One of the most overlooked areas for creating a professional image is your voice greeting message.
Whether it’s a welcome message, after-hours announcement, or music on hold, these elements shape how customers perceive your business.
A well-crafted professional voice message not only engages callers but also reflects your brand’s professionalism.
However, many businesses fall into the trap of making common mistakes that can drive customers away.
Below are the top five mistakes companies make in their phone greetings, along with practical tips to avoid them.
Imagine calling a company and being greeted by a lengthy message listing every product and service they offer, followed by endless menu options.
Frustrating, right? Many businesses try to cram too much information into their greetings, but this approach can overwhelm and annoy callers.
When a voice greeting is too long, callers tend to disengage, tune out, or hang up.
People want quick answers, not a drawn-out introduction.
Keep your greeting short and to the point. For example:
“Thank you for calling [Business Name]. To speak to a representative, press 1. For business hours and location, press 2.”
If you need to convey more details, such as special promotions or upcoming events, consider using multiple short messages within the call flow.
For instance, you can introduce music on hold with a brief announcement about your latest offers.
A robotic or poorly delivered voice over can send the wrong message to your callers.
Your phone system represents your brand, and if the voice over doesn’t sound natural, warm, or engaging, it could leave a negative impression.
People connect with human warmth.
A monotone or robotic voice over can come across as impersonal, making your business seem cold and indifferent. Callers might feel less valued, which could affect customer satisfaction.
Invest in professional voice greeting messages recorded by skilled voice over actors.
They know how to match the tone to your brand—whether friendly and welcoming for a retail store or formal and polished for a law firm.
This personal touch helps build rapport with callers from the moment they dial your number.
Silence while waiting on hold can be awkward or confusing for callers. Some may even assume they’ve been disconnected.
On the other hand, a little background music makes the waiting experience more enjoyable and keeps callers on the line longer.
Research shows that music on hold can significantly reduce caller frustration. Without it, customers may feel neglected and hang up before speaking to someone.
Add carefully selected music on hold that aligns with your brand.
For example, upbeat music can create a positive and energetic vibe, while soft instrumental music can project calm professionalism.
Consider rotating your music selections periodically to keep it fresh and engaging for repeat callers.
Nothing frustrates a customer more than outdated or incorrect information in professional voice messages.
If your business hours have changed or a certain department is no longer available, but your phone greeting hasn’t been updated, it can cause confusion and frustration.
Outdated messages make your business look disorganized and unprofessional.
It can also waste customers' time, leaving them with a poor experience.
Make it a habit to review and update your voice greeting messages regularly. If your hours or services change seasonally, schedule reminders to refresh the content.
The same goes for music on hold—refreshing your music ensures it doesn’t become stale or repetitive, especially for frequent callers.
Your voice greeting message isn’t just a formality—it’s an opportunity to guide your callers toward the next step.
However, many businesses miss the chance to include a clear call-to-action (CTA), leaving callers unsure of what to do.
Without a clear CTA, customers may hesitate or become frustrated, unsure of how to proceed. This can lead to dropped calls or missed business opportunities.
Make it easy for callers by providing specific next steps. For example:
“Press 1 to speak with customer service, 2 for billing, or 3 for technical support.”
A CTA is also a great way to promote other services. For instance:
“While you wait, visit our website for exclusive discounts and promotions!”
Adding music on hold between messages also helps fill the gaps and keep callers engaged during transitions.
Professional voice greeting messages and music on hold aren’t just functional—they’re a reflection of your brand’s identity.
A polished, clear message builds trust, creates positive customer experiences, and helps your business stand out. Whether you’re a small business or a large corporation, the way you communicate through your phone system can impact how people perceive your brand.
Tired of boring, outdated, or robotic greetings?
Let Amazing Voice transform your phone system with a high-quality voice greeting message and engaging music on hold.
We offer customized messages that align perfectly with your brand and ensure a smooth, professional caller experience.
Crafting the perfect voice greeting message is both an art and a science.
By avoiding these common mistakes—keeping it concise, using natural voices, incorporating music on hold, and keeping messages up-to-date—you can elevate your customer service and leave a lasting positive impression.
A polished and professional voice message can make all the difference between gaining a loyal customer or losing one.
Now that we offer subscriptions for on hold message voice overs, you may find yourself wondering which option is best suited to your business needs. The choice between a one-time fee package and a subscription service with multiple updates per year can significantly impact your messaging strategy and overall customer experience.
On-hold messages are one of the best ways to get your marketing messages to your current and potential clients. Instead of allowing your callers to sit on hold in silence...
IVR is an automated call answering system that interacts with callers through the use of voice recognition, vocal response, and a touch-tone keypad. In other words, IVR is a telephone system technology that can process a combination of touch tones and voice inputs.