If customers call your business but you can’t get to the phone, won’t they be annoyed if they have to leave a message?
Not necessarily. When done well, your voicemail greeting is an opportunity to show your customers what your business is all about. By using a tailored voicemail greeting with a professional tone, you reassure your customers that they’re in good hands with you. It’s also a chance for you to convey useful information, making it easier to work together in the future.
No matter what, you don’t want to leave a bad impression. We’ve all heard the garbled, lackluster voicemail greeting that sounds like it was recorded in a windstorm. If you can’t get to the phone, and this is the first thing a new caller hears from you — they probably won’t call back.
So how do you create a voicemail greeting that leaves a great first impression with your customers? Of course, you need to convey basic information and request that the caller leave a message. Beyond that, there are subtle things you can do to improve your message to better serve your customers.
To help you get started, we’ve drafted 25 professional voicemail templates you can use for your own voicemail greeting. Read on to learn how you can craft the perfect voicemail greeting for each situation.
What Makes A Good Business Voicemail Greeting?
First and foremost, a standard voicemail greeting for a business has to be instructive and informative. Your customers need to know:
- Who They’re Calling: Maybe the caller found your phone number online, through Google Maps, social media, etc. Maybe they copied it down from a billboard or saw your number in their missed calls. In any case, people often want to make sure they call the right place. You’d be surprised how many businesses forget to start their greeting with this key piece of information. Starting with, “Hi, you’ve reached [your business name],” should be enough to orient your callers. Plus, if they did call the wrong number, it’s still an opportunity to introduce yourself!
- Required Information: Simply asking someone to leave a message may be enough. But it’s always better to be specific about what you need from callers. If you want their name, phone number, email, or their reason for calling, ask for it. People get nervous on the phone and may forget to provide their phone number for a call back, or they may hang up because they don’t know what to say. Give your callers a template to which they can respond to avoid this problem.
- When to Expect a Reply (and How): When people reach your voicemail box, they want to know when they’ll hear back from someone at your business. Be specific (and realistic) about when you will contact the caller again. If you may want people to call back themselves during business hours, say it. Let them know if messages are only checked at the beginning of the day, if they will be answered in the order they were received, or if any other special conditions apply. It’s also important to manage customer expectations. Don’t say you’ll get back to them in one business day if you can’t always do that.
Every basic voicemail should provide this information. Even if you don’t add any more flair, a voicemail that provides these three things will usually work just fine.
Optional Voicemail Components
If you really want to make your voicemail stand out to customers, you can also include these components in your greeting:
- Alternate Forms of Contact: Some customers will worry that their message will be lost in your inbox, and that they’ll never get the help they need. If you want to avoid those angry messages, mention an alternate way for your customers to contact you within your voicemail greeting. It might be a form of communication at the same level, i.e. emailing your customer service team. But it may keep you from losing a customer who hates leaving voicemails. Just be sure to mention if it’s only for emergencies or specific types of requests.
- Why You Can’t Come to the Phone: If you usually miss the phone because you’re busy with other customers, say so. No matter what the real reason is, customers want to know that you aren’t ignoring them. Reminding customers that you’re being productive elsewhere is a good way to quell frustration.
- State Your Business Hours: Just in case someone calls when you aren’t open, it’s a good idea to state your business hours. This tells customers when you typically operate, and often explains exactly why you didn’t answer the phone. For anyone who doesn’t want to leave a voicemail, this tells them exactly when they can call back.
What To Avoid In A Business Voicemail Greeting
We’ve all had the bad experience of a voicemail greeting saying something that sounds like “please leave a message” — but you’re not totally sure. That’s why poor audio is one of the biggest contributors to an unhelpful business voicemail greeting. Poor audio comes off as unprofessional, confusing, and annoying. Take time to record your voicemail greeting in a quiet room, and be sure to rehearse your message before recording yourself.
No one likes to listen to a voicemail that’s too long. Lots of people have short attention spans and might miss important details, or be confused about what information is most important. Try to keep your voicemail greeting no longer than ten seconds (although it’s okay to go a little longer in some cases).
The 25 Best Business Voicemail Greetings
Here are our top recommendations for voicemail greetings you can use in a business setting. Feel free to adjust or edit these templates to suit your business’s needs. Just remember to provide the information your customers need in a clear and understandable format.
Basic Greetings
If you don’t need any special instructions for your customers, use one of these basic voicemail greetings that are sure to come in under ten seconds.
- Hello, you've reached [Company Name]. We’re sorry we can't take your call right now, but please leave your name, contact information, and reason for reaching out. One of our team members will be in touch within 24 hours.
- Hello, you've reached [Company Name]. We can't take your call right now, but please leave your name, number, and reason for calling. We will return your call in the order it was received. Thank you.
- You have reached [Company Name]. Please leave your name, phone number, and a brief message. We will respond to your message as soon as possible. Your call is important to us.
- Hi there, you’ve reached [Company Name]. Our office is currently closed at this time. Please leave your name, phone number, and the best time to contact you. We’ll call you back as soon as possible. Have a great day.
