Voicemail Options Extravaganza
It is that time of year when warmer weather is around the corner, and human minds begin to think of simplifying or getting R&R. For businesses worldwide, the OOO protocol is an integral part of communications. Depending on your role within the company, from owner to customer service agent, having your voicemail options in place to keep things rolling is paramount.
And for those who don’t know what “OOO” means, stop what you are doing. You are overdue for some “out of office” time off.
Voicemail Options Best Practices
Last week we discussed the professional voicemail greeting for conducting business and how it can help your efficiency and time management in ways you might not expect. Let’s explore what kind of voicemail options will work for you with that in mind. The cool thing about VirtualPBX is Dynamic Voicemail Boxes.
Dynamic Voicemail Boxes are instrumental for preparing for time away from the desk. For those companies that have a remote workforce, this is a lifesaver. This feature allows limitless handling of messages when you or your team can’t get to the phone. And with that kind of power, you get to customize your voicemail greeting to fit your brand, messaging, and, yes, your OOO reply.
Your Call Is Important
Temporary voicemail greetings can come about in many different ways. These personal messages are crucial if you’re out of the office for an extended period. Imagine the possibilities. From forwarding the voicemail to a standby coworker or triggering a workflow through Auto Attendant, all these voicemail options mean one thing: they get answered in a timely fashion.
What Should You Say?
VirtualPBX voicemail systems have the benefit of allowing detailed customization to fit every OOO need. They give you the ability to ensure that your business never fails to deliver to your customers and get them to where they need to go. But how should these be formatted? There are plenty of automated voicemail options, so don’t worry your head over it. But in case you need a roadmap, here you go.
- Say hello, state your name, and assure the caller that they have reached the right person.
- Provide date of absence and return.
- Offer alternative resources or contacts for urgent issues.
- Keep it short. No one needs a long-winded explanation.
Example: “Hello. You have reached the office of [your name]. I will be out of the office beginning on [date] and returning on [date]. Please leave a brief message with your contact information, and I’ll be sure to get back to you as soon as I return on [date]. If this is an emergency or you need to speak with someone before I return, please contact [name of colleague/supervisor], [their job title], at [their phone number].”
Still need more help? Here are some other examples.
Voicemail Option Tips
Just because you are out of the office doesn’t mean everything goes to a standstill. Let’s put out any chance of work fires before they begin. Here is a helpful idea when you decide on your voicemail options.
Rehearse and hit the record button. Yep, that’s right. You can personalize your voicemail greeting as many times as you want. In real-time, until you get it just right.
Set the options until you get them how you want. P.S. Dynamic Voicemail allows a voicemail option to forward a message as an email. Pretty nifty, right?
And last but not least, remember to enjoy being away from the office. Having voicemail options allows you to unplug and unwind, and that’s the essential part. Now you are ready for “Spring Mode.”
