Your professional voicemail greeting (or, in 2026, the greeting your AI receptionist speaks) has two jobs: tell the caller they've reached the right business, and make clear they're about to get help. An AI greeting can go one step further and open with a specific question right away ("Are you a new or existing client?") instead of playing a menu. One more rule: if your callers are in an all-party-consent state (California, Florida, Illinois, Washington, and eight others), the greeting also needs a short recording disclosure. The full list is in our call recording laws by state guide.
Get those wrong and the caller hangs up; a bad greeting sends them straight to your competitor.
Below: 35+ scripts you can copy, customize, and record today, plus 13 real production greeting patterns from NextPhone customers, every one with playable phone-quality audio, graded by what actually moves caller experience. Skip ahead to the 13 real patterns or jump straight to the scripts.
Quick answer: A great professional voicemail greeting is 10–30 seconds, names you and your business, gives a callback window, and offers an alternative for urgent matters. But not every greeting element is equal: a take-a-message option ("...or take a message for the team"), honest AI disclosure, and a native-language opener move the caller. Tagline brand fluff doesn't. Hear all 13 patterns below.
Before you record anything, one piece of math. Across the 1,446,980 inbound business calls in our production database, only 20.8% of calls end with a captured message, and that's with an AI politely asking for one. Plain voicemail runs closer to 15%, and 85% of callers who hit voicemail never call back. The perfect greeting is still a greeting on a missed call. If you're polishing one because calls go unanswered while you work, the stronger fix is making sure nobody reaches voicemail at all: NextPhone answers every call in under 2 seconds, 24/7, on flat monthly plans from $199, speaking with the same voices you're about to audition below.
Professional Business Voicemail Greetings
Standard greetings for everyday use during business hours.
Hi, you've reached [Your Name] at [Company Name]. I'm unable to take your call right now, but your call is important to me. Please leave your name, number, and a brief message, and I'll get back to you within 24 hours. Thanks for calling.
Hello, this is [Your Name] with [Company Name]. I'm currently assisting other customers but will return calls between 4 and 5 PM today. Please leave your details after the tone, and I'll call you back during that window.
You've reached [Your Name] at [Company Name]. I'm away from my phone, but if your matter is time-sensitive, please email me at [email] for a faster response. Otherwise, leave a message and I'll call you back within one business day.
Hi, this is [Your Name]. I can't take your call right now. For quick answers to common questions, visit [website]. Or leave a message with your name and number, and I'll return your call soon.
Thank you for calling [Company Name]. We're sorry we missed your call. Please leave your name, phone number, and a brief message, and a member of our team will get back to you as soon as possible.
You've reached the desk of [Your Name], [Title] at [Company Name]. I'm in meetings for most of the day but check messages hourly. Leave your name and number and I'll get back to you before end of business today.
Short and Simple Voicemail Greetings
When brevity matters: under 10 seconds each.
Hi, it's [Your Name]. Leave a message and I'll call you back.
You've reached [Your Name] at [Company Name]. Please leave a message.
[Your Name] here. Can't talk right now. Leave your number and I'll call you back within the hour.
Hey, it's [Your Name]. I'm faster by text. Shoot me a message. Otherwise, leave a voicemail and I'll get back to you.
This is [Your Name]. Leave your name, number, and what you need. I'll call you back today.
After-Hours Voicemail Greetings
Set expectations when the office is closed.
A sample after-hours intake. The caller's name and matter are captured, the callback number is confirmed, a morning callback is promised: what a voicemail can't do.
You've reached [Company Name]. Our office is currently closed. Our business hours are Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. Please leave a message and we'll return your call on the next business day.
Hi, you've reached [Your Name] at [Company Name]. Our office is closed for the evening. For emergencies, please press 1 to reach our on-call technician. For all other matters, leave a message and we'll call you back first thing tomorrow.
Thanks for calling [Company Name]. We're closed for the weekend and will reopen Monday at 8 AM. Leave a message with your name and number, and we'll return your call Monday morning.
You've reached [Company Name] after business hours. You can book an appointment anytime at [website] or leave a message and we'll call you back when we open at [time]. Thanks for calling.
Out-of-Office and Vacation Greetings
For planned absences with backup contact info.
Hi, this is [Your Name]. I'm out of the office until [Date] with limited access to messages. If you need immediate assistance, please contact [Backup Name] at [Number]. Otherwise, I'll return your call when I'm back.
You've reached [Your Name] at [Company Name]. I'm currently on leave and will return on [Date]. During my absence, please contact [Backup Name] at [Number/Email] for assistance. Thank you for your patience.
Hi, you've reached [Your Name]. I'm on parental leave through [Date]. For all inquiries, please contact [Backup Contact] at [Number/Email]. They'll be happy to help you. Thanks for understanding.
This is [Your Name]. I'm traveling for [event/conference] through [Date] and may be slow to return calls. For urgent matters, email me at [email]. I'll get back to everyone else when I return.
Holiday Voicemail Greetings
Seasonal greetings with clear return dates.
