13 Auto-attendant Scripts With Tips to Achieve Customer Satisfaction (+ Free Templates)

An auto-attendant script provides customers with information to solve issues or route themselves to the appropriate extension—improving the caller experience. There are several auto-attendant script variations, like marketing campaign scripts, that allow you to promote the company’s recent advertising efforts as the caller waits to be transferred. Other variations include general greetings, after-hours messaging, and disaster recovery information.

For this article, we created 13 auto-attendant scripts to apply in various business scenarios and provided some tips on how to set up your own auto-attendant scripts. Download our free templates and customize them to fit your business needs.

Looking for a reliable auto-attendant system for your business? Check out our guide on the best auto-attendant phone systems. We included the top providers with auto-attendants as well as other call management tools.

General Greeting Scripts

The welcome greeting of your auto-attendant is the first thing customers hear when they contact your business. Hence, you want to make a good first impression. Start by designing a set of automated menus using a phone tree. This ensures you cover the right questions and include all important details.

An ideal auto-attendant greeting script contains a combination of these elements:

A short introduction and brief welcome
Available online self-service options (if applicable)
Options for reaching departments or extensions (if applicable)
Normal business hours
How to reach a live agent if the caller is not sure who should take their call
Option to speak with an agent in another language (if applicable)
Details on what will happen if the caller doesn’t press any buttons

Example 1: Welcome & Main Menu

Hello, and thank you for calling [Company Name], [insert company’s mission statement or slogan]. We are located at [address]. Normal business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. If you already know the extension you wish to reach, you may enter it at any time. Otherwise, please listen carefully to the following menu:

To continue in Spanish, press one.
To continue in French, press two.
To reach the floral department, press three.
To reach the furniture department, press four.
For groceries and produce, press five.
For all other departments or to speak to a live agent, please stay on the line and the next available agent will be with you shortly.

After-hours Scripts

Many business phone systems allow you to set the business hours. If a call is received outside normal working hours, an auto-attendant phone system will help you handle those calls with alternative greeting messages and menu options. Inform your callers that your office is closed and provide them with other options to contact your business. Also, be sure to state the regular operation hours.

If you plan to offer 24-hour support, consider getting a live answering service. They provide live receptionists to answer calls during and after business hours or at high volume times when your agents need help handling overflow. We have listed the best answering services to help you find the right provider that suits your business needs.

Example 2: General Voicemail Forwarding

Thank you for calling [Company Name]. We’re sorry—it seems you’ve called outside of our regular business hours, which are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

To leave a voicemail message, please dial your extension now.
If you wish to leave a message in our general voicemail box, please stay on the line. Messages left in our general voicemail box are monitored and will be addressed within the next business day. Thank you.

Example 3: Answering Services Script

Thank you for calling [Company Name]. If you hear this message, you are calling outside regular business hours, which are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

If you require immediate assistance, please stay on the line, and you will be forwarded to our after-hours call center.
Otherwise, please hang up and call back during regular business hours. Thank you.

Example 4: Emergency Services or Medical Office Script

Thank you for calling [Company Name]. If this is a medical emergency, please hang up and dial 911. If you hear this message, you are calling outside regular business hours, which are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. If you’d like to leave a message, please stay on the line to leave a voicemail, and it will be returned in the order it was received. Thank you.

Example 5: Immediate Customer Support

Thank you for calling [Company Name]. Our office is currently closed. Business hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

If this is a business emergency, press one.
If you’d like to leave a voicemail, press two.
Otherwise, please hang up and call back during regular business hours. Thank you.

Holiday Scripts

Customize your call tree script for calls during the holiday season. If you have no agents on staff, be sure to inform your customers how to contact you, especially during emergencies. Let them know when the regular business hours will resume so they know when it’s time to call back.

Example 6: General Purpose Holiday Hours Script

Thank you for calling [Company Name]. In observance of [holiday], our offices are currently closed. We’ll be back to normal operations on [date].

Please feel free to leave a message by staying on the line.
Otherwise, please call back during our regular business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Thank you and happy holidays.

Example 7: Holiday Help Line

Thank you for calling [Company Name]. In observance of [holiday], our offices are currently closed. We’ll be back to normal operations on [date].

If this is a business emergency, please press one to be directed to our urgent response team.
If you’d like to leave a message, press two, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we return to the office.
Otherwise, please call back during our normal business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Thank you and happy holidays.

Disaster Recovery Scripts

You might not always be available to accommodate your callers because of unexpected circumstances. Or you might not know when the regular business hours will resume or when you’ll reopen for business. However, it’s important to provide as many details as possible to provide the best customer experience.

As the COVID-19 pandemic illustrated, closures and policies change quickly. With that in mind, your auto-receptionist scripts should be updated with the most recent details. This also means that the messages in your social media platform and business phone system should be consistent.

Example 8: Disaster Recovery Script

Thank you for calling [Company Name]. Recent flooding in the area [or a similar description of the disaster] has temporarily closed our office. However, we are still dedicated to [insert mission statement].

