Telephone Etiquette

I have been getting annoyed with all the GC's wanting to bid a job that we have out for bid. I always answer the phone with my name, and this morning someone asked me my name RIGHT AFTER I said it. I said "This is still Debi, my alter ego is put away for the day".

PS - I have permission from the boss to treat idiots like idiots.
 
My mom gets sooooo annoyed when my friends call and their conversation with my mom goes like this:

*ring ring*
MOM: "Hello?"
FRIEND: "Hello?"
M: "Hello..."
F: "Hi?"
M: "Hi. May I ask who's calling?"
F: "Ummm.... it's for Olivia."
M: "Okaaaay... Who is this, please?"
F: "Um.... Hannah (or whatever their name is)"
M: "Okay, she's right here."
Meanwhile, I'm standing there, hand outstretched, waiting for the phone...

Personally, if I know it's my friend calling (caller ID) I say "Hey Heather (or whoever), what's up?" But if I don't know who's calling, or if it's for my parents, Our conversations go:
ME: "Hello."
CALLER: "Hello, may I speak to ___ (insert parent's name here) please?"
ME: "Sure. This is his/her daughter speaking, let me go find them... May I ask who's calling?"
CALLER: "It's ___"
By then I've found the proper person and have handed over the phone saying, "It's ___."

My friend Sally doesn't have caller ID, and she always answers the phone, "Hello, this is Sally."
 
"good afternoon you have reached ABC company how may I help you?"

"Yeah, is this ABC Company?"

"Yes it is thats why I answer the phone that way."
 
I find that a lot of people that leave a lot of messages for a living, people from doctor or dentists offices setting up appointments are an example, say their name or business name and number so fast and slurred it is difficult to figure out. I recently had one that I thought the name was Chrissy. My wife thought it was Cindy. Found out is was Becky. At least she left a clear enough phone number, although I had to guess the area code.

I recently called the extension office with a gardening question on planting potatoes for a fall harvest. The extension office has a master gardener return the call. Of course, no one was home when she called so I had a message. "Freddy (happened to be the agent's name. I did not know that) wanted me to.....eh.....eh.... Give me a call. Click." No name, no number, no subject.
 
Telephone Etiquette is definitely a pet peeve of mine too. It is amazing to me how many parents do not seem to instill that in their children.

My daughters have friends that call and I will make them hang up and call back using proper manners to ask if someone is available... So I am doing MY part to try to change things!
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DH loves to put 'unschooled' callers in their place... he will try to sell 'whatever' to sales callers, 'just give me your credit card and I'll get X right out to you!', and often pretends to speak another language.
One of our faves (DS and mine) was when friend of DS called and said something along the lines of 'gimme DS'.... ohh boy... dad says, 'this is the police dept emergency line, who are you looking for... son, this isn't funny, let me speak to your mother!'.... , and his mom played along...on and on, poor kid was really worried. I wish I remembered more of it, we were rolling on the floor. I wish I could say the kid learned some manners from it.
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Now, if only DH would welcome just a few more critters! He said flat out no way to turkeys
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and diverts me every time I try to tell him I have chicks otw.
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YES! I cannot believe how many people ask that!

Typical call:

Me: CheyenneFreXXXXXXXX, how may I direct your call?

Them: Yeah, who'd I call?

Me: This is CheyenneFreXXXX, may I help you?

Them: Is this CheyenneFreXXXX??

Me:
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How can people be this stupid??
 
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I answer the phone with my law office's name, two names that sound absolutely NOTHING like "Sheraton Four Points Hotel". Still I get people that continue on by asking if they can book a room!
 

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