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Le pre-hook message : your sound lobby
As soon as a caller dials your number, even before the first ring, your pre-answer greeting is triggered. It is the audio version of your reception area: in 10 to 20 seconds, it confirms that the caller has reached the right person, provides reassurance that they are being taken care of, and reflects your company's professionalism. A simple series of rings does none of that. And in a world where the first impression is often decisive, this is an opportunity not to be missed.
Pre-hook, on-hold message, IVR: what are the differences?
These three terms refer to distinct messages that appear at different points in the call:
The pre-answer greeting triggers automatically as soon as your number is dialed, even before your phone rings. It is always the first message heard.
The on-hold message is played when an already answered call is placed on hold by a staff member. It occurs after the pre-answer greeting.
IVR (Interactive Voice Server) offers an interactive menu: «for sales, press 1». This can replace or complement the pre-hook, depending on the configuration of your switchboard. In some cases, the prehook precedes the IVR to greet the caller before they navigate the menu.
Beyond a simple welcome, a professional pre-answer greeting fulfills four strategic roles:
It reinforces your brand image: A professional voice, consistent background music and a personalised message. From the very first seconds, the caller is aware of the care you put into your communication. And this instant credibility doesn't stop at large companies: 97% of VSEs and SMEs don't have a professional greeting. You do.
It provides information and guidance: Opening times, exceptional closures, attached service, event announcements. The pre-hook is your company's most-read telephone channel: 100% of your callers hear it, without exception.
It improves the calling experience: Replacing silence or impersonal tones with a warm voice immediately changes the caller's perception. Music reinforces this sound identity and helps to keep callers waiting longer.
It reduces call abandonment: Callers who know from the first second that they have reached the right number and that their call will be answered are more patient before hanging up.
Your pre-answer greeting: the first impression
of every call
Every call is an opportunity to make a good first impression.
30
seconds
That's how long you'll need to create and download your pre-hookup with Voconix.
25+
Voices
25 professional AI and human voices available. Choose the one that matches your company's image for your pre-hook message.
10 000+
Music
Add background music to your pre-hook. More than 10,000 royalty-free or commercial tracks to enhance your sound identity.
5
Languages
Voconix offers the 5 major European languages to create your pre-hook message in the language of your callers.
What a good pre-answer greeting can include
A pre-answer greeting should be kept short. Depending on your phone system, two formats are possible:
Short pre-hook (10 to 20 seconds) : This is the standard format, compatible with all systems. It contains a welcome message, the company name and a patience message. Simple, effective, universal.
Long pre-hook (up to 1 minute) : Some switchboards (PABX, IPBX, cloud solutions) allow a longer message. It allows you to give a real presentation of the company: services offered, strengths, website. Every caller is guaranteed a mini sales pitch.
In both cases, here are the elements you can incorporate depending on your objectives:
Welcome message and company name:
The essential element. The caller needs to know in a second that they have dialled the right number.
Opening times :
If your company receives calls outside its reception hours, mentioning your opening hours in the pre-hook reduces frustration and unnecessary out-of-hours calls.
A special event announcement:
Trade fair, product launch, current promotion, exceptional closure. This type of message can be created and updated in 30 seconds with Voconix.
A reminder of your website:
Redirect some of your callers to your site for simple requests, and free up time for your teams.
The call charge :
On certain premium-rate lines (08, 09 numbers, etc.), indicating the cost of the call as soon as the call is answered is a legal obligation and a guarantee of transparency.
Recording of the call :
If your company records calls for quality or training purposes, the pre-hook is the legal moment to inform the caller.
The service or line reached :
On a direct line (sales department, support, management), mentioning the department in the pre-hook allows callers to check immediately that they have reached the right person.
How to create your pre-answer greeting with Voconix?
Your pre-hook message ready in a few seconds
Voconix has been designed to let you create your pre-answer greeting with complete autonomy. Classic welcome, business hours, event announcements, direct lines, seasonal messages: each announcement is generated with the voice and background audio of your choice.
You go from a blank page to a professional audio file in any format, ready to be uploaded to any phone system.
Choice of voice
(5 languages, 25 voices, human and AI)
Copywriting
(+100 pre-hook models)
Choice of music
(+10,000 tunes: optional background music)
Immediate download
(MP3 or WAV, in the format of your choice)
8 examples of pre-answer greetings by industry
Need some inspiration? Here are 8 examples of pre-hook messages professionals by sector of activity. Each example is ideally between 8 and 16 seconds long. Adapt the text to your image and generate your audio file in just a few seconds with Voconix.
Pre-answer message for Medical practice
«Hello and welcome to Dr [Name]»s medical practice. Your call will be answered in a few moments. For a medical emergency, please dial 15.»
Pre-answer message for Hotel
Welcome to the Hotel [Name], a haven of serenity in the heart of the city; our reception team is currently dealing with other requests and would like to thank you for your patience.
