Doing business from Perth has plenty of advantages, but the time difference with the east coast is not one of them. Western Australia does not observe daylight saving, so depending on the time of year Perth is two or three hours behind Sydney and Melbourne. For businesses that serve customers across the country, that gap shapes when calls arrive and how they should be handled.
Early callers and late callers
East coast customers often call first thing in their morning, which can be before a Perth office opens. Later in the day, Perth staff are still working long after eastern offices have closed. A well-planned phone experience covers both situations: clear after-hours messages for early callers, and professional hold messages for the busy periods when the office is open.
Make your after-hours message work harder
An after-hours greeting is often the first thing an interstate caller hears. Rather than a short "we are closed", make it useful:
- State your hours and specify that they are Perth time (AWST)
- Point callers to your website for information, bookings or support
- Explain how to leave a message and when they can expect a call back
- Offer an urgent contact option if your business provides one
Use your phone menu to direct calls
If your business has several departments, a simple phone menu (often called IVR) can route callers to the right team. Keep the number of options small and put the most common choice first. Professionally recorded prompts sound clearer and more trustworthy than a hurried recording made in the office.
Fill the hold time with useful content
During peak periods, particularly in the early afternoon when east coast customers are wrapping up their day, Perth businesses can see longer queues. Music on hold with short messages keeps callers informed while they wait. Mention online services, frequently asked questions and the full range of what your business offers.
Be clear about time zones
Whenever you mention hours, deadlines or cut-off times, say which time zone you mean. It is a small habit that prevents frustration, especially for customers who do not deal with Western Australia often. Remember that the difference changes when the eastern states start and finish daylight saving, so a message that says "two hours behind Sydney" will be wrong for part of the year. Simply quoting Perth time avoids the problem.
Choose music that suits the West
Perth businesses are often known for a relaxed but capable style. On-hold music can reflect that with bright, confident instrumentals. Whatever you choose, make sure it is properly licensed and mixed so it sounds clear on a phone line.
Bring it all together
After-hours greetings, menu prompts and hold messages work best when they are produced together, with the same voice and a consistent tone. Callers hear one professional business from the first ring to the moment someone answers.
Talk to us
We produce on-hold messages, music on hold, after-hours greetings and phone menu prompts for businesses in Perth and across Western Australia. Contact us for a free quote.