How's your small business outgoing voice-mail message?

Have you listened to your outgoing telephone message lately?
Was it very easy to understand, even for someone who is calling you for the first time?

I recently called a small business, and was appalled at the gruff, very deep tone of the message. It was almost impossible to understand, for a person who has normal hearing. For many customers who have hearing losses,it would not have been understandable. Prospective customers may easily have hung up. The culprit could well have been the recording equipment, or the person who recorded the message.

If you are recording an outgoing voice-mail message, say it slowly. This subconsciously cues those leaving a message to speak slowly themselves, which means you may understand them better. Speak enthusiastically, though, so people hear your enthusiasm!


Business Speech Improvement provides intensive training and e-books on many aspects of verbal communication, including diction and sales.

Corporate voice mail message services: causing customer frustration

You call a company, and are asked to say and spell your name, address or customer number so your information can be found before transferring you to a customer service employee. Despite ultra-clear pronunciation, the machine doesn't understand you - repeatedly. Sometimes you then give up, or try to get around the system by dialing another number. Sometimes, if you wait long enough, a customer service rep comes online - and then has to calm a customer who maybe wasn't frustrated before making the call! So why do companies use these systems if they cannot recognize most names and numbers?

How do you handle it when the machine doesn't understand you?
Tell us your strategies; let's start a discussion here!

Business Speech Improvement provides intensive training in diction, accent modification, presentation skills, sales communication, and much more!