Professional voicemail greetings elevate the call experience by inviting customers to continue engaging with your businesses even when no one is available to speak to them directly. Besides projecting a professional brand image, they provide relevant instructions callers need to know or follow in your absence. Voicemail messages can be customized for your personal work phone, main office line, holidays, promotions, and customer service.
Download our template for free professional voicemail greetings and customize them to suit your business needs.
Key Elements of a Professional Voicemail Greeting
The best voicemail message for business contains all the key information your callers frequently want to know while delivering a good first impression. It has to be updated regularly to suit different occasions and convey a better brand image. When writing a professional voicemail greeting script, here are a few elements you need to take note of:
Personal Work Phone Voicemail Greetings
Employees can create their own voicemail greetings for their assigned phone number or extension. When creating an individual voicemail greeting, clearly identify yourself and your company, and let the caller know when you will be able to return their call. Here are professional voicemail greeting examples to use for your personal work phone:
On Another Call
1. Hi, this is [your name] at [company name]. I’m on another call, but please leave your name and phone number, and I’ll call you back as soon as possible. I apologize for any inconvenience. Thank you, and I look forward to speaking with you.
2. Hey there, it is [your name] here at [company name]. I apologize for sending you to voicemail, but I am now on the phone with another client. Leave your name, contact information, the reason you’re calling, and the best time to call you, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.
Temporary Out of the Office
3. Thank you for calling. This is [your name] with [company name]. I’m out of the office today and will return on [date]. Please leave a message with your name and number, and I’ll return your call. Thank you.
4. Hi! You’ve reached [your name] at [company name]. I’m currently out of the office for a meeting until [time]. Please include your name and phone number, and I’ll get back to you ASAP.
Out of the Office (Emergency)
5. Hello. You’ve reached the voicemail of [your name] in [department]. I am out of the office today and will return on [date]. If you need immediate assistance, contact [coworker’s name] at [phone number and extension]. If it’s not urgent, please leave a message, and I will return your call. Have a great day.
6. Hi! You have reached [your name] from [company name]. Unfortunately, I cannot take your call right now. If you need to speak with someone urgently, you may get in touch with [coworker’s name] at [phone number]. Alternatively, shoot me an email at [email address] or leave your name and phone number, and I’ll call you back as soon as possible.
Vacation/Extended Leave
7. Hi, you’ve reached [your name]. I’m out of the office on extended leave until [date]. If you need assistance before I return, please contact my coworker, [name], at [phone number and email address]. Otherwise, feel free to leave a message or call back after [date]. Thank you.
8. Hi, this is [your name] from [company name]. I’m on vacation and will be away from the office until [date]. If it’s urgent, send your name, contact information, and purpose of calling at [email address], and one of our team members will reach out to you within the day. Thank you, and have a great day.
Main Office Line Voicemail Greetings
A professional business voicemail greeting is what callers hear when they dial your main business number. Most business phone systems provide an auto-attendant to redirect callers to the right extension. If that’s not an option, we have other scripts you can use.
Businesses Without an Auto-attendant
9. Hello, you’ve reached [company name]. We’re unable to take your call right now. Please visit our website at [website address] for our hours of operation, address, and current promotions. If you‘d like to leave a message, please wait for the tone.
10. Hi, this is the voicemail of [company name]. We value your call, but no one is available to respond at this time. Please leave your name, phone number, and reason for calling, and someone will call back as soon as they are available. Thank you!
Record your greeting directly in your RingCentral account.
(Source: RingCentral)
We highly recommend setting up a virtual answering service for your office phone system to assist incoming callers outside business hours. RingCentral, the leader in cloud communications, offers an automated phone system that lets you customize your company greeting. You can import a prerecorded audio file or record using your phone or computer microphone.
Extended Closure
11. Hello, you’ve reached [company name]. Our store is closed for [reason: remodeling, retreat, etc.] from [date] through [date]. Although our office is closed, our website remains open to assist you and take orders. Please visit us online at [website address] or leave a message after the tone, and we’ll call you back during business hours. Thank you.
12. Thanks for giving us a call! Sorry, but our office is closed due to [reason: renovation, team building, bad weather, etc.]. Please leave us your name, contact number, and the best time to reach you. One of our team members will give you a call once we are open.
