Obviously, I need to update it. And if you haven't changed your voicemail greeting in over a year, you're likely in the same boat.
8. "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."
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Thank you for calling [Place]. We are closely monitoring the Coronavirus pandemic and updating our website as new information becomes available. Visit www dot website dot com and click on the red banner at the top of the homepage for the latest local developments and links for more information.
What do you think of your voicemail greeting? Does it sound professional, or is it outdated? Even worse, is it a computerized voice with a default message? (Ew.)
A professional voicemail greeting can be the difference between a caller proceeding on to deliver their message or simply hanging up. Ensure you take the time to craft the right voicemail greeting for your business.
If your answering system lets you supply your own mp3 or wav audio files for the greetings, consider hiring a pro to record it for you.
Hello. You’ve reached the offices of [Business Name]. At present, our office is closed for repairs. However, you may reach us at our temporary location, at 555-555-3432. There, we will be able to pick up your call, 9 to 5, Monday through Friday. Thank you.
When on vacation, provide your callers with a return date and a back-up contact person to accommodate emergencies. This prevents you from potentially damaging a valued relationship while you enjoy some time off.
Rather than waiting for a callback, open up additional channels of communication with your callers by inviting them to email. The most professional voicemail greetings often include an alternative method of communication.
A professional voicemail greeting is essential in many aspects of a business. In sales, it enables you to properly respond to inquiries from prospects and customers or discuss a deal in more detail. When they call, and you can’t answer, you may lose the opportunity for immediate communication and potentially lose a client or customer.
Another great information you can put in your voicemail messages is to inform your prospects when you can reach out to them say the next morning or mid-afternoon and more so that they can be aware of when they can expect a call from you.
Users often don’t invest enough time into their messages, resulting in incomplete, unprofessional, or otherwise under-whelming greetings. Sure, crafting a greeting doesn’t sound all that complicated; however, there are a number of pitfalls users can fall into—i.e. informality, terseness, sincerity, lack of direction, and more. While none of these sound too catastrophic, they are often interrelated. As such, they tend to worsen any problem. For example, humor can cause informality, worsen ambiguity, and weaken sincerity. That being said, users should strive to avoid ALL these pitfalls.
Give them a reason to call you back. In both voicemail messages, did you noticed how I mentioned new information they might be interested in? That will grab their attention more than simply introducing yourself, thanking them and asking them to give you a call if they have any questions. Come from a place of helpfulness by giving them something to look forward to and that will solve a problem.
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– Thank you for calling XYZ Company. We are currently unavailable to take your call. Our business hours are nine to five, Monday through Friday. If you know the extension number of the person you are trying to leave a message for, you may dial it now. Press 1 for sales. Press 2 for customer service. Press 3 for the billing department. Press 9 for a company directory, or hold on to leave a message for the operator. If this is an emergency, please enter 911 now to be connected with the after-hours support personnel.
The basic rule of thumb is that callers should hear one of two things when they first connect with your voicemail — either an apology for not being able to answer the call or a “thank you” for having called. You can do both if you prefer, but keep it short and to the point.
It is appropriate to apologize for missing the call (especially during working hours) and reassure the caller that they will receive a return phone call as soon as possible.