It’s the weekend and you need time to relax and recharge. It’s simply not feasible for your phone to be ringing off the hook.
So, what can you do? With Phone.com’s Schedules feature, you can set certain hours for your business phone to ring and then direct all calls to voicemail.
This is perfect for weekends, holidays, vacations, and other moments when you simply can’t answer.
Now that your schedules are set up, we want to share some helpful tips on voicemail greeting protocol. Sometimes understanding your customers comes down to simply understanding human nature and the behaviors, attitudes, and methods of communication that you expect is a great barometer for your clients.
Transparency is key
Customers appreciate being informed without feeling dismissed. If you’re on vacation or holiday, make sure to be explicit on your office hours. That way they’ll know when to when the doors are once again open. Be sure to avoid general statements like “No one’s able to take your call right now.” They already know that, so stick to what’s most important to pass along.
Be Genuine
Clients have heard stock phrases enough times to see through the nonsense. A good way to ingratiate yourself with your customers or potential clients is to be honest and genuine. Phrases like “I’m sorry I missed your call” and “Your call is very important to me” are boring, time-wasting, and disingenuous. It’d be more productive to craft a concise statement that gives them the information and options.
Be Helpful
If there’s someone else available to best handle your customers’ problems on off or vacation hours, then include that information or extension. Also, if there’s a specific place on your website that can answer a question or troubleshoot an issue, make sure to direct callers that way. Anything and everything besides a stock voicemail greeting will help keep your customers happy.
Be Concise
Time is precious, so you want to make sure you don’t go over 25 seconds for a greeting. Customers are calling for a reason and the less amount of time it takes for them to leave their message or get to their correct extension the better. Use what information is most pertinent and then sign off!
If you’d like to learn how to set a call Schedule for your Phone.com account, visit our support page.