I change my voice mail greeting everyday, so that it references the current day. Why? Because I want people to know that I am on top of my messages and their message is important to me.
Whenever I discover a recurring activity like this, I try to “template” the process. By this I mean that I try to find a solution that represents the optimal way for me to perform the activity.
This is what Michael Gerber in his must-read book The E-Myth Revisited calls working on your business rather than simply working in your business.
I then document the process (which is also a template) and insert it into my “personal procedure manual.” This makes it very easy to pass the procedure along or train someone else. From time to time, I tweak the procedure to improve it.
To template the “change my voice mail greeting procedure, I first automated the process. I started by programming into my cell phone my voice mail telephone number and then all the keystrokes necessary to log in and initiate the ”change your greeting“ feature. I was able to reduce the sequence of twenty-seven keystrokes to two: I press the speed key to dial my voice mail number once, then, once I’m connected, I press a key to initiate the log-in process.
Next, I wrote a simple phone greeting script that I could reuse each day. It goes like this:
- I am in the office, but I’m either on my phone or away from my desk;
- I am in the office but will be in meetings all day;
- I am out of the office on business; or
- I am out of the office on vacation.
However, your call is very important to me. If you will leave a message, I will call you back at my first opportunity. If you need immediate assistance, press zero-pound to speak to my assistant, Vicki Parr. Thanks for calling.
Finally, I memorized the script, using the first bullet point, since that is the one I use most often. This enables me to change my voice mail message first thing in the morning, while I am driving to work. I simply recite it form memory. By now, I can do it in my sleep.
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Mike, this is a great idea. Do you do this on weekends too?
Thank you also for the tips in the previous post, I will attempt to try tweaking the code again.
No, I just do this on the weekdays. Thanks.
This reinforces the value of blogging. By suggesting not dictating this procedure, I think that several people will make it a part of their daily practice. This creates positive change within the organization. In addition, it opens up your “Personal Procedures” for suggested improvements.
Now for that critique … My initial reaction was this is a long greeting. I’ve made a effort to minimize the words in my own standard greeting. There appears to be some words that could be removed. Something as simple as mail instead of mailbox or skip instead of bypass to improve speech speed & continuity.
Lin,
Great input. I thought it was a little long, too. That’s why I added the “press 1″ by pass. However, I like your suggestions on using simpler words. Now if I can just retrain my brain!
Thanks,
Mike
I don’t think it’s too long at all :) and I just implemented this practice on my cell phone, and it’s interesting because I also now feel more compelled to follow through on returning my calls. I do anyway, but somehow doing the voicemail daily makes it seem like I’m more accountable.
Michael, Right on target again. I try to do the same but always seem to get behind so I have taped the scripts to my visor with reminder to do it before I get to work. I am using a headset for my Moto Q for listening to books so this should be a much easier task with speed dialing my cell and my office extensions.
PS Don’t ever quit blogging, A while back you slowed way down for a short while and I went through withdrawals. I have met and emailed at least 10 to 15 people I would have never had contact with without reading your blogs.
Index to my first book has also been recorded on paper. I have been using your suggestions and recommendations on writing in my material. I hope to get it published someday soon; it’s about teaching other men about being a great husband and father. Not a new concept, but I do approach it with a new eye and have been told it is and I am entertaining and on target. I work full time as speaker and trainer and use that opportunity as a sounding board for some of my ideas.
Have a great 2007!
To your Success,
Jim
A Better Voice Mail Greeting
[Source: From Where I Sit] quoted: Because I want people to know that I am on top of my messages and their message is important to me. Whenever I discover a recurring activity like this, I try to template the process.
hey,
nice article. Try our free cell phone voicemail service that allows you to customize greetings for individual callers and even create groups.