Myth 2: The Faster the Text, the Faster the Caller Gets Help
What Actually Works
Speed actually causes confusion in a phone menu. When options follow too quickly, the caller misses information and has to listen to the menu again. This leads to frustration and longer waiting times on the line.
Here is our director's practical tip: build in enough pauses. Do not say 'Press 1 for sales' immediately. Reverse the order. First state the department, then the number: 'For sales, press 1'. Then add a short, half-second pause. This gives the caller's brain time to process the choice and move their finger to the correct button.
Myth 3: A Professional Voice is Too Expensive for an SME
What Actually Works
Many business owners think professional voices only work for large TV campaigns, but this is not true. For phone recordings, we offer on-request rates tailored perfectly to your project's scale. A good menu is not an unnecessary luxury. It is a smart investment that takes the pressure off your customer service. Sven, a marketing manager at a garage, recently invested in a new phone system. He chose our voices to record the voicemail and menu. Customer reactions were immediately positive. The result is a professional first impression that pays for itself straight away.
What Actually Works
It is tempting to ask one voice to record in Dutch, French, and English to save costs. However, nothing sounds as unprofessional as a voice trying to speak another language with a strong local accent. International customers notice this immediately.
Sometimes, voices do have an exceptional talent for extra languages. For example, the German voice Kaja also speaks fluent French and English. The Italian Barbara can also record in English. Still, for credibility, it is often better to work with native speakers. We offer voices in Danish, German, English, French, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, and Flemish, among others.
Waiting weeks for a studio recording is a thing of the past. Our voice actors have their own professional home studios. This means we can work very quickly. Our client Deutz gave us a 5-star rating. They received over 50 audio recordings in three different languages within one day. Good script preparation is half the job. The recording itself is often ready in just a few days.
We follow some clear rules when creating a script. This stops your callers from getting lost in a maze of options:
- Keep the welcome message short and to the point. Avoid unnecessary pleasantries that waste time.
- Limit choices to a maximum of four per menu. This prevents overwhelming the caller.
- Always state the destination first, then the number. This helps the caller know what to do.
- Provide a clear option to speak directly to a staff member or leave a voicemail.
A poorly voiced phone menu is like a stiff, wooden front door that sticks in its frame. You have to push hard, it makes an unpleasant sound, and visitors do not feel truly welcome. A professional voice, however, works like a perfectly adjusted automatic sliding door: quiet, welcoming, and efficient.
