Voicemail greetings are one of those things nobody wants to think about—until you call a business and hear a robotic, confusing, or just plain weird message. If you’re setting up Dialpad for your team, you want to avoid that. A good voicemail greeting saves time, sets expectations, and makes your team look like they have their act together.
This guide is for admins, office managers, or anyone who got “voicemail setup” dumped on their plate. I’ll walk you through what actually matters, what sounds good in theory but falls flat, and how to keep it all simple in Dialpad.
1. Know What You Actually Need
Before you record anything, think about your real needs. Don’t just copy what the last guy did.
Ask yourself: - Are you setting up voicemail for one main line, individual users, or shared departments? - Will callers expect a callback, leave sensitive info, or just need a quick answer? - How often does your team check voicemail? (Be honest.)
Common voicemail types in Dialpad: - Company main line: What most outside callers hit first. - Department lines: Support, Sales, etc. Used for groups, not individuals. - Individual lines: Each user’s personal voicemail.
Pro tip: If your team is allergic to voicemails and only checks email, steer callers toward email or chat instead, right in your greeting.
2. Don’t Overthink the Script
You’re not making a podcast. The best greetings are clear, direct, and don’t try too hard. Avoid clever jokes, long explanations, or “your call is very important to us” fluff.
What works: - Who you are (or which department). - When you’ll respond (if you actually know). - What info you need from the caller. - Alternate ways to reach you, if you care.
What doesn’t: - Apologizing for missing the call. - Overly formal language. - “Please listen carefully as our options have changed…” (Nobody cares.)
Basic script template:
Hi, you’ve reached [Company/Department/Name]. We can’t take your call right now. Please leave your name, number, and the reason for calling, and we’ll get back to you [when]. For faster help, email us at [email] or visit [website].
Pro tip: If you’re setting up multiple lines, keep scripts consistent but not robotic.
3. Record, Don’t Just Use Text-to-Speech
Dialpad lets you use text-to-speech (computer voice) or upload/record your own greeting. The computer voice is fine for emergencies, but it sounds… well, like a computer.
If you want to sound human: - Use your own voice or a team member with a clear, friendly tone. - Record in a quiet room—no speakerphone, no hallway echo. - Keep it under 20 seconds. Shorter is better.
If you must use text-to-speech: - Keep the script extra simple. The more complex it is, the weirder it’ll sound. - Avoid spelling out URLs or using jargon.
Pro tip: Uploading an audio file (MP3 or WAV) is often the easiest way to get a clean, natural-sounding greeting.
4. Set Up Greetings in Dialpad (Step-by-Step)
Here’s how to do it in Dialpad. Don’t worry, it’s not rocket science.
For Company or Department Lines
- Log in to your Dialpad admin dashboard.
- Go to Admin Settings > “Office” (for company main line) or “Departments” (for group lines).
- Select the line you want to edit.
- Find the Voicemail & Missed Calls section.
- Click Edit Greeting.
- Choose to record directly (using your computer’s mic), upload an audio file, or use text-to-speech.
- Save your changes.
For Individual Users
- Log into Dialpad.
- Click your profile picture (bottom left), then go to Your Settings.
- Scroll to Voicemail.
- Hit Edit Greeting and record, upload, or use text-to-speech.
- Save.
Pro tip: Test your greeting by calling from your cell phone. Make sure it actually sounds the way you want.
5. Update Regularly—But Not Obsessively
Nobody expects you to change the voicemail greeting every week. But if your hours change, you’re out for a holiday, or you upgrade your support process, update the message.
When to update: - Hours change (even temporarily). - There’s a new callback process. - You want to direct people to a different channel (like chat or text). - Company branding or names change.
What to ignore: You don’t need to mention every public holiday. If you’re closed, just set an out-of-office greeting for that week, then switch back.
Pro tip: Set a recurring calendar reminder (quarterly or biannually) to check and update all greetings. Most teams forget, and then you end up with a 2019 message in 2024.
6. Make It Easy for Callers (and Your Team)
The best greeting tells people what to do and what to expect.
Good habits: - Say when you’ll get back to them (and stick to it). - Give alternate contact info if you really want people to use it. - Don’t ask for info you’ll never use (like “your account number” if you don’t have accounts). - For departments: make it clear if messages are shared, so callers know multiple people might hear their voicemail.
For your team: - Make sure everyone knows where voicemails go (email, app, both?). - Turn on voicemail transcription if you want quick skimming—Dialpad’s is decent, but not perfect. - If someone leaves, update or delete their greeting right away.
7. Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. The “set it and forget it” trap: Old greetings cause confusion. Set reminders to review them.
2. Overly long messages: If your greeting rambles for 40 seconds, people will hang up before leaving a message.
3. Too many options: Voicemail isn’t an IVR menu. Don’t list five different extensions—keep it simple.
4. Ignoring accessibility: Speak clearly, avoid background noise, and don’t rush.
5. Not testing: Always call in and listen to the greeting yourself. Sometimes what sounds fine in your head is awkward out loud.
8. Advanced Tips (If You Want to Get Fancy)
For most teams, a basic greeting is enough. But if you want to go the extra mile:
- Use different greetings for business hours vs. after hours. Dialpad lets you automate this with business hours settings.
- Enable voicemail transcription and notifications. This saves time, but always double-check transcriptions for accuracy—AI gets names and numbers wrong.
- Direct urgent calls elsewhere. For example: “If this is urgent, text us at [number].”
- Consider language options if you get lots of non-English callers. But don’t overcomplicate—two languages max, or you’ll bore everyone.
9. Keep It Simple and Iterate
Voicemail greetings aren’t rocket science, but they matter more than most folks realize. Keep your script short, your tone human, and your info up to date. Don’t chase perfection—just make sure callers know what’s going on and can reach you if they need to.
If you’re not sure what works, start simple and ask your team (or even a customer) to call in and listen. You can always tweak it later. Simple, honest, and clear beats fancy every time.