Question

Topic: Copywriting

Incoming Automated Telephone Messages

Posted by Anonymous on 5/30/2008 at 10:27 AM ET 500 Points
We are updating our telephone system and will no longer have a receptionist. I am writing the copy for the new automated answering. Most of the copy I have heard is...well, boring. In fact, I am not a fan of automated sytems but you do what is necessary. Our business is insurance and we run a brick and mortar agency and two specialized insurance related websites.
Usually, I can come up with copy quickly but I feel this is so mission critical, first impressions, etc. that I am a bit stumped...or scared! I want a brief, warm, perhaps humorous, message that conveys we care about our customers. The after hours message is not a problem, it's just the normal business hours one that has me hitting the delete key over and over. Any suggestions and any experience in customer reaction when going from receptionist to an automated sytems?
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RESPONSES

  • Posted on 5/30/2008 at 11:26 AM Member
    I have always been a proponent of a live person answering the phone during business hours. I understand that this decision may have been out of your control, but my suggestion would be to take some text from your website or marketing material as a start.

    It would be extremely difficult for someone to write a good company specific message without knowing the company.

    My suggestion would be to take a first pass at it, post it on here, then ask for input. Your responses will probably be a lot better if you give a starting point...and some great ideas are sure to come of it.

    Hope this help,
    Zack Pike
  • Posted on 5/30/2008 at 12:56 PM Member
    Personalize it and make it fun and short..like

    "Hi this is Amy, ABCompany's Automated Attendant - I know you'd prefer to speak with a real person, so I'll get you to one as soon as possible, press X for:
  • Posted by Tracey on 5/30/2008 at 6:47 PM Member
    Do you have any brand personality/ brand attributes information? If you've figured out what your brand personality is, your message should reflect that.

    I definitely like *short* messages so I can just get to what I need asap.

    Personally, I think humorous (or any brand attribute) could work just fine, as long as you put function before form. :)
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 5/31/2008 at 8:45 AM Member
    I'd suggest that you script the first greeting as a transition: "Our receptionist was too busy, we decided to help them out using this automated system". Then go into your script. After a month (or so), switch over to the permanent greeting. You want to answer the question "What happened to the person I used to talk with?" or "Why can't I talk to a live person?".
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