Can you talk at the moment?

[Pacion]

When ever I call someone, I try to remember to ask something along the lines of "Can you talk at the moment?" or "Is it convenient?"

That way, if it is not, the person I am calling can say easily "No" and still maintain a certain amount of discreetness, especially if they are at work and are in an open plan office. I read somewhere, years ago :lol: that this was a good and considerate practice and I have tried to do it ever since.

BUT :evil: I am finding that a lot of people especially estate agents :shock: don't do that and they ribbit away. Some people are very good at guessing at your lack of responses/lack of animiation in your voice that it just might not be a good time. Others :shock: force the "can I call you back later/it is not a good time right now" out of you :oops:

Bottomline? What is your telephone etiquette like? Likes/preferences?

Oh! When it comes to leaving messages, I try to remember to l-e-a-v-e m-y n-a-me and telephone number at the front of the message :lol: so that if the person as to replay the message several times to get the telephone number, they only have to review the first few seconds rather than the whole 10 minutes of my message :lol: If I am feeling "switched on", I will repeat the telephone number at the end of the message so that the person can double check at the end of the message :wink:

People who give their name and telephone number at 100 miles per hour though :doh: :lol:

[pygmalion]

Uh-oh! Sounds like somebody stepped on your pet peeves! :shock:

I know what you mean. Whan I call, I always ask,"Are you busy?" or "Do you have time to talk now?" Frankly, I rarely get someone who asks me those questions.

And about the answering machine thing -- l learned in a business communications seminar a long time ago to always leave name and number s-l-o-w-l-y, and at least twice per voice mail message. I wonder why people leave their number at the speed of light? It's very annoying to the message recipient, and doesn't do the message sender any good, either.

[Pacion]

Personally, I blame it on the "instant meals"/microwave tendency of today sniff, sniff :lol:

[Larinda McRaven]

I have a situation that happens rather often...

I call up a lady that I work with in a round about way, I have several issues I need to discuss. She talks non-stop about other things, keeps asking me to wait while she keeps up conversations with people in the room with her, and then tells me she has to go..."BYE" click. And I never got to say one thing about what I needed to talk about.

Sometimes I think we all need to go back to kindergarten.

[KevinL]

Oh! When it comes to leaving messages, I try to remember to l-e-a-v-e m-y n-a-me and telephone number at the front of the message :lol: so that if the person as to replay the message several times to get the telephone number, they only have to review the first few seconds rather than the whole 10 minutes of my message :lol: If I am feeling "switched on", I will repeat the telephone number at the end of the message so that the person can double check at the end of the message :wink:


I leave my name and number at both ends of messages as well. My co-worker is very impressed with me. She says I leave really good messages.

I rarely call other people, though, and I am not in the habit of asking if it is a good time to talk. I'll have to start doing that, I think.

Kevin

[Pacion]

I rarely call other people, though, and I am not in the habit of asking if it is a good time to talk. I'll have to start doing that, I think.

Kevin

Hey! Only if you think it is necessary! As I said, some people are very good at picking up in someone'e voice that they can't talk. I have a friend that regularly laughs when we speak because I apparently have "an office" voice which is quite different to my "I am at home and don't care what we talk about/what I say/who hears" voice :(

Another one is incredibly good at "filling in the pieces". So, if I say something along the lines of: "You know what we were talking about last week", their minds are already in motion trying to figure out what it was we were talking about. Others, :roll: they might have mentioned in just a few minutes earlier in the conversation and when I say, that thing we were talking about, they are like "what thing" I then say: "the thing you just mentioned!" Them: "What thing did I just mention?" Me: "The thing you just mentioned 30 seconds ago?" Them: "I don't know what you are talking about :roll: " (By which point, all the ears in the walls are tuned in) Me: :headwall: "I am going to have to call you back :? "

:lol:

[pygmalion]

:lol: :lol:

Cubicles are evil! :evil: :x :lol:

[Pacion]

Try open plan office! :shock: :lol:

[pygmalion]

Oy! That's even worse. :(

[Pacion]

Quite! It is not THAT bad though in that it is four of us "locked in a secured, isolated part of the building" but it just means that it is rare when the other three are out of the room :( :lol:

[dr daffy]

lol, when i call people... especially friends, i usually start of the conversation with "heyy! what's up?" if their answer to that is "not too much, just busy doing stuff" or something along those lines, then i say i'll call back later. if it's a "professional" call, i'll always start by stating my name and if the timing is okay at the moment. if i'm leaving a message or something...well, it's different for friends and professionals, lol. for friends, i just ramble cuz i know they won't mind :wink: for professionals, i leave my name and number and a "i'd appreciate it if you'd call me back."


i hope i'm not the only weird one that does that... lol