Happy holidays from [Company Name]. Our office is closed from December 24th through January 2nd. Please leave a message and we'll call you back when we return on January 3rd. For emergencies, email [email].
Thanks for calling [Company Name]. We're closed for Thanksgiving from [Date] through [Date]. Leave a message and we'll get back to you when we return. Have a great holiday.
You've reached [Company Name]. We're closed today for [Holiday Name] and will reopen on [Date]. Leave your name and number and we'll return your call when we're back. Happy [Holiday].
Mobile and Personal Voicemail Greetings
Casual greetings for personal phones, no company name needed.
Hey, it's [Your Name]. I missed your call. Leave me a message or send a text and I'll get back to you.
Hi, you've reached [Your Name]. If I didn't pick up, I'm either busy or don't recognize your number. Leave a message and I'll call you back if I know what it's about.
Hey, this is [Your Name]. Leave a message or just text me. I'll probably see that faster.
Hi, you've reached [Your Name]. I'm not available right now but leave your name, number, and what you're looking for, and I'll get back to you today.
Hi, you've reached [Your Name]. Please leave a message in English or Spanish and I'll return your call. / Hola, ha llamado a [Your Name]. Deje un mensaje en inglés o español y le devolveré la llamada.
Customer Support Voicemail Greetings
For support lines, help desks, and service departments.
Thanks for calling [Company Name] support. All of our agents are currently helping other customers. Please leave your name, number, and a brief description of your issue, and we'll call you back within [timeframe]. You can also email us at [email] or visit [website] for live chat.
You've reached [Company Name] technical support. Leave your name, phone number, and your ticket or account number if you have one. A support specialist will call you back within [timeframe].
Thank you for calling [Company Name] customer service. We're experiencing higher than normal call volume. Leave your number and we'll call you back in the order your call was received, no need to wait on hold.
Hi, you've reached [Company Name] support. Before leaving a message, check [website/help-center]. Most common questions are answered there. If you still need help, leave your name, number, and issue details and we'll get back to you within one business day.
Industry-Specific Greetings
Tailored scripts for specific professions. Real estate agents get six more in our realtor voicemail scripts.
Hey, you've reached [Your Name] with [Company Name]. I'm probably on a job site right now. Leave your name, number, and a brief description of the work you need done, and I'll call you back today. For emergencies like flooding or no heat, text me at this number.
Thank you for calling [Property Name]. Our office is closed. If this is a maintenance emergency like flooding, fire, or a lockout, press 1 to reach our on-call team. For rent questions, press 2. To leave a message, press 3. We'll return your call within one business day.
Hi, this is [Your Name] with [Brokerage]. I'm likely showing properties right now. Leave your name, number, and the address you're calling about, and I'll get back to you within the hour. You can also text me for a faster response.
You've reached the office of [Your Name] at [Firm Name]. I'm currently in a meeting. Please leave a detailed message including your name, phone number, and the nature of your inquiry, and I'll return your call by end of business today.
Thank you for calling [Firm Name]. We're with clients right now. For appointment scheduling, press 1 or visit [website]. For tax document questions, press 2. For all other inquiries, leave your name and number and we'll call you back before end of day.
Hi, thanks for calling [Business Name]. We're with clients right now. To book an appointment, visit [website] or leave your name, number, and the service you're interested in, and we'll call you back today.
13 real production greeting patterns, graded by caller value
Most voicemail-greeting guides give you scripts and call it done. We pulled real production greetings from our customer base, extracted the 13 distinct patterns that show up most across small businesses, and re-recorded each one with fake-but-industry-plausible business names so you can hear the structure honestly without revealing any customer.
Then (the more interesting part) we graded each pattern by what it actually does for the caller, not what it does for the business. Some elements that sound professional are pure brand fluff. Others quietly remove the biggest friction in AI phone interactions. Listen below.
Top tier: these move the caller
The four patterns that actually change whether a caller stays engaged, hangs up, or leaves a usable message.
Pattern 1: Take-a-message option. The single most under-used element in production greetings. Removes the #1 caller anxiety around AI: "what if this doesn't work for what I need?" Giving the caller an explicit alternative ("...or take a message for the team") increases the share of callers who stick with the AI long enough to get qualified, because they know they have an out. Note the framing: "take a message for the team" is the 2026 version; "leave a voicemail" sounds antiquated and primes the caller to expect a dead-end. Smith.ai and Ruby don't offer either version in their default greetings.
Thanks for calling Hayes Plumbing, this is Juniper. I can answer your questions or take a message for the team. Just let me know how I can help.
Pattern 2: Honest AI disclosure. Names the AI up front. Disarms the "wait, am I talking to a real person?" moment that quietly kills trust 6 seconds into a call. Less seamless feel; more durable trust.
Hi, this is Juniper, the AI assistant for Cedar Lane Carpentry. How can I help with your project today?
Pattern 3: Native-language opener. For non-English-speaking callers, this is binary: help vs. hang up, no middle ground. A Spanish-first greeting for Hispanic-majority verticals (immigration legal, family law in CA/FL/TX, certain HVAC and construction markets) measurably increases inbound retention.
