| When you set up your company phone system its | | | | you have on offer. You have a captive audience so |
| worth paying extra attention to the messages you | | | | use this time effectively. Research shows that this |
| script and your choice of voice artist to read them. | | | | time on hold can positively affect your callers purchase |
| Each phone message or greeting is an opportunity to | | | | decisions and so increase your sales. An on hold |
| positively present your company and the voice actor | | | | message is far more effective in caller retention than |
| you choose can reinforce your company image and | | | | silence. |
| brand. | | | | 4. Courtesy messages: You can alternate these |
| Here are 7 types of phone message you may | | | | messages with your on-hold marketing messages. |
| consider using on your telephone system: | | | | Remind your callers that you appreciate their time and |
| 1. Welcome greeting/Auto Attendant - An auto | | | | their business. If you can answer any frequently asked |
| attendant is the first voice that a caller will hear when | | | | questions such as general office opening hours, this will |
| they dial through to your company phone line. The auto | | | | make your callers feel that their on hold time is not |
| attendant greets the caller and establishes trust while | | | | wasted. |
| branding your company. | | | | 5. Voicemail messages: Consider recording a company |
| 2. IVR: After the caller has heard the auto attendant, | | | | voicemail message to act as a generic greeting for |
| the same voice usually guides them through their | | | | messages left outside of personal voicemail boxes. |
| options, e.g press 1 for sales and press 2 for accounts | | | | You could choose to use the same voiceover artist to |
| etc. This element of your voice over script is called an | | | | record the company and your staffs personal |
| IVR or Interactive Voice Response. These prompts | | | | voicemail greetings. |
| can direct callers to the most suitable extension and | | | | 6. After Hours Message: set up an after hours |
| also provide useful information such as regular office | | | | message that will thank the caller for phoning and |
| hours. It is useful to give callers the option to dial zero | | | | provide instructions to leave a message or phone |
| at anytime so they can skip the prompts and talk | | | | back on the next business day. |
| directly to a 'real' person. | | | | 7. Holiday Messages: Consider recording a message |
| 3. On hold message: These are a great opportunity to | | | | prepared for statutory holidays, you can customize the |
| get your marketing message across to your potential | | | | message for your customers and present it to them |
| customers. Inform your callers of all the products and | | | | at the appropriate time. |
| services you offer and also any current promotions | | | | |