How to greet callers on the phone: ready-made greetings for your business
Sado AI team · · 4 min read
In short
A good phone greeting has four parts and takes three to five seconds: a hello, the company name, your name and a short invitation to talk. For example: “Assalomu alaykum, Oila clinic, this is Malika, I’m listening.” Carry on in whichever language the caller answers in. Avoid “Hello?”, “Yes?” and long advertising slogans. If the call is recorded, say so in one short sentence. The greeting is your company’s voice: write it once and have everyone say it the same way.
The four parts of a greeting
- Hello: “Assalomu alaykum” or “Zdravstvuyte”, or “Good evening” by the time of day.
- Company name: the caller knows at once they’ve reached the right place.
- Your name: “Malika”. The caller knows who they’re talking to, and the call feels warmer.
- Invitation: “I’m listening” (“eshitaman”, “slushayu vas”) tells the caller it’s their turn.
All together: “Assalomu alaykum, Oila clinic, Malika, I’m listening.” Four parts, one breath.
Ready greetings by industry
| Industry | In Uzbek | In Russian |
|---|---|---|
| Clinic | Assalomu alaykum, Oila klinikasi, Malika, eshitaman. | Здравствуйте, клиника «Оила», Малика, слушаю вас. |
| Delivery | Assalomu alaykum, Tez Lavash, buyurtma qabul qilaman. | Здравствуйте, «Тез Лаваш», принимаю заказ. |
| Real estate | Assalomu alaykum, Yashil Shahar sotuv bo‘limi, Shohruh. | Здравствуйте, отдел продаж «Яшил Шахар», Шохрух. |
| Car service | Assalomu alaykum, Motor Pro servis, eshitaman. | Здравствуйте, сервис «Мотор Про», слушаю вас. |
| Online store | Assalomu alaykum, Uyim Market, Malika, eshitaman. | Здравствуйте, «Уйим Маркет», Малика, слушаю. |
The names are only examples. Pick one greeting for your business and have every employee say exactly those words.
Which language to greet in
In Tashkent many callers speak Russian; in the regions most speak Uzbek. A simple rule: greet in the language most of your customers speak, then switch to whatever language the caller answers in. A two-language greeting (“Assalomu alaykum, zdravstvuyte…”) works too, but it makes the greeting longer. Above all, don’t make the caller switch to your language: if they speak Russian, carry on in Russian.
On holidays you can add a word: “Assalomu alaykum, happy Navruz! Oila clinic…”. But don’t change the greeting every week: regular customers recognise your company by those exact words.
What not to say
- “Hello?” or “Yes?”: the caller doesn’t know where they’ve called.
- A long slogan: “Quality and trust have been our motto since 2010…” The caller forgets their question.
- Fast and quiet: if they miss the company name, they’ll have to ask again.
- “Hold on” right after the greeting: listen to the caller first.
- Opening with “Who is this?”: if you need a name, ask later and politely.
Sample: the caller answers in Russian
Sado: Assalomu alaykum, Oila clinic, Malika, I’m listening.
Caller: (in Russian) Hello, I’d like to book an appointment with a cardiologist.
Sado: (in Russian) Hello! Of course. Which day suits you?
Caller: Thursday, if possible.
Sado: On Thursday we have ten o’clock and two o’clock. Which time works for you?
Caller: Ten.
The operator greeted in Uzbek, the caller answered in Russian, and the call went straight on in Russian. Nobody had to ask “Do you speak Uzbek?”.
An AI operator with your greeting
Sado’s AI operator speaks in your company’s name: the company name, operator name, tone and words are yours. You choose the greeting, and it sounds the same on every call, never tired or rushed. Then the operator continues in the caller’s language, Uzbek or Russian: Uzbek voice AI.
Choose a voice, Malika (female) or Shohruh (male): listen on the home page. If you want, the operator says at the start that the call is recorded. More on the two languages: Uzbek and Russian voice bot. Try it live or call 78 778 01 23.
Questions
How long should a greeting be?
Three to five seconds, in one breath. With a long greeting the caller waits and sometimes hangs up.
Should we say the call is recorded?
Many companies do: “This call is recorded for quality.” Keep it to one short sentence after the greeting. In Sado this message can be switched on or off.
What if the caller asks, “Are you a person?”
Sado’s operator never pretends to be human when asked. If the caller wants a person, the call goes to staff by your rule: when to transfer to a manager.