What a good greeting includes
Callers decide in a few seconds whether to leave a message or call someone else. A good greeting answers their two questions: did I reach the right place, and will someone get back to me?
- Your business name, first.
- Why you can’t answer, in a few words (on a job, closed for the day).
- When you’ll call back, as a promise you can keep.
- What to leave: name, number and what they need.
- An option for urgent calls, if you have one.
Leave out your personal name if you want privacy, long lists of services, and “your call is important to us.”
Voicemail greeting scripts you can copy
| Situation | Script |
|---|---|
| General | “Hi, you’ve reached [Business]. We can’t take your call right now. Leave your name, number and what you need, and we’ll call you back today.” |
| On a job | “Thanks for calling [Business]. I’m with a customer right now. Leave a quick message with your name and what’s going on, and I’ll call you back within the hour.” |
| After hours | “You’ve reached [Business]. We’re closed for the day and open again at 8 a.m. Leave your name, number and the job, and we’ll call you first thing.” |
| Weekend or holiday | “Hi, this is [Business]. We’re closed for the holiday and back on Monday. Leave a message and we’ll call you back then.” |
| Emergency trades | “You’ve reached [Business]. If water is leaking or you have no heat, say ‘urgent’ in your message and we’ll call back as fast as we can. Otherwise, leave your name, number and address.” |
| Appointments | “Thanks for calling [Business]. Leave your name and the day that works best, and we’ll text you to confirm a time.” |
| Sales or real estate | “Hi, you’ve reached [Name] with [Business]. I’m showing a property. Leave your name, number and the address you’re asking about, and I’ll call you back today.” |
| Side business | “You’ve reached [Business]. I answer calls in the evenings. Leave your name and number and I’ll get back to you tonight.” |
Record it well
- Write the script down and read it out loud twice before recording.
- Record somewhere quiet, not in the truck with the engine running.
- Hold the phone a hand’s width from your mouth and smile while you talk. It sounds friendlier.
- Listen back. Re-record if it’s rushed, too long, or you can’t hear the business name clearly.
- Update it when your hours change, and remove holiday greetings when you’re back.
Changing the greeting on your phone
On iPhone, open the Phone app. In the unified layout, tap Calls, tap Edit, then Edit Voicemail Greeting. In the classic layout, tap Voicemail, then Greeting. On Android, the steps depend on your carrier and phone app. Look for Voicemail in the Phone app’s settings.
If you use a second-number app for business, set the greeting there instead, so your personal voicemail can stay casual. In 2Line.AI each line has its own greeting.
Turn on voicemail to text
Reading a voicemail takes seconds. Listening to it in a noisy place takes minutes, and you may still miss the phone number. Voicemail to text (sometimes called visual voicemail) turns each message into words you can skim.
On a 2Line number, every voicemail shows up as a transcript with the audio next to it and a one-line AI summary of what the caller wants. You can search by any word the caller said and reply by call or text in one tap. Voicemail is 7 credits a minute including the transcript, and the summary is 1 credit per call.
When voicemail isn’t enough
Plenty of callers hang up instead of leaving a message, and some of them call the next business on the list. Two things help: a text right after a missed call, and something that answers when you can’t.
With 2Line.AI you can choose, per line, whether missed calls go to voicemail or to Mia, the AI receptionist, who answers in your business name, takes the details and can book the appointment.
Sources (checked October 2026): Apple: Change your voicemail greeting on iPhone.