– Thank you for calling (name of the company). If you know the extension number of the person you are trying to reach, you may dial it now. Press 1 for sales. Press 2 for customer service. Press 3 for the billing department. Press 8 to access our fax on-demand system. Press 9 for a company directory, or press 0 for the operator.
1.) Welcome to John Doe. Unfortunately, there is no one in the office right now or your are calling outside of business hours. Please leave a message or send an email to [email protected]. Many thanks for your call.

2. Focus on the conversation. Be absolutely present. Stop whatever you might be doing and take a brief moment to prepare. Wear the face that you want to project before picking up the phone. It makes a difference: whether you're smiling, frowning, or bored to tears, your caller will hear that in your tone. Refrain from clicking around on the Internet or distracting yourself during the call. If you aren't engaged, the caller will be able to tell.
Even if you’re not actually conversing with the listener face to face, it helps to smile while you’re talking. Doing so can help set the right tone, mood, feel, and intonation such that throughout the call, you remain friendly and engaging. It may seem quite odd to do so, but if you test it out, you’ll hear the difference yourself.