be as professional and welcoming as possible in your greeting. While this may steer you towards using slang, in an attempt to make callers comfortable, it’ll most likely work against you. As a professional, your demeanor, tone, and speech should be clear cut and well articulated. Using slang undercuts this and works against you. b. Don’t Even Think About Profanity: This is a no-brainer. Never, under any circumstances, curse in your greeting EVER! c. Keep Your Sentences Clean, Don’t Ramble: Introduce yourself and give your caller specific direction. Avoid long diatribes detailing tangent thoughts. Keep it simple and quick. d. Always Return Your Calls: It’s important for callers to feel they are valued. Nothing dissolves this quicker than a greeting that doesn’t stress this. For example, “I’ll call you when I can,” “If I don’t return your call, please call back”—these phrases are terrible and completely destroy any good will you may have with a caller.
A word of warning: These greetings will not do you any favors if you're in the midst of a job hunt or work in a conservative industry. Always remember your target personas. If there's a chance they won't appreciate your sense of humor, opt for a straightforward greeting instead.
For many small businesses, it may not be possible to pick up the phone immediately. Other times, you may receive a call after hours or during a busy time when no staff is available to assist a caller.
As a professional business, in no way should you ever resort to leaving one of those generic, pre-recorded, “No one is here to take your call” messages that the phone company often provides. Record a greeting yourself, or have one professionally done for you. If you choose to record a greeting yourself for your office phone, there are a few simple keys that you should keep in mind:
Provide as much useful information in your business voicemail greeting. However, be sure to keep it short and concise. An excessively lengthy voicemail can be damaging rather than helpful. Keep your voicemail to around 20-25 seconds maximum.
It can be quick and easy. “Thank you for calling Davissa Phone Systems.” If you identify your voicemail right away, people will feel more confident in leaving their message, knowing it’s going to the right place.
3. Listen to voicemail messages. Access voicemail. Press 1 to Get your Messages. Press 1 for Voice Messages. Use these keys while you're listening to your messages
When you receive a voice mail message, the message appears in your Outlook Inbox. Go to your Outlook Inbox. Open any email with Voice Mail in the subject. Click the blue play button to listen to a message.
6. Hello, this is [your name] at [your company]. I am unavailable at the moment, but please leave your name, number, and the reason you’re calling, and I’ll call you back as soon as possible.
34. Hey, this is [your name]. I’m sorry for not picking your call right now. Please leave your name, number and a brief message, and I will get back to you at the earliest opportunity. You can also reach me via email at [email address] and I will reply to you shortly.
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.
Consider adding 'You can also email your query to us at [insert email address here]. These queries will be answered within [insert time frame].' Again, if you intend to make a promise to your customer in a voicemail, ensure you keep it.
Keep it short and sweet so that the caller can quickly leave their message and move on with their day.