Professional voicemail greeting: 12 examples to copy
A good professional voicemail greeting tells callers four things in 20 to 30 seconds: who they reached, why nobody is available, when they can call back and what they can do right now. Below are 12 examples you can adapt, grouped by situation (after hours, lunch break, holidays, medical practice, restaurant, salon), plus tips for recording them and the signs that a greeting is no longer enough.
For many customers the greeting is the first thing they hear from your business. It deserves the same care as your shop sign.
5 rules for a greeting that works
- Name first. The first words after "hello" are your business name, so callers know straight away they dialled the right number.
- Keep it short. Three or four sentences. Past 30 seconds, people hang up before they reach the useful part.
- One clear action. "Leave your name and number", "email us at…", "book on our website". One, two at most.
- Exact hours and dates. "We reopen Monday the 4th at 9am" beats "we'll be back soon".
- Keep it current. A holiday greeting still running in September is worse than no greeting at all.
Record it somewhere quiet, with the phone a hand's width from your mouth, and play it back from a mobile before switching it on: what you hear is what your customers will hear.
After hours and closed office
1. After hours, basic
Hello, you've reached [Business name]. Our office is closed right now: we're open Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm. Please leave your name, number and the reason for your call after the tone, and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
2. After hours with another channel
Hi, this is [Business name]. We're closed and will reopen tomorrow at 9am. You can email us at [address], or leave a message after the tone and we'll call you back in the morning.
3. Lunch break
Hello, [Business name]. We're on a break until 2:30pm. Leave a message if you like, and we'll call you back as soon as we're back.
4. All lines busy
Thanks for calling [Business name]. We're all with other customers right now. Leave your name and number after the tone and we'll call you back within one business hour.
Only promise a call-back time you can actually keep.
Holiday and seasonal closures
5. Summer holidays
Hello, you've reached [Business name]. We're closed for the holidays from [date] to [date] inclusive and reopen on [day and date] at [time]. For anything urgent, email us at [address]. Enjoy your summer.
6. Public holidays
Hi, [Business name]. We're closed for the holidays until [date]. Messages left here will be handled in order when we're back. Thank you, and happy holidays.
On the day you reopen, the first job is to switch your normal greeting back on.
Examples by industry
Medical or dental practice
7. Practice closed
Good morning, [Practice name]. The practice is closed: reception is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm and 3pm to 7pm. To book or cancel an appointment, leave your full name and number after the tone. For a medical emergency, call [local emergency number].
8. Practice on holiday
Hello, [Practice name]. We're closed for the holidays until [date]. If you need care in the meantime, please contact [covering doctor or service]. For emergencies, call [local emergency number].
In a healthcare greeting, never ask callers to describe symptoms or clinical details: name, number and a general reason (booking, cancellation, test results) are enough. See our page for medical practices.
Restaurant
9. Outside service hours
Hi, you've reached [Restaurant name]. We're closed right now: we serve lunch from 12 to 3pm and dinner from 7 to 11pm, closed on Mondays. You can book a table online at [website] or call us back during service.
10. During service
Hi, [Restaurant name]. We're in the middle of service and can't pick up. To book, leave your name, number, day, time and party size, and we'll call you back to confirm.
The second greeting collects everything needed for a booking, but someone still has to call back, and the busier the shift, the longer the queue. More on this in our guide to restaurant phone reservations.
Hair or beauty salon
11. Salon at work
Hi, you've reached [Salon name]. Our hands are busy! Leave your name, number and the treatment you're interested in, and we'll call you back between clients to book you in.
Professional firm
12. Law or accounting firm
Good morning, [Firm name]. We can't take your call right now. Our office line is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm. Please leave your name, number and a short reference to your matter, and we'll get back to you by the next business day.
What to avoid
- "Your call is important to us" to a caller who never gets a call back.
- Music and long introductions before the information people need.
- Expired dates: "we reopen on August 26" heard in October.
- Numbers read too fast: if you give a phone number or email, say it slowly, twice.
- Asking for too much: the more details you ask for, the fewer messages you get.
When a greeting is no longer enough
Voicemail records, it doesn't resolve: people calling to book have to wait for someone to listen and call back, and many never leave a message at all. If any of these sound familiar, the problem isn't the wording:
- you spend the first hour of the morning returning last night's calls;
- most messages ask the same things (hours, availability, bookings);
- you miss calls even during opening hours because you're with a customer or busy working.
That's where an AI phone assistant makes the difference: it answers instead of voicemail, always or only after hours, depending on how you set it up. It handles frequent questions, books or moves appointments in your connected calendar and hands the call to a person according to the rules you choose. It works through call forwarding from the number you already have, so you don't have to change it.
The assistant has an opening line too, and writing it follows the same rules as this guide, plus one: under the EU AI Act it must say right away that it is an AI, as we explain in our article on AI Act transparency. For a point-by-point comparison, read AI phone assistant vs voicemail.
Checklist before you record
- Business name in the first sentence
- Exact hours or reopening dates
- One clear action for the caller
- An emergency alternative, if your industry needs one
- Under 30 seconds
- A calendar reminder to change the greeting when the holidays end
Want to hear how an AI assistant would answer instead of your voicemail? Book a demo: we set it up on a case like yours, from the opening line to the appointment in your calendar.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a voicemail greeting be?
As short as possible: three or four sentences, about 20 to 30 seconds read aloud. Callers want to know they reached the right number, when they can call back and what to do now. Anything else makes it longer without helping them.
What should a professional voicemail greeting include?
The business name, why nobody is answering (closed, after hours, holidays), when you will be available again, what the caller can do now (leave a message, email, book online) and, where relevant, who to contact in an emergency.
How do I write a holiday closure message?
Give the exact closing and reopening dates, an alternative channel if you have one (email, website, WhatsApp) and, for healthcare practices, who to contact in an emergency. Switch back to your normal greeting on the day you reopen.
Can voicemail book an appointment?
No. It records a message and someone has to listen to it and call back. To book or move an appointment while the customer is still on the line you need an AI phone assistant connected to your calendar.
