“Thanks for calling the desk of (insert your name) at (insert your company name). I’m either on a call or away from my desk but if you leave your name, phone number, and the reason for calling, I’ll return your call as soon as possible. Thank You.”
This post will start with a few quick rules-of-thumb to help you create a professional and effective call menu. If you don’t have time for my rhetoric, then please feel free to skip down to the good stuff. When labeling menu options, be concise and get to the point. Like a voicemail greeting, a good menu prompt immediately tells the caller where this option will send them and quickly states
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I began my career with over 15 years in sales and sales training. Among other roles, I was a national sales trainer and a branch manager for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.
If you like to keep things simple, opt for a basic greeting. Most voicemail options allow you to record just your name, which lets callers know they’ve reached the right person.
2. My ass and I are out for a walk. So as soon as I can get my ass back in the house, I’ll give you a call. Leave a message till then.
How to Make Great Business Voicemail Greetings. Voicemail greetings should be professional, but depending on you, the company you’re with or own, and the situation, the structure may vary. There are a few different considerations to keep in mind when you’re thinking about and recording your voicemail greeting. Don’t be generic.
Hello, you've reached The Lakeshore Health Clinic. We are not currently available to take your call. Our office hours are from Monday through Friday, 10 to 6. If this is a medical emergency, hang up and call 911. Otherwise, please leave your message at the tone along with your name and phone number, and we will return your call as soon as possible.
Business voicemail greetings are rarely thought of as a prime way to connect with customers. But just because you're not available doesn't mean you can't make a positive impression on your customers when they reach your voicemail box.
You can’t just make any voicemail message and think that it’s going to be the right fit, your voicemail messages need to have the following tips below so that it can function as a lead capture when you’re not present.
#8 “Hey this is Bryan, sorry that I couldn’t make it to my phone in time or that I’m on the other line. I’ll get back to you when I can. Unless the reason i didn’t pick up was because I was just in an accident or dropped my phone in the toilet. Then you might never hear from me. But trust me, there is a good reason I’m not picking up. Leave a message!”
Now repeat that same message in your voicemail using your secondary language. Here, we have chosen Spanish:
4.) Bienvenue chez M. John Doe. M. Doe n’est pas à son bureau. Laissez un message pour que M. Doe puisse vous rappeler dès que possible. Merci beaucoup pour votre appel.
The simple truth is that you need to be more aware of what you’re leaving for other people to hear. Sure, this doesn’t always register as a priority for users, but it’s never too late to reassess your greeting. a. Reading/Speaking in the Imperfect Tone: Tone is absolutely everything. Users don’t want to come off as being too nice, as it sounds insincere, or being too terse, as it can be interpreted as being rude. That being said, striking the right balance is absolutely essential. Your greeting exists as its own entity, and therefore, it should NOT rely on callers’ familiarity with you. Instead, it needs to appeal to the masses. As such, your inflection, i.e. the way you state your name and directions, needs to be both welcoming and firm. b. Injecting Humor & Insincerity: While humor/light heartedness can be welcoming, it can also convey a sense of informality, insincerity, and ultimately unprofessionalism. Why, because you’re not there to lend your humor or to contextualize. Instead, you’re assuming the caller has a working knowledge of your personality to ground the message. Though this might not sound like it’s all that terrible—it can be detrimental. As stated above, one should NEVER rely on a caller’s familiarity with you. Instead, aim to appeal to the masses. Humor is ultimately subjective, meaning not everyone has the same tastes; therefore, someone is bound to be turned off by a quirky or off-color remark. While implementing a light-hearted or even tongue and cheek tone can work, it’s just a really bad idea.
If I’m your best friend, that’s not a problem. But otherwise, I have no idea if I’m leaving a message for the right person or not. Was that his voice? I couldn’t tell. It kinda sounded like Micheal Cera. Did I accidentally just call Michael Cera’s phone? “Hey if this is Alex, it’s Bryan Allain…call me back. And if this is Michael Cera, loved you in Year One. You may also call me back.”
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Notify the caller about when the message will be heard and when they can expect to hear back from you. If you’ll be out of the office a few hours, a few days or a couple of weeks – let them know.
In the past it sometimes used to be that people were charged to retrieve voicemail, but I get the feeling that isn't it in this case. So I'm curious.