#45 Leaving a Message When the Person in Charge Is Unavailable｜English Business Phrases

When calling a business partner’s office, it is common to find that the person in charge is away from their desk or unable to take the call due to another meeting.

In such situations, being able to say “Could I leave a message?” in English helps you avoid miscommunication and maintain smooth business operations.

In this article, I explain useful expressions for requesting message-taking when the person in charge is unavailable, how to convey the content concisely, and how to respond to follow-up questions.

Dialogue

A

Good afternoon. This is Yuki Sato from ABC. May I speak to Ms. Roberts, please?

B

I’m afraid she’s not at her desk right now. Would you like to leave a message?

A

Yes, please. Could you let her know that I called regarding tomorrow’s meeting?

B

Certainly. Could you spell your name for me, please?

A

Sure. It’s Y-U-K-I S-A-T-O.

B

Thank you. I’ll make sure she gets the message.

1. Asking for the Person in Charge

A polite way to request a specific person on a business call is: “May I speak to ～?”

“May I ～?” is a formal expression used to ask for permission.

In English, giving direct commands such as “Call Ms. Roberts!” is considered rude, so “May I ～?” or “Could I ～?”should always be used.

Both “speak to” and “speak with” are possible, but “speak to” sounds more formal and polite in business settings.

2. Politely Informing the Caller That the Person Is Unavailable

When informing the caller that the person in charge is unavailable, the phrase “I’m afraid 〜” is used as a softening expression.

Although “I’m afraid” literally means “I’m sorry to say,” it functions as a polite cushion phrase when delivering inconvenient information.

Other examples:

Saying “She’s not here.” can sound abrupt, while adding a cushion phrase makes the tone much more polite and professional.

3. Asking to Leave or Take a Message

When the person in charge is unavailable, the company representative often asks:

To request message-taking, the caller can respond:

The phrase “let + person + know” means “to inform” and is an essential expression in business communication.

To request a return call:

Here, “call back” is a basic business term meaning “to return a call.”

4. Business Expressions to Explain “What It Is About”

In the conversation example, the phrase “regarding tomorrow’s meeting” was used.

“about” can be used in a similar way, but “regarding” sounds more formal and is appropriate for business contexts.

Choose “regarding / about” depending on the level of formality required.

5. Confirming Name Spelling

Because it can be difficult to understand spelling over the phone, confirming the name is a common step in business calls.

When spelling your name, using a phonetic prompt helps ensure clarity:

Knowing these prompts helps avoid miscommunication, especially over poor connections.

Summary