Voicemail: Get the message
Author:
Ian McDonald
“Hi, this is John, leave a message after the beep and I'll get back to you..."
But where are you, John? Do you still work there? This is the second time I’ve called. Are you on holidays? When will you get back to me? Is there anyone else I can talk to while you are not available? On second thoughts, forget it, I'll bring my business elsewhere.
We've all had experiences of poor and uninformative voicemail messages and the frustrations of awaiting replies to messages left on other people’s machines. But have you stopped to think how effective your own voicemail message is, and the impact of messages that you leave on other people's machines?
Setting your message for callers
Your voicemail message may be a caller’s first contact with you. It is your opportunity to make a positive, or negative first impression and can make the difference between gaining / retaining a new or existing client, or losing them.
There are many different in-house voicemail systems and features and functionality vary. Some have more capabilities than others. But, in general, this should not affect the basic practices you adopt for effective voicemail management.
Firstly, when devising your message, consider what your callers may want to know if they cannot get through to you. Your message should be concise, yet informative, and should inspire a desired reaction from the caller. The message should be prepared mentally in advance and rehearsed before recording, if necessary. This avoids any unprofessional pauses or ‘…ehs’ during the message. After a few days of recording messages, this will become second nature to you.
Your message should be kept up to date, preferably daily. This simply involves changing your message to reflect the date of recording.
Bringing together the above suggestions, our friend John’s message could now be revised to something like:
“This is John Ryan on Monday 9th August. I'm in the office today, but unable to take your call at present. Please leave a brief message after the tone with your name and number and I will respond to you as soon as possible. If your call is urgent, please contact [Name] on extension [number] or dial zero for Reception”.
Well done, John, what a transformation! The second half of the above sample message should always be retained, as it gives the caller instructions on what to do, and the option to speak to someone else - this latter point, in particular, ensures that callers with urgent requirements can have their needs satisfied by someone else. The first half will often change to reflect your location - in the office, out of the office at meetings, or on holidays until a specified date.
If you get into the practice of changing your message daily it can have a more positive impact on your callers. In this way, they know where you are on the day. They can thus create their own expectation of when you might respond, or can decide to contact someone else in your firm if you are on leave. But if you feel that you cannot rely on yourself to keep your messages up to date, then leave a more generic message with no date reference. But, as a minimum, you should change the message whenever you will be out of the office, on business or on holidays, for two or more consecutive days.
Mail management
Apart from the message that you record on your machine, what you do with messages received is just as important. Those messages have been left by people who feel that their call is important enough to warrant leaving a message. They now have an expectation that you will react to their message. So if you have returned to your desk and have a string of voicemail messages, simply take a few moments to note them down, prioritise them, and act upon them.
Your mobile phone mailbox is also important to manage, and perhaps easier to do. You have less of an obligation to change your message daily because callers would assume that you have the phone with you at all times. But it is equally important to manage the calls that you receive. The fact that the caller has called your mobile may mean that they need to get in touch with you urgently. But don't record your voicemail message using a hands-free kit - inevitably you will sound unclear and distant. Record directly into the handset. And remember to take advantage of your mobile mailbox when in meetings - switch the phone off and let the mailbox do its job. Answering your mobile during meetings, or even having it ring during a meeting is unprofessional, and annoys many people.
Leaving messages
Communication is a two-way thing and, just as the message that you leave for callers is important for effective communication with them, the message you leave on other people's voicemail machines is equally important.
Some tips for better messages:
l Be brief, leaving precise details of your name, company, contact number, time of call, reason for calling and action required of the called party;
l Get to the point quickly. Don't start discussing the purpose of your call in detail - you may run out of recording space without having the opportunity to leave more important information, such as your contact details;
l Speak clearly so that the recipient catches all the important information. If even one digit of your contact number is mumbled or garbled the called party may not be able to contact you;
l Consider if e-mail would be a more effective channel for your message. If you have key facts to convey, such as details of a meeting that you have arranged for the person, then wouldn't it be better to put all the details in writing so that no facts are missed or misinterpreted?
E-mail
As suggested above, e-mail can be a more effective channel of communication. And it also has its own voicemail, of sorts. We all get frustrated when we wait days for someone to reply to an e-mail. Then we pursue them by phone, only to find out they are on holidays for two weeks. Mobile e-mail devices such as Blackberries have made e-mail accessible whenever you are out of the office on business. But, assuming that you will leave the Blackberry at home while you are on holidays, always switch on the 'Out of office' function so that people sending you e-mails will be informed that you are away. And make the auto-response mail informative, including, as a minimum, the date on which you will be back, and the contact details (phone and e-mail) of a person whom they may contact in your absence.
In conclusion, try implementing the following suggestions:
l The message you record on your voicemail system should be short and informative, and should invite the caller to leave a message, happy in the knowledge that you will respond;
l Change your message daily, and include the date, so that callers have an idea of where you are. If you are out of the office, on holidays for example, give an indication of the date on which you will be back;
l Manage your voicemails by listening to and responding to your messages promptly, and keep your mailbox clear;
l When leaving a message for someone else, keep it short and informative, leaving your name and contact details, the purpose of your call, and any action that you require of the called party;
l Consider e-mail as a more effective form of getting your message across - it will also save money on the phone bill. It may also serve as a more effective way of responding to a voicemail message, especially where information has been requested.
These are all common sense tips that can be easily implemented. At the end of the day it's about impressing others, conveying a professional business manner, and keeping the client, or potential client, happy, informed and in touch.
Ian McDonald M.A.(Econ.), ACA is a Senior Consultant with Mason Communications Ireland, an independent telecommunications consultancy. Email: ian.mcdonald@mason.biz, www.mason.biz