The next key element is giving a short reason or apology for being unable to take the call. Make sure to say something quick and concise like: “We are sorry to miss your call, but we are assisting others or away from our desk.”
When your phone service provider is not up to par, it costs you. These bad experience statistics put the cost into perspective. A person spends an average of 9.5 minutes attempting to reach a human when trapped in an automated phone system. Globally, the average value of a lost customer is $243. 71% of consumers have ended their relationship with a company due to poor customer service. $83 billion is the cost of poor customer service in the US. Turnover for customer service employees is 27% annually. More than two-thirds of customers have hung up on a business phone system in frustration of not being able to reach a live person.

Recognize Their Need. When someone calls your business, the voicemail should give them a sense of validation. This means that your voicemail should extend gratitude for their interest in your business, or an apology for not being there to answer your call. These two simple courtesies can go a long way in the creation or establishment of client/business trust. Make it Informative for the Caller. Your voicemail must include all the information the customer will need for your particular business. For instance, if you’re a brick and mortar establishment, it’s wise to include your store hours. It’s also a good idea to leave them an alternate way to contact you, especially if it’s after hours. After all, you don’t want to miss just one potential customer. Here are some suggestions for elements to include in your voicemail: Business name Hours (if brick and mortar) Alternate method of contact, such as email Your name
Expanding on the simple approach above, let the caller know who they've reached. This will not only eliminate people leaving voicemails by mistake, but it will reassure the caller that they have called the number they intended.