Adjusted Hours
13. Thank you for calling [company name]. Please note that we have reduced hours during the [season] and will return to our regular hours on [date]. Our off-season hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday. For information, press [designated number]. Otherwise, please leave a message after the tone, and someone will return your call during business hours.
14. Thank you for contacting [company name]. Our office is operating on adjusted hours because of [reason]. We have temporarily changed our business hours to [time] to [time], [days of the week]. Leave us a message with your name and number, and we’ll give you a call as soon as we reopen tomorrow. Thank you for your patience.
New Office Location
15. Thank you for calling [company name]. We are proud to announce we’ve moved to a new location to serve our customers better. Our new address is [address]. For directions to our new location, press [designated number]. For hours of operation, press [designated number]. To leave a message, press [designated number] or wait for the tone. Thank you.
16. You have reached [company name]. We would like to inform you that we’ve relocated to provide a better service experience. Our new office is located at [address], and operating hours will remain the same. Please leave a message after the tone, and we will call you back within 24 hours.
After Business Hours
17. You’ve reached [company name]. We apologize, but you’ve reached us after hours. Please leave us your name, phone number, and the reason for your call. Rest assured that we will return your call the next business day at [time]. Thank you.
18. Hi! Thank you for calling [company name]. It looks like you’ve made a call after our business hours, which are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. If you need immediate assistance, please dial our customer support center at [phone number and extension]. Otherwise, leave a message after the tone, and we’ll give you a call back during regular business hours. Thank you.
Department-specific
19. Hello, you’ve reached the [department] at [company name]. Your call is important to us, but the team is currently unavailable to answer calls right now. If you leave your name and contact number, one of our team members will get back to you right away.
20. Hi, this is the [department] at [company name]. Our employees are unable to pick up the phone right now. Please leave a message with your name and phone number. We will return your call at the first available opportunity.
Grasshopper lets you set your company greetings during business hours and after hours. (Source: Grasshopper)
Grasshopper is a virtual phone provider that charges a fixed monthly fee for unlimited users, starting at only $31 per month. Aside from its all-inclusive business phone plans, this provider lets you record your company greetings on your own or with the help of professional voice talent. The Grasshopper Voice Studio enables you to record in multiple languages, and each recording costs $75.
Holiday Voicemail Greetings
The best professional voicemail greeting for holidays communicates the festive mood of the season. Your customers may call your business even when you’re closed on holidays like July 4th or Thanksgiving. Here are a couple of voicemail greetings you can use if they do:
Holiday Greetings
21. From all of us here at [company name], Merry Christmas! We’re currently closed from [date] to [date] to celebrate the holidays. Please leave a message after the tone, and we’ll return your call as soon as we can. Thank you.
22. Happy holidays! The team at [company name] is away until [date]. Please leave your name, number, and message, and we will call you back once we’re back in the office. Thanks, and have a wonderful day!
Emergency Holiday Contact
23. Hello, you’ve reached [company name]. Our office is closed from [date] to [date] to celebrate the holidays. If this is urgent, please dial [phone number and extension] to reach our 24/7 customer support team. If not, please leave a message after the tone, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. Thank you.
24. Thanks for calling [company name]. We apologize for the inconvenience, but our office is closed until [date]. We hope it’s not urgent, but if so, we’ve got you covered. Contact [emergency contact] at [email address/support line], and we’ll return your call ASAP. Please leave your name, number, and a brief message to inform us of the reason for your call. Thank you.
Use your voicemail greetings to make special announcements about any promotion, launch, or ongoing sale you’re having. For example, if there’s a significant discount or new product being offered, you could briefly mention it. However, ensure this information doesn’t detract from the core information your caller likely needs, like location and hours of operation.
25. Thank you for calling [company name]. We’re offering free shipping with all orders and a free consultation with orders over $100 for a limited time. For more information, or to place an order, press [designated number]. To leave a message, please press [designated number].
26. Thanks for reaching out to [company name]. To celebrate the holidays, we are offering a special discount on all purchases! To speak with a representative about our limited-time sale, press 1. For other inquiries, please leave us your name, contact number, and a message, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. Have a great day!
