I want answers now-hate to admit it, but I do. Our society has become a bit spoiled with the advent of the internet. If we have a question we simply turn to Google for a quick answer. We can find the best recipe for sugar cookies in an instant. Or, if you are like my eight-year-old son you can find out all you want to know about the world’s largest sinkholes. (True story)
There are those unfortunate times, however, that Google cannot bail us out. Times that we need answers from real people. Imagine that. Sometimes our answers require us to pick up the phone and ask a question. So, you pick up the phone, dial the number and to your dismay, you get voicemail. As tragic as having to leave a message may be, there is still light at the end of the tunnel. Leaving a “detailed message” is not a waste of time. In fact, it can get you your answer quicker than a generic: “call me as soon as you can”.
I always thought it was silly and maybe a bit redundant when people say, “please leave a detailed message and I will get back to you….” Why would the caller not leave details? I thought it was a given that people would leave the pertinent information required. This is not the case. I’ve listened to hundreds of messages and very few offer the important details needed to qualify as a “detailed message”.
Here are a few guidelines that you should follow in order to get the answers you need quickly. They are as follows:
- Have mercy on the person who is listening to your message. Speak slowly and clearly.
- Leave your full name, the name of the company, and your phone number both at the beginning and the end of your message. Here’s a helpful tip: leave your phone number in two different ways. For example, “…my number is 4-2-3-8-7-5-2-6-5-2 again that’s 4-2-3-8-7-5 twenty-six, fifty-two.” This makes writing the number much easier for the person taking the message.
- State the reason for your call. Give them more than “Please call me back…” You might say, for example, “I am looking for a way to clean up duplicates from my ACT database”. This gives the person you are calling more to work with.
- Be concise. If you find yourself rambling don’t be shy to rerecord your message. Many voicemails have that option available.
A detailed message is the best, most effective way of getting the answer to your question in a timely manner. Happy voice mailing!