How to write a great greeting for your business phone

Your phone greeting is the first thing a new customer hears from you. It takes a few seconds, but it tells them whether they called the right place, whether you're friendly, and whether they're about to be helped or stuck. The good news is that a great greeting is simple. Here's how to write one.

A simple formula

Most good greetings have three parts, in this order:

1. Thank them and say your business name, so they know they reached the right place.
2. Say who's speaking. A first name makes it feel personal.
3. Offer to help with an open question, so the caller can tell you what they need right away.

Put together, that sounds like: "Thanks for calling Northside Salon, this is Ava. How can I help?" It's short, warm and gets straight to the point.

Keep it short

The most common mistake is a greeting that goes on too long. Callers don't want to hear your full address, your website, your hours and a slogan before they can speak. Every extra sentence is a chance for them to hang up. If there's something every caller truly needs to know, like a holiday closure, add one short sentence and remove it when it no longer applies.

Match your business

A law office and a barbershop shouldn't sound the same. Your tone should match the experience customers get when they walk in. A few examples:

• Barbershop: "Fifth Street Barbers, this is Ava. What can I do for you?"
• Plumber: "Rivera Plumbing, this is Sam. How can I help today?"
• Restaurant: "Thanks for calling Lantern Kitchen. Are you calling about a reservation?"
• Law office: "Thank you for calling Carter & Lane. This is Grace. How may I help you?"
• Day spa: "Thank you for calling Stillwater Day Spa, this is Grace. How can I help?"

Your voicemail and after-hours greeting

If callers might reach voicemail, the greeting has a different job: getting a useful message. Tell them exactly what to leave and when they'll hear back.

• Say your business name, so they know they reached you.
• Ask for their name, number and the reason for the call. People forget unless you ask.
• Say when you'll call back, and only promise what you can keep.
• If you handle emergencies, say what to do in an emergency.

Mistakes to avoid

• Long menus. "Press 1 for this, press 2 for that" frustrates callers at small businesses who just want a person.
• Background noise. Record in a quiet room.
• Out-of-date details. Old hours or last season's promotion make you look closed or careless.
• "Your call is important to us." Callers have heard it too often. Show it by answering instead.

Being honest about who's answering

If an AI receptionist or answering service picks up for you, it's best to be upfront. Callers appreciate honesty, and some states have rules about telling callers when a call is recorded. A good assistant should say it's a virtual assistant if asked and let callers know about recording at the start of the call.

With Global AI, you can change your receptionist's greeting any time from your phone and hear how it sounds in your browser right away.