Optional. Tailors the wording to your kind of business.
Separate them with commas.
Leave it blank to use the example. Urgent calls go to a person right away.
Optional. Separate items with commas.
Optional. Used in the greeting.
Your phone script
- Say"Thank you for calling. How can I help you today?"
- DoAnswer by the third ring. Speak a little slower than feels natural, and say the business name clearly.
- DoLet the caller explain before you ask anything. Write down what they say in their words.
- Say"What service are you looking for?"
- Say"Do you have a day and time in mind?"
- Say"Have you been in to see us before?"
- Say"Just so I have it right, you need [repeat it back in a few words]. Is that right?"
How much does it cost?
"It depends on what you need. The best way to get an exact price is to book an appointment. Would you like me to find you a time?" If you have standard prices, write them here so whoever answers can share them.
Do you have anything available today?
"Let me check." Offer the first two openings you have.
- DoCheck the calendar before you offer times.
- Say"I can get you on the schedule for an appointment. I have [day] at [time] or [day] at [time]. Which works better for you?"
- Say"Can I get your name and the best number to reach you?"
- Say"You're all set for your appointment on [day] at [time]. We'll see you then."
- DoPut it on the calendar while the caller is still on the line, then read the day and time back.
- DoTreat these as urgent: an emergency or a problem that cannot wait until tomorrow.
- Say"Thanks for telling me. Let me get someone on the line for you right away."
- DoTransfer the call to the owner or whoever is on call.
- DoIf nobody picks up, take their name and number, tell them when to expect a call back, and send the message right away. Never promise a time you cannot keep.
- Say"I'd be glad to take a message so the right person can call you back."
- Say"Can I get your first and last name?"
- Say"What's the best number to reach you?"
- Say"In a sentence or two, what's the call about?"
- DoRead the number back to confirm it.
- Say"Thank you. I'll pass this along right away, and someone will get back to you."
- Say"Is there anything else I can help you with?"
- DoRecap what happens next: the appointment day and time, or who will call back and when.
- Say"Thanks for calling. Have a great day."
Plain-text version
PHONE ANSWERING SCRIPT 1. GREETING Say: "Thank you for calling. How can I help you today?" Do: Answer by the third ring. Speak a little slower than feels natural, and say the business name clearly. 2. IDENTIFY THE NEED Do: Let the caller explain before you ask anything. Write down what they say in their words. Say: "What service are you looking for?" Say: "Do you have a day and time in mind?" Say: "Have you been in to see us before?" Say: "Just so I have it right, you need [repeat it back in a few words]. Is that right?" 3. COMMON QUESTIONS Q: How much does it cost? A: "It depends on what you need. The best way to get an exact price is to book an appointment. Would you like me to find you a time?" If you have standard prices, write them here so whoever answers can share them. Q: Do you have anything available today? A: "Let me check." Offer the first two openings you have. 4. BOOKING Do: Check the calendar before you offer times. Say: "I can get you on the schedule for an appointment. I have [day] at [time] or [day] at [time]. Which works better for you?" Say: "Can I get your name and the best number to reach you?" Say: "You're all set for your appointment on [day] at [time]. We'll see you then." Do: Put it on the calendar while the caller is still on the line, then read the day and time back. 5. URGENT CALLS Do: Treat these as urgent: an emergency or a problem that cannot wait until tomorrow. Say: "Thanks for telling me. Let me get someone on the line for you right away." Do: Transfer the call to the owner or whoever is on call. Do: If nobody picks up, take their name and number, tell them when to expect a call back, and send the message right away. Never promise a time you cannot keep. 6. TAKING A MESSAGE Say: "I'd be glad to take a message so the right person can call you back." Say: "Can I get your first and last name?" Say: "What's the best number to reach you?" Say: "In a sentence or two, what's the call about?" Do: Read the number back to confirm it. Say: "Thank you. I'll pass this along right away, and someone will get back to you." 7. CLOSING Say: "Is there anything else I can help you with?" Do: Recap what happens next: the appointment day and time, or who will call back and when. Say: "Thanks for calling. Have a great day."
Using an AI receptionist? Paste the plain-text version into its instructions, then call your own number and test every section.
Want every call answered instead? See how FrontDesk Talk works.
Everyone who answers should sound like they know the business
When the owner answers, the call usually goes fine, because the owner knows everything. When a new hire, a family member, or a temp picks up, callers get put on hold, asked the same question twice, or told “I’m not sure.” A script fixes that by writing down what you already know.
This generator turns your services, hours, service area, and booking process into a structured script: how to greet, what to ask, how to answer the common questions, how to book, what to do with an urgent call, and how to take a message that is actually useful.
How to use the receptionist script generator
1
Describe your business
Add your business name, industry, services, hours, and where you work. The industry fills in sensible follow-up questions and examples.
2
Set the rules
Say what counts as urgent, how callers book, and what information you need from every caller.
3
Print it or paste it
Copy the full script, print it for the front desk, or paste the plain-text version into an AI receptionist. Then call your own number and test it.
Why scripts help
A script isn’t about sounding robotic. It makes sure every caller gets the same basics: the business name, a clear answer, and a next step. Once the person answering knows what has to be covered, they can say it in their own words.
Always end with a next step
The best calls end with something booked or a clear promise about who will call back and when. “We’ll be in touch” isn’t a next step. “Mike will call you before 3 today” is. The closing section of the script makes that a habit.
Decide what urgent means ahead of time
Urgent calls are where a missing script hurts most. Write down exactly what counts, like no heat in winter or a client with a court date this week, and who gets the transfer. Then nobody answering has to guess.
Collect only what you will use
Every extra question makes the call longer. A name, a callback number, and the reason for the call cover most messages. Add an address for work at the customer’s place, plus anything you always need, like a vehicle make or a gate code.
Or let FrontDesk Talk handle it
Or have FrontDesk Talk follow the script on every call
Tell it your services, hours, and urgent call rules once. It answers 24/7, handles several calls at once, books appointments on Real Talk and up, and sends urgent calls to your cell. Setup takes a few minutes.
Questions
What should a receptionist say when answering the phone?
Thank the caller, say the business name, give your own name if you like, and ask how you can help. For example: “Thank you for calling Northside Plumbing, this is Ava. How can I help you today?” Keep it short so the caller can get to the point.
How do I handle a question I can’t answer?
Say you will find out, take the caller’s name and number, and give a time for the call back. Then add the question and its answer to your script so it is covered next time.
Can I use this script with an AI receptionist?
Yes. Paste the plain-text version into the AI’s instructions. Most of it carries over directly: the greeting, questions and answers, booking rules, urgent call rules, and what to collect.
How often should I update the script?
Whenever your hours, prices, services, or booking process change, and any time callers keep asking something the script doesn’t answer.
What counts as an urgent call?
Anything that costs the customer money or safety if it waits until tomorrow. For a plumber it might be a burst pipe. For a law office, a court date this week. Write it down so nobody has to judge it on the spot.
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