If your matter is urgent, press one to be routed to our [location] branch.
Otherwise, please leave a voicemail in our general voicemail box. An agent will return your message as soon as we can. Thank you, and have a great day.

Example 9: Disaster Recovery Help Line

Thank you for calling [Company Name]. Due to the recent [disaster], our office has closed temporarily. We’re sorry for the inconvenience. Please message us at [Company email address] or on [social media channel] if you’d like to contact our business. An agent there will be able to handle your request. We hope to serve you soon.

Marketing Campaign Scripts

Auto-attendant prompts are an effective way to drive sales and support marketing initiatives. If you have recent advertising efforts, this is the time to inform your callers about them. Instead of cluttering your welcome greeting, create an auto-attendant for a campaign-specific phone number. Assign a unique number to each of your campaigns and record a voicemail message that informs callers about your marketing campaign.

Example 10: Learn More Promotional Campaign Script

You’ve reached [Company Name].

If you’re calling about our current promotion regarding free oil changes for life, please press one.
To be directed to customer service, press two.
Otherwise, please stay on the line.

Individual Extension Scripts

Set up additional auto-attendant scripts for your individual extensions. This is particularly useful for large, multifaceted teams. When an auto-attendant guides the caller, another auto-attendant will list the choices to help callers locate the appropriate agent or department faster.

An auto-attendant also transfers calls to extensions for specific agents. If the extension happens to be unavailable, allow them to leave a message instead of sending your callers straight to the busy tone.

Example 11: Routine Personal Voicemail Greeting

You’ve reached the inbox of [Name]. Sorry I wasn’t able to take your call. I’m away from my desk or on another call. Please leave your name, telephone number, and a brief message, and I’ll return your call as soon as I can. Thank you.

Example 12: Notice of Short-term Absence

You’ve reached the inbox of [Name]. I am out of the office today and will return on [date]. If you need immediate assistance, please dial extension [number], and an agent will be with you. Otherwise, please leave me a message, and I will return your call when I’m back. Thank you.

Example 13: Notice of Long-term Absence

You’ve reached the inbox of [Name]. I will be out of the office between the dates of [date] and [date]. For immediate assistance, please contact [colleague’s name] at [extension]. If you’d like me to return your call, please leave a message, and I’ll call you back when I return. Thank you.

Sound more professional in your auto-attendant scripts by hiring an expert to do the voice recording for you. Check out our guide on the best professional voicemail greeting providers and discover which solutions will help improve caller experiences.

Tips for Creating Auto-attendant Scripts

Each business has a unique approach to its automated voice message script to suit specific customer needs. Auto-attendant scripts are easy to write as long as you remember a few considerations. If you plan to write your own scripts, here are some tips on how to make a good first impression:

Thank the caller. Begin your greeting by appreciating their effort to call your business. Thanking the caller will set a positive, respectful tone for the call.
Keep it short. Limit your greeting to at least two or three sentences. A brief introduction is more effective and prevents callers from hanging up.
Allow callers to skip the greeting. Don’t let your callers sit through the entire voice recording to reach a live agent. Allow them to skip the entire process and go straight to the appropriate extension.
Limit your menu options. Ideally, an auto-attendant script should be no more than five menu options. Customers don’t want to wait and listen through a vast menu of options if they have a specific purpose in calling your business.
Prioritize your options. Save your customers time by putting the most popular phone menu option as the first choice. For example, if most customers call to contact customer support, make sure it’s the first option on your call menu.
Offer self-service information. Allow your customers to fix their issues on their own by providing them with information and menu options for store hours, account details, and frequently asked questions. This will save both your agents and customers valuable time.
Provide a non-interaction route. Not all your callers will engage with your auto-attendant, so don’t force them to press any buttons. Assist them and connect them to someone if they don’t select any menu option.

Call routing is the method of sending inbound calls to specific agents based on predefined rules. It’s important to update your auto-attendant system, which affects your call distribution scheme.

Discover more call handling features in our article voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) phone system features.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do I set up an auto-attendant?

Most business phone systems like GoTo Connect and CloudTalk make it easy to set up an auto-attendant using drag-and-drop visual editors. Auto-attendants come with a phone tree menu, allowing you to associate triggers and responses. Each provider is different, so check their documentation for detailed instructions.

What is the difference between an IVR & an auto-attendant?

An interactive voice response (IVR) is an advanced version of an auto-attendant. Auto-attendants rely on button-dialing options, while an IVR system allows voice response as well. To learn more about how an IVR works, check out our article about IVR systems and discover their role in improving customer experience.

How do you respond to a phone script?

Button dialing or voice responses are used to answer phone scripts. With a button-dialing system, the caller will use their dialpad to input their response. With an IVR system, callers speak to the system to submit answers and initiate commands.

Bottom Line

Automated phone answering system scripts are an effective way to boost your brand image and streamline your routing system. However, this automated call management tool will be more efficient if they’re structured in a way that suits your customers’ needs and business goals. Whether it’s a holiday script or an individual extension script, make sure to follow the best practices to ensure an excellent calling experience for your customers.