Pre-answer message for Town Hall
«Hello and welcome to [Name of town] Town Hall. Our services are available Monday to Friday from [Time] to [Time]. Your call will be answered.»
Pre-answer message for Car dealership
«Welcome to your [Name/Make] dealer. Our advisers are at your service from Monday to Saturday from [Time] to [Time]. Your call will be answered.»
Pre-answer message for Law firms
«Hello, you've reached [Name]. Our staff will take your call in a few moments. Thank you for your patience.»
Pre-answer message for Beauty Salon
«Welcome to [Salon name]. Our entire team is currently looking after our customers. Your call will be answered shortly.»
Pre-answer message for Estate agency
«Hello and welcome to [Agency name]. Our estate agents are available Monday to Saturday from [Time] to [Time]. Your call will be answered.»
Pre-answer message for Craftsmen
«Hello, you've reached [Name of craftsman], [Trade]. We'll be taking your call in a few moments. Find out more about our work on [Website].»
16 sample scripts for pre-answer greetings
An effective pre-answer greeting adapts to the situation and the type of line. Here are 16 sample scripts categorized by use case, ready to customize and generate with Voconix.
Classic welcome
«Hello and welcome to [Company name]. We'll be taking your call in a few moments. Thank you for staying on the line.»
«Thank you for calling [Company name]. An advisor will take care of your request in a few moments.»
With opening times
«Hello and welcome to [Company name]. Our teams are available from Monday to Friday from [Time] to [Time]. Your call will be answered.»
«Welcome to [Company name]. We are open from [Day] to [Day] from [Time] to [Time]. An advisor will answer your call.»
Exceptional closure
«Hello, you have reached [Company name]. Due to an exceptional closure, our services are unavailable until [Date]. Thank you for your understanding.»
«Welcome to [Company name]. Our offices are exceptionally closed on [Date]. We will be open again on [Date]. Please leave us your message.»
Event or seasonal advertising
«Hello and welcome to [Company name]. We are exhibiting at [Name] from [Date] to [Date]. Please meet us at our stand or your call will be answered as soon as we return.»
«Welcome to [Company name]. For [Event/Holiday], we are offering [Offer]. Your call will be answered.»
Service announcement
«Hello, you've reached the sales department of [Company name]. Your call will be answered in a few moments.»
«Welcome to the [Company name] support department. Our technicians will take care of your request. Thank you for staying on the line.»
Employee direct line
«Hello, you've reached [First name Last name], [Job title] at [Company]. I'll take your call in a few moments.»
«You have reached [First name Last name] from [Company]. Your call will be answered.»
With mention of registration
«Hello and welcome to [Company name]. Please be advised that this call may be recorded for training and quality improvement purposes. Your call will be answered.»
«Welcome to [Company name]. This call may be recorded. An advisor will be taking your request in a few moments.»
Bilingual
«Hello and welcome to [Company name]. Hello and welcome to [Company name]. Your call will be answered shortly.»
«Welcome to [Company name]. For assistance in French, please hold. For English assistance, please hold.»
Add music to your pre-answer greeting
Adding background music to your pre-answer greeting strengthens your audio identity from the very first seconds of the call. The voice always remains in the foreground; the music accompanies without ever hindering comprehension. Broadcasting music on a telephone system is legally considered "communication to the public". Voconix offers you two options:
Royalty-free titles:
The simplest solution. No royalty fees, no administrative hassle. Your pre-answer greeting with a professional background track included in your plan.
Commercial music :
For a strong audio identity featuring a well-known track. Voconix gives you access to a vast library of commercial music. For copyrighted tracks, a ready-to-use licensing form is available to you. Voice and music mixing is done automatically, with the voice always in the foreground.
The audio consistency of your phone greeting
Your pre-answer greeting is the first building block of a consistent caller experience. To ensure this experience remains unified from start to finish, all your messages must share the same voice, tone, and audio identity. This is what professional studios call audio media planning: scheduling your messages according to events, seasons, and business activity.
The pre-hook message
The first sound contact heard by 100% from your callers. It identifies your company, announces the call and can communicate key information: times, event, department contacted.
The telephone on-hold message
Played when an off-hook call is put on hold. It extends the sound identity of the pre-hook and can convey commercial information, a promotion or company news.
Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
The voice menu that directs your callers to the right service. All IVR messages must be recorded in the same voice as your pre-hook to ensure perfect consistency throughout the call.
The professional answering machine
Played when you are unavailable or outside business hours. It closes the caller journey with the same audio identity that opened it with the pre-answer greeting. With Voconix, these four messages are created from a single platform, using the same voice cast and music library.
Your pre-answer greeting evolves with your business
A pre-hang-up message is not fixed in time. The best telephone greetings are those that evolve with the business: events, seasons, new offers, team changes. Voconix gives you the autonomy to update it in a few seconds, without depending on a studio or your installer.
Pre-hook
Your greeting is the first voice your callers hear. Create your telephone greeting in just a few seconds, without going to a studio.
