Sending the Right Message : City Smart / How to thrive in the urban environment of Southern California

Every morning, Sandy Hale gulps down her coffee, picks up the phone and leaves a new message on her voice mail at work--short and to the point.

And she stands up.

“I find if I’m standing up, I’m a lot more energetic,” says Hale, an expert in voice mail etiquette. “That energy and enthusiasm is conveyed in my voice.”

Personal greetings should be updated regularly to let callers know when they can expect a call back and how they can reach a live person if their call is urgent, said Hale, marketing communications manager for Pacific Bell Information Services.

“This is Sandy Hale with Pacific Bell Information Services. On Thursday, the 11th, I’m out most of today. Please leave a detailed message, and I’ll return the call as soon as possible. If you need to reach someone immediately, dial O.”

She offers these recommendations to people on both ends of the answering machine:

* Greetings should take no longer than 30 seconds. “Keep it brief. Nobody wants to hear ‘have a nice day,’ ” she said. “They want to know when can I expect to hear back and how can I reach you if I can’t wait that long.”

* Record your own greeting. “It conveys an ‘I’m here for you’ message.”

* Don’t refer callers to a number unless you are sure there is an operator or receptionist there. Callers hate to be shunted into a second voice mailbox.

* For callers: When you record a message, explain why you’re calling and when you need a response.

* Don’t ramble. Keep your message short and to the point.

Pacific Bell makes available a guide for voice mail etiquette. In California, call (800) 954-8477.