"To speak with a friendly receptionist, please press 1"

[Alibi Ike]

I waited. I wanted to know what to press to speak with a surly, bored front desk clerk.

You know, I do have to say that getting a happy, perky-sounding voice response system has made me look forward to staying at this place. Unlike the other place I called where 'all agents are talking to other guests, but that's ok, we can continue...' Nope, not a fan of the computer taking my info. And then hanging up before I was done because why would ANYONE have TWO reservations at the same hotel???
All that to say, call your place. Listen to the message. Would YOU like to stay with you if you heard your message?

 

[Generic]

Your call is important to us, so important that we couldn't hire enough people to properly handle our telephones. Please hold on and we will eventually burn through all your goodwill.
I have a really bad phone message. It basically says live reservations are available at a discount on our website. If you have a question, please email or call again as we are unable to answer.
I don't even have a toll-free number. It solved the problem of people being chatty on the telephone and asking me to plan their vacation on the telephone. Now, it's on their dime and they ask their questions and get off of the phone line quicker. And I offer a $10 discount for booking online, so they don't even want me to take the reservation after I tell them about it. (And I'm not sure I want anyone who can't manage to reserve online anyway.)

 

[JBloggs]

If anyone wants to do a voiceover on our machine, PLEASE!!! I hate my voice, it is awful on this recording. I try to be nice an dhappy end with "Happy a wonderful Blue Ridge Day!" DUH I hate it.

 

[Joey Camb]

I had a chap compliament me on my telephone manner this week. Scenario - we are called the camberley 4 star B&B (12 rooms) up the street is the Kimberley 4 star 40 bed hotel confusion also made worce by my name being Kimberley. Also further adding to the chaos if you ring 118 and say can I have the number for the Kimberley on kings road they will aways give you my number (i don't get my wool off cos I pick up their bookings this way lol) but this chap said oh I would like 10 rooms to start for definate for my wife's 60th and will probably want 20 more (this is when I twigged wrong number). I helped him with the right number and so on and he said "I am so sorry we are not staying with you because you sound really nice". Hope his wife has a nice birthday.

 

[Don Draper]

Your call is important to us, so important that we couldn't hire enough people to properly handle our telephones. Please hold on and we will eventually burn through all your goodwill.
I have a really bad phone message. It basically says live reservations are available at a discount on our website. If you have a question, please email or call again as we are unable to answer.
I don't even have a toll-free number. It solved the problem of people being chatty on the telephone and asking me to plan their vacation on the telephone. Now, it's on their dime and they ask their questions and get off of the phone line quicker. And I offer a $10 discount for booking online, so they don't even want me to take the reservation after I tell them about it. (And I'm not sure I want anyone who can't manage to reserve online anyway.).

Your call is important to us, so important that we couldn't hire enough people to properly handle our telephones. Please hold on and we will eventually burn through all your goodwill.
I have a really bad phone message. It basically says live reservations are available at a discount on our website. If you have a question, please email or call again as we are unable to answer.
I don't even have a toll-free number. It solved the problem of people being chatty on the telephone and asking me to plan their vacation on the telephone. Now, it's on their dime and they ask their questions and get off of the phone line quicker. And I offer a $10 discount for booking online, so they don't even want me to take the reservation after I tell them about it. (And I'm not sure I want anyone who can't manage to reserve online anyway.)

You are my innkeeper twin, I swear. These were the exact problems we were having and why we changed our voice message to say "Book online, if you need to change or cancel a reso you must email us, and questions should be emailed too". I was so tired of being on the phone with someone for 30 minutes and then have them say "Ok, I'll get back to you" and then book somewhere else. We have truly found here that the only people calling and insisting on speaking to someone are very high maintenance and we don't want them here anyway.

 

[Alibi Ike]

If anyone wants to do a voiceover on our machine, PLEASE!!! I hate my voice, it is awful on this recording. I try to be nice an dhappy end with "Happy a wonderful Blue Ridge Day!" DUH I hate it..

