Coming up with voicemail messages for a professional organization, like a law office, can be tricky.
You want to be formal and maintain professionalism, especially since it’s highly valued in your line of work. But at the same time, you don’t want to be too formal and alienate callers with robotic and impersonal messages.
How do you strike that balance? The first is to have the right tone. You want to be friendly and light-hearted. If you’re not friendly enough, your message will feel cold even if it has the best intention. Remember, it’s not just what you say, but how you say it.
With that in mind, here are some voicemail greeting scripts that can work well for doctor’s, law, and dental offices.
(Check out our 5 sample scripts for business voicemail greetings if you work in a different field).
Doctors who run their own practices are responsible for the entire organization's voicemail greeting. In this case, just give the facts: when your practice is open, how patients can sign up for appointments, who is on call, and other pertinent information that affects how callers interact with your practice.
You've reached the voicemail of Bentley Pediatrics. If this is an emergency, please dial 911. Our office hours are from 9 am to 4 pm, Monday through Thursday. Sign up for an appointment at bentleypediatrics.com or call our receptionist during office hours. If you need to speak to a doctor now, call Doctor Aboud at (567) - 435 - 6789. Otherwise, leave your name and number and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you.
The tone of the message is professional but caring. The caller's well-being is dealt with immediately - critical patients are told to dial 911 before any other information is revealed. The rest of the message gradually explains the who, what, and when of the practice's daily operations, so callers can decide if they want to try again during office hours instead of leaving a voicemail.
Doctors who treat patients in a solo office should try to strike a tone of dedication and compassion while still maintaining professional distance. Here's an example script of a doctor with a private practice who went on vacation:
You've reached the voicemail of Doctor James Ricardo. If this is an emergency, please hang up and dial 911. I will be out of the country from March 12th through the 30th at a medical conference. Please call my colleague, Doctor Dana Bunting, at (434) - 546 - 7684 if you need an appointment or want to refill your medication. Otherwise, leave your name and message after the beep and I will call you when I return. Thank you.
Whether you're a doctor making a voicemail greeting for an entire practice, or one for a single doctor operation, the message needs to prioritize the caller's well-being above all else. That's why the emergency section comes first, followed by information as to where and how callers can receive care when the doctor is away. This is key. If you have a doctor who will fill in for you while you’re away, you need to consider that your patients might be hesitant. They likely trust you, and going to a new doctor they’re not familiar with can be scary. Describing the doctor filling in as a colleague adds a personal touch that can soothe their potential worries.
Anticipate your patients' needs before they leave a message. Not only does that keep your patients healthier, it also saves your voicemail box from needless clutter.
A law office phone system and voicemail greeting should convey basic logistical information about your firm, including office hours, and a general overview of the litigation your firm engages in. Keep in mind that this voicemail is primarily for the general public who might not have a good idea of who you are or what you do. The clients already working with one of your lawyers will likely call your team directly instead of using your main line.
Thank you for calling the law offices of Aaron, Remnick, and Filcher. We are a boutique legal agency focusing on acquiring and processing green card applications for overseas family members - including parents and spouses. Our offices are open from 8 am to 8 pm, Monday through Friday. Please leave your name, number, and reason for calling after the beep, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you.
A voicemail greeting script for an individual lawyer should be brief and encourage face-to-face meetings over phone tag. This allows you to interact with your client directly, and if you're a criminal defense lawyer, it could keep your client from saying incriminating things over the phone.
This is the voicemail of Ronald Smith, attorney at law. I'm not available to take your call right now. Please leave your name and number so we can schedule a time to speak. Thank you.
This message is terse, to the point, and encourages further discussion at a later date set on your terms and at your convenience.
A dentist's office voicemail script is similar to a doctor's office voicemail message. It should cover the basics: when the office is open, how to schedule an appointment, and what emergency services are available.
Thank you for calling Maplewood Dental. If this is a dental emergency, call Doctor Wainwright on his cellphone at (545) - 676 - 4367. If this is a medical emergency, please dial 911. Our offices are open Monday through Thursday, 7 am to 8 pm. To schedule an appointment, visit maplewoodental.com, or call us during office hours. To schedule oral surgery, call Doctor Calvin of Beebee Hospital at 546 - 564 - 8978. Please leave your name and phone number after the beep and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you.
Like the doctor's office greeting, the dental greeting anticipates the caller's health needs before he or she can leave a message. This gives callers the information they may have been waiting for and reduces the number of voicemail messages to sort through.
Keep in mind that dental and doctor offices, despite their similarities, often have very different needs for both patients and doctors. For example, a patient can’t turn to 911 for a dental emergency. Instead, telling them where they can call someone for a dental emergency, while reminding them that 911 is for medical emergencies only is a good way to care for your patients’ well-being up front.
For more generalized best practices, read our tips and examples for business voicemail greetings.