On Hold Phone Messages and Professional Voice Recordings

Start with a Well-Written Script

A well-written script is the foundation of any great on-hold message. It needs to capture the caller's attention so they stay engaged while navigating menu options or waiting on hold, and it sets the tone for the conversation that follows. Every script should serve a clear goal, which usually falls into one of three categories: inform the caller, promote your brand or products, or simply entertain. Whatever the goal, the caller should never feel they're just being kept waiting.

Write for Your Target Audience

The most engaging messages have a distinct personality, combining clever scripting with well-chosen music. A touch of humour can work well when promoting a product or service. Above all, match the language to your audience. If your customers are mostly younger, casual and relaxed wording will land well. If they're mostly business professionals, a more polished, articulate style is the better fit.

Set the Right Tone

Your choice of words creates the written tone. The voice artist's delivery creates the speaking tone. When the two match, the message reinforces your brand and lands the way you intended. When they clash such as a formal script being read with high energy, callers notice, and the message loses its impact.

Keep It Concise and Easy to Follow

Simple, direct language makes a message easy to follow on first hearing. A full on-hold loop may run for several minutes, but each individual message within it should be short and focused, around 35 to 40 words. Always read your script aloud before recording; what looks good on paper doesn't necessarily sound good when spoken.

Define the Message and Know Your Wait Times

On-hold messages can serve many purposes: promoting your business, answering frequently asked questions or sharing important customer service information. Be clear about what you want the caller to take away. Confusion leads to disengagement and reflects poorly on your brand.

Knowing your average hold time tells you how long the recording needs to be. Too short, and the message repeats too often and loses the caller's attention. Too long, and callers may hang up before hearing the key points.

There are four main types, and most businesses use a combination of them.

A business intro message is a short welcome callers hear before they're connected. It names your business, sets the tone and lets callers know they'll be helped shortly.

Voice prompts are the menu options used in Auto Attendant and IVR systems, usually following the intro message. They direct callers to the right department, so they need to be concise and easy to follow on first hearing.

Messages on hold play in a loop while callers wait. They combine music with short marketing or customer service messages promoting products, answering common questions or simply reinforcing your brand.

Voicemail greetings are outgoing messages for when a call can't be answered. They typically cover business hours, after hours, public holidays and unattended departments, and should tell the caller when to expect a return call.

All four can be professionally recorded and used with inbound numbers or uploaded to your PBX phone system.

A business intro message is the short greeting callers hear before they're connected, so keep it brief, warm and on-brand. Aim for two or three sentences and around 20 to 30 words in total.

Start by naming your business so callers know they've reached the right place. Follow with a short line that reflects your brand such as a tagline, your specialty or what you promise customers. Finish by telling callers what happens next: that they'll be connected shortly, or that menu options will follow.

Write the way you speak. Short sentences and everyday words sound natural when read aloud, while long or formal phrasing tends to sound stiff. Use 'please' once at most, and read the script out loud before recording to check it flows.

For example: 'Welcome to Business 1300, where our mission is to make your business even more outstanding. Please hold the line and one of our representatives will be with you shortly.'

If you'd like help, our Business Consultants can write and record the message for you. Please call 1300 00 1300 or enquire online.

Think of it as one short script in two parts: a welcome, then the menu.

Open with your business intro, one or two sentences that name your business and reflect your brand. Then move straight into the options with a single lead-in line such as 'To help us direct your call, please select from the following options.'

For the menu itself, keep every option short and consistent: the number first, then the destination, with no extra description. List the most common reasons for calling first, and keep the menu to three or four options, any more and callers lose track. Use 'please' once in the whole script, not on every line, and avoid long explanations of what each department does.

Read the finished script aloud and time it. Callers should be able to hear the menu and make a choice within a few seconds.

For example: 'Welcome to Business 1300, where our mission is to make your business even more outstanding. To help us direct your call, please select from the following options: press one for Sales, two for Customer Service or three for Reception.'

If callers may need to hear the options again, add a final line such as 'To repeat these options, press nine.'

On hold messages are a loop of music and short spoken messages that play while callers wait. Rather than one long announcement, write a series of individual messages and let them play in sequence over background music.

Start by deciding what you want callers to take away. Most on hold scripts mix three things: promotional messages about your products or services, useful customer service information such as opening hours or your website, and simple reassurance that their call will be answered soon.

Keep each message to around 35 to 40 words with one clear point, and separate them with 20 to 30 seconds of music so the loop doesn't feel relentless. Write in a conversational tone that suits your audience, and read every message aloud before recording, what looks good on paper doesn't always sound good spoken.

Match the length of the loop to your typical hold time. If callers usually wait two minutes, a two- to three-minute loop means they won't hear the same message repeated. Too short and it becomes repetitive; too long and callers may hang up before reaching the important points.

Finally, keep it current. Refresh messages when you have new products, seasonal promotions or changed hours so callers aren't hearing out-of-date information.

A business voicemail greeting should be short, courteous and informative. Callers need to know they've reached the right business, why their call wasn't answered, what to do next and when to expect a reply, all in around 30 to 45 words.

Follow a simple structure. Thank the caller and name your business. Explain briefly why you can't take the call: you're attending to other customers, it's outside business hours or you're closed for a holiday. Ask for their name, phone number and a short message. Then tell them when you'll call back, such as by the end of the day or on the next business day. If you can, offer an alternative like your website or email address for callers who need information right away.

Keep the tone professional and friendly, avoid apologising more than once, and skip unnecessary detail, callers just want to leave a message and move on.

Most businesses need a few versions: one for busy periods during business hours, one for after hours, one for public holidays and one for departments without reception staff. Write each as a separate greeting so the message always matches the situation.

For example: 'Thank you for calling B1300. You've reached us outside business hours. Please leave your name, phone number and a message and we'll return your call on the next business day. Thank you.'

An after-hours greeting should tell callers the office is closed, give them another way to get information if they need it now, and let them know when they'll hear back. Here's a simple version:

'Thank you for calling B1300. You've reached us outside our business hours of 8.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday. For information on our products and services, visit b1300.com.au. Alternatively, please leave your name, phone number and a message and we'll return your call on the next business day. Thank you.'

Adjust it to suit your business. State your actual hours so callers know when to try again, replace the website line with an email address or emergency contact if that's more useful, and if you offer an urgent after-hours service, say so clearly with the number to call. Keep it under about 45 words and read it aloud before recording to make sure it flows.

A holiday greeting should tell callers you're closed for the holiday, when you'll reopen and what to do in the meantime. Here's a simple version:

'Thank you for calling B1300. We are currently closed for the public holiday and will reopen on Tuesday at 8.30am. Please leave your name, phone number and a short message and we'll return your call on our next business day. Alternatively, visit b1300.com.au for more information. Thank you.'

For a longer closure, such as Christmas and New Year, name the dates: 'We are closed from Wednesday 24 December and will reopen on Monday 5 January.' If you have an emergency or on-call number, include it. Keep the greeting under about 45 words, and remember to switch back to your normal greeting once you reopen.

An unattended department greeting is for teams that don't have someone answering calls throughout the day, such as accounts, warehouse or technical support. It should confirm which department the caller has reached, ask them to leave a message and say when to expect a reply. Here's a simple version:

'Thank you for calling the Accounts Department at B1300. We're unable to take your call right now, but please leave your name, phone number and a brief message and we'll get back to you within one business day. Thank you.'

Name the department clearly so callers know they're in the right place, and be realistic about the return-call time. A specific promise like 'within one business day' is more reassuring than 'as soon as possible.' If the department handles routine requests such as invoice copies or account queries, mention the email address callers can use instead. Keep it under about 40 words.