If anyone wants to do a voiceover on our machine, PLEASE!!! I hate my voice, it is awful on this recording. I try to be nice an dhappy end with "Happy a wonderful Blue Ridge Day!" DUH I hate it.

The hotel chain around here signs off with 'Have a wonderful Hilton/Hampton day!' I hate that.

 

[Alibi Ike]

Your call is important to us, so important that we couldn't hire enough people to properly handle our telephones. Please hold on and we will eventually burn through all your goodwill.
I have a really bad phone message. It basically says live reservations are available at a discount on our website. If you have a question, please email or call again as we are unable to answer.
I don't even have a toll-free number. It solved the problem of people being chatty on the telephone and asking me to plan their vacation on the telephone. Now, it's on their dime and they ask their questions and get off of the phone line quicker. And I offer a $10 discount for booking online, so they don't even want me to take the reservation after I tell them about it. (And I'm not sure I want anyone who can't manage to reserve online anyway.).

Your call is important to us, so important that we couldn't hire enough people to properly handle our telephones. Please hold on and we will eventually burn through all your goodwill.
I have a really bad phone message. It basically says live reservations are available at a discount on our website. If you have a question, please email or call again as we are unable to answer.
I don't even have a toll-free number. It solved the problem of people being chatty on the telephone and asking me to plan their vacation on the telephone. Now, it's on their dime and they ask their questions and get off of the phone line quicker. And I offer a $10 discount for booking online, so they don't even want me to take the reservation after I tell them about it. (And I'm not sure I want anyone who can't manage to reserve online anyway.)

You are my innkeeper twin, I swear. These were the exact problems we were having and why we changed our voice message to say "Book online, if you need to change or cancel a reso you must email us, and questions should be emailed too". I was so tired of being on the phone with someone for 30 minutes and then have them say "Ok, I'll get back to you" and then book somewhere else. We have truly found here that the only people calling and insisting on speaking to someone are very high maintenance and we don't want them here anyway.
.

But is your voice message cheery and happy or is it more like, 'Hey, dude, don't bother me. Your call is NOT important to me so I'm letting it go to voicemail'?
I get that the place with the computer taking the calls is not going to be the better place for my stay. (It has 3000 rooms, how could it be?) It's just that the voice message at the other place (where I'm paying twice as much) is happier.

 

[Don Draper]

Your call is important to us, so important that we couldn't hire enough people to properly handle our telephones. Please hold on and we will eventually burn through all your goodwill.
I have a really bad phone message. It basically says live reservations are available at a discount on our website. If you have a question, please email or call again as we are unable to answer.
I don't even have a toll-free number. It solved the problem of people being chatty on the telephone and asking me to plan their vacation on the telephone. Now, it's on their dime and they ask their questions and get off of the phone line quicker. And I offer a $10 discount for booking online, so they don't even want me to take the reservation after I tell them about it. (And I'm not sure I want anyone who can't manage to reserve online anyway.).

Your call is important to us, so important that we couldn't hire enough people to properly handle our telephones. Please hold on and we will eventually burn through all your goodwill.
I have a really bad phone message. It basically says live reservations are available at a discount on our website. If you have a question, please email or call again as we are unable to answer.
I don't even have a toll-free number. It solved the problem of people being chatty on the telephone and asking me to plan their vacation on the telephone. Now, it's on their dime and they ask their questions and get off of the phone line quicker. And I offer a $10 discount for booking online, so they don't even want me to take the reservation after I tell them about it. (And I'm not sure I want anyone who can't manage to reserve online anyway.)

You are my innkeeper twin, I swear. These were the exact problems we were having and why we changed our voice message to say "Book online, if you need to change or cancel a reso you must email us, and questions should be emailed too". I was so tired of being on the phone with someone for 30 minutes and then have them say "Ok, I'll get back to you" and then book somewhere else. We have truly found here that the only people calling and insisting on speaking to someone are very high maintenance and we don't want them here anyway.
.

