Some businesses will automatically play a recording if you try to call their office when they are closed. An after hours announcement is a professional way to notify callers of important details, rather than making them wait for the call to failover to a voicemail box or other destination.

While it may seem like a small detail, setting up an after hours announcement can help you win and keep customers. By presenting a clear, welcoming message containing relevant information about your business, you are showing callers that you value their time.

If your recording is vague, confusing, or drags on, customers will lose interest and hang up the phone instead of leaving a voicemail message. To help you create an effective after hours announcement, here are some best practices and sample scripts you can employ.

1. Thank the Customer for Calling and State Your Companies Name

The first thing your callers should hear is the an intro thanking them for calling right before they hear the name of your business or organization. This assures them that they have dialed the right phone number and keeps them on the line with a pleasant intro. You may also want to include your address if there are multiple companies with the same name.

2. Mention Hours of Operation

Most callers expect their call to be answered. Once they realize that your office is currently closed, the most important piece of information they probably want to know is your business hours.  Most will want to know if you are open on Saturdays and when you are closed.

While this information can be tucked behind a phone menu option, it’s best to state it upfront in your after hours recording. This way, callers can decide whether to call back at a better time, to leave a voicemail message.

3. Offer Next Steps

For many small businesses, the announcement will send the caller straight to a voicemail box. But larger organizations may decide to direct callers to a phone menu or forward the call to an external destination, depending on the situation. These options can include:

Listing individual voicemail boxes for different departments or employees.

Forwarding calls to a professional answering service.

Giving callers an option to connect to an after hours or emergency support line.

Directing calls to a personal cell phone.

Presenting menu options for additional recordings about office locations, ongoing promotions, and other information.

If you have a business VoIP phone system that offers an auto attendant feature, you should be able to create a phone menu fairly easily. Be sure to state which key the caller should press to select an option on the menu.

4. Include All Contact Methods

If there are other ways to get in touch with your business, or receive information about your products, you may want to include them in the after hours greeting. Websites and emails are often the most popular forms of alternative contact. Don’t over load this area with info.  The customer wants information they can grab quickly and move on.

5. Be Brief

The best after hours greetings are brief and direct. Do not waste the customer’s time and give them a reason to hang up by adding in unnecessary details. The information in your after hours greeting should remain concise and essential to the caller’s needs.

6. Add product or service special they can think about.  

They did call to do business and they might not know you do certain things.  So keep it brief but give them a reason to call back with a special you are running.

7. Keep Your Recording current.

If your business is closing on one of its normal operating days for a holiday, or is dealing with an emergency or unforeseen situation, you should update your after hours announcement to avoid confusion.

Mention the details up front to notify callers of the situation immediately. If possible, specify which dates your office will be closed or when you will be back in business.

• Company Holiday Schedule
• General Business Closure
• Weather Related Information

 

After Hours Greetings: Keep Customers Hooked

Having an After Hours Message shows you care and having the key elements to help the customer engage with your business later is ultra important for both the customer and your business.

The most important point is that you equip your customers with what they need to know, and give them an avenue to contact you, whether that’s through voicemail, email, or other channels.

In a concise fashion, you should relate the hours your business functions, and note any potential conflicts such as holidays or business closures. Use an auto attendant if you have more than one menu option for the customer, such as a voicemail box and an emergency support line.

While a short recording may not seem like a place to win new business, the professionalism, courtesy, special product offering and clearness that you convey in your greeting will leave a favorable impression on the customer.