18 Call Center Greeting Tips to Live By

Most people approach recording call center greetings one of three ways: they either “wing it” just to get it done, use the robot-like pre-recorded messages offered by the call center software or they put it off because they don’t know where to start. All three are a mistake.

Call center greetings are the face of your company. They can either annoy customers when they are too long, monotonous, redundant, too confusing or badly configured, or can impress them with your company’s professionalism and customer-centric approach. Good messages will therefore help optimize the customer experience and drive customer retention.

Recording call center greetings can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. By following the 18 tips below, you will be well on your way to making sure your recordings are both professional and engaging.

1. Be concise

Each message should be short and to the point. Eliminate any redundancies or any information that is not pertinent.

2. Be courteous

Make sure to be professional and courteous. Include “please” and “thank you” but don’t over-do it. Saying “please” in each greeting can be overkill.

3. Demonstrate professionalism

Every time a caller contacts your company it is a chance to enhance your company’s professional image. Make sure your messages are projecting the right image and will enhance your branding. You can also take the opportunity to enhance credibility by announcing a recent award, say a company tag line or assert that you are a customer-focused company.

4. Use familiar language and prompts

Don’t try to be too unique. Customers are used to a certain language and can be thrown-off (or put-off) when the message strays too far from what is expected. This includes having typical prompts (like “press 0 for immediate assistance”) and avoiding jargon.

5. If you are recording calls, disclose it

It is up to you, not the call center software, to record a message saying, “This call may be recorded or monitored….” If you are recording or monitoring calls (even a few), you have to disclose it. It is best to say it right off the bat in your welcome greeting. That way you can be sure that each caller has heard it.

6. Allow frequent callers to bypass messages

When callers know exactly who they want to reach, allow them to bypass all recordings by dialing a direct extension. This will increase efficiency and professionalism.

7. Use a multi-level IVR for more complex needs

If you find yourself recording more than 5 IVR prompts, you should group them into levels. Customers don’t like waiting through lengthy prompts to make their selection. Using a multi-level IVR makes it as quick and painless as possible.

8. Record greetings for everything

When you purchase call center software and setup your ACD, IVR and voicemail greetings make sure you cover all of your bases. Don’t assume that, “no one will ever need/hear this”. Customers can have complex needs, can end up in the wrong menu or make the wrong selection. You should always record greetings for each level of your IVR, your ACD and voicemails for each extension.

9. Allow customers to help themselves

While callers are waiting in the queue, or if they call after business hours, direct your callers to your website. They can often find the information they are looking for and don’t have to wait for their answer. Also, you can record helpful information that they can access using your IVR (i.e. business hours, directions, pricing plans, etc.). Allowing customers to help themselves can free up your agents to handle more complex issues.

10. Allow your callers the option to return to the previous menu

When your customers are choosing from IVR prompts, they may miss something or may be unsure of something. Eliminate confusion and frustration by allowing them to listen to the prompts again, or go back to a previous menu.

11. Give callers options

When all agents are busy, give your callers options. Allow them to request a call back, leave a voicemail, continue to hold, send an email or chat online. This can save your callers time and significantly reduce their frustration.

12. Configure departmental and agent recordings/voicemails

When a caller has reached a certain department or agent after business hours or when all agents are busy, they should hear a recording from that specific department or agent. This will help to eliminate confusion, assure them that they were directed to the right department and will allow for your teams to stay organized.

13. Include your time-zone when stating your business hours

Whether you have a local customer base, or international customers, you should always include your tome zone when you state your business hours. This will help to eliminate confusion and increase professionalism.

14. Provide a means to contact someone with urgent matters

When a customer has an urgent matter, they should be able to reach an agent, no matter what time it is. Provide a direct phone number or extension to an agent who is available in the event of emergencies or a phone number to an after-hours call center. This lifeline could go a long way in keeping customers loyal and their problems solved in a timely fashion.

15. Give your callers information while they wait

When callers are in the queue, provide them with valuable company information, promotional offers, upcoming sales, upcoming events, new feature announcements, expected wait time, etc. You can also include your company mission statement, specialization and locations served. Their time is valuable, use it!

16. Play good hold music

There is nothing more annoying than waiting on hold and listening to horrible hold music. You may also want to upload different hold music options for different waiting queues for a more unique experience. Always make sure that the music is playing at an appropriate volume. Delight your customers while they wait with music you are sure they will love.

17. Test everything

Before you go live, you should go through the entire process to make sure your messages are consistent with where the caller is being transferred to, the queue they are waiting in etc. You should also make sure the volume is appropriate, your greetings are concise and that you don’t repeat information too much.

18. Keep it fresh

No one likes to hear the same prompts, voice and hold music over and over again. Keep things fresh by recording new greetings, alternating voices, including seasonal references and changing up the music. Your customers will notice the effort you put into it.

The aforementioned 18 tips will help make your greeting recording process and breeze. It is important to approach this process with a strategy, dedicate enough time and commit to making it excellent!