But is your voice message cheery and happy or is it more like, 'Hey, dude, don't bother me. Your call is NOT important to me so I'm letting it go to voicemail'?
I get that the place with the computer taking the calls is not going to be the better place for my stay. (It has 3000 rooms, how could it be?) It's just that the voice message at the other place (where I'm paying twice as much) is happier.
.

It is cheery and pleastant. Our innkeeper friends who heard it split a gut laughing at it but then the next week they had changed their message to include their email addy, so I think they thought it was effective!
I actually phrase it as "To ensure the quickest response, please contact us by email at...and then at the end I say if you need to speak with someone please leave a detailed message and we will call you back." The only bad thing is that the message is LONG...but I speak slowly and enunciate clearly so they can get the email addy without having to call back.

 

[Don Draper]

Your call is important to us, so important that we couldn't hire enough people to properly handle our telephones. Please hold on and we will eventually burn through all your goodwill.
I have a really bad phone message. It basically says live reservations are available at a discount on our website. If you have a question, please email or call again as we are unable to answer.
I don't even have a toll-free number. It solved the problem of people being chatty on the telephone and asking me to plan their vacation on the telephone. Now, it's on their dime and they ask their questions and get off of the phone line quicker. And I offer a $10 discount for booking online, so they don't even want me to take the reservation after I tell them about it. (And I'm not sure I want anyone who can't manage to reserve online anyway.).

Your call is important to us, so important that we couldn't hire enough people to properly handle our telephones. Please hold on and we will eventually burn through all your goodwill.
I have a really bad phone message. It basically says live reservations are available at a discount on our website. If you have a question, please email or call again as we are unable to answer.
I don't even have a toll-free number. It solved the problem of people being chatty on the telephone and asking me to plan their vacation on the telephone. Now, it's on their dime and they ask their questions and get off of the phone line quicker. And I offer a $10 discount for booking online, so they don't even want me to take the reservation after I tell them about it. (And I'm not sure I want anyone who can't manage to reserve online anyway.)

You are my innkeeper twin, I swear. These were the exact problems we were having and why we changed our voice message to say "Book online, if you need to change or cancel a reso you must email us, and questions should be emailed too". I was so tired of being on the phone with someone for 30 minutes and then have them say "Ok, I'll get back to you" and then book somewhere else. We have truly found here that the only people calling and insisting on speaking to someone are very high maintenance and we don't want them here anyway.
.

But is your voice message cheery and happy or is it more like, 'Hey, dude, don't bother me. Your call is NOT important to me so I'm letting it go to voicemail'?
I get that the place with the computer taking the calls is not going to be the better place for my stay. (It has 3000 rooms, how could it be?) It's just that the voice message at the other place (where I'm paying twice as much) is happier.
.

It is cheery and pleasant. Our innkeeper friends who heard it split a gut laughing at it but then the next week they had changed their message to include their email addy, so I think they thought it was effective!
I actually phrase it as "To ensure the quickest response, please contact us by email at...and then at the end I say if you need to speak with someone please leave a detailed message and we will call you back." The only bad thing is that the message is LONG...but I speak slowly and enunciate clearly so they can get the email addy without having to call back.

 

[JBloggs]

Ike you have heard my voice, it is always chipper. "Is your mother there?" Is what I used to get.
The old trick of SMILING when you answer the phone or speaking with someone...does apply.

 

[Alibi Ike]

Your call is important to us, so important that we couldn't hire enough people to properly handle our telephones. Please hold on and we will eventually burn through all your goodwill.
I have a really bad phone message. It basically says live reservations are available at a discount on our website. If you have a question, please email or call again as we are unable to answer.
I don't even have a toll-free number. It solved the problem of people being chatty on the telephone and asking me to plan their vacation on the telephone. Now, it's on their dime and they ask their questions and get off of the phone line quicker. And I offer a $10 discount for booking online, so they don't even want me to take the reservation after I tell them about it. (And I'm not sure I want anyone who can't manage to reserve online anyway.).

