October 04, 2005

Etiquette

I am a stickler for manners on the phone. I love it when people get it right and start their conversