Phone etiquette

Stofsk · Post by **Stofsk** » Thu May 11, 2006 5:35 am

When your phone rings and a stranger you never met or heard before asks to speak to someone in your household, if not you, do you get annoyed if the person doesn't first identify who they are and what their business is?

I'm curious about this, because whenever a official or semi-official phone call gets made here from a bureaucratic organisation, I can't recall if one of their phone jockeys said "Hi, my name is Suzie/Steve, I'm calling on behalf of such-and-such agency," before saying "I would like to speak to x."

Conversely, how do YOU initiate phone calls in such a scenario?

Post by **Dark Silver** » Thu May 11, 2006 7:10 am

When I get the phonecall, I ask to whom I am speaking. Usually I get a snotty reply, which results in a quick hangup, but if I get the proper response, "Yes sir, this is John from Immafuckyou Corp, I'm calling concerning his penil enlargement device", then I go the proper channels.

If I am making a phonecall to a household which doesn't know me, I always introduce myself, "Hello yes, this is Allen, I'm a friend of Yackoff, is he home?"

Rukia · Post by **Rukia** » Thu May 11, 2006 12:27 pm

I'm generally calling a personal cell phone So it's like "heeey...what's up?"

But, if I am calling a house where there is a possibility of someone else answering, it's "Hi, is So-and-so there? This is Cassie."

I can't stand it when people answer their phones, "yea" or "what" or "yes" So rude. I only do that if I know the person who's calling and I'm a) pissed at them or b) joking around.

Destructionator XV · Post by **Destructionator XV** » Thu May 11, 2006 12:47 pm

Rukia wrote:I can't stand it when people answer their phones, "yea" or "what" or "yes" So rude. I only do that if I know the person who's calling and I'm a) pissed at them or b) joking around.

Why? It is simple and to the point.

What I hate on the phone is someone calls me, which interrupts whatever I was doing at the time, then continues to waste my time with pointless small talk bullshit. If you call me, get to the point, fast, and be done with it.

Obviously the exact words change if I am using the phone for business, but the idea of getting to the point remains. Either incomming or outgoing, it is generally "Good day, my name is Adam, from Initech, Inc, calling regarding an order. May I please speak to Mr. Lumburg?" I never bother with crap like 'how are you', the answer is usally obvious: they are pissed and want me to just do my damn job, so that's what I do.

Rukia · Post by **Rukia** » Thu May 11, 2006 12:53 pm

I don't know, when I worked for West (a telemarketing company) I was always polite and asked them how they were doing, and I often said that I was one of those annoying telemarketers who call at the most inconvient time. It most always worked. But I've been told I have a friendly voice to, so...*shrugs*

JEAP · Post by **JEAP** » Thu May 11, 2006 2:01 pm

My dad always answers the phone with a "Y'ello" combination of yes and hello. I've never been able to convince him that he is saying yellow. I tease him by answering back with a random color when I call home.

LadyTevar · Post by **LadyTevar** » Thu May 11, 2006 2:19 pm

Didn't I just answer this question over in SDnet?!

Narsil · Post by **Narsil** » Thu May 11, 2006 2:32 pm

I have a kind demeanour... but I like teasing telemarketers.

'Tis really fun.

xBlackFlash · Post by **xBlackFlash** » Thu May 11, 2006 10:13 pm

The only people I ever call know my voice. Boyfriend, boyfriend's parents, my parents, friends... Between that and caller ID, they know who I am as soon as I say hello.

The one thing I do that annoys the hell out of everyone that I can't stop for some reason is acting like they called me... Example:

Friend: Hello?
Kate: Hey! What's up?

If I'm calling someone that won't know my voice, I'll do something like, "Hey Brian! It's Kate, what's up?"

If someone else answers the phone I generally don't introduce myself. Not intentionally, I just don't.

Shark Bait · Post by **Shark Bait** » Thu May 11, 2006 10:26 pm

If i'm calling a home phone, or a buisness looking for someone specific I use the "Hi this is <shark bait> is <bob> there?" if I'm calling a cell phone of someone I know really well, they usually have my number programed in so they know who is calling.

Rukia · Post by **Rukia** » Fri May 12, 2006 6:44 am

xBlackFlash wrote: The one thing I do that annoys the hell out of everyone that I can't stop for some reason is acting like they called me... Example:

Friend: Hello?
Kate: Hey! What's up?

I do the same thing!

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » Fri May 12, 2006 7:07 am

When being called by a stranger, I answer "hello", when I'm calling a house/buisness that shouldn't know my name, its "Hello, this is X, may I speak to Y?"

vampykat · Post by **vampykat** » Thu May 18, 2006 9:34 pm

Hmm

I don't think I ever introduce myself on a personal call unless the person asks who is it. *wiggles my nose* Nope I don't. Figure if I am not calling them, it isn't their business.

If someone calls my cell and I know who it is..I usually say ..speak.

It amuses me.

If I get a call on my home phone and they pronounce my last name wrong..which omg..you would be suprised how they screw up my last name, which is just dumb..did they not watch the Dukes of Hazzard... I usually string them along, amusing myself once more.

Umm what was the question again?

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