A great voicemail greeting sets the tone for callers when you can’t answer the phone. The right greeting can help manage caller expectations and ensure important messages aren’t lost.
What Is a Professional Voicemail Greeting?
A professional voicemail greeting serves as your voice when you cannot answer the phone. It represents you or your business when callers reach your voicemail instead of you personally.
Your voicemail greeting often creates the first impression for many callers. This is especially true for new clients or business contacts who haven’t spoken with you before.
Professional voicemail greetings typically include:
- Your name and/or company name
- A brief acknowledgment that you’re unavailable
- When the caller might expect a response
- Alternative contact methods if applicable
Good voicemail greetings stay brief while remaining helpful. Most effective business voicemail greetings last between 20-30 secondsโlong enough to be informative without testing the caller’s patience.
Key Elements of a Voicemail Greeting
1. Clear Identification
Clear identification lets callers know they’ve reached the right person or department. This prevents confusion and builds trust.
“You’ve reached the office of Taylor Johnson.”
“This is Jamie Smith with Marketing Solutions.”
“Thank you for calling Customer Support at (…) Company.”
“Pat Williams speaking, Sales Representative at Global Industries.”
“You’ve connected with the Technical Support Team.”
“This is Dr. Reynolds’ office at Wellness Medical Center.”
“Alex Thompson from Accounting Department speaking.”
“You’ve reached the voicemail for Robin Garcia.”
“This is the Human Resources Department at (…) Corporation.”
“Sam Wilson with Client Relations speaking.”
2. Friendly Tone
Friendly tone makes callers feel valued and respected. The way words are spoken matters as much as the words themselves.
“Thank you for your call.”
“I appreciate you reaching out today.”
“We value your business and your call.”
“Thanks for getting in touch.”
“I’m glad you called.”
“We welcome your message.”
“Thank you for taking the time to call.”
“Your call is important to us.”
“We’re pleased you contacted our office.”
“Thanks for thinking of our company.”
3. Brief Explanation
Brief duration respects the caller’s time. Most effective greetings last between 20-30 seconds.
“I’m away from my desk at the moment.”
“I’m unable to take your call right now.”
“I’m currently assisting other customers.”
“I’m in meetings until 3pm today.”
“I’m currently on another line.”
“I’m out of the office today.”
“I’m unavailable to answer at this time.”
“I’m temporarily away from my phone.”
“I’m currently engaged in a project.”
“I’m on vacation until April 30th.”
Types of Voicemail Greetings
Standard Professional Greetings
Standard professional greetings work well for everyday business use. These keep things simple and direct.
“Hello, you’ve reached John Smith at (…) Company. I’m unable to take your call right now. Please leave your name, number, and a brief message, and I’ll return your call as soon as possible. Thank you.”
Out-of-Office Greetings
Out-of-office greetings let callers know when you’ll be unavailable for an extended period.
“You’ve reached Sarah Johnson’s line. I’m out of the office until Monday, May 5th. For urgent matters, please contact Tim Rogers at extension 123. Otherwise, I’ll respond to your message when I return.”
Holiday Greetings
Holiday greetings acknowledge special occasions while maintaining professionalism.
“Thank you for calling (…) Services. Our office is closed for the winter holidays from December 24th through January 2nd. We look forward to serving you when we return.”
After-Hours Greetings
After-hours greetings inform callers about your business hours and when to expect a response.
“You’ve reached Main Street Dental. Our office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. Please leave a message, and we’ll call you back during our next business day.”
Team Greetings
Team greetings work well for shared lines or departments where multiple people might return calls.
“You’ve reached the customer service team at Tech Solutions. Leave your name, contact information, and a detailed message. One of our representatives will get back to you within 24 hours.”
Professional Voicemail Greeting Examples and Templates
General Professional Voicemail Greetings
These standard professional voicemail greetings work well in most business environments. They’re clear, informative, and maintain a professional tone.
Template 1:
“Hello, you’ve reached [your name] at [company name]. I’m unable to take your call right now. Please leave your name, number, and a brief message, and I’ll return your call as soon as possible. Thank you.”
Example:
“Hello, you’ve reached Michael Johnson at Bright Tech Solutions. I’m unable to take your call right now. Please leave your name, number, and a brief message, and I’ll return your call as soon as possible. Thank you.”
Template 2:
“Thank you for calling [your name/department]. I’m currently away from my desk. Your call is important, so please leave a detailed message, and I’ll get back to you within [timeframe]. Have a great day.”
Example:
“Thank you for calling Sarah Williams in Accounting. I’m currently away from my desk. Your call is important, so please leave a detailed message, and I’ll get back to you within 24 hours. Have a great day.”
Template 3:
“You’ve reached [your name]. Sorry I missed your call. Please leave your contact information and the reason for your call, and I’ll respond by [specific time/day].”
Example:
“You’ve reached Dr. Roberts. Sorry I missed your call. Please leave your contact information and the reason for your call, and I’ll respond by the end of the business day.”
Short Voicemail Greeting Samples
Brief voicemail greetings can be just as effective while respecting callers’ time. These short messages still contain essential information.
Template 1:
“Hi, this is [your name]. Please leave a message, and I’ll call you back today.”
Example:
“Hi, this is James Wilson. Please leave a message, and I’ll call you back today.”
Template 2:
“You’ve reached [your name] at [company]. I’ll return your call if you leave your name and number. Thanks.”
Example:
“You’ve reached Lisa Chen at Global Marketing. I’ll return your call if you leave your name and number. Thanks.”
Template 3:
“[Your name] speaking. Leave your details and the best time to reach you. I’ll call back shortly.”
