9. “Hi, you’ve reached [your name]. I’m unable to come to the phone right now. But if you leave your name, number and a short message, I’ll be sure to call back.”
19. "Hello, you've reached [your name]. I'm currently [exploring Asia, hiking through the jungle in Costa Rica, hanging out on the beach in Bermuda] — or more likely, [recovering from extreme jet lag, googling ‘Are red spiders poisonous,' or looking for SPF 150 sunscreen] and won't be back in the office until [date]. Leave your contact info and reason for calling and I'll get in touch then."
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Here are just a few of the many features the following small business phone service providers offer growing companies: voice-over-internet-protocol otherwise known as VOIP, voicemail, call forwarding, 3-way calling, conference calling, web conferencing, call following (no, not stalking), voicemail to text or email, voice transcription, and toll-free numbers.
Nextiva is a virtual phone system that uses a single platform connecting your VoIP business phone with business apps, AI, and automation so you can make and receive calls and much more. Nextiva is a cloud-based phone service provider that integrates with desk phones and mobile devices. You get all the features like call waiting, call forwarding, hold music, plus a free number, but also team messaging, conference calls, text messaging, call recording, collaboration with team members, and call logs. Convenient mobile app All-in-one platform Customer analytics Helpful customer service Free number porting Free toll-free number or local phone number Unlimited calling capabilities Auto attendant Hold music Online faxing
Your clients don’t have a lot of time, and neither do you. Use the following short voicemail greetings to get to the point quickly and invite them to leave a message.
Business owners and everyday customers know that there will be times — like the holidays — when things get busy. When you’re transparent about why you weren’t able to come to the phone, people typically understand and are much more willing to be patient with your business. If the goal is to encourage more people to leave a voicemail, your greetings have to be actionable and clearly dictate what you want the caller to do. Having a caller go to voicemail is not the end of the world; it’s going to happen, so you have to make the most of it.
12. “Hi, you’ve reached [company]. Unfortunately, we’re currently unavailable. But we want to talk to you — so please leave your name and number, as well as your reason for calling, and someone will call back ASAP.”
15. Hello, you’ve called [X Business Name]. We are currently closed. Our opening hours are [State opening hours]. Please visit our company website at [company website URL], or email us at [X email address]. If you’d like a callback, please leave your name and phone number, and our team will get in touch with you within 24 hours.
A quick web search reveals a number of business options for transcribing voicemail message audio into a text format. Many service providers offer such transcription capability as part of the overall phone service plans they sell, allowing their business customers to have company-wide access to text-based voicemail without being forced to seek a third party for that functionality.
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Now that you know what kind of action needs to be performed to optimize the customer experience while ensuring your day runs as smoothly as possible, you have to be sure your customers know how to perform whatever action you want them to do. Calls-to-action need to be front and center with an easy process to follow when businesses optimize their business voicemail greetings to ensure a smooth experience. People want fast answers when a deadline is approaching, and one team can only handle so much disorganized information.
5. Holiday Voicemail Greetings. Happy [X holiday]! You've reached [your name] at [X company]. I am currently out of the office, but please leave me your name, phone number, and the reason you are calling, and I’ll return your call after the holidays.
Here are 10 sample greeting scripts to make a good first impression on the phone. … If you would like to leave a voicemail, please press 1 and leave your name, …
Another option to try out is OpenPhone. We give small business owners a dedicated phone number (local or 1-800) on top of their current device with professional features to make their business look and sound great.
Some providers may cap the number of allowed lines on their basic plan, for example. This should be easy for you to compare, as you will know how many users you need to connect. If more employees join in the future, then it’s typically very easy to increase your subscription to the next plan tier and enable more users. Some providers may simply charge an additional fee for each user as you add them to the plan.
If your business is off for a holiday, it's a common courtesy to update your voicemail to acknowledge the closure. Mention the closure in the beginning of the message, convey when your business is reopening, and don't forget to wish the callers a happy holiday if the occasion calls for it. If you're away from your office, check your voicemail remotely to keep up with incoming messages if necessary. Or get voicemail to email capabilities set up on your phone system. Thank you for calling Merlow Plumbing. We are closed for Christmas from December 24th, 2015, until January 2nd, 2016. Our normal business hours are Monday through Thursday, 8 am - 6 pm. Please leave your message after the tone. Have a happy holiday, and we look forward to seeing you in the New Year. 5. Emergency Situation Voicemail Greeting
Leave out excuses like “I’m probably with a client right now” or “I’m unable to answer the phone right now” – it’s obvious you can’t answer your phone if a caller is listening to your voicemail greeting!