Your call is important to us, so important that we couldn't hire enough people to properly handle our telephones. Please hold on and we will eventually burn through all your goodwill.
I have a really bad phone message. It basically says live reservations are available at a discount on our website. If you have a question, please email or call again as we are unable to answer.
I don't even have a toll-free number. It solved the problem of people being chatty on the telephone and asking me to plan their vacation on the telephone. Now, it's on their dime and they ask their questions and get off of the phone line quicker. And I offer a $10 discount for booking online, so they don't even want me to take the reservation after I tell them about it. (And I'm not sure I want anyone who can't manage to reserve online anyway.)

You are my innkeeper twin, I swear. These were the exact problems we were having and why we changed our voice message to say "Book online, if you need to change or cancel a reso you must email us, and questions should be emailed too". I was so tired of being on the phone with someone for 30 minutes and then have them say "Ok, I'll get back to you" and then book somewhere else. We have truly found here that the only people calling and insisting on speaking to someone are very high maintenance and we don't want them here anyway.
.

But is your voice message cheery and happy or is it more like, 'Hey, dude, don't bother me. Your call is NOT important to me so I'm letting it go to voicemail'?
I get that the place with the computer taking the calls is not going to be the better place for my stay. (It has 3000 rooms, how could it be?) It's just that the voice message at the other place (where I'm paying twice as much) is happier.
.

It is cheery and pleastant. Our innkeeper friends who heard it split a gut laughing at it but then the next week they had changed their message to include their email addy, so I think they thought it was effective!
I actually phrase it as "To ensure the quickest response, please contact us by email at...and then at the end I say if you need to speak with someone please leave a detailed message and we will call you back." The only bad thing is that the message is LONG...but I speak slowly and enunciate clearly so they can get the email addy without having to call back.
.

Yeah, my message is long as well. I never thought to tell them to email. Either 'book online' or leave a message.

 

[gillumhouse]

Ours is: Thank you for calling the G H Bed & Breakfast, W V Ra ils- to - Tr ails Cou ncil, and the our last name. We are out of the office at the moment. Please leave your name and phone number and we will contact you as soon as possible. If you need immediate attention please call my cell number xxxxxxxxxx. You can also book online at our website www.xxxxxxxxxxx.com. Thank you and have a great day. The phone number and the website are said slowly and distuinctly.
We also get calls for a couple other organizations but I am not going to list anything except the main ones. I do get more phone reservations than online - and my son tells me I have LOTS of minutes so the cell being listed is no problem. I have taken MANY reservations as DH drives down the highway. this way I cover my bases - those who only want to book online have it and those who want to talk to me, can.
I have been told many times about how professional I sound when I answer the phone and all I want to say is - I AM A PROFESSIONAL!!!

 

[Alibi Ike]

Ours is: Thank you for calling the G H Bed & Breakfast, W V Ra ils- to - Tr ails Cou ncil, and the our last name. We are out of the office at the moment. Please leave your name and phone number and we will contact you as soon as possible. If you need immediate attention please call my cell number xxxxxxxxxx. You can also book online at our website www.xxxxxxxxxxx.com. Thank you and have a great day. The phone number and the website are said slowly and distuinctly.
We also get calls for a couple other organizations but I am not going to list anything except the main ones. I do get more phone reservations than online - and my son tells me I have LOTS of minutes so the cell being listed is no problem. I have taken MANY reservations as DH drives down the highway. this way I cover my bases - those who only want to book online have it and those who want to talk to me, can.
I have been told many times about how professional I sound when I answer the phone and all I want to say is - I AM A PROFESSIONAL!!!.

