Business and after-hours greetings let you automatically switch between greetings based on the time of day. So, when you are not at work, you can say so in your after-hours greeting and set expectations around when you might respond.
Our video below provides a brief overview and explains how to set up these greetings in Vxt Web. However, if you'd like to learn how to set up these greetings on the mobile app, then continue reading the guide below.
Record Your After-Hours Greeting
If you do not already have a greeting in-mind for your after hour greeting, you will first need to record one. If you have a greeting you've already recorded and want to use as your after-hours greeting then skip to the section below.)
To set up your own after-hours greeting, enter the ‘greeting’ settings tab inside Vxt. You can select this down the bottom left of your screen, as shown in the image below.
To record a new after-hours greeting, simply press the '+' icon next to Default greeting.
You will then need to give your greeting a name. In this case I have named it 'After-Hours'.
From here, simply record the greeting you want to use. A brief message that explains you are outside of business hours and an expectation for when you will be able to respond usually works best. Press the 'Record' button to tape your greeting and tap the 'Play' button to listen back to it.
If you are unhappy with your recording, you can simply re-do the message by pressing the 'record' button again. This will tape over your previous recording.
Once you are happy with your after-hours greeting, select 'Save' in the top right corner to confirm the recording.
You can now set this pre-recorded greeting to be used specifically for your after-hours greetings by simply tapping the ellipses '...' next to the recording you have just made. If you have another you wish to use you can select it using the same method. You will have several options as shown below.
Select 'Set as after-hours greeting' to continue.
Set your Business Hours
You also need to set your business hours to determine when your voicemail greeting will switch from business to after-hours.
To do this, select the ellipses '...' next to any recording and then select 'Adjust your business hours'.
The menu that automatically opens is the simple view of your business hours. If you have a regular 9-5 work schedule then this menu is likely all you will need to use to set your business hours. With the simple menu you can set your work hours for your standard work week, choosing which days you work and the time you usually work. In this case, the example below is a standard 9-5, from Monday to Friday.
To change the days of your business hours, simply tap the letter for the corresponding day. The letter will be highlighted in a blue circle if it is selected, meaning it will be included in your business hours. You can adjust your start and end time by tapping these options above the days. In standard view, changing these times will adjust your start and end time for every working day of the week.
For example, tapping the number on the left gives you the option of changing your start time. The same occurs when you tap the number on the right, only you're given the option of adjusting your end time.
To change your start/end time, simply tap the time and type in your exact starting or ending hour and then choose 'Select' to confirm this option.
You can also select your timezone, meaning callers from other time zones will hear your after-hour greeting, even if they are calling during business hours from their time zone. To manage your time zone, simply select the 'Timezone' button and choose your time zone.
In this case, the example chosen is (UTC + 10:30) Australia/Adelaide.
Flexible Business Hours
If you don't work a typical 9-5, have changing/flexible work hours, or just need to adjust your hours each week, you can use the 'Advanced View' to set your business hours for the week. This allows you to set different start and end times for each day. To access advanced view, simply select the slider that says 'Advanced view'.
This will bring a menu with each individual day, and the option to adjust start and end times for each day.
The left hand side of the menu will allow you to choose which days are included in your business hours. Tapping the day will mean it is included in your business hours, as indicated by the blue tick next to the day. If you tap the circle again, the day will not be included in your business hours and will appear blank, as shown below.
You can also manage your work hours by clicking on the corresponding start and end time. Simply tap the time you wish to change and type in the time you start/finish.
You will then be given the option to select a start/end time, depending on which option you have picked. From here, all you need to do is tap the highlighted time to change it.
Type in the time you start or end work to adjust your time. You can also switch between the morning and afternoon using the slider.
Once you have confirmed the time, tap away from the adjustment box/keyboard to revert back to the previous screen. If you have typed in the correct time, tap 'Select' to confirm this as your start/end time.
When adjusted, the hours will change for the day you have selected. In this case, the business hours for Monday were the usual 9-5 hours and were then changed to be from 8:00pm to 11:59pm. If you adjust your hours successfully, it will look similar to the image below.
Once again, you can adjust your time zone using the 'Timezone' button.
As a warning, if you make adjustments to your hours and then switch back to 'simple view' your current hours and schedule will be reset to the default 9-5 as shown below.
If you are happy with the times you have set in either simplified or advanced view, press 'Save' to confirm your business hours. You have now set your business hours sucessfully.
Make Your Business and After-Hour Greetings Switch Automatically
This now means you can select a business and an after-hour greeting that will switch automatically once the time goes outside or within your business hours, depending on the start and end times you've chosen.
To set a business hour greeting, you follow much the same steps as an after-hour greeting. Simply tap the ellipses '...' and select 'Set as business hour greeting'.
You have now set a business and an after-hour greeting that will switch automatically once the time goes outside or within your business hours, depending on the parameters you've set.
To read more about smart greetings or our other options including temporary greetings, then continue onto the next article. Otherwise, check out our previous articles to read about or default or contact-based greetings.
If you have any questions, feedback or are just keen to say hi, please get in touch at info@vxt.co.nz.