Imagine you are calling a company. The phone rings and rings, then an employee answers "Hello." At that moment, many questions will come to mind. "Have I dialed the right place?" will be at the top of the list. You will try to find out where you have reached, then explain who you are and who you want to speak with. Think about the time you spent on what should have been a short conversation, and then about the impression the company leaves on you after that call.
The person who answers the phone is in fact the face of the company. Many organizations lose out at this point without realizing it.
With a greeting message and an after-hours announcement, answering and routing incoming calls to your office makes it easier for callers to reach the right person, and lets you manage phone traffic in your office effectively.
(Company) welcome. If you know the extension number, please dial it. If you don't, press 1 for (Department), 2 for (Department), 3 for (Department), or press 0 to be connected to the switchboard.
So what about those who call you outside working hours?
By playing them a message you determine, you will gently let them know that you are currently outside working hours.
Thank you for calling (Company). Our company is currently closed. You can reach us on weekdays between 09:00 and 18:00, and on Saturdays between 09:00 and 14:00. Thank you.
When you return to work, you can obtain a report of those who called outside working hours and, if you wish, call them back.