Phone Etiquette... Your Thoughts.

[Kathi OD]

Wonder how everyone got along back in the dark ages when there was no voice mail or answering machines on residential phones, and no caller ID either.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

Wonder how everyone got along back in the dark ages when there was no voice mail or answering machines on residential phones, and no caller ID either.

We had to !gasp! try again later!

I was thinking about this. When I got my first office job, there was no voice mail. We had receptionists who took messages on little slips of paper that said "while you were out" on them. Usually the message just said, "so-and-so called, call him back", then you had to call back and leave a message with his receptionist saying "I returned his call", and so on and so on.

When my clients first started getting voice mail, we thought it was awesome!! Now, we could leave messages stating exactly what we needed! Then, when we got voice mail, too, our clients could return our calls and leave the info on our voice mail!!

It made life so much more efficient! I can't imagine going back to the old way of doing things.

Though if I just want to chit-chat, I don't leave a message and I don't expect a call back, either. I figure by the time they have a chance to call me back to chit-chat, I'll be too busy.

 

[C.Ann]

I can't think of any reason in the world that I would call someone back who didn't leave a message..

As for them being angry? Their issue - not mine.. Leave a message the next time..

 

[Ephany]

Wonder how everyone got along back in the dark ages when there was no voice mail or answering machines on residential phones, and no caller ID either.

They were on party lines and their neighbors let them know who had called. My mom said they had to share their phone line when I was little (early 80's). I can't even imagine how obnoxious that must have been.

 

[bigbabyblues]

If you don't leave a message, you won't get a return call.

ETA: Unless you are my grandpa. He never leaves a message, but I do call him back. He'd prefer not to "bother" anyone, and won't leave a message even if he is sick or needs something.

 

[GottaGetToDisney!]

I do not call you back unless you leave a message.

And I don't like it when I call someone, leave a message, and they call me back because they saw I had called on caller ID but didn't listen to the message. My dad does this all the time!

This is one of my biggest pet peeves!!! Especially when I'm at work and I'll call a client to give them information about a trip they're interested in. I think "well, I'll just leave all of the details on their voicemail so they know what's what", but as I'm leaving the message they call on another line because they see my number on caller id! I'll get a window pop from my co-worker "so and so is on line 2". I just window pop back and say "tell them I'm on my other line and I'll be a while" and then I wait a good hour to call the client back so hopefully they've checked their voicemail messages by then!

Yes, I know that was a pretty good vent..lol. I just don't get it. Don't people with voicemail realize that somebody might just...hmm...I don't know...LEAVE A MESSAGE!?!

Whew - vent over. That felt good.

Gotta Get To Disney!

 

[Chancedabowsa]

I appreciate not having so many voice mail messages to navigate through. Leave a message if you want a returned call. Otherwise, I don't do call backs based on the incoming call log. If I call someone and I don't get them, I do not leave a message if I do not need a call back. If I want a call back, I will leave a short message. There are times when I call and don't get someone and I will shoot them a short email instead.

I am not a texter. I do not know what ettiquette texters use or how this fits in with voicemail/emails.