Professional business voicemail greetings, with holiday examples

When a caller reaches your voicemail, they decide in a few seconds whether to leave a message or call someone else. A good greeting tells them they've reached the right place, when they'll hear back, and what to do if it can't wait. A bad one sends them to your competitor.

Below are greetings you can copy and adapt, for your main line, after hours, individual staff and the holidays, plus how to set up holiday hours so the right greeting plays without anyone remembering to switch it.

What makes a good business voicemail greeting?

Five things, in about 20 to 30 seconds:

1. Who they've reached. Your business name, and the department or person if it's not the main line.
2. What to leave. Name, number and a short reason for the call.
3. When they'll hear back. Be specific, and only promise what you'll actually do. "Within one business day" beats "as soon as possible."
4. What to do if it's urgent. Another number, an on-call line, your website, or 911 for emergencies where that applies.
5. Your hours, on the main line, so callers know when to try again.

Record it somewhere quiet, read from a script, and say it the way you'd say it to a customer standing in front of you. Speak a little slower than feels natural.

Professional voicemail greeting examples

Swap in your own details where you see brackets.

Main business line

"Thank you for calling [Business name]. We're helping other customers right now, or we're away from the phone. Please leave your name, number and a short message, and we'll call you back within one business day. Our hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thanks for calling."

Main business line, short version

"You've reached [Business name]. Leave your name, number and what you need, and we'll get back to you today. Thanks."

After hours

"Thank you for calling [Business name]. Our office is closed for the day. Our hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please leave a message and we'll call you back first thing in the morning. If this is urgent, please call [on-call number]."

Medical or dental practice, after hours

"You've reached [Practice name]. Our office is currently closed. If this is a medical emergency, please hang up and dial 911. To reach the on-call provider, please call [number]. Otherwise, leave your name, date of birth and a callback number, and we'll return your call when we open at [time]."

Individual employee

"Hi, you've reached [Name], [role] at [Business name]. I'm away from my desk or on another call. Leave your name, number and a quick message, and I'll get back to you by the end of the day."

Out of office

"Hi, you've reached [Name] at [Business name]. I'm out of the office until [date]. If you need help before then, please call [colleague] at [number or extension]. Otherwise, leave a message and I'll call you back when I'm back."

Sales or service line

"Thanks for calling [Business name] [sales or service]. Everyone on the team is helping another customer. Leave your name, number and what you're calling about, and the next available person will call you back within [time]."

Thanksgiving

"Thank you for calling [Business name]. Our office is closed Thursday, November 26 and Friday, November 27 for Thanksgiving. We'll be back Monday, November 30 at 8 a.m. Please leave a message and we'll call you back when we return. If this is urgent, please call [number]. Happy Thanksgiving."

December holidays

"Thank you for calling [Business name]. Our office is closed from [date] through [date] for the holidays, and we'll reopen on [date]. Please leave your name, number and a short message, and we'll call you back when we return. From all of us at [Business name], happy holidays."

Unexpected closure, such as weather

"Thank you for calling [Business name]. Our office is closed today, [day], due to [weather or reason]. We expect to reopen on [day]. Please leave a message and we'll call you back as soon as we're open. For anything urgent, please call [number]."

How do you set holiday hours so you don't forget?

The most common holiday voicemail mistake isn't the wording. It's forgetting to switch it on, or leaving it on in January.

• Record the holiday greeting a week ahead, so there's no rush on the last afternoon.
• Schedule the holiday hours in your phone system. Most cloud phone systems let you set a holiday schedule that plays the holiday greeting on the dates you choose, then switches back automatically.
• Cover every line. The main number, the auto attendant, and any department or location lines.
• Decide where urgent calls go. If someone is on call, forward urgent calls to them rather than to voicemail.
• Test it. Call your own number on the first day of the closure and listen.

If you're on TeleCloud and want help setting up holiday hours, our support team can walk you through it.

What happens after the beep?

A greeting that promises a callback "within one business day" is only as good as the follow-up. Voicemails pile up in inboxes nobody checks, especially after a long weekend.

Two things help. A shared view of every voicemail across the team, so you can see what's waiting and who it's waiting on. Our Voicemail Dashboard does that. And reminders that keep going until someone deals with the message, which is what NAG is for.

Common voicemail greeting mistakes

• Too long. If callers have to wait 45 seconds for the beep, many won't.
• Out of date. Old hours, a staff member who left, last year's holiday dates.
• "Your call is important to us." Callers have heard it too often for it to mean anything. Tell them when they'll hear back instead.
• No way to reach anyone urgently. If it can't wait, give them somewhere to go.
• Recorded on speakerphone in a busy office. It's the first thing a caller hears, so it's worth two minutes in a quiet room.

Every call is a customer experience, including the ones that end at the beep.

FAQ

How long should a business voicemail greeting be?

About 20 to 30 seconds. Long enough to cover who they've reached, what to leave and when they'll hear back, short enough that callers don't hang up before the beep.

Should I include my business hours in my voicemail greeting?

On your main line, yes. It tells callers when to try again and sets expectations for a callback. Individual staff greetings can leave them out.

What should a holiday voicemail greeting say?

That you're closed, which days, when you'll be back, and what to do if it's urgent. Then make sure it switches off when you reopen.

Should every employee have their own voicemail greeting?

Yes, if they have their own extension. A personal greeting tells the caller they reached the right person, which makes them far more likely to leave a message.