How to Make a Great Company Phone Greeting
First impressions matter, and even if someone is familiar enough with your business to get on the phone and reach out, that first call can have a big impact on how they perceive your business.
Your company greeting should be created with that in mind. A strong company greeting will start the call off right, starting on a positive note while immediately getting people wherever it is that they need to go in your call navigation system.
Does your company greeting accomplish everything it needs to create a satisfactory customer experience? Let’s take a look at four things your greeting should accomplish, and a few great examples of what this would look like.
Start with a Thank You
The second you’re on the opposite end of an automated voice directory, what’s the first thing that you typically hear?
If the company greeting is any good, it will typically be “Thank you for calling.”
There’s a reason this is standard. It starts the conversation off well and pleasantly, and it conveys to the customer that you appreciate them taking the effort to reach out to them. Even though it’s standard courtesy, it still leaves a better impression than a greeting that starts with “You’ve reached our phone line.”
Let People Know They’ve Reached the Right Place
If you’re going to ask someone to wait to listen to your automated navigation system, it’s a good call to let them know they’ve reached the right place and to add a little bit of branding and personality to your call. This is the next step of getting the call on the right track.
Turn “Thank you for calling” into “Thank for your calling PATLive.” You can then add a tagline, or pepper in branded language that your audience would appreciate. My local Kay Jewelers, for example, would answer every call with “Thank you for calling Kay Jewelers, home of the Leo Diamond,” and women’s clothing company Adore Me starts their greeting by calling callers “Adorables,” which is what they call their customer to create an inclusive, exclusive feeling.
Share Relevant Information Up Front
Everyone is always in a hurry, so giving them any relevant information or important navigation options upfront is going to be the best way to go. This is particularly important when the company greeting is used with an automation navigation system, where information isn’t as immediate. Can people dial an extension to get to their desired party? Let them know right away.
Is there an average wait of five minutes, but a live chat option online that may be more convenient for them? It’s ok to mention that, too. Anything that will allow you to best serve your customers should be mentioned upfront, because it gets them where they need to go as quickly as possible, which leads to happier customers in the end.
If the company greeting is being used by a live agent, you can use this part of the message to relay information in a quick, convenient way, like “Are you calling regarding our Biggest Sale of the Year?” It gives them information they may not have had otherwise, even if they’re calling for something completely unrelated.
Give Your Name, and Then Ask for Theirs
Some company greetings happen through a voice recording, but when you’re using a service like PATLive, you’ll have a U.S. based agent answering every single call that you don’t take personally. This means that it’ll be an actual person giving this greeting instead.
In these cases, the agent should always say their name towards the middle or end of the greeting. It reminds the caller that they’re dealing with a real person, and it feels just a little more personal. This can be an important step for rapport building, leading the way to small talk that can make a client feel seen and appreciated. It’s a tiny detail, but it can be an impactful one.
After you state your name, ask the customer for theirs. It’s a natural transition, and it will lead you seamlessly into “Alright, Gary, what can we do for you today?”
Give Instructions for Next Steps
Here’s the final step of the company greeting: give your callers the next steps. If they need to do something specific to get what they need, mention it now. Let them know if they’ll need to make a selection from a menu, or have their account number or member ID ready. You’ve got their attention at the beginning of the call, whether they’re dealing with an automated recording or an actual person, so let them know what information you’ll need right off the bat– it will save everyone time in the process.
3 Examples of Amazing Company Greetings
You’re ready to write up the company greeting that your staff and call center agents can use to best serve your customers.
If you aren’t sure where to start, basic formula is a pretty good one:
“Thank you for calling (Brand Name), (tagline). My name is (agent name), may I ask who is calling? (client speaks) How can I help you today, (client name)?”
Here are a few examples of what this might look like:
“Thank you for calling Ford, where we’ll go further with you. My name is Julia. Are you calling to book an appointment at our Jacksonville dealership for our upcoming sale?”
“Good morning and thank you for calling Orange Theory Fitness, this is Julia speaking. How can I help you reach your fitness goals today?”
“Thanks for calling us here at Sweet Cheeks Boutique! Who may I have the pleasure of speaking to and what can I do for you today?”
Each greeting follows the same basic formula, but has different language and uses leading questions to set the tone of the call (and its priorities!) right off the bat.
Company phone greetings are important, and it should be the only truly scripted part of a customer service call. Here at PATLive, we develop greetings with our clients to ensure that we’re representing them well during every call our agents take on their behalf. Our agents use these customized, branded greetings to guarantee they’re getting the same care they would if you were the one to answer the phone call personally.
