Auto Attendant Recordings: Press 1 To Sound Like An Amateur

First impressions are crucial, especially in the world of business. So does your brand sound professional when your customers call? Your auto attendant recording is your voice to the world. It tells your customers how serious you are about your brand and how serious you are about them. Are you making the initial hello as beautiful, warm and welcoming as it can possibly be?

Most businesses don’t give much thought to how this important touch points sounds. Interestingly, many businesses look to save money and sacrifice professionalism by simply having an in-house staff member record their auto attendant recordings . Even if they have a golden voice that is perfect for your business, what will happen if and when they leave? This problem affects countless businesses, and it becomes very apparent to callers when they hear a patchwork of different voices on system recordings.

If your auto-attendant is user-friendly and professional sounding you’ll be that much closer to converting a prospect into a customer. On the flip-side, if it’s confusing, overly verbose, or amateur-sounding, you’ll give callers a reason to take their business elsewhere.

A much safer bet is to choose a professional voice that you can return to time and time again to build consistency throughout your system. Your auto-attendant is a valuable, image-promoting tool that will support your callers’ needs if it is optimized effectively. With a few best practices, your automated message and menu will speak volumes about your professionalism and desire to provide great service.

Not sure how to make the most of your phone system’s auto-attendant? Below are three best practice tips which can help you create a professional first impression while enabling you to route your calls efficiently.

1. Prioritize Information Callers Want

Callers are dialing your business for a specific reason, and you probably have a good idea what these reasons are. Your auto-attendant message is not the place to promote your new product line or to provide a lengthy monologue about how your business started.

In general, auto-attendant messages only need to provide a few important details such as your business name and URL. From there, the goal is to direct the caller to the right extension by providing options. For after-hours and holiday auto-attendant messages, you may want to include your operating hours and address.

2. Keep Routing Options Limited and Logical

Of course, you want callers to be able to reach the person they are dialing. Yet, from their perspective, it can be downright irritating having to listen to a long list of options. For most businesses, there is no need to have a complex web of options and extensions. A single level with a few extensions is a smart phone system strategy.

Your menu of options also needs to be logical. The most requested options should come first, e.g. “press 1 for customer service, press 2 for sales, press 3 for billing. Every effort should be made to limit the number of options. Nine options is excessive and will cause some callers to repeat the message or even hang up. As well, you should always provide an option for callers to connect with a live person.

3. Align Your Phone System to Your Brand

The voice on your phone system will be most effective when it’s aligned with your business’s image. For example, callers dialing a law firm will respond positively to an auto-attendant message that communicates professionalism and confidence. Whereas for instance, a dental office’s phone greetings should sound friendly and nurturing to give potential patients a sense of comfort.

Branding…it’s an integral part of any company’s marketing strategy. Businesses focus on their website, brochures and signage, but their telephone auto attendant recordings are often overlooked. This touch point is often the first experience a potential customer has with your business, as well as their first impression callers have of your company. An engaging and well-crafted recording can strengthen your company’s image as a professional and successful business. You’re only as good as you sound! This is your callers’ first impression…and it could be their last.