Greetings With Special Access Conditions
If you only check your voicemail at certain times, it’s best to disclose these times to your customers in your voicemail greeting. It sets accurate expectations for when you’ll be able to contact them. This is also an opportunity to direct customers with special needs or requests to a more direct source of knowledge (if applicable). Use these templates for special cases where a caller might want to reach you elsewhere:
- Hello, you've reached [Company Name]. If you are calling for information on [special event], please hang up and contact [person fielding questions for that event]. For all other messages, please leave your name and phone number and we will contact you as soon as possible.
- You have reached [Company Name]. Our phone representatives are available to answer your questions from [hour] to [hour] Monday through Friday [optional: and from hour to hour on the weekends]. If you wish to receive a call back from our representatives, please leave your name, phone number, and reason for calling. This mailbox is checked once per day, and we respond to all messages in the order they were received. Thank you for your patience. We look forward to connecting with you.
- Sometimes, you may expect a high call volume about a certain issue (if only for a short period of time). If this is the case, you don’t want to waste labor hours fielding the same question via phone over and over again. Use this voicemail greeting template to filter out calls about a known issue:
- Hello, you've reached [Company Name], [optional: company slogan]. We are currently experiencing [technical difficulties/high service volume]. We are working quickly to fix these problems as soon as possible. If you are calling for information or updates on [technical difficulty being addressed], please submit a ticket to our Help Center at [website]. For all other inquiries, please leave your name and phone number and we will contact you as soon as possible.
Greetings With Special Instructions
You might need specific information from your customers in order to best serve them when you eventually call them back. Regardless of how complicated the instructions are, be as clear as possible about what you need (and in what order you need it). Here are some voicemail greeting templates that can help with that:
- Hi, you've reached the [Department Name] at [Company Name]. At the tone, please leave your name, phone number, company name, user profile name, and reason for calling. If this is in reference to a specific case, please state your case number in your message. You can also contact us by visiting [URL] and [specific instructions for website contact].
- Hello, you’ve reached [Name of Company]. If you’re looking for information on [product], please check out [specialized knowledge hub for the product]. If you are looking to contact a particular employee, please say their name at the beginning of your message so we can best forward your message. Otherwise, please leave a message with your name and phone number. We look forward to helping you.
- Hello, you've reached [Name of Company]. We can't take your call right now, but please leave your name, contact information, and reason for reaching out, and one of our team members will return your call. If you are calling with concerns about [product], please state your version and edition so we can better address your concern. If you have been given an error code, please state it in your message so we can better assist you.
Special Greetings For Tech Support Lines
If a customer is calling your technical support line and reaches a voicemail message, they may be frustrated or confused because they expected to speak about their problem directly to another person. Do your best to convey your concern through your voicemail greeting so your customer knows you still care about solving their problem. You may also provide specific directions for emergency situations. Here are a few templates to get started:
- Hello, you’ve reached the Technical Support line at [Company Name]. We are unable to take your call right now, but we would be happy to assist you at a later time. Please leave your name, a phone number where we can reach you during business hours, and a brief description of your issue. We will give you a call back as soon as possible.
- Hello, you've reached the Technical Support department at [Company name]. All of our representatives are currently helping others and are unable to take your call at this time. Please leave your name, phone number, company name, and a brief description of your issue. Our representatives will be in touch with you within 24 hours. For more immediate assistance, go to [company website URL] and click “Chat With A Representative.” We look forward to helping you.
- If you already have help documents or FAQs published on your website that may help with certain tech support questions, voicemail may be the best way to screen these calls. Try this template to remind your customers about the resources already available to them online:
- Hi! You have reached the Tech Support line for [Company name]. We will be happy to assist you with your inquiry. If you’re calling about [product/common inquiry], resources are available to assist you at [website/URL]. If you are unable to find the answer to your problem, please leave a message with your name, phone number, [identifying product information, such as a SKU], and a brief description of your issue. We will give you a call back as soon as possible.
Temporary Greetings With Additional Details
Many times, you’ll need to provide additional information in your voicemail greeting that is only relevant for a certain period of time. For instance, you might have an employee that’s currently on leave. Other times you might close an office and not answer calls during that time. Be sure to also inform your customers of when you will be able to take calls once again. Try these voicemail greeting templates to keep your customers informed:
- Hello, you’ve reached the office of [Name of Employee] at [Company Name]. I am currently [on leave / out of the office] and will not be available to answer messages until [date]. If you wish to speak with another employee, please call our front desk at [number]. Otherwise, please leave your name, phone number, and a brief message. For urgent requests, please call [alternate contact] at [alternate phone number].
- Hello, you've reached [Name of Company]. We are currently in the midst of closing one of our locations, so our ability to answer the phone is limited. Please leave your name, number, and reason for calling. One of our representatives will answer your call within three business days.
- Hello, thank you for contacting [Name of Company]. Our office is closed for [holiday season/maintenance/other reason]. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please leave your name, phone number, and a brief message. Once regular business hours resume on [date], we will return your call in the order it was received. Have a great day!
