"Telephony" Topic

Not a rant so much, as puzzlement about human behavior.

Another thread made me think of this more carefully.

When I place a phone call, I have a set manner of introducing myself when someone answers. I think it's fairly civil. I say, "Hello! This is Allen Curtis in Barstow, California (or "here in Barstow" if calling locally). How are you today?"

And yes, despite my online persona, on the phone I adopt a cheery tone. It doesn't matter if my feet hurt, or I've just got an unexpected bill in the mail, or eaten a pickle, I still make an effort to sound pleasant.

I do not identify myself under any assumption that the person called knows or cares who I am. It's mainly to give the alert person at the other end the opportunity to respond in kind: "Hello, Allen; this is (whoever). I'm fine, thank you. And how are you?" It's a social lubricant.

Neither do I identify where I am in any expectation that the recipient will know where that is. It's just a piece of information. Again, a social lubricant.

And neither am I really interested in whether my bank manager, or flock seller, or whoever, is having a wonderful day. It's just oiling the axles…

Now fortunately, there are still some people able to respond in kind. We exchange pleasantries, and then get down to business. But there are more and more responses that are simply, "Huh?" or "Yeah?" or "OK." I will grit my teeth and get through those if I *have* to: the trash company, or city hall (bless them), or whatever.

But if I am attempting to give you my money, in return for whatever it is that you may be offering, I am much more inclined to halt any further inquiry, and to go elsewhere to satisfy my needs/requirements/desires, if you cannot be bothered to at least act like my call is a high point in your day. If I can put on a happy face and pretend I actually want to talk to you, so can you!

And then there are the incoming calls. If caller ID shows that it's a firm or individual that I know, I cheerfully answer, "Hello, this is Allen!" A third of the time, the caller thinks it's a recording. A third of the time, the caller responds, "Hello, is this Allen?" And only third of the time, the call proceeds smoothly.

Now if you have caller ID blocked and call me, I'm only going to answer "Hello". Around here, it's a 50/50 chance it's a wrong number anyway. But you had better be prepared to come up with some identifying information smartly. And do *not* just ask, "Who's this?" (My wife goes berserk about those…)

How is it that we have lost so much civility in telephonic communications? I didn't learn to do what I do as a telemarketer or customer service person; I learned it in the military. You *always* identify yourself when calling or answering an official line. And that's the way it should be.

Allen

It's not just phones-- all the electronic doo-dads with which everybody is so enamored have made everyday life almost exactly like the worst of the phone callers you are describing. I conduct myself much as you do both on the phone and face-to-face, and more and more often I find people don't bother with please, thank you, or basic human decency much of the time. It's very frustrating.

"No problem" is my pet peeve but all that you said is true!

Not meaning to hijack the thread, but I'm glad someone else finds "no problem" really annoying.

I admit it, I hate using the phone.

I have been annoyed by this for a long time -- first noticed it in the 80s -- but it may well be getting worse.

I have given up on outgoing identification ("Hi, this is…") because so few people are ready for it. Staff training around here is really awful; when I have had groups answer calls on support issues I have trained them myself on how to answer a phone.

It seems to be something you are "just supposed to know." I don't blame the people who don't know it. I do blame their managers.

I do get ed off with systems where a computer has received all of my customer information, then passed to a clerk who asks for my account number again.

I never answer my personal phone with my name. If you butcher my name (and it is easy to butcher), then you do not know me and I will rarely acknowledge that it is me you are calling for.

At the office, I will always answer with my name and because it is a unique name, I will usually get "Who is this, again?"

If they also ask "What is your operating number," then I shoot the phone with my blaster.

Depends on the phone.

If it's my mobile, then I just say 'Hello?', because if you have my mobile number then you should know who you're calling. If I know the caller then it's 'Hello xxxx'

At home I just announce the number, 'Hello. 1234567'

In the office I give the company name, my name and job title.

When I phone someone I announce myself. If it's work then I give my name, job title @ company name to a client, name only to a colleague.

It's not rocket surgery.

I can't get me kids to ID them selves or who is calling (especially when they answer the House phone). I think I need to TRAIN them again.

When calling, I always identify myself.

On the other hand, when I answer the phone it's usually a pest on the other end. People who know me or want my wife understand my method of answering the phone, it's the infidels who get thrown for a loop.
Ring. I answer: "Go ahead." Or if I'm a good mood, "This Dave, go ahead."
Friends at this point know it's me and we swing into a conversation.
Other end: "Uh, uh, is this The Nigerian Oil Minister?"
Me: "Yes. GO AHEAD."
Other end: "Uh, you sure it's The Nigerian Oil Minister?"
Me: "Yes it is. GO AHEAD NOW!!!"
Any hesitation at this point and I hang up the phone.

