Phone menu script examples: greetings for small businesses

What makes a good phone menu

• Say who answered first. Callers want to know they reached the right place.
• Put the most common reason first. If most people call to book, “press 1 to book” comes first.
• Keep to four choices or fewer. Long lists make people forget the first option by the last.
• Say the reason, then the number. “To book an appointment, press 1” is easier to follow than “press 1 to book an appointment”.
• Offer a way to a person, usually 0, and say it.
• Keep it short. A long greeting sends callers straight to 0.

Main greeting

Thank you for calling Example Dental. To book or change an appointment, press 1. For billing and insurance, press 2. For our hours and address, press 3. To speak with the front desk, press 0.

A shorter version for a small shop:

Thanks for calling Example Auto. For a repair or a quote, press 1. To check on your car, press 2. For anything else, stay on the line.

After hours

Thank you for calling Example Dental. Our office is closed. We’re open Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. If this is a dental emergency, press 1. Otherwise, please leave a message after the tone and we’ll call you back the next business day.

Holidays

Thank you for calling Example Dental. We’re closed today for the holiday and open again tomorrow at 8 AM. Please leave a message after the tone, or visit our website to book online.

Lunch

Thanks for calling Example Bistro. We’re between lunch and dinner and back at 5 PM. For our hours and directions, press 1. To leave a message for a reservation, press 2.

While callers wait

Hold messages repeat, so keep them short and useful:

Thanks for holding. You’re in line, and the next person will be with you shortly.

Did you know you can book online at our website? If you’d rather we call you back, press 1 and we’ll keep your place.

Voicemail greetings

For a person:

Hi, you’ve reached Jordan Reyes at Example Realty. I can’t take your call right now. Leave your name, number and a short message, and I’ll call you back today.

For a shared mailbox:

You’ve reached the front desk at Example Dental. Leave your name, your number and what you need, and someone will call you back within the business day.

Recording your greetings

You don’t need a studio. Record in a quiet room, smile while you talk, and speak a little slower than feels natural.

With Kafono you can also type a script and have it read aloud in a voice you choose, and change it whenever your hours do. Each number can play its own greeting, after hours and on holidays too, and the menu sends each key where you choose: a queue, a person, a group or voicemail.

Check it like a caller

• Call your own number from a cell and listen all the way through.
• Press every key and make sure each goes where it should.
• Try it after hours and on a test holiday.
• Read it to someone new. If they have to ask what to press, rewrite it.