Temporary closure: a call-flow template

When this flow fits

For an unexpected closure such as severe weather, a power outage or an inaccessible premises.

Keep each route tied to a caller need. With Auto Attendant each option does one thing: it rings up to three phones one after another (never together), takes a voicemail, or plays a message and hangs up; a line can also skip the menu entirely. A forwarded call shows your business number as caller ID, and the team returns calls from its own mobiles.

Why this flow is built this way

A temporary closure message is written under pressure, often by someone who has just learned of a power cut, a flood or an illness. Its first rule is not to guess. “We expect to reopen tomorrow” is a promise nobody can keep when the cause is a storm; “we do not yet have a confirmed reopening time” is true and calms callers more than a wrong date.

The second rule is to offer a route that exists. If nobody can take a call, offer voicemail and say where updates will appear, such as the website or a social page. If someone is staffing an urgent line, say who it is for. The caller wants to know whether it is worth waiting, and the message should answer that.

Flow and keypresses

The diagram shows what the caller hears and where each choice leads. The count is the number of keypad selections from the first menu to that destination; a submenu adds another press.

Original script wording

Replace the shaded fields with details your callers need. Do not read them aloud as written. Word count and duration are calculated from each script; spoken time is estimated at 150 words per minute, so pauses and keypad instructions may make the spoken greeting longer. Auto Attendant reads your wording in a text-to-speech voice; you type the words rather than recording them.

Shaded text is a fill-in field: replace it with your own.

A worked example

Illustration: a bakery loses power for two days after a storm. The owner updates the menu from her mobile: “We are closed because of a power outage. We do not yet have a reopening time. Press 1 to leave a message; press 2 for urgent order questions.” Option 2 rings the owner’s mobile for orders already paid for. When power returns, she switches the greeting off and listens to the voicemail backlog.

The mistake to avoid is leaving the temporary message on after reopening. Add the removal to the same checklist as switching it on: whoever records it also sets a reminder to take it down.

Timing, options and common mistakes

Set a reminder to replace this greeting when normal service resumes. If the urgent route is used, make sure the person on call can answer within a few rings.

Remove the urgent option if no one is available to take it.

• Do not state an unconfirmed reopening time.
• Keep the message brief and update it when the situation changes.

Say the option before its key, put the most frequent caller need first, and repeat the key choices at the end. A practical starting point is no more than about four top-level options: callers must listen, remember the choices and select one. Use a submenu for a less common branch rather than making every caller hear every detail.

For a full routing walkthrough, see call routing and menu design. An Auto Attendant menu has up to seven options; each rings up to three phones in turn, takes a voicemail or plays a message. The menu can be in English, French or Spanish. Voicemails are emailed in the business’s chosen language with the MP3 attached, followed by a transcript in the language of the message.

Standards and rules behind it

Ready.gov’s business continuity and crisis communication guidance covers planning for disruption, including identifying who you need to reach and how 12. A temporary closure message is the phone-side expression of that plan; having the script written in advance shortens the delay.

Callers who cannot use voicemail, including customers who are deaf or hard of hearing, need another way to learn what is happening. The ADA’s effective-communication principle applies to businesses open to the public 3, and a website banner or published email address meets that need cheaply.

This is general information, not legal advice. Rules differ by state and change; confirm anything that affects your business with the source or an adviser.

Test it before you publish it

• Keep a ready-to-record script and a named person who can change the greeting from a mobile.
• State the reason briefly and avoid guessing a reopening time.
• Point callers to a website or social page where updates will appear.
• Set a reminder to remove the message when you reopen.
• Check voicemail for urgent requests at least twice a day during the closure.

Related templates and guides

• Holiday closure: call-flow template
• After-hours greeting: call-flow template
• General voicemail greeting: call-flow template
• Overflow when nobody answers: call-flow template
• Restaurant or takeout business: phone menu guide
• Photography or events studio: phone menu guide
• Roofing company: phone menu guide
• Call routing and menu design
• Missed calls and what they cost
• Frequently asked questions