Voicemail greeting generator for contractors
Type your business name, trade, hours and service area, choose what happens in an emergency and how fast you call back, and get three greetings to read aloud: a short one, a standard one for the main line and one for after hours. Free, nothing to sign up for, and nothing you type leaves this page.
Left empty, the greeting asks emergency callers to start their message with "emergency" so you call them first.
Your greetings- ShortFor a cell phone or a busy day
Thanks for calling [your business name]. Leave your name, number and what's going on, and we'll call you back the same day. If it's an emergency, start your message with "emergency" and we'll call you first.
About 14 seconds read aloud - StandardFor the main business line during the day
Hi, you've reached [your business name]. We handle plumbing. Sorry we missed you. Leave your name, number, the job address and what's wrong, and we'll call you back the same day. If it's an emergency, start your message with "emergency" and we'll call you first. Thanks for calling.
About 19 seconds read aloud - After hoursFor nights, weekends and holidays
Thanks for calling [your business name]. We're closed right now. If it's an emergency, start your message with "emergency" and we'll call you first. If anyone is in danger, hang up and call 911. Otherwise, leave your name, number, address and what's wrong, and we'll call you back as soon as we open.
About 21 seconds read aloud
Tips for a voicemail greeting that gets messages
Say the business name first
The caller should know in the first breath that they reached the right company, not a personal phone or the wrong number.
Keep it under 30 seconds
Every sentence before the beep is one more chance to hang up. The counter under each script is an estimate at an easy pace; read it once with a timer.
Ask for what you need to call back
Name, number, the address of the job and what is wrong. With those four you can call back ready, and decide who goes first.
Give emergencies their own line
If you take emergency calls, say exactly what to do: a number to call, or to say "emergency" first. If you do not, say so, so nobody waits on you overnight.
Promise only what you keep
Pick a callback time you can meet on your busiest day. "Within the hour" that turns into tomorrow is worse than "the same day".
Update it for holidays and closures
Record the after-hours version, with the date you reopen, before a holiday, a vacation or a storm week, and switch it back after.
Record it somewhere quiet
Speak a little slower than normal, smile, and listen to it once from another phone before you keep it.
Rather have it answered? A voicemail greeting only records a message. Betterlane builds a phone assistant from your website that answers in your business name, asks what the job is, where and how soon, takes the caller's name and number, and texts each call to your team. Type your website and call it, free.
Hear a phone assistant built from your websiteQuestions
How long should a contractor's voicemail greeting be?
Short enough that the caller gets to the beep while they still want to leave a message. These tips aim for under 30 seconds; the short script is the quickest. Read yours once with a timer, since the counter here is only an estimate.
What should a business voicemail greeting say?
The business name, that you missed the call, what to leave (name, number, address and what is wrong), when you will call back, and what to do in an emergency. After hours, add your opening hours.
Should I give an emergency number on my voicemail?
Only if someone really answers it. If you do not take emergency calls, say so, so the caller can find help elsewhere, and tell anyone in danger to call 911.
How do I change my voicemail greeting?
It depends on your phone: on a cell phone it is usually in the voicemail settings of the Phone app, and on a business phone system in its voicemail menu or admin settings. Your carrier's or phone system's help page has the exact steps.
Can I use these scripts however I like?
Yes. The text is yours: copy it, change it, read it as you like. Nothing you type here is sent or stored; the scripts are made in your browser.
What is the difference between a voicemail greeting and a phone assistant?
A greeting plays and records. A phone assistant answers the call, asks what the job is, where and how soon, takes the caller's name and number and texts the call to your team. The one Betterlane builds does not book into Jobber, ServiceTitan or Housecall Pro and does not transfer calls; whoever does your scheduling books it from the text.