When do you need an English greeting?
The rule of thumb is simple: as soon as some of your callers do not understand the Dutch message. Think of web shops delivering abroad, companies with international partners, hospitality and rentals in tourist areas, and practices near expat communities.
Bilingual in one message, or two separate ones?
For most businesses one bilingual message works best: brief Dutch first, then brief English. Keep both halves extra short, because the total length counts double. Separate messages per language are better if your phone system has a language menu ("voor Nederlands, toets 1; for English, press 2"), but for smaller businesses that is often overkill.
Write English, do not translate literally
The biggest pitfall is a word-for-word translation of the Dutch text. Dutch phrasing pushed into English sounds off to a native ear. Use the standard English formulas: "we are unable to take your call", "please leave your name and number", "we will get back to you". The examples below use those formulas.
Example scripts
“Welkom bij [company name]. Momenteel zijn al onze medewerkers in gesprek; u wordt zo snel mogelijk geholpen. Welcome to [company name]. All of our staff are currently busy; we will be with you as soon as possible.”
“Welcome to [company name]. We are unable to take your call right now. Please leave your name and phone number after the tone, and we will get back to you within one business day.”
“Welcome to [company name]. You have reached us outside our business hours. We are available Monday to Friday, from [time] to [time] Central European Time. Please leave a message or email us at [email address].”
Practical details that make the difference
- State the time zone with your opening hours ("Central European Time"): your caller may be on another continent.
- Give phone numbers internationally, with the country code: "plus three one" instead of a leading zero.
- Use the same voice for both languages, or at least the same gender and tone: it then sounds like one company.