Tips On How To Build Your Script
I have simplified the script building experience. Below is a no-brainer guide on how to create the voicemail message for your business's voice messaging system.
Let’s start with the first thing people will hear when they call you. The impulse is to start with “Hello” but odds are the caller is going to think someone answered the phone and start talking. This is why I recommend your greeting starts with “Thank you for calling___" or "You've called___".People will appreciate the speed in moving forward to the next step.
But before we do the next step, do you want to add a tagline to your company? Here's an example…
Thank you for calling Terra’s Toys, the largest toy store in Texas!
This is a great opportunity to educate people on your business. Are you the top litigator in Chicago? Does your restaurant have the best hotdog in town? Does your charity have a yearly event people don’t want to miss? This is the perfect time to mention it. It's ok if you don't want to boast, no worries. Only 30% of my clients do a tagline so don’t feel pressure to add one. They can be an asset so I always encourage them.
The next step is to define what you’re prompting the client to do next. Are they being directed to a department (accounting, sales, speak with an operator)...
“If you know your parties extension, you can dial it at any time.
For accounting, press One…”
If you aren’t prompting them to another department, you’re likely asking them to leave a message. When it comes to asking them to do this, being specific will expedite your overall experience. People like being directed on what to do so instead of just asking for them to leave a message, ask them to leave their name and number and a short message.
“Please leave your name, your number and a brief message after the beep.
Have a good day”
It’s not necessary to wish people a good day but it’s nice to close the call with it. You can swap it with “Thanks again for calling” or “We look forward to connecting with you soon”.
On rare occasions, a business doesn't want people to leave a message. This is common with restaurants where they’ll direct people to visit their website and book a reservation. The script can look like this…
“Thanks for calling Randalls Steak, home of the Navigator Martini. Our hours of operation are Monday-Sunday, 4 to 11pm. Please visit our website at www.randallssteak.com for our location or to make a reservation. The best way to reach us is by email, randalls@gmail.com. Thanks and we look forward to seeing you.”
The client discovers they can’t leave a message but they were given guidance on the ideal place to get in touch with the business so they aren't left hanging.
On Hold Script
Placing people on hold is an opportunity to educate them on your business and any deals or promotions you have now or in the future.
“Thanks for holding. Mascot T-Shirts will be with you in a moment. Did you know that we’re currently running a promotion? When you purchase twenty-five T’s, you’ll get one more for free? Grab a pen because you won’t want to miss this. Write down the promo-code TWENTYFIVE dash T and use it the next time you check out on mascot.tees.com"
Having background music is a must while on hold. Having dead silence while waiting on hold isn’t pleasant for your customers. I have countless options to choose from but I’ll make it easier for you and suggest the 3 best options for the style/tone of your company.
Another option is to just play music with the occasional interruption to let them know they’re still on hold.
“Thanks for holding. Our operators are currently busy but we’ll be with you in just one moment”
I also offer a meditation as an option. You can hear it in one of the samples on this website. Its essentially a guided imagination exercise encouraging your customer to relax and breathe and imagine they’re sitting on warm sand and watching boats pass by. This is a unique out-of-the-box approach to the on-hold experience people are accustomed to. Ideal for yoga studios and spas.
If you're going to purchase on-hold messaging, I recommend purchasing a package of 3 or 6 messages since it's fairly common for businesses to change their on-hold messaging. The package deal allows you to save some money by paying in advance.