Professional Custom Auto Attendant Recordings, Phone Prompts & Voicemail Greetings Creates Happier Customers!

If your business is like most, you’ve spent a significant amount of effort, time and money on defining your brand building tools like websites, brochures and advertisements to market your business. But there is one key element of branding that can impact how your company is perceived that is often simply ignored and that’s your phone system’s automated attendant and menu prompts recordings.

The main purpose of an auto attendant is to direct your client to the resource that can best provide support and/or information in the most efficient way possible. However, as it turns out a large number of businesses have poorly recorded, confusing or non-existent recordings on their phone systems that can leave customers frustrated or unimpressed.

There is very little in the business world that is more offensive or frustrating than automated attendant or voice-prompt menus. The vast majority of these systems are misguided, abused, and abusive. They are mazes without exits. They may have originated as efficiency tools, but they have deteriorated into what is essentially a war of robots against humans. And they have the ability to turn customers against companies — even companies that do everything else well.

Is your company’s auto attendant useful or annoying? Well, that depends. Auto attendants get a bad rap when they contain too many options, too many levels or just no way to reach a “real” person. Callers hate it when the system seems designed to keep them from getting what they called for in the first place. However, when designed elegantly, auto attendants can actually ease caller frustrations, direct them to the right person or department in the most efficient way possible.

If you’ve ever had to listen to a greeting that was hard to understand or poor quality, you know exactly why it makes sense to put some thought into this often ignored aspect of brand building. Is Sylvia from accounting really the right choice for the voice of your brand? Or, is the voice on your automated attendant greeting that of an employee who left the company years ago? Professionally recorded automated attendant recordings and menu prompts can be very useful in both servicing your customers, and help businesses of all sizes build credibility and create a smooth flow for callers.

Wondering whether or not, having professionally recorded auto attendant greetings and phone prompts are worth the investment? Consider this: JD Powers & Associates reports that 73% of the total call experience in the U.S. alone are handled by automated attendants or IVRs and not a live person.

So, if you’re still wondering if investing in professional phone greetings are worth it, then take it from Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, a company who knows quite a bit about branding and the customer service experience. In his best selling book Delivering Happiness, Hsieh says: “As unsexy and low-tech as it may sound, our belief is that the telephone is one of the best branding devices out there.

Sure, your phone greetings can be recorded by a member of your staff, but before choosing the amateur route know that your phone system’s auto attendant recordings and menu prompts should definitely be considered as an important tool in your brand building toolbox.

Need help designing professionally recorded phone greeting solutions to provide the best experience for your callers? The Original On Hold has set up thousands of auto attendant recordings and menu prompts from fortune 500’s to small businesses.

Questions? Comment below, and we can share with you both best practices and a few recognized “dont’s.”