It really irks me when people either do not understand or refuse to follow proper phone etiquette.
So there I was working on a project when my phone rings. I did not answer because I was busy doing something else. Later I saw that the caller had left a voice message. The voice message went something like this:
Hello John, this is __________. I have a question I was hoping you could answer for me. Please give me a call back.
To the average person it does not appear that this person was out of line with their message; well, that’s because it has unfortunately become the norm. The proper thing to do would be to leave a message with DETAILS of the question, favor, comment, etc. in the message itself, otherwise I am left wondering what the question could have been. Was it something urgent or important rendering a need for an immediate call back? Or was it something simple and plain that I could answer at anytime?
An effective message would state details. That way, if I call them back and get their answering machine, I can leave a proper message with an answer to their question (instead of saying “just returning your call; give me a call back” and thus starting a game of “phone tag”). It also allows me to do any research necessary to have an answer to the question at the time of conversation.
Here are my 7 Rules to Phone Etiquette:
1) Do not call me anonymously. I do not answer any anonymous, blocked, or private calls. If you have something to hide, then I do not need to talk to you.
2) If you leave a message saying that you have a question, then leave the question as well. That way, if I call you back, I’ll be able to answer it.
3) If you initiate the call, then you need to lead the conversation. I should not have guess to figure out what you need or the reason why you called.
4) Introduce yourself when the recipient answers the phone; don’t assume they automatically know who you are.
5) Do not call someone and then within 30 seconds say, “Hey, can you hold on? I have another call coming in.” Just tell them that you will call them back. Only the person who received the call should be allowed to put the conversation on hold.
6) Do not call before 8:00 am or after 8:00 pm; I will not answer the phone (unless you are a family member or extremely close friend).
7) Never ask the person why they didn’t answer their phone when you had called previously. There are a multitude of reasons why someone might not answer a call: (A) caller ID is blocked (B) busy working on other projects or tasks (C) might not want to talk to you.
This is by no means a complete list. So, what rules do you have regarding phone etiquette?
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