Example:
“Thomas Brown speaking. Leave your details and the best time to reach you. I’ll call back shortly.”
Custom Voicemail Messages for Personalization
Custom voicemail greetings allow you to address specific situations or add a personal touch to your message.
Template 1:
“Hello, this is [your name]. I’m [specific situation – in meetings/traveling/on vacation] until [date]. For urgent matters, please contact [alternate person and contact information]. Otherwise, I’ll respond to messages when I return.”
Example:
“Hello, this is Emma Davis. I’m traveling for a conference until April 26th. For urgent matters, please contact Jake Miller at extension 342. Otherwise, I’ll respond to messages when I return.”
Template 2:
“You’ve reached [your name]. I check messages [specific times]. For immediate assistance with [specific issue], try [alternative solution].”
Example:
“You’ve reached Carlos Rodriguez. I check messages at noon and 4 PM. For immediate assistance with order processing, try emailing orders@company.com.”
Template 3:
“Thanks for calling [your name/department]. We’re currently [reason for unavailability]. Please leave a message or visit our website at [website] for [specific information/resources].”
Example:
“Thanks for calling TechHelp Support. We’re currently experiencing high call volume. Please leave a message or visit our website at techhelp.com/solutions for troubleshooting guides.”
Business Voicemail Templates for Different Scenarios
Office Hours and After-Hours Greetings
Standard office hours greetings should be clear about availability and alternative contact methods.
Regular Office Hours Template:
“Thank you for calling [Company Name]. Our team is currently assisting other customers. Please leave your name, number, and a brief message, and someone will return your call within [timeframe].”
Example:
“Thank you for calling Summit Financial Advisors. Our team is currently assisting other customers. Please leave your name, number, and a brief message, and someone will return your call within 2 business hours.”
After-Hours Template:
“You’ve reached [Company Name]. Our office is now closed. Our business hours are [days/hours]. Please leave a message, and we’ll contact you on the next business day.”
Example:
“You’ve reached Brighter Dental Care. Our office is now closed. Our business hours are Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. Please leave a message, and we’ll contact you on the next business day.”
Temporary Absence Template:
“You’ve reached [Name/Department] at [Company]. I’m away from my desk until [time/date]. For urgent matters, please contact [alternate person/number].”
Example:
“You’ve reached Sarah Johnson at Apex Marketing. I’m away from my desk until 2 PM. For urgent matters, please contact Mark Williams at extension 432.”
Customer Service and Support Voicemail Scripts
Support voicemail greetings should reassure callers their issues will be addressed promptly.
General Support Template:
“Thank you for calling [Company] customer support. All representatives are currently helping other customers. For faster service, you might want to visit our website at [website] or email [email address].”
Example:
“Thank you for calling TechPro customer support. All representatives are currently helping other customers. For faster service, you might want to visit our website at techpro.com/support or email help@techpro.com.”
Technical Support Template:
“You’ve reached [Company] technical support. Please leave your name, contact number, account ID if available, and a brief description of the technical issue you’re experiencing.”
Example:
“You’ve reached CloudSoft technical support. Please leave your name, contact number, account ID if available, and a brief description of the technical issue you’re experiencing.”
Callback Queue Template:
“This is [Company] support. We’re experiencing high call volume. Leave your name, number, and issue, and we’ll call you back in priority sequence, typically within [timeframe].”
Example:
“This is Riverdale Internet support. We’re experiencing high call volume. Leave your name, number, and issue, and we’ll call you back in priority sequence, typically within 45 minutes.”
Holiday and Special Promotion Greetings
Holiday and promotional voicemails inform callers about special hours or offers while maintaining professional communication.
Holiday Closure Template:
“Thank you for calling [Company]. We’re closed for [holiday] from [date] to [date]. We’ll resume normal business hours on [date]. For emergencies, you can reach our on-call staff at [number].”
Example:
“Thank you for calling Northside Plumbing. We’re closed for Christmas from December 24th to December 26th. We’ll resume normal business hours on December 27th. For emergencies, you can reach our on-call staff at 555-123-9876.”
Special Promotion Template:
“Thanks for calling [Company]. Don’t forget about our [promotion details] until [end date]. Please leave a message, and we’ll return your call to provide more information.”
Example:
“Thanks for calling Fashion Forward Boutique. Don’t forget about our Buy One Get One 50% Off spring collection until April 30th. Please leave a message, and we’ll return your call to provide more information.”
Seasonal Hours Template:
“You’ve reached [Company]. Please note our [season] hours are now [new hours]. Leave a message with your contact information, and we’ll get back to you during business hours.”
Example:
“You’ve reached Lakeside Marina. Please note our summer hours are now 7 AM to 8 PM, seven days a week. Leave a message with your contact information, and we’ll get back to you during business hours.”
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Speaking too quickly makes it hard for callers to understand important details. Try this instead:
“Thank you for calling (…) Company. I’m away from my desk but will return your call soon.”
2. Background noise creates a distracting greeting. Find a quiet spot before recording your message.
3. Some greetings go on for too long, causing callers to lose interest. Keep messages under 30 seconds whenever possible.
4. Forgetting to include basic information leaves callers confused. Always mention:
- Your name
- Company name
- When you’ll return calls
- Alternative contact options
5. Using an overly casual tone can seem unprofessional in business settings. Compare these examples:
โ “Hey there! I’m not around. Leave a message!” (Too casual)
โ “Hello, this is John Smith. I’m unavailable at the moment. Please leave your name and number, and I’ll call back within 24 hours.” (Professional)
6. Outdated greetings that mention specific dates or events from the past appear neglected.
7. Mumbling or speaking unclearly forces callers to replay the message. (You can practice your greeting before recording the final version.)