For many customers, the first “conversation” with your company is not with a person but with a phone menu. A clear, friendly IVR (interactive voice response) recording helps callers reach the right place quickly. A confusing or low-quality one makes them frustrated before anyone has said hello.
Key takeaways
- Keep menus short: a few options per level, with the most requested ones first.
- Write prompts the way people speak, and say the action before the number.
- Record all prompts with the same voice so future updates match.
- Confirm the file format with your phone system provider before recording.
Types of phone recordings
- Welcome greeting: the first message callers hear.
- Menu prompts: “For sales, press 1.”
- On-hold messages: information or promotions played while callers wait.
- Out-of-hours and holiday messages.
- Voicemail greetings for departments or individuals.
- System prompts: “Please hold”, “Your call is important to us”, “Please enter your account number”.
Structuring the menu
- Limit options. Three to five options per level is easier to remember than eight.
- Most common requests first, based on real call data if you have it.
- Say the action before the number: “For billing questions, press 2” helps callers decide before they hear the key.
- Offer a way to reach a person and a way to repeat the menu.
- Keep the greeting short. Callers did not call to hear a slogan.
Example script
Example: welcome and main menu
- “Welcome to [Company]. Thank you for calling.”
- “For new orders, press 1.”
- “For delivery and order status, press 2.”
- “For billing questions, press 3.”
- “To speak to a member of our team, press 0. To hear these options again, press 9.”
Bilingual menus: Georgian and English
Many companies in Georgia serve both Georgian- and English-speaking customers. A common approach:
- Start in Georgian, the default language.
- Offer English early, in English: “For English, press 2.”
- Record the English menu with a voice that matches the Georgian one in tone and pace.
Translate the meaning, not word by word, and check that both versions give the same options in the same order.
Writing tips for phone audio
- Use short, simple sentences. Phone audio quality is limited.
- Spell out numbers, websites and emails the way they should be spoken.
- Avoid music under menu prompts; it reduces clarity over the phone.
- Keep on-hold messages short and rotate them, so frequent callers do not hear the same text every time.
The general rules are in how to prepare a voiceover script.
File formats for phone systems
Phone systems are strict about audio formats, and the wrong one can sound distorted or not play at all. Ask your provider for the exact specification. Common requirements include:
| Specification | Common values |
|---|---|
| File type | WAV |
| Sample rate | 8 kHz (traditional telephony) or 16 kHz (some modern VoIP systems) |
| Channels | Mono |
| Encoding | 16-bit PCM, or µ-law / A-law, depending on the system |
| File names | Exactly as the system expects, for example menu_main.wav |
A professional voice studio can record at high quality and deliver files converted to your system’s specification, plus a high-quality master for future use.
Planning for updates
Phone menus change: new services, new opening hours, holiday messages. Plan for it:
- Use the same voice for all prompts, so new recordings match the old ones.
- Keep a prompt list with file names and the exact text of each recording.
- Agree on pickup terms for small updates in advance. See the voiceover pricing guide.
Make it part of your brand
The voice on your phone line should sound like the voice in your advertising. Read more in audio branding, and use how to choose a voice actor to find the right voice.
A good phone menu goes unnoticed. Callers reach the right place quickly and come away with a good impression of your company.