Greetings With Seasonal Details
If your business only operates during certain seasons (such as a party store or ski resort), you may choose to record a special greeting for the holiday season. In your greeting, you can explain why and how things are different during the off season. However, before you record a new message, decide on how casual you’d like your holiday greeting to be. Not every brand is well-suited to a holiday-themed voicemail greeting. But for some businesses, a cute greeting may be a great way to show off the company’s personality. But no matter how you do it, make sure you still convey all necessary information.
- Hello, you've reached [Name of Company]. If you are hearing this message, we are currently toiling away at our workshop during our special holiday hours. From December 1st through 25th, we will be open from [hours of operation]. Please leave your name, phone number and reason for calling. One of our elves will call you back within one business day.
- Hello, you've reached the offices of [Name of Company]. We are currently working to fulfill a large volume of orders for our [seasonal special], and we can’t come to the phone right now. To learn more about this special, visit [specific promotional URL]. For assistance, please leave your name, phone number and reason for calling. We will reach out to you within three business days. Thank you for your patience during this very busy time. Happy holidays!
- From all of us here at [Name of Company], happy holidays! We have adjusted our regular business hours to allow our employees to enjoy the holiday season. From [start date] to [end date], we will be open from [hours]. If you have an urgent message, please email us at [customer service or front desk email address], and we will respond as quickly as we can. Happy Holidays!
Special Greetings For Entrepreneurs
If you’re running a business from your personal cell phone, you want to come across as professional but still friendly. Here are some outgoing voicemail greetings that’ll convey business details to your customers but also remain casual for non-business callers.
- Hello, this is [Your Name] at [Name of Company]. I’m unable to take your call right now. Please leave your name, phone number, and a brief message. I’ll return your call as soon as possible. Thanks!
- Hi, you’ve reached [Your Name] and the offices of [Name of Company]. I’m currently away from my desk or with a client. Please leave a message with your name, phone number, and the best time to reach you. I will get back to you within two business days. Have a nice day.
- Hello, this is [Your Name]. I’m unable to take your call right now, but if you leave me a message, I’ll return your call as soon as possible. If this is about a project or you have a question about [product name] please email me at [business email address] and I will get back to you within two business days.
Special Greetings For Medical Offices
Dentists, doctors, pediatricians, and other medical practices have extra privacy concerns when it comes to leaving voicemail messages. Unlike many other industries, medical professionals need to be careful with what they say in their voicemail greetings so as to remain HIPAA compliant. Don’t ask patients to provide confidential information regarding medical conditions or billing information.
- Hello. You’ve reached the voice mailbox of [Name of Office]. We are currently unable to take your call. If this is a medical emergency, hang up and dial 911. Otherwise, please leave your name and phone number. Our receptionist will contact you to schedule an appointment.
- Hello. You've reached the voicemail of [Name of Office]. If this is an emergency, please hang up and dial 911. Our office hours are from [hours], [day] through [day]. You can also message us and access your patient portal at [name of medical portal website]. Please leave your name and number and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you.
- Thank you for your call. You have reached the after-hours line for [Name of Office] and the offices of [name of medical practitioners working in the office]. If this is a medical emergency, hang up and dial 911. If your concern is non-urgent, please call back during our office hours or leave a voicemail. We will return your call as soon as possible. You can also email our general office at [front desk or general scheduling email]. Our office hours are [hours] from [start day] to [end day].
Multilingual Voicemail Greetings
If your business frequently serves non-English speakers, it’s important to consider their needs. You may even decide to record your entire voicemail in the most dominant language among your customer base, if that works for you. In any case, offering a different language option will increase the chances that information will be communicated clearly and completely to any customer that calls in. Otherwise, you may completely alienate part of your customers.
Adding a recording in another language doesn’t have to be complicated. Even something as simple as requesting a message and phone number can help your non-English speaking customers understand you. You can say this greeting after the English version, or offer an option to hear the non-English greeting from a menu at the very beginning. Here’s a simple Spanish voicemail greeting template you can use:
- Por favor deje un mensaje con tu nombre y número de teléfono. Gracias.
Final Thoughts
In reality, you can’t always answer the phone. But that shouldn’t stop you from leaving a great impression on new and existing customers every time they call. To do that, you’ll need to give some thought to your company’s voicemail greeting. It may only last ten seconds, but in that time, you show potential customers:
- Who you are
- Your brand personality
- When they can normally reach you
- The fact that you care about them
- The fact that you care about them
- How you can help solve their problems
Your voicemail is an opportunity to reinforce your professional reputation, and to build trust with your future customers.
However, recording a voicemail can be intimidating. Sometimes, you may feel that your own voice isn’t the most representative of your business or your brand. Other times, you may lack the proper recording equipment, or you might not be confident in your ability to record a professional greeting.
If so, you’re not alone. That’s why we offer customized voicemail scripts and professional recordings to all AccessDirect customers. We’ll help you write a unique, professional voicemail greeting and record it on your behalf with trained voiceover specialists and high-quality recording equipment. When you set up a new phone system with us, you also get a whole suite of other features — voicemail greetings, virtual receptionist services, voicemail transcription, auto attendant menus, and so much more.
Get back to doing what you do best: serving your customers. We’ll set up your phone system and all the other features for you. Call us today to learn how AccessDirect can upgrade your phone presence.