My answering machine

[bejamshi]

Hi, I am trying to put together a message for my answering machine.
Can you give me some ideas. This is a serious message for clients calling, I like it to be brief but to the point.

I have for now

You have reached the office of (my company's name). Please Leave your message and we will call you back shortly.

[bejamshi]

Also some more questions, do you always pickup the phone?

What if your on the phone with a client and another calls, do you have call answering so the second person goes on it?

I have heard some companies leave the call to go to their machine, so that they can answer back when the please, which could also have negative effects. For example playing tag with the client, looking unavailable and unprofessional.

[Kool]

This is just me personally but if I call a business for the first time and get their answering machine, I will usually move on to the next company. I want to talk to a person, not leave a message that may or may not be returned. (not saying you wouldn't return a message, just that a lot of times nobody does)

[bejamshi]

Just in case I am in the washroom or had to run out to purchase something, or even better had to meet another client?

[mojoprime]

yeah, just in case, but like kool said, answer your phone any time you can. maybe something like:

You have reached the office of (my company's name). Your call and your project is important to us. Please leave your name and message and we will call you back shortly. Thank you and we'll be back with as soon as possible.

[Jackimalyn]

i like to say somehting nto the effect of, "You have reached so-and-so. I am either out of the office or on another call. Please leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Your call is important to me."

[bejamshi]

i like to say somehting nto the effect of, "You have reached so-and-so. I am either out of the office or on another call. Please leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Your call is important to me."

If it is a first time client calling, the part that you say " I am either...."
How would they know my name? They only know my company's name.

Still good idea, but if they don't know my name yet, then what:confused:

[bejamshi]

yeah, just in case, but like kool said, answer your phone any time you can. maybe something like:

You have reached the office of (my company's name). Your call and your project is important to us. Please leave your name and message and we will call you back shortly. Thank you and we'll be back with as soon as possible.

Thanks, also should i have my voice or someone else?

[mojoprime]

that's why i was saying be somehwat generic in your response. but use your own voice, since you'll be the one returning the call.

[Jackimalyn]

If it is a first time client calling, the part that you say " I am either...."
How would they know my name? They only know my company's name.

Still good idea, but if they don't know my name yet, then what:confused:


then say your name in the message... replace "so-and-so" with "your name"...

[bejamshi]

okay this is what I got.

You have reached the office of bejamshi at (company name). I am either on the phone or out of my office, Please Leave your message and I will call you back shortly.



What do you think, good for a crazy wabbit?

[morea]

sounds good to me.

I'm with Kool on this one, too. Screening your business calls is a big no-no... I'll go right down the list in the phone book until I can reach someone, so if it's possible, answer them as they come in. If it's not possible, return the calls as soon as you can.

[bejamshi]

Thanks morea, you so nice
:P

[captain spanky]

if somebody says 'your call is important to me/us' i generally regard that as being patronising BS. but maybe it's because i've waited sooo long on calls to call centres repeating the same thing over and over again, finally getting through to some brain-donor teenager on minimum wage who doesn't give a stuff about the company they work for...