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#24530 - 03/23/01 11:40 AM help, please
Anonymous Unregistered	my husband's office answering message is a grammatical nightmare, and since he's asked me to be the new voice on the recorder (oh yay!~ immortalization!~) to replace the mechanical-sounding male voice that came with the system, i thought perhaps this would be a good time to correct the language issues. This is how it 'reads' now: Thank you for calling [name] manufacturing. if you know the extension number of the party you wish to speak to, you may enter it at any time. for sales press 2 for accounting press 4 for shipping press 5 to reach a directory by first name press 7 otherwise for further assistance press zero or simply stay on the line thank you anyone have time to offer a better one, that still gives all of the horrible options (that part is a necessary evil)? brevity is the goal, considering the high irritation factor inherent in these impersonal systems. TIA
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#24531 - 03/23/01 12:22 PM Re: help, please
of troy Carpal Tunnel Registered: 10/17/00 Posts: 5400 Loc: rego park	Not much improvement to be made-- but maybe if you know the extension number of the party or department you want, press it now. Or listen to the menu and press the extention you want at any time. and then Sales (Dept.) 2 accounting (dept) 4 shipping (dept.) 5 a directory by first name 7 Press is a bit redundant-- and fewer word get you out of the Menu faster-- You might also offer a To hear this menu again, 9 with a pause between Sales and the stating number 2.-- or any of the numbers... _________________________ my other obsession
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#24532 - 03/23/01 12:23 PM Re: help, please
Flatlander addict Registered: 01/18/01 Posts: 428 Loc: Cape Cod, MA, US	I don't know, as far as voice mail messages go, theirs isn'r bad, but how about: Welcome to [name] manufacturing. You may enter an extension number at any time. to reach the sales department, press 2 to reach the accounting department, press 4 to reach the shipping department, press 5 to reach a directory organized by first name, press 7 If you need further assistance, press zero or stay on the line. Thank you for calling [name] manufacturing. I figure if people know someone's extension, they know how one of these systems work, and don't need the detailed directions. THat's the best I can do. Good luck, and you'll have to give us all the number so we can hear your dulcet tones! Flatlander
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#24533 - 03/23/01 12:39 PM Re: help, please
Faldage Carpal Tunnel Registered: 12/01/00 Posts: 13659	A couple of important additions that should be made. Your call is very important to us and will be answered in the order in which it was received in. If you are unable to withstand the constant interruptions to the irritating background music you will soon be hearing in which we will be repeating our assurances as to the importance of your call to us, we suggest you call one of our competitors at which time you will come to realize that this is the best you are going to get. If you think things were better in the old days when you could talk to a real human being then you do not realize that we do not and we will not pay our receptionists enough to make it worth their while being interrupted while they are being used by the executives to perform all the little nagging tasks that the executives could be doing themselves in this day of personal computers and easy to understand coffee makers. If you still insist on speaking to a real human being press 0 and you will be disconnected. Thank you for calling [name] manufacturing and have a good day.
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#24534 - 03/23/01 01:46 PM Re: help, please
inselpeter Pooh-Bah Registered: 03/14/01 Posts: 2379 Loc: New York City	Talking hierarchy, these posts are more eyes than thread; since there's no place else, I'll go to the top. Flatlander's got it for the real world small business operator. A little more verbiage gives the caller some time to figure out what the hell they're doing. But for real world experience calling in, Faldage has it HANDS DOWN! I fell off my chair (and plan to sue)!
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#24535 - 03/23/01 02:13 PM Re: help, please
Bobyoungbalt veteran Registered: 11/22/00 Posts: 1289	Faldage's telephone message I love it!! LMAO! Just the other day I received this suggestion for a home telephone answering machine: Hello. We are not answering any calls right now because there's someone we are avoiding. Please leave a message at the beep so we can get back to you. If we don't call you back, you're the one.
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#24536 - 03/23/01 02:37 PM Re: help, please
inselpeter Pooh-Bah Registered: 03/14/01 Posts: 2379 Loc: New York City	You guys are breakin' me up!!!
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#24537 - 03/23/01 02:48 PM Re: phone answer devices
wow Carpal Tunnel Registered: 11/25/00 Posts: 3439 Loc: New England, USA	Awhile back my telephone with the answer option broke. Because I was busy with other things I didn't have time to replace it. It took about a week but I suddenly realized life is a lot less stressed and a great deal more peaceful without it. Those long automated messages drive me mad! I can hear the chinkle chinkle as my coins slip into the hands of the phone company if it's long distance and the whoooooosh as my time disappears on the local calls. I opt for shortest message possible. wow
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#24538 - 03/23/01 02:59 PM Re: phone answer devices
Rouspeteur member Registered: 03/10/01 Posts: 163	>Awhile back my telephone with the answer option broke. >Because I was busy with other things I didn't have time to replace it. >It took about a week but I suddenly realized life is a lot less stressed and a great deal more peaceful without it. Once when I wanted to avoid getting called in for overtime (after four consecutive 12-hour night shifts and with my finacée visiting) I taped tha standard phone company message, "You have dialed a number to which long distance is required" that you get when trying to use local dialing to get a long-distance number within the same area code. I found out when I went back to work that they had tried to phone me, but when they dialed normally they got the long-distance error message and when they dialed using "1" before the number they were told that it was a local call and they didn't need to dial "1". I never did tell them what I did, just in case I needed to use it again.
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#24539 - 03/23/01 03:05 PM Re: phone answer devices
wow Carpal Tunnel Registered: 11/25/00 Posts: 3439 Loc: New England, USA	"You have dialed a number to which long distance is required" GREAT! Laughed out loud! You're my kinda' guy! wow
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