IVR Script Templates: 20 Ready-to-Use Phone System Scripts (2026)

Writing an IVR script isn't hard — writing a good one protects both your caller's patience and your brand's credibility. This guide gives you 20 ready-made phone system scripts. Replace the bracketed placeholders with your details, copy the text, and have it recorded. A typical prompt runs 30-60 words; a professional recording package from [VoiceBros IVR voice over](https://voicebros.com/en/ivr-phone-system-voice-over) typically costs $20-60 with 24-hour delivery.

4 rules of a good IVR script

Keep it short. Callers came to solve a problem, not to admire your menu. Greeting plus routing should stay under 15 seconds.

Lead with the most-used option. If 60% of calls go to sales, "press 1 for sales" comes first.

Use one voice. A greeting in one voice and a menu in another breaks corporate coherence. Record the entire prompt tree with the same artist.

Keep it current. A promo prompt advertising an expired campaign costs trust. Record variable prompts (promos, holidays) as separate files so updating one file is enough.

Greetings (4 templates)

1. Standard: "Thank you for calling [Company Name]. We'll connect you to the right department shortly."

2. Greeting + menu: "Thank you for calling [Company Name]. For sales, press 1. For technical support, press 2. For billing, press 3. To speak with an operator, please stay on the line."

3. Bilingual: "Welcome to [Company Name]. For English, press 1. Willkommen bei [Company Name]. Für Deutsch drücken Sie bitte die 2."

4. High-volume notice: "Thank you for calling [Company Name]. All of our representatives are currently busy. You may stay on the line, or leave a message and we'll call you back as soon as possible."

Menu & routing (3 templates)

5. Submenu: "You've reached technical support. For internet outages, press 1. For device setup, press 2. For all other requests, press 3."

6. Extension dialing: "If you know your party's extension, you may dial it now. Otherwise, press 0 for the operator."

7. Invalid input: "That selection is not valid. Please listen to the menu again and choose an available option."

On-hold messages (3 templates)

8. Standard hold: "All of our representatives are currently assisting other customers. Please stay on the line and we'll be with you shortly."

9. Informational hold: "Thanks for holding. Did you know you can track your order status 24/7 at www.[yoursite].com with your order number?"

10. Estimated wait: "Due to high call volume, the current wait time is approximately [X] minutes. Press 1 to request a callback instead."

After-hours (3 templates)

11. Standard: "Thank you for calling [Company Name]. Our office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM. Please leave a message after the tone. Have a great day."

12. Alternative channels: "You've reached us outside business hours. For urgent matters, email support@[yoursite].com or use the live chat at www.[yoursite].com."

13. Weekend: "Welcome to [Company Name]. Phone support is unavailable on weekends. We're back Monday from 9 AM — feel free to leave a message."

Holidays & special notices (3 templates)

14. Public holiday: "Season's greetings from all of us at [Company Name]. Our offices are closed from [date] to [date]. We'll be back at your service on [date]."

15. New Year: "Happy New Year from [Company Name]! Our office is closed on January 1st; we're back on January 2nd."

16. Inventory/maintenance: "Dear customer, shipping is paused between [date] and [date] due to annual inventory. Orders will be processed starting [date]. Thank you for your understanding."

Legal & compliance (2 templates)

17. Call-recording disclosure: "To ensure quality of service, this call may be recorded and monitored. For details on how we handle your data, visit www.[yoursite].com/privacy."

18. Short notice: "This call may be recorded for quality purposes."

Promotional (2 templates)

19. Discount: "Thanks for holding. As part of [campaign name], [product/service] is currently [percent]% off. Ask your representative for details."

20. New product/location: "[Company Name] now serves you at [new location/with new product]. Learn more at www.[yoursite].com or ask your representative."

Recording & technical tips

Most PBX systems require 8kHz mono WAV; cloud systems usually accept MP3 too. When ordering, note your system (Asterisk, 3CX, RingCentral, cloud PBX) so the artist delivers phone-ready files. Request each prompt as a separate file — menu changes then only require updating one file.

FAQ

How long should an IVR prompt be? Greetings 15-25 words, 8-12 words per menu option, hold messages 25-40 words. A full package usually totals 100-250 words.

What does professional recording cost? A standard greeting-plus-menu package runs $20-60 on [VoiceBros](https://voicebros.com/en/ivr-phone-system-voice-over); see the [voice over rates guide](https://voicebros.com/en/voice-over-rates) for all service types.

Can't we record it ourselves? Technically yes — but the voice on your phone is your brand's first impression, and every caller hears the difference between a phone memo and a studio recording. A professional package costs less than a single lost customer for most businesses.