Voicemail greeting examples by industry
Here are 16 voicemail greeting scripts written for six common UK industries: medical and dental practices, solicitors and legal firms, salon and beauty, restaurants and takeaways, trades, and estate agents. Each is short, British and ready to copy. Replace the [square-bracket] placeholders with your own details and keep each greeting to around 20 to 30 seconds.
Why industry-specific greetings matter
A generic "leave a message after the tone" works, but the best greetings are written for the caller's situation. A patient ringing a dental practice needs to know what to do in an emergency. Someone calling a law firm wants reassurance and discretion. A diner trying to book during a busy service needs a quick alternative. Tailoring the wording to your industry makes you sound organised and stops callers giving up.
Whatever the sector, a good greeting names the business, explains you cannot take the call, tells the caller what to leave, and where it matters, points them to an emergency route or a faster way to get help. Record it somewhere quiet and update it whenever your hours change.
Medical and dental practice greetings
Clarity and the emergency instruction come first. Keep the tone calm and the routing obvious.
"Thank you for calling [Practice name]. Our reception is open [opening hours], Monday to Friday. If this is a life-threatening emergency, please hang up and dial 999. For urgent medical advice when we are closed, please call NHS 111. For all other matters, leave your name, date of birth and a contact number, and a member of the team will call you back."
"You have reached [Dental practice name]. We are open [opening hours]. If you are in severe pain or have a dental emergency outside these hours, please call NHS 111 for advice. To book or change an appointment, you can also use our online booking, or leave your name and number and we will return your call the next working day."
"Thank you for calling [Practice name]. All of our team are currently helping other patients. Please leave your name, date of birth and a brief message, and we will get back to you as soon as we can. In an emergency, please dial 999, or call 111 for urgent advice."
Solicitors and legal firm greetings
A measured, reassuring tone reflects well on the firm. Ask for just enough detail to route the call.
"Thank you for calling [Firm name], solicitors. We are sorry we cannot take your call at the moment. Please leave your name, telephone number and a brief outline of the matter you are calling about, and the right member of our team will return your call within one working day."
"You have reached [Firm name]. Our office hours are [opening hours], Monday to Friday. Please leave your name, number and a short message, and we will call you back as soon as we are able. Your call will be treated in the strictest confidence."
"Thank you for calling [Firm name]. If you are an existing client, please leave your name, matter reference and number and we will pass your message to your fee earner. If you are a new enquiry, leave your details and a brief description of how we can help, and someone will be in touch shortly."
Salon and beauty greetings
Warm and friendly suits the sector. Make booking easy, because you are often with a client.
"Hi, thank you for calling [Salon name]. We are probably busy making someone gorgeous right now. We are open [opening hours]. To book, you can use our online booking link, or leave your name and number and we will call you straight back to find you a time. Thanks so much."
"Hello and thank you for calling [Salon name]. Sorry we have missed you. Leave your name, number and what you would like booked in, and one of the team will get back to you as soon as we are free. We can't wait to see you."
"You have reached [Salon name]. We are open [opening hours]. For the quickest reply, please text us or use our online booking. Otherwise, leave a message with your name and number and we will return your call. Have a lovely day."
Restaurant and takeaway greetings
During service nobody can pick up, so set the hours and point callers to the fastest route.
"Thank you for calling [Restaurant name]. We are open [opening hours]. We may be busy serving right now, so for the quickest booking please use our online reservations, or leave your name, number, date and party size and we will call you back to confirm. Thank you."
"Hello, you have reached [Takeaway name]. We are open [opening hours]. To place an order, the fastest way is through our app or website. If you would like to leave a message, give us your name and number and we will ring you back. Thanks for calling."
"Thank you for calling [Restaurant name]. We are currently closed and will reopen at [opening hours]. Please leave your name, number and the date you would like to book, and we will get back to you when we open. We look forward to welcoming you."
Trades greetings (plumber, electrician)
Set expectations clearly and ask for the details you need to quote or schedule.
"Hi, you have reached [your name] at [trading name], [your trade]. I am out on a job and can't get to the phone safely right now. Leave your name, number, postcode and what you need, and I will call you back the same working day with a time or a quote. For urgent jobs, please text this number."
"Thanks for calling [trading name]. I am on site at the moment. Leave a message with your name, number and a quick description of the work, and I will get back to you between jobs. For an emergency, drop me a text and I will call you straight back."
Estate agent greetings
Sound responsive and route the caller to viewings, sales or lettings quickly.
"Thank you for calling [Agency name]. Our office is open [opening hours], Monday to Saturday. Please leave your name, number and whether you are calling about sales, lettings or a viewing, and the right person will call you back as soon as possible. You can also browse all of our properties online."
"You have reached [Agency name]. Sorry we have missed you. If you are calling to arrange a viewing, please leave your name, number and the property address, and a member of the team will get back to you shortly. For all other enquiries, leave a message and we will return your call."
Tips for any industry greeting
- Put the most important instruction first, especially emergency routing for health-related calls.
- Name the business in the opening line so callers know they have the right number.
- Tell callers the single fastest way to get what they need, whether that is online booking, a text or a callback.
- Keep it to 20 to 30 seconds and record it somewhere quiet.
- Update the greeting whenever your hours, team or contact details change.
Frequently asked questions
What should a medical or dental practice voicemail say?
It should name the practice, give the opening hours, and clearly tell patients what to do in an emergency, for example to call 999 for a life-threatening situation or 111 for urgent medical advice when the practice is closed. Then invite non-urgent callers to leave a name, number and brief message, or to book online. Keeping the emergency instruction near the start is the most important part.
What should a law firm or solicitor voicemail include?
A solicitor's greeting should be calm and reassuring, name the firm, and ask the caller to leave their name, number and a brief outline of the matter so the right fee earner can call back. Avoid promising specific timescales you cannot meet. Many firms add that they will return the call within one working day, which sets a clear and professional expectation.
How should a restaurant or takeaway greeting handle bookings?
Give the opening hours, then point callers to the quickest way to book or order, whether that is an online booking link, an ordering app or leaving a voicemail with a callback number. During service you may not be able to answer, so a greeting that sets the hours and offers an alternative keeps customers from giving up and going elsewhere.
What is the best voicemail greeting for a tradesperson?
Name your trading name and trade, explain you are on a job and cannot answer, and ask for the caller's name, number, postcode and what they need so you can call back with a time or a quote. Adding that you will return calls the same working day reassures customers, and inviting a text for urgent jobs gives a faster route when you are hands-busy.
Can different departments have their own voicemail greetings?
Yes. A cloud phone system lets each extension, team or department record its own greeting, so reception, accounts and bookings each sound right for the caller. You can also route calls through a menu first, then to the correct voicemail, and have every message emailed as audio and text. This keeps a small business sounding organised across every line.
Put these scripts to work
Set up voicemail, menus and on-hold messages in minutes with a Voxora cloud phone system.