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Create a telephone welcome message for your school or nursery using an AI voice in just a few seconds
What your telephone reception service covers
4 scenarios for dealing with telephone enquiries specific at school and at the nursery
Parents who ring a school or nursery often have urgent or emotional enquiries. These four situations call for a reassuring, clear and caring response over the phone.
The team is in class or out on an activity
During class time or nap time at the nursery, the staff cannot answer the phone. Your telephone answering service should state when to call back and offer an alternative channel for non-urgent messages.
A parent reports their child missing
Reporting a child’s absence should be quick and easy for parents who are in a rush in the morning. Your telephone helpline could include a dedicated option for reporting absences or provide instructions on how to send this message.
Temporary closure or strike
Teachers’ strikes, professional development days, closures for building works: parents need to be informed promptly. Your telephone helpline must announce these closures, including the dates and any alternative childcare arrangements where these are available.
A parent is looking for information about enrolment
The start of the new school year, waiting lists, documents to provide: enrolment enquiries generate a large number of calls at the start of the year. Your telephone helpline can guide callers through the correct procedures and provide information on office opening hours.
Briefing, registration, delivery, installation. Several days’ wait and a charge for each change.
You can create the audio file in a matter of seconds. Your installer receives it straight away.
Set up your company’s telephone greeting school and nursery
With Voconix, you can go from a blank page to a professional audio file in just a few clicks, without a studio or a technician.
Write your text
Free-form text or pre-written template. Timetables, absences, closures, enrolments, activities.
Choose your voice
Out of 5 languages, testable AI voices on your text and available human voices.
Add some music
Over 10,000 tracks. Automatic mixing.
Instant download
File compatible with all systems. Ready to be sent.
Step 5/6: Choose music from over 10,000 tracks
Audio files ready to be submitted on your switchboard
The files generated by Voconix are compatible with all telephone systems in schools and nurseries, without the need for any conversion.
Audio formats
MP3, WAV, G.711a, G.711u, G.722, G.729. Compatible with all IP-PBXs and telephone switchboards. Standardised audio level for each file.
Direct delivery
Enter your installer’s contact details in Voconix so that he can receive the file, ready to be uploaded to your switchboard. Find out more
Saved pronunciations
The name of your school or nursery is stored once in Voconix and reused in all your future messages with the same pronunciation.
Parents who ring up rarely have time to wait
A parent who calls a school or nursery is often in a hurry: they are reporting their child’s absence before heading off to work, trying to confirm a change to the timetable, or needing urgent information about their child’s condition. These calls usually come in between 7.30 am and 9 am, precisely when the staff are busy welcoming the children and cannot always answer the phone.
Your telephone reception service must compensate for this inevitable unavailability in a reassuring and effective manner. With Voconix, you can create this message in a matter of seconds and update it as soon as the situation changes.
The specific features of telephone reception services for schools and nurseries
Absence management
Reporting a child’s absence is the most common request at the start of the day. Your telephone reception service should make this process as straightforward as possible: clearly explain how to report an absence (leave a message, send a text message to a dedicated number, use the school’s app) without the parent needing to speak to anyone.
Closures and organisational changes
Teachers’ training days, strikes, closures for building works, changes to canteen timetables: parents need to be informed quickly and clearly. Your telephone helpline is the primary channel of communication in the event of an unexpected closure. It must state the duration of the closure and any alternative childcare options available, if any.
A friendly tone
Parents who ring a school or nursery may sometimes be feeling stressed, particularly if there is a problem with their child. Your telephone manner should convey warmth, kindness and a willingness to help, even when no one is available to answer the phone. A tone that is too cold or too formal creates a sense of distance that is at odds with the values of an organisation caring for young children.
Six telephone greeting scripts for schools and nurseries
Create the audio file for your school and nursery’s telephone greeting in just a few seconds.
Your first message is completely free – no credit card required.
Practical advice
Best practice in customer reception telephone service for schools and nurseries
Six practical tips for a friendly telephone service that makes life easier for parents and lightens the workload for staff.
Make it as easy as possible to report an absence
In the mornings between 7.30 am and 9 am, a parent in a hurry must be able to report their child’s absence in under 30 seconds. Your telephone helpline must clearly explain how to make this report (voice message, text message, app) without them needing to speak to anyone.
Adopt a warm and caring tone
A school or nursery is a place of trust. Your telephone greeting should convey warmth and approachability, even when the team cannot answer the phone. A corporate tone that is too cold creates a sense of distance that is at odds with the values of an establishment that welcomes young children.
