Voicemail greeting for business: scripts you can copy
A good business voicemail greeting is short: your business name, a reason you missed the call, what the caller should leave, and when you will call back. Keep it under 20 seconds and give callers another way to reach you, such as a text or booking link, because many callers hang up rather than leave a message.
What a professional voicemail greeting says
The best greetings answer the four questions every caller has, in this order:
- Did I reach the right place? Say your business name first.
- Why did nobody answer? One short reason is enough.
- What should I leave? Name, number and what they need.
- When will I hear back? Give a real time, and keep to it.
Voicemail greeting scripts for a small business
Replace the parts in square brackets. Read the script out loud a couple of times before you record it, and record somewhere quiet.
Standard: Hi, you’ve reached [business name]. We’re with a customer right now. Leave your name, number and what you need, and we’ll call you back within [time].
After hours: Thanks for calling [business name]. We’re closed right now and open again at [time] on [day]. Leave a message and we’ll call you first thing, or book online at [website].
Busy season: You’ve reached [business name]. We’re booked up this week and answering calls between jobs. Leave your name and number, and we’ll call you back today.
Emergency trades: You’ve reached [business name]. If this is an emergency, please say so at the start of your message and we’ll call you back as soon as we can.
Appointment businesses: Hi, this is [name] at [business name]. I’m with a client. To book, visit [website] or leave a message with the day you’d like, and I’ll confirm with you.
Holiday: You’ve reached [business name]. We’re closed for [holiday] and back on [date]. Leave a message and we’ll return your call when we reopen.
Text preferred: Hi, you’ve reached [business name]. The fastest way to reach us is by text at this number. Otherwise, leave a message and we’ll call you back.
Personal: Hi, it’s [name] from [business name]. Sorry I missed you. Leave your name and number and I’ll get back to you by [time].
A phone answering script for when you do pick up
The same idea works live. A short, repeatable script means every caller hears the same thing, whoever answers:
Greeting: Thanks for calling [business name], this is [name]. How can I help?
Understand the job: What do you need done, and where is it?
Urgency: How soon do you need someone?
Contact: What’s the best number to reach you on, and your name?
Next step: I can book you in for [day and time]. Does that work?
Close: You’re all set. You’ll get a text with the details. Thanks for calling.
Why callers hang up at the beep
Many callers will not leave a message at all. They want an answer or a booking, and a voicemail box offers neither, so they call the next business on the list. A clear greeting helps, but the bigger fix is giving callers something to do other than wait for a callback: a booking link, a text-back, or a live answer.
Check your voicemail greeting every few months. An out-of-date holiday message or a greeting that promises a callback you do not make costs more trust than having none.
Replacing voicemail with an AI receptionist
With Operator, a missed call does not have to reach voicemail. Operator answers in a natural voice, asks what the caller needs, books a time on your calendar and texts them a link to confirm. If you would rather keep answering yourself, Operator can simply text a caller your booking link the moment you miss their call, so the caller has something better than a beep.