So it's rude. So are unsolicited phone calls, and this doesn't follow the script at all. If perchance you are actually a normal person or someone I want to do business with, I can usually tell pretty soon and adapt.

Ah, the happy days of 'OPEN PHONE !' followed by
'382-1549…'

I had a telemarketer hang up on me the other day.

I've had that happen Evil Bob. It ususally follows my question of "Where is your company headquarters located, and how can I contact them?"

It's a quick way to get rid of scam artists.

Yep. They wanted to lower my interest rate on my crdit card. When I asked him who the issuer of the card was he couldn't answer. So I asked him what company he represents and where are they from, and he hung up. He must have known that my number is on the Do Not Call list. Pitty, I could have used a couple of hundred extra dollars with recent wedding and all that.

Ages ago, at a place where I woked, the Ladies were addicted to the TV soaps, and that is what was on TV when you went back to the lounge on break. All ABC soaps, by the way, (Hint. The first time you ask, innocently, "But I thought Greg was married to Janet.", you are DOOMED. You will start scheduling your break for General Hospital. But, I digress.)
The Handsome Evil Stud was a caricature of the young on the go businessman.
His trademark was to bark into the telephone "Talk to me!" In other words, "Don't waste my time!"
There was a minor fad for this behavior back in the 70s. I think it had something to do with Disco.

I am more likely than not to answer the phone at home with "Ahoy hoy," a la Monty Burns.

Seeing as the majority of callers to the home line is my mother-in-law or one of my wife's friends, I see no problem with it.

I answer my cell the same way if it's a friend or relative.

Actual conversation related to me by a customer when I worked in a pub, and confirmed by the Irish gentleman who was involved.

Ring--
"Is that yerself?"
"No, it's me brother- I'll go and get me for yer!"
And he did!

For reasons I can't explain, I am very polite when someone calls me by mistake. I get quite a few of these, and I typically respond, "I'm sorry, you have the wrong number" in a genuinely sympathetic tone. Sometimes I'm Terribly Sorry. I also wait for the other person to respond (rather than just hang up) so everyone is clear that it is, indeed, a wrong number.

The problem is that nine times out of ten, I get abuse. People curse, sometimes just an exasperated profanity, but all too often directed at me. Occasionally folks go beyond simply calling me a motherer or and direct a mini-tirade my way. They know the have a wrong number, but somehow it's my fault. Why this is, I have no idea, since they're the ones that are calling me by mistake.

My theory is that my number is unhappily similar to a) a drug dealer b) a parole officer or c) some sort of social services department.

I identify myself on my work 'phone and work mobile but usually just give a polite "hello" on my private line. What still irks me though is a conversation I had a little while ago at home;

I/S Hello?
H/S Hello, who is this?
I/S Sorry, you've just called me, can i ask who you are?
H/S Who is this?
I/S Who are you?
H/S I'm looking for <name>, who are you?
I/S There is no one by that name here I'm sorry.
H/S Well who are you?

I hung up. Manners and politeness seem to be diminishing traits these days.

"The problem is that nine times out of ten, I get abuse."

Like you, I'm polite with wrong numbers, except for those who demand, "Who is this?" I don't get abuse for some reason. I do get a surprising number who ask, "Are you sure (that Jolene, or Buddy, or whoever, is not here)?"

I rarely respond to that question by:

- Saying, "Wait, I'll go check," and leaving the line open, or…

- Saying, "He (she) left for Vegas with Susan (Bill)."

Rarely.

Really.

Allen

"My theory is that my number is unhappily similar to"

My number is unhappily similar to the South Yorkshire Passenger Executive transport information line. So I get a lot of calls about bus times.

Get a lot of sales calls on voice-mail myself.

I must be lucky, as the Do Not Call list has actually worked very well for me.

"My theory is that my number is unhappily similar to"

Decades ago, a friend's phone number was published as the number to call to get tickets to a popular touring museum exhibit.

After way to many repeat calls he started listening to the callers' order information, and saying thank you afterward.

The Commision for Racial Equality had to change their number, when it was found that when touch tones came in it played the opening bars of Camptown Races

Phone "etiquette" is dead. I loathe all cell phones. My land line rings thrice then goes to phone message mode. I make maybe ONE phone call from my house per week. Unsolicited calls-in result more and more often in me hanging up as SOP without making a sound….