Gracias por llamar a Vargas Immigration. Soy Enrique. ¿En qué puedo ayudarle hoy?
Pattern 11: Greets returning callers by name. The one pattern voicemail structurally cannot do. When a known number calls back, the AI opens with the caller's name: no "please state your name," no starting from zero. For a law firm, that's the difference between "you've reached our office" and a client feeling like the firm knows them. Callers who are greeted by name skip the wariest first ten seconds of the call entirely.
Hi Marcus, welcome back, it's Juniper at Keller Estate Law. How can I help you today?
Mid tier: useful but situational
These work when the situation calls for them. Don't over-engineer if they don't.
Pattern 4: Triage opener. Saves the caller from re-explaining context. Existing clients especially appreciate not starting from zero.
Thanks for calling Marchetti Roofing. Are you a new or existing client?
Pattern 5: Standard formal opener. Plain, professional, gets the job done. Good default for legal, finance, and white-collar service businesses. Won't impress, won't offend.
Thank you for calling Bennett Family Law. This is Juniper. How can I help you today?
Pattern 6: Casual service. Friendlier, shorter, matches the energy of trades and home-services. Wrong fit for legal or finance.
Hi, this is Juniper with Riverstone HVAC. How can I help you today?
Pattern 7: Multilingual delivery, no menu. Skip the IVR "press 1 for English, press 2 for Spanish" antipattern. Modern AI receptionists signal multilingual capability by speaking both languages in the same greeting; the caller just keeps going in whatever language they want. This is what NextPhone does out of the box across 14 languages. Faster, friendlier, and Spanish-speaking callers don't have to navigate an English menu to find the Spanish option.
Hi, this is Juniper from Vargas Immigration. Hablo inglés y español. Go ahead in whichever you're more comfortable with.
Pattern 12: Capability menu. Front-loads what the caller can ask for (consultations, practice areas, hours, directions) without an IVR's "press 1" detour. Works when callers genuinely don't know what an AI line can handle; skip it if your call mix is dominated by one intent, where it just delays the conversation.
Thanks for calling Harmon & Cole Family Law. You can ask me about consultations, our practice areas, office hours, or directions, or leave a message for the team. How can I help you?
If your state requires all-party consent for call recording, the same greeting takes one short disclosure sentence right after the firm name. Keep it to a single line. A few production wordings:
- "This call may be recorded for quality purposes."
- "Calls are recorded for quality and training."
- "This call is recorded so we get your details right."
Here's the identical greeting with the first one added:
Thanks for calling Harmon & Cole Family Law. This call may be recorded for quality purposes. You can ask me about consultations, our practice areas, office hours, or directions, or leave a message for the team. How can I help you?
Whether you need that line depends on where your callers are. See call recording laws by state for the one-party vs all-party consent breakdown.
Pattern 13: Personal-assistant line. For solo attorneys and owners who run the business from their cell: the AI answers as a named person's assistant rather than a company front desk: same length as a standard greeting, but the caller knows they've reached the right person's line and gets help immediately instead of a personal-sounding voicemail box. This is the production version of the "personal voicemail greeting" most guides only give you a script for.
Hello, you've reached attorney Dana Whitmore. I'm Juniper, her assistant. How can I help you?
Low tier: looks professional, doesn't move the caller
These get added because they "sound right" or are required. They're not nothing; they just don't change caller behavior the way the top tier does.
Pattern 8: Recording disclosure. Legally required in the 12 all-party-consent states. See call recording laws by state for the full list and the interstate rules. Caller tolerates it; doesn't love it. Don't skip if your state requires it. Pattern 12 above plays the same greeting with and without this line.
Thank you for calling Whitfield Estate Planning. This call may be recorded for quality and training. This is Juniper. How can I help you?
Pattern 9: Tagline brand. "...where every detail matters." Pure brand fluff. Adds 3-5 seconds the caller doesn't care about. Marketing teams love it. Callers don't notice. Skip unless brand mandate is binding.
Thanks for calling Sterling Detail, where every paint and panel gets the attention it deserves. This is Juniper. How can I help you?
Pattern 10: After-hours framing. "The team is currently unavailable, but I can help..." Slightly negative: primes the caller to think "ugh, being shunted to AI." Better to just answer naturally; the after-hours context becomes obvious from the lack of a transfer. Use only if your AI is a strict fallback (not a primary line).
Thanks for calling Castillo Law. The team is currently unavailable, but I can help with your question or take a message. How can I help?
What to take from this
If you implement nothing else: add Pattern 1 (the take-a-message option) to whatever greeting you're using now. It's one sentence. It removes more caller friction than every other improvement combined. The single highest-leverage edit you can make today.
If your customer base includes Spanish speakers: add Pattern 3 (native-Spanish opener). Either route Spanish callers to a separate line that opens in Spanish, or have your AI auto-detect and switch. NextPhone does this in 14 languages out of the box.
Everything else is style.