Customer Service Voicemail Greetings
Every company should pride itself on providing exceptional customer service. Whether you have a dedicated customer support department or call center operation, there will be cases when all your agents may be preoccupied with other calls. Use the voicemail greetings below to leave a favorable impression on your customers.
27. Hello, you’ve reached the customer service team at [company name]. Our agents are unavailable at the moment. Every call is important to us, so please leave your name, contact details, and the reason for your call. Rest assured that the next available agent will call you back to assist you.
28. Thank you for calling customer support. Our representatives are currently busy assisting other customers. But if you leave your name and number, the next available representative will get back to you shortly.
Tips for Creating a Professional Voicemail Greeting
The best professional voicemail greeting for business gives off a positive image, boosts your credibility, and captures the most important details. Otherwise, a confusing voicemail message may prompt the caller not to leave a message or call you back. Get it right, and your business could leave a good impression. Here are a few tips for creating the best business phone greetings:
- Use a script: Prepare a script to guide you when recording your greeting. Outline all the important details you want to include so you won’t miss the essential points.
- Keep it short: Your caller wants to talk to you, and when they get directed to the voicemail instead, they end up disappointed. Skip straight to what they need to know to save their time.
- Mention any key information: Begin your message with your name to inform the caller that they reached the right person. State clearly when the caller can expect a call back to manage their expectations. Mention your store hours or provide additional information like promotional offers.
- Offer other options: If your caller doesn’t want to leave a message or call back later, offer alternatives to resolve their issues immediately, such as visiting your website or calling a different number.
- Always update: Regularly update your greetings to reflect business, schedule, or employee changes. An outdated version creates an impression that your company is negligent or has gone out of business.
- Hire a professional: Consider hiring a professional voice actor to give the best possible impression to your customers. Business phone systems like Nextiva charge a minimal fee to hire a voice talent to record your phone greetings. Read our guide on the best professional greeting providers for more options.
Nextiva offers a wide selection of voice talents with various accents and languages. (Source: Nextiva)
Nextiva is a cloud phone service for small businesses that combines voice, video, and email, along with productivity and customer experience tools. It partners with Snap Recordings to provide clients with a variety of industry-leading voice talents, including bilingual options. Pricing starts at $80 per 100 words, and an additional fee of $35 applies to the background music if you want to use it for your phone system.
Visual voicemail is a telephony feature that organizes your messages in an email-like interface. While at it, discover other ways to make the most out of your phone system by learning about the top business phone features.
Benefits of Voicemail Greetings to Your Business
Handling business calls promptly and professionally is key to an excellent customer experience. However, it’s not always possible to answer every call that comes in, especially if it’s a holiday or after work hours. Let’s look at the advantages of voicemail greetings for your business phone line.
- Maintains customer communication: You’re bound to lose many important leads when your business is unreachable. With an engaging voicemail greeting, callers are more encouraged to leave a message through your voicemail despite your unavailability.
- Keeps customer support intact: Telling callers that you will return their call after receiving their voicemail provides assurance that their efforts to contact your business won’t go in vain. It demonstrates that you care about their needs and have a plan in place to reach back out to them.
- Establishes a good first impression: A voicemail provides a professional way to communicate with your customers when you are unable to take calls. Combining it with a well-crafted message will help convey a consistent and polished brand image.
Call routing is a call management system that automatically distributes incoming calls based on predefined rules. You can use custom answering rules to have non-urgent calls forwarded directly to your voicemail.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Funny voicemail greetings are usually not the best practice in business communication. However, if your brand’s image is on the non-conventional side, there are instances when funny voicemail greetings could work. Make sure to consult with a small group of customers to get their feedback first.
Voicemail greetings should be short and sweet. Try to limit your voicemail greeting to 30 seconds or less to save customers’ time and patience.
Temporary voicemail greetings allow you to set a voicemail to play for a few hours while you’re away for a short period of time. It doesn’t involve recording your usual personal greeting. The voicemail automatically switches back to the default greeting when the timer runs out.
Bottom Line
There are several considerations when recording voicemail greetings for your business. Although they appear like a simple prerecorded audio playback, these messages are essential for establishing credibility and professionalism. Save time and energy by downloading our voicemail greeting templates as a starting point for crafting your own unique message.
