Do I need one greeting, or separate ones for evenings and weekends?

One greeting is enough for most businesses, as long as the wording does not specifically say "tonight" or "this weekend". If you do want a distinction (for example a separate holiday greeting), you can order multiple files and schedule each for its own period.

Do I need to mention an emergency option if I do not have one?

Just say so honestly: that there is no emergency line and the caller needs to wait until the next business day. That is clearer than saying nothing, which leaves the caller guessing.

Can the same greeting be used for multiple locations?

Yes, as long as the hours and phone number are the same for every location. If they differ per location, order a separate file per location; each one costs the same as a single greeting.

After-hours voicemail greeting: script

A caller reaching you in the evening or on a weekend mainly wants to know when you are available again and what to do if it is urgent. A vague greeting ('we are currently closed') answers neither.

What a good after-hours greeting includes

Concrete hours. "9 a.m. on Monday" beats "during business hours": the caller can act on it immediately.
One clear route for callers who cannot wait: a separate number, or an explicit statement that there is no emergency line and the caller must wait until the next business day. Either is better than staying silent about it.
A self-service alternative if you have one (website, online scheduler, order status): not everyone calling wants to reach a person.
Refresh the greeting around holidays and daylight saving changes. A greeting that says "today" three weeks into a holiday closure does not inspire confidence.

Example script: general business

After hours

“Welcome to [company name]. You have reached us outside business hours; we are available on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feel free to leave your name and phone number and we will call you back on the next business day. For urgent matters, please email [email address].”

Example script: healthcare practice (with emergency routing)

After hours, with emergency option

“Welcome to [practice name]. The practice is currently closed; we are available on weekdays from [time] to [time]. If this is a life-threatening emergency, hang up and call 911. For urgent medical questions that cannot wait, call our on-call line at [after-hours number]. For everything else, please leave a message.”

Put the emergency option first, not as the last sentence: someone calling in an emergency will not listen to the whole menu.

Scheduling it automatically

Most phone systems can activate a separate greeting on set times or days, so you do not have to switch it manually every evening. Look in your system for "business hours", "schedules" or "time-based routing"; our phone system pages explain per system where to upload the file.

After-hours voicemail greeting: what to say and how to set it

What a good after-hours greeting includes

Example script: general business

Example script: healthcare practice (with emergency routing)

Scheduling it automatically

Frequently asked questions

Get your after-hours greeting recorded