^&$((&*^% Idjits!

[Yankee Chronicler]

In addition to schools not teaching English any more, why is it that nobody teaches basic telephone etiquette? (Or communication.)

In the past two days I have received five voicemail messages, in ALL of which the caller either had a mouth full of marbles or seemed to be in a race to see how fast he/she could spit out their name and phone number -- each of which was left only once. This means that I have to replay each message multiple times just to get the name and phone number so I can call them back.

Maybe I'm just old-fashioned (okay, strike the "maybe"). I was taught to speak slowly and clearly when leaving a message, and to repeat my name and telephone number. I always do that, without having to think about it. To me it's a common courtesy. I WANT the other person to call me back -- why WOULDN'T I make it as easy as possible for them to do that?

Sheesh!

[/rant mode]

 

[rktect 1]

Every moment in this industry is a teachable moment. If you can't hear the name and phone number, ignore it and wait for a call back. Then you have an opportunity to explain to the caller that leaving a message with a mouth full of goo-food will never produce positive results.

 

[classicT]

I think a huge part of the issue is the advent of caller ID. It is quite common, particularly in the mobile phone world, to have the caller's phone number shown or repeated electronically. Given such, it would be my speculation that those leaving the voicemails feel that the old-school slow and repeated telling of the phone number is unnecessary.

Sorry @Yankee Chronicler, but it is a generational thing in some ways...

 

[Mr. Inspector]

I am always surprised that when doing a plan review and the email bounces back because it was wrong or I could not read it, that their voice mailbox was never set up or is full. Sometimes I have plans sitting around for a month or more because I have no other contact. Then I get a complaint about it. It's even worst with the Amish.

 

[Inspector Gadget]

their voice mailbox was never set up or is full

^^^^ this.

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

... that their voice mailbox was never set up or is full.

I had one where the voicemail greeting said: "This mailbox does not accept messages from callers it does not recognize."

Okay, then. Your plans can wait until you decide to call us and ask what we're doing with your plans. The answer to that question will be "Nothing, because we couldn't reach you to ask a simple question."

 

[TheCommish]

Some caller ID we get shows up a name of state, voice mails give calling parties number, then in the message they give a different number

 

[ICE]

Once my voice mail was full I was set. In 20xx everybody got iPhones except me. I'm talking about County phones. I kept the analog model from the early 2000s. It wasn't even a flip phone. In about 2019 the county demanded that I make the trip to HQ and get a smart phone. I made the trip. The IT guy couldn't get the phone that was assigned to me to work. I tried two more times with the same result. I was asked to try again and I said no... if you want me to have a smart phone get someone to bring it to me. They did that. I hated that phone. It came to me with no apps but at least the voice mail wasn't set up. Management sent one email after another bitching about the voice mail so I finally set it up... and then it filled up.