Which message is the most acceptable for an assistant to leave when returning a patients call?

Try the new Google Books

Check out the new look and enjoy easier access to your favorite features

Though leaving a voicemail is a simple thing, nerves, stress, and miscommunication can result in you leaving a less-than-professional message. Here are some tips for leaving courteous and business-like voicemails that will get returned.

1. Think it through first

It is always a good rule to think through what you want to talk about before you make a call. Run through the points you want to address with the person you are calling, and mentally note the most important item to mention if you end up reaching their voicemail. Be concise so that your voicemail states your purpose for calling and doesn’t waste anyone’s time.

2. Introduce yourself

Begin every voicemail introducing yourself so that the person or business knows who is calling right away. You should state your full name and company name.

Avoid saying “Hey it’s me”.  You may believe that the person the message is for will recognise your voice, but why leave it up to chance?  State your full name every time.  And, if you are leaving an initial message for business purposes, we recommend that you state your name twice.

Make sure you know how to say the name of the person you are calling. If you don’t know how to pronounce a name, ask someone who might know, or Google the pronunciation. You don’t want to start your relationship by insulting them before you have even spoken in person.

3. Speak slowly

If you speak too fast, the person on the other end might not understand your message. They may need to rewind your voicemail over and over to catch everything.  We recommend talking slightly slower than you usually do. If you are a speedy talker, slow it right down.

This is incredibly important to remember when you are saying your name, contact number, or email address. Keep in mind that people write slower than they talk. No one wants to listen to a voicemail message ten times; they simply might decide not to return the call.

4. Speak clearly

Think about how you speak to someone who is elderly – you slow down and clearly enunciate your words. Do the same when you leave voicemails.

Bad phone connections happen all the time. Try your best to mitigate any issues that might prevent the person you are calling from getting all the details they need to call you back.

5. Mention your availability

Clearly state if you would like to receive a callback, or if you will retry your call. If you wish to be called back, state when you are available to take the call. If you are the one calling back, let them know when to expect your call. Just make sure that you follow up and try again exactly when you said you would.

6. Keep it short and sweet

This is not a university lecture. It’s more of an Oscars reward speech. Short, sweet, and to the point.

Make sure you touch on the most important reason for your call. If your voicemail is over 30 seconds long, it is far too long. Work on trimming the insubstantial information our of your voicemails.

You are asking for a call back to discuss all the details in depth, and your voicemail messages should reflect this.

7. Make sure your details are clear

Just like any professional business communication, make sure the last items you leave are your name and contact details. Repeat both at least twice during your voicemail.

With regards to your telephone number, pauses in your speech will give your listener a chance to catch up and not miss any details. For example, say your telephone number this way “1-2-3-pause-4-5-6-pause-7-8-pause-9-10″.

If you need to leave an email address, spell it out. You may need to make sure to clarify letters like “D-for-Delta.” If your name is long and complicated, it is doubly important to spell it out. If you can’t remember army call signs, then a more common word like “D-for-Dog” is perfectly acceptable.

8. End the voicemail professionally

End your call by saying “I look forward to hearing from you” or “Can’t wait to talk with you.” Both are warmer than a more generic “Have a nice day.” Don’t feel the need to summarise your message one last time. If they need to, they can replay your message.

9. Disconnected mid message

If you think your voicemail got disconnected before you finished, here is an easy solution. Simply call back, stating first that you believe your previous call was cut off. Finish the rest of your message, keeping it short and to the point. Always restate your name and telephone number on any second call.

10. Practice makes perfect

As with most things, practice takes away your nerves. Use your mobile phone to call your home phone and leave several messages. Then listen to them all.

Note what you did well, and what didn’t work. If you are calling friends, end your message by letting them know you are working on your voicemail skills and would love their feedback. Alternatively, watch YouTube videos of communication experts leaving voicemails to see how they do it.

Tips to remember

• Smile while you are talking. You will be able to hear the smile in your voice, which creates a positive impression.
• Make sure there are no background noises in your message – like tv, radio, or traffic.
• If you are calling about a confidential matter, don’t leave all the details on the voicemail. You never know who may have access to the voicemail or may overhear it.
• Listen to all voicemail prompts and follow instructions carefully as every phone system is different.

When good voicemail is important

Every time! But even more so in certain situations. If you are applying for a job or returning an interview call, this may be the first impression you are making. If you are in customer service, clarity cannot be overemphasised. On any sales call, you need to come across as well informed and prepared – a good voicemail will convey that.

The ability to leave an excellent voicemail message is not a thing of the past. It is still important, especially in a work environment. Use these tips to stay on point. Soon you will wonder why you ever hesitated to leave voicemails, and any anxiety you may have will be a thing of the past.

No matter who you are leaving a voicemail for, or the situation, make sure it is a good one.

The behavior of your medical office staff on inbound and outbound calls can have a positive or negative impact on your business. Whether a receptionist is scheduling an appointment or a nurse is answering a question, excellent phone etiquette and customer service is required to prevent patient attrition and spread of negative word-of-mouth advertising. Ask your staff to follow these seven rules of etiquette when dealing with patients, vendors, colleagues and others on the phone.

Answer inbound calls as quickly as possible – before the third ring – to prevent a caller from thinking the office is understaffed. Too many rings is an unnecessary irritation in waiting patients and can create a negative office atmosphere. Impress upon your staff that everyone in the office should assist with this issue.

Greet callers in a friendly, professional manner with the office and staff member name: “Good afternoon, Thousands of Smiles Dental office, this is Jacob. How may I be of assistance?” Smile during every call, as smiling can naturally improve the voice to make it seem more energetic and friendly. Avoid eating or chewing gum while talking, as the noises can be most unpleasant for the person on the other end of the phone line.

Speak in a low tone using moderate volume and speed to convey words in a clear, understandable way. Raise tone or volume to emphasize a point or clarify as the situation dictates. For example, a staff member might raise the volume of his voice for an elderly patient who asks him to speak up.

Ask a caller’s permission to place her on hold if necessary. For example, after the greeting and determining the caller’s name, a staff member might say, “Mrs. Anderson, I'm assisting a patient on the other line. May I please place you on a brief hold? (waits for answer) Thank you. Please hold.”

Advise office staff to always check back with a caller on hold within a specific amount of time to reassure the caller that he hasn’t been forgotten. If a staff member anticipates a long hold time, she should apologize for the continued hold and provide the caller with options such as leaving a voice-mail message, continuing to hold or calling back later. Although hold times vary by medical offices, callers might consider a hold time longer than 30 seconds without a hold message or music, or 90 seconds with a message or music, to be disrespectful.

Use nontechnical language with patients instead of jargon or medical abbreviations, as a caller or call receiver might not understand medical terminology. If use of a medical term, phrase or abbreviation is necessary, ask staff members to offer a definition in context to clarify meaning. Of course, it's appropriate to use more technical language in conversations with a doctor, medical supplier, pharmaceutical representatives and so on.

Listen to the caller or call receiver attentively to determine the best way to assist and to show interest and concern. Advise staff members to take notes while listening, wait for the caller to finish speaking and repeat key points or ask questions to clarify the caller or receiver’s statements.

Close the call in a friendly, professional way instead of simply hanging up. For example, “Thank you. I will make certain the doctor gets your message. Goodbye.” or "Mr. Smith, Is there anything else I can help you with? (waits for answer) You’re welcome. Thank you for calling and have a nice day."