Plan ahead for any unexpected closures
Create your closure message as soon as you are notified of a professional development day, a strike or a closure for building works. Parents who ring on the morning itself need an immediate response so they can make arrangements.
Please specify the office hours
Parents often have administrative queries that cannot be dealt with via text message. Stating in your telephone greeting the times when they can contact the school office reduces repeat calls and improves the team’s organisation.
Create a specific message for registrations
During the enrolment period (January to March for nurseries, February to April for schools), the number of applications rises sharply. Voconix allows you to create a temporary message specifically for registrations during this period, and then revert to your standard message.
Choose some soft, soothing music
The music for your telephone greeting should reflect a world of childhood and kindness. It should be gentle, positive and not anxiety-inducing. The Voconix catalogue features over 10,000 tracks, so you can find the right music for your organisation.
Telephone reception by sector
Every sector has its own constraints. Select your sector.
Enhance the voice communication on your school or nursery
Early collection from school or nursery
The first sound parents hear before being put through. Immediately adopt a warm and caring tone that reassures families.
Update on closures or strikes
Teachers’ training day, strike, closure for building works: update your telephone message service immediately to keep families informed.
Manage all your messages
Standard reception services, absences, closures, enrolments, events: all your organisation’s telephone communications centralised in Voconix.
Business Answering Machine
Even when closed, you can communicate (opening hours, contact points, etc.) without having to leave a message.
New director or secretary
Create the new manager’s message straight away, using the same voice and tone as the rest of the organisation.
Find your old messages
Past staff training days, past enrolment periods, previous timetables: find all your messages in the Voconix history.
IVR for schools or nurseries
Provide guidance to parents from the very first call: reporting absences, information on enrolment, contact details for the school office, and emergencies.
Institution voicemail
In class, at staff meetings or during training sessions: please ask parents to leave a message stating their child’s first name and class.
The 100% standalone system for your organisation
Choose the voice, music and text, then create your telephone greeting straight away, without needing a studio.
The pricing
Free
€84 /year
(10,000 titles)
€180 /year
FAQ: School and nursery
Take a look at our FAQs and find the answers to your questions
Why is a professional telephone reception service important for a school or nursery?
Parents who ring a school or nursery are often in a hurry, particularly in the morning when they need to report an absence. A telephone service that makes it easier to report absences, provides information on opening hours and announces any unscheduled closures reduces frustration for families and makes the staff’s day-to-day work easier.
How can we make it easier to report absences via the telephone helpline?
Your message must clearly state how to report an absence: «Leave a message with your child’s first name, surname and class» or «Send a text message to [number]». Parents must be able to report an absence in under 30 seconds, without needing to speak to anyone.
How do you announce a one-off closure over the phone?
As soon as you are informed of a staff training day, a strike or a closure for building works, create a message that clearly states this, including the dates and the childcare options available. With Voconix, this update takes a few seconds.
How long should a welcome message for a school or nursery be?
25 to 35 seconds. Identification of the organisation, explanation of why it is unavailable, instructions on how to report an absence, administrative office hours, and urgent information where applicable. Each piece of information must be clear and easy to remember.
How should registration enquiries be handled by the telephone reception service?
During the registration period, create a dedicated temporary message setting out the procedure (waiting list, documents to be provided, email contact details). This message can remain active only during the registration period and will then be replaced by your standard message. Voconix facilitates this alternation.
What sort of voice should be used for a school or nursery’s telephone greeting?
What sort of hold music should a school or nursery use?
Soft, uplifting music that does not cause anxiety. It should reflect the world of childhood and kindness. Avoid music that sounds too institutional or too formal. The Voconix catalogue contains over 10,000 tracks, so you’re sure to find something suitable.
How should we deal with urgent calls from parents?
Your telephone helpline can distinguish between emergencies and routine enquiries: «For an emergency involving your child, please stay on the line. For all other enquiries, please call us back after 4.30 pm.» This wording helps to direct callers whilst ensuring that urgent situations are not left unanswered.
How do you set up a telephone answering service for a school or nursery using Voconix?
Write your text on voconix.fr, select a voice and some music, then generate the audio file with a single click. Download the file and send it to your telephone installer. The first message is completely free.
How much does it cost to set up a telephone reception service for a school or nursery?
The first message is completely free on voconix.fr, without a credit card. Packages tailored to schools and nurseries are available from €5 (excl. VAT) per month. See prices.