We do take a fair number of rezzies on the road. But one annoyed me no end because he wouldn't book online and I had to call back INTERNATIONAL on my cell phone. THEN he had to go find his credit card. <tear hair out/>

 

[gillumhouse]

Ours is: Thank you for calling the G H Bed & Breakfast, W V Ra ils- to - Tr ails Cou ncil, and the our last name. We are out of the office at the moment. Please leave your name and phone number and we will contact you as soon as possible. If you need immediate attention please call my cell number xxxxxxxxxx. You can also book online at our website www.xxxxxxxxxxx.com. Thank you and have a great day. The phone number and the website are said slowly and distuinctly.
We also get calls for a couple other organizations but I am not going to list anything except the main ones. I do get more phone reservations than online - and my son tells me I have LOTS of minutes so the cell being listed is no problem. I have taken MANY reservations as DH drives down the highway. this way I cover my bases - those who only want to book online have it and those who want to talk to me, can.
I have been told many times about how professional I sound when I answer the phone and all I want to say is - I AM A PROFESSIONAL!!!.

We do take a fair number of rezzies on the road. But one annoyed me no end because he wouldn't book online and I had to call back INTERNATIONAL on my cell phone. THEN he had to go find his credit card. <tear hair out/>
.

OUCH!! I have had to call my Canadian horse folks to make connections on arrival day and that hurts! I hav eInternational on my toll-free but NOT on the cell. My son pointed out AGAIN that Canada costs extra but he forgave me due to the circumstances.

 

[Copperhead]

I changed my message after another forum discussion. Mine tells people they can leave a message or they can view our website (ands state slowly) for information and secure online booking. The message is lengthy, was cut off a couple of times due to length. Some of that is due to the way I speak - got that southen draw thing

. Edited to add - SMILING does seem to make your voice sound more chipper...
I forward my biz phone to my cell when we are gone and if I can't get to my cell, it has the same message. If someone calls they want to speak with someone, not get a recording. I try to be available, but do not answer when I am doing breakfast or after 9pm (nothing good comes from answering after 9

).
I will say that since adding a $10 discount for booking online, I rarely get calls unless they are on the road and looking for a place for the night & these calls have picked up substantially with GPS and the smart phones. I do have same day online booking blocked as I want to choose whether to take the reservation or not as by then I may have made last minute plans etc.

 

[Generic]

Your call is important to us, so important that we couldn't hire enough people to properly handle our telephones. Please hold on and we will eventually burn through all your goodwill.
I have a really bad phone message. It basically says live reservations are available at a discount on our website. If you have a question, please email or call again as we are unable to answer.
I don't even have a toll-free number. It solved the problem of people being chatty on the telephone and asking me to plan their vacation on the telephone. Now, it's on their dime and they ask their questions and get off of the phone line quicker. And I offer a $10 discount for booking online, so they don't even want me to take the reservation after I tell them about it. (And I'm not sure I want anyone who can't manage to reserve online anyway.).

Your call is important to us, so important that we couldn't hire enough people to properly handle our telephones. Please hold on and we will eventually burn through all your goodwill.
I have a really bad phone message. It basically says live reservations are available at a discount on our website. If you have a question, please email or call again as we are unable to answer.
I don't even have a toll-free number. It solved the problem of people being chatty on the telephone and asking me to plan their vacation on the telephone. Now, it's on their dime and they ask their questions and get off of the phone line quicker. And I offer a $10 discount for booking online, so they don't even want me to take the reservation after I tell them about it. (And I'm not sure I want anyone who can't manage to reserve online anyway.)

You are my innkeeper twin, I swear. These were the exact problems we were having and why we changed our voice message to say "Book online, if you need to change or cancel a reso you must email us, and questions should be emailed too". I was so tired of being on the phone with someone for 30 minutes and then have them say "Ok, I'll get back to you" and then book somewhere else. We have truly found here that the only people calling and insisting on speaking to someone are very high maintenance and we don't want them here anyway.
.

But is your voice message cheery and happy or is it more like, 'Hey, dude, don't bother me. Your call is NOT important to me so I'm letting it go to voicemail'?
I get that the place with the computer taking the calls is not going to be the better place for my stay. (It has 3000 rooms, how could it be?) It's just that the voice message at the other place (where I'm paying twice as much) is happier.
.