Urgent message update
Exceptional closure, new opening hours, service temporarily unavailable: update your pre-recorded call in less than 30 seconds from your Voconix space, without waiting for your installer.
Manage your sales operations
Trade show, product launch, seasonal offer: create an event version of your pre-hook in just a few seconds and activate it when the time comes. Change it on your return in 30 seconds.
Business Answering Machine
Each member of staff has their own direct line with their own pre-hook. Create all your team's announcements from a single Voconix space, with the same voice and tone for the whole company.
New employee voicemail setup
A new employee? Immediately create their pre-hang-up message using your company's voice and sound style. Consistency guaranteed from day one.
What was the pre-hit list for last year's show?
Prepare your seasonal versions in advance: Christmas, summer, public holidays. Find them in the Voconix history and activate the right version at the right time, without having to start from scratch.
IVR prompts and auto attendant
Your greeting must be consistent with your on-hold message, your IVR and your answering machine. Create all these messages from Voconix, with the same voice and the same sound identity.
Voice box
Clearly indicate to your callers which department they have reached on this line. Voconix lets you create a specific pre-hook for each department or direct line in your company.
100% standalone to create your pre-hook
Write your text, choose your voice and background music, then generate your pre-hook immediately. Download it or send it directly to your telephone installer.
The pricing
Free
€84 /year
(10,000 titles)
€180 /year
The 5 main European languages
These different languages will allow you to create your pre-hook message in the language of your international callers. If you need another language, contact us
FAQ
Browse our answers to the most frequently asked questions about creating a professional pre-release message.
How to create a pre-answer greeting with AI?
To create a pre-answer greeting with Voconix, simply write your text (8 to 16 seconds), choose a voice from the 25 available options (AI or human), and optionally add background music. The audio file is generated instantly and is downloadable in MP3, WAV, or telephony codecs. No technical skills are required.
How long does it take to create a pre-answer greeting?
Less than 2 minutes for a simple message. Voconix generates the audio file instantly after you have written your text and chosen the voice. Updating an existing pre-hook takes less than 30 seconds.
How long should a pre-answer greeting last?
A good pre-hook message lasts between 10 and 20 seconds, including music. Beyond that, the caller becomes impatient. Under 8 seconds, the message may seem too abrupt. This is enough time to identify your company, reassure the caller and convey key information.
What is the difference between a pre-hook and a message on hold?
The hold message is played when a call that has already been answered is put on hold. The pre-answer greeting is played before your phone even rings, as soon as the caller dials your number. The pre-answer greeting is always the first message heard: it precedes the hold message, the IVR, and the voicemail in the caller journey.
What is the difference between a pre-answer greeting and an IVR?
The IVR (Interactive Voice Response) offers an interactive menu: "press 1 for sales, press 2 for support". The pre-answer greeting offers no interaction: it is a simple greeting announcement, played before the IVR. In a complete caller journey, the caller first hears the pre-answer greeting, then the IVR if the company has one.
Can I test Voconix for free before buying?
Yes. Voconix offers a free trial that allows you to create, listen to, and download a complete pre-answer greeting. No commitment or credit card required.
Can I modify my pre-answer greeting without going through my installer?
Yes. Voconix generates immediately downloadable files that you can upload yourself to your phone system, without depending on your installer. You can also automatically send the file to your phone installer via the automatic delivery integrated into Voconix.
What audio formats are available for my pre-hook message?
Pre-hook messages generated by Voconix are available in MP3 and WAV (as well as all other formats), compatible with all telephone standards on the market. The file is standardised to guarantee optimum sound levels on all lines.
Can I add background music to my pre-hook?
Yes. Voconix includes a library of royalty-free music and a selection of commercial music. The mix is done automatically: the voice always remains in the foreground, and the music accompanies it without ever getting in the way of understanding the message.
Is royalty-free music really free of SACEM fees?
Yes. The royalty-free music available in Voconix can be used without SACEM or SCPA fees. They are included in your offer and can be legally integrated into your pre-hook messages, without additional royalties.
Can I create several seasonal versions of my pre-recorded call in advance?
Yes. Voconix keeps a complete history of all your pre-hook messages. You can create several versions in advance (holiday version, trade fair version, summer version) and download them when you need them, without having to start from scratch.
Can my installer integrate the file directly into my switchboard?
Yes. Voconix generates files that are directly compatible with all telephony standards on the market (IPBX, PABX, 3CX, Aircall, RingOver, Mitel, Asterisk). You can send the file to your installer via the built-in automatic delivery function, or upload it yourself according to your system's instructions.
What text should you choose for your pre-hook message?
A pre-hook voucher should contain at least: the name of your company and a welcome message. You can also add your opening hours, an event announcement, your website or a record of a call. Voconix offers pre-written templates for every use to help you get started without a blank page.
Can I create a bilingual pre-hook?
Yes. Voconix offers the 5 major European languages: French, English, Spanish, German and Italian. You can create a bilingual greeting by writing your text in both languages in a single message. Ideal for companies receiving calls from international customers.
