Decide what callers need to hear first
Start with the questions people are most likely to ask when they call. A salon might prioritise appointments and opening hours; a takeaway might focus on orders and collection times. Your greeting does not need to list every question the assistant can answer. Its job is to reassure callers that they have reached the right place and help them begin.
Be transparent about who is answering. A phrase such as “You’re speaking to our AI receptionist” is direct without making the introduction sound technical. Then invite the caller to say what they need. If you offer several services, choose the most relevant ones for the greeting and keep the rest in your configured business knowledge.
Match the message to what is available
The greeting should describe what the assistant can actually do, rather than what you hope to add later. AI Reception can use configured business knowledge and opening hours, take callback requests and hand calls over to a configured UK number or SIP destination. Orders and bookings depend on the relevant NeroWeb or NeroBooking workflow being enabled. Check those arrangements before mentioning them as options.
Be careful with promises about people being available. “Ask to speak to someone” could be misleading if there is no handover destination configured or nobody can answer at that time. Similarly, a callback request is not a promise of an immediate response. If your arrangements differ outside opening hours, use wording that reflects the configured service and tell callers what to expect.
- Check the opening hours and business information held in the configuration.
- Confirm which booking or ordering workflows are enabled.
- Agree internally who handles callback requests and when.
- Check any handover destination before referring to it.
Before and after: a hypothetical salon greeting
Imagine a local salon that has enabled its NeroBooking workflow and accepts callback requests. Its original greeting says: “Hello, we can help with anything. Someone is always here to take your call and book you in straight away.” This sounds welcoming, but it does not identify the AI and promises constant human availability and immediate booking, neither of which should be assumed.
A clearer version is: “Hello, you’ve reached Willow Street Salon. I’m the AI receptionist. I can help with appointment bookings, answer questions about our opening hours or take a callback request. How can I help?” This gives callers a manageable choice without promising that a particular appointment is available or that a person will respond immediately. The salon should use this version only if those capabilities and its business information are configured.
Make the wording easy to hear and use
Write for the ear rather than the page. Use short sentences, familiar terms and a natural question at the end. Read the message aloud: if you run out of breath or have to repeat a phrase to understand it, shorten it. Choose a supported voice and language that suit your callers, then listen to the configured version rather than judging the text alone.
Avoid loading the opening with instructions for every possible situation. For example, callers do not need a payment explanation before they have said why they are calling. If a card payment is relevant, use a secure checkout link; customers must not speak their full card details to the AI. Keep any payment wording accurate to the workflow you have enabled.
- Put the business name and AI identification at the start.
- Replace vague claims such as “anything” with specific options.
- Remove promises about availability or outcomes you cannot support.
Test the greeting and its next steps
Make a test call as if you were a new customer. Listen for the business name, AI identification and the options offered. Then try a realistic request, such as asking for opening hours or requesting a callback. If you mention bookings, test that journey too. A useful success check is whether a caller can hear the options once, choose an appropriate one and reach the configured next step without being led to expect something unavailable.
If the message or next step is confusing, change the wording or review the relevant configuration and test again. Optional recordings and transcripts follow your settings and retention arrangements, so check those settings before relying on them for review. As a next action, draft your greeting, ask a colleague to listen to it and make a test call before using it with customers. Review it again whenever hours, services or handover arrangements change.
GOOD TO KNOW
Common questions
How long should the first message be?
There is no fixed length that suits every business. Aim for a brief introduction that a caller can understand on the first listen: business name, AI identification, a few relevant options and an invitation to respond.
Should the greeting say a person will call back?
It can offer a callback request if that is configured, but avoid promising an immediate call or a specific response time unless your team can support it. Make sure someone is responsible for following up.
Can I mention bookings or orders in the greeting?
Yes, if the relevant NeroBooking or NeroWeb workflow is enabled and ready to use. Test the journey first, and avoid suggesting that every requested appointment or order will automatically be available.
What if callers want to speak to a person?
AI Reception supports handover to a configured UK number or SIP destination. Check that the destination and your team’s availability are appropriate before offering a handover in the greeting.