It is cheery and pleastant. Our innkeeper friends who heard it split a gut laughing at it but then the next week they had changed their message to include their email addy, so I think they thought it was effective!
I actually phrase it as "To ensure the quickest response, please contact us by email at...and then at the end I say if you need to speak with someone please leave a detailed message and we will call you back." The only bad thing is that the message is LONG...but I speak slowly and enunciate clearly so they can get the email addy without having to call back.
.

Yeah, my message is long as well. I never thought to tell them to email. Either 'book online' or leave a message.
.

You think yours is long? Try doing it in both English and French. We have to do everything in English and French including the website.

 

[Alibi Ike]

I changed my message after another forum discussion. Mine tells people they can leave a message or they can view our website (ands state slowly) for information and secure online booking. The message is lengthy, was cut off a couple of times due to length. Some of that is due to the way I speak - got that southen draw thing

. Edited to add - SMILING does seem to make your voice sound more chipper...
I forward my biz phone to my cell when we are gone and if I can't get to my cell, it has the same message. If someone calls they want to speak with someone, not get a recording. I try to be available, but do not answer when I am doing breakfast or after 9pm (nothing good comes from answering after 9

).
I will say that since adding a $10 discount for booking online, I rarely get calls unless they are on the road and looking for a place for the night & these calls have picked up substantially with GPS and the smart phones. I do have same day online booking blocked as I want to choose whether to take the reservation or not as by then I may have made last minute plans etc..

I can't get my cellphone to let me do anything but my name. No message at all is allowed. I'd like a message because the guests who get the cell have no idea what number they've reached or why.

 

[Proud Texan]

I changed my message after another forum discussion. Mine tells people they can leave a message or they can view our website (ands state slowly) for information and secure online booking. The message is lengthy, was cut off a couple of times due to length. Some of that is due to the way I speak - got that southen draw thing

. Edited to add - SMILING does seem to make your voice sound more chipper...
I forward my biz phone to my cell when we are gone and if I can't get to my cell, it has the same message. If someone calls they want to speak with someone, not get a recording. I try to be available, but do not answer when I am doing breakfast or after 9pm (nothing good comes from answering after 9

).
I will say that since adding a $10 discount for booking online, I rarely get calls unless they are on the road and looking for a place for the night & these calls have picked up substantially with GPS and the smart phones. I do have same day online booking blocked as I want to choose whether to take the reservation or not as by then I may have made last minute plans etc..

We have a similar message. It only works if you don't answer the phone.
Case in point: last night some idiot called at 10:30 wanting to know what our rates were. I need to train myself NOT to answer the phone after 7pm especially if I don't recognize the number on caller I.D.

 

[Copperhead]

I changed my message after another forum discussion. Mine tells people they can leave a message or they can view our website (ands state slowly) for information and secure online booking. The message is lengthy, was cut off a couple of times due to length. Some of that is due to the way I speak - got that southen draw thing

. Edited to add - SMILING does seem to make your voice sound more chipper...
I forward my biz phone to my cell when we are gone and if I can't get to my cell, it has the same message. If someone calls they want to speak with someone, not get a recording. I try to be available, but do not answer when I am doing breakfast or after 9pm (nothing good comes from answering after 9

).
I will say that since adding a $10 discount for booking online, I rarely get calls unless they are on the road and looking for a place for the night & these calls have picked up substantially with GPS and the smart phones. I do have same day online booking blocked as I want to choose whether to take the reservation or not as by then I may have made last minute plans etc..

I can't get my cellphone to let me do anything but my name. No message at all is allowed. I'd like a message because the guests who get the cell have no idea what number they've reached or why.
.

I can't get my cellphone to let me do anything but my name. No message at all is allowed. I'd like a message because the guests who get the cell have no idea what number they've reached or why.

Have you called your Cell company? We have had issues in the past and they have been able to fix the problem.

 

[Samster]

I think there's simply no way around a longer voicemail message - you have to get all the info in there!