Do you check your voicemail?

[tvguy]

I've ranted about voicemail before, but I had to call someone at a major Public Relations firm today who represents a nationally known figure who is going to be in town. The number was a cell phone and the voicemail box was full. I looked up the company and found a landline number, which someone did answer. I commented that the person's voicemail box was full and the guy who answered said they don't use voicemail on their cell phones or landlines. He wouldn't give me this person's e-mail, and suggested I just keep calling until this person was in. REALLY?!
After an hour and a half I finally caught this person in the officer and got the information I needed. I don't know what to make of this.

 

[mousehockey37]

I've ranted about voicemail before, but I had to call someone at a major Public Relations firm today who represents a nationally known figure who is going to be in town. The number was a cell phone and the voicemail box was full. I looked up the company and found a landline number, which someone did answer. I commented that the person's voicemail box was full and the guy who answered said they don't use voicemail on their cell phones or landlines. He wouldn't give me this person's e-mail, and suggested I just keep calling until this person was in. REALLY?!
After an hour and a half I finally caught this person in the officer and got the information I needed. I don't know what to make of this.

Just remember, your feedback is greatly appreciated. Well, at least, that's what we're told, right?

If you want to get someone on it, get a local news reporter who does "investigation" stories to look into it. I'm guessing that you're having someone high up of a political nature come to town or something like that.

Again, doesn't it feel great that people find more ways to "avoid" the people they work for and represent (in whatever field this pertains to).

 

[Gumbo4x4]

If they “didn’t use” voicemail, the inbox wouldn’t be full. It would be disabled. And yes, I check mine.

 

[Disneylover99]

I check my voicemail but I don't know why I bother.

It's usually a message saying that I'm being sued and if I don't respond to the voicemail within 24 hours, I will be arrested.

 

[gillep]

Yes, but I wish people would just text me or email me what they need, as I find it easier to check email and texts than voicemail (and the voicemail text to speech feature leaves a lot to be desired). If you email or text me I will see it almost immediately and be able to take care of it, if you call me and I am not available at that moment to take a call (I am on conference calls a lot at work and therefore can't answer my line) then it needs to wait until I have the time/space to actually listen to a voicemail then the added time of taking care of it, so you will be waiting longer to get resolution or a response. My work voicemail sends an email to me, but you still need to listen to the audio file, and that isn't always possible. Obviously in your case you didn't have an email address so not exactly the same as my work situation.

 

[dish rag]

Yes. But many younger people don't. It can be very frustrating when I leave a very detailed message to be called back with them saying that they see I called and didn't listen to the message.

 

[sonnyjane]

At work, yes, we check our messages because it's people wanting to give us money haha.

On my cellphone, no. Not even from my mom. And now that they updated the system, my iphone transcribes any voicemails, so I can just read them and then delete without having to listen to anything. I use my phone for pretty much anything except phone calls

 

[Tigger in a kilt]

Professionally: Absolutely, and I would be in trouble if I didn’t.

Personally: I’m really lazy about it, to be honest. I know my dentist left me a message 2 days ago and I haven’t bothered to listen to it yet. If I don’t know the caller then I am even less motivated - I figure if it’s important then they will call back. This is on my cell phone. I managed to disable voicemail on my landline.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

I hate checking voicemail. Just send me an email or text. I don't check my vm regularly. I usually have some idea what they are from the number that called.

 

[gotomu212]

Depends which line. I have a private office number that I will listen to (although theirs only a handful of people who actually leave messages anymore). I have a more public number that receives unsolicited random calls, and no I don’t listen to those. It probably is full at this point.

 

[Southernmiss]

Reluctantly. I much prefer a text or email for both office and personal messages.

 

[adelaster]

Yes, work and at home, and hate them. Not as much as I hate irresponsiblity or the icons/red flashy lights that display if I don't.

Voicemail is no longer as effective as other modes of communication. People (or bots/recordings) can ramble unchecked, unorganized, with varying sound quality, for several minutes. Written messages can be easily referenced and force people to organize their thought at least somewhat coherently.

I do think there is a generational preference/practice/etiquette at play. Some people are also more "entitled", as voicemail exports the work onto someone else, who must log into a voicemail system, parse the voicemail for information, and also transcribe any pertinent detail. It's a much more demanding and time consuming process for me at work and in my personal life.

The worst ones? "It's ..., call me back."

So glad I spent five minutes listening to automated voices and punching in numbers to hear something my missed call record could have told me at a glance.

 

[tvguy]

If you want to get someone on it, get a local news reporter who does "investigation" stories to look into it. ).

Full disclosure. I work at a TV station and OUR investigative reporter refuses to setup or use voicemail! LOL.

 

[Ariel Wanna-be]

This is my actual voicemail message:

"Hi, you've reached Ariel Wanna-be. You will have a much better chance of reaching me if you text or email. You can leave a message, but it might be days before I respond. Have a great day."

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

Professionally - yes. I used to get many phone calls while I was on a call so it was necessary to check voicemail all the time.

At home - yes because I never know who called. Could be a doctors office confirming an appointment or my Mother calling leaving a message. For my cell phone I can see who called so if it's not a number I recognize I delete it.

 

[LSUmiss]

Yes, but I wish people would just text me or email me what they need, as I find it easier to check email and texts than voicemail (and the voicemail text to speech feature leaves a lot to be desired). If you email or text me I will see it almost immediately and be able to take care of it, if you call me and I am not available at that moment to take a call (I am on conference calls a lot at work and therefore can't answer my line) then it needs to wait until I have the time/space to actually listen to a voicemail then the added time of taking care of it, so you will be waiting longer to get resolution or a response. My work voicemail sends an email to me, but you still need to listen to the audio file, and that isn't always possible. Obviously in your case you didn't have an email address so not exactly the same as my work situation.

This! And I can’t stand when ppl just leave a message with no other info other than to “call them back”.

 

[disneychrista]

Yes but only because the only people who leave messages must REALLY want to get a hold of me. I rarely leave a voicemail myself because most people I call, if they don't answer I will shot a quick text to tell them what I need to (if fact I am more likely to text than call anyway).

Just got two voicemails today because I am job hunting. The only reason I didn't just answer the phone was because I was at my temporary job and couldn't.

 

[ols386]

Before I retired, I had to check my voicemails very regularly. If I didn’t, I would probably be in deep do do.

My female boss would send me lots of voicemails, of work assignments, to-do’s, etc. Some of the assignments were high priority, so I better darn well be checking my messages.

 

[gotomu212]

I've ranted about voicemail before, but I had to call someone at a major Public Relations firm today who represents a nationally known figure who is going to be in town. The number was a cell phone and the voicemail box was full. I looked up the company and found a landline number, which someone did answer. I commented that the person's voicemail box was full and the guy who answered said they don't use voicemail on their cell phones or landlines. He wouldn't give me this person's e-mail, and suggested I just keep calling until this person was in. REALLY?!
After an hour and a half I finally caught this person in the officer and got the information I needed. I don't know what to make of this.

If you were calling a cell why didn’t you just send a text when they didn’t answer?

 

[ronandannette]

At work - 4 or 5 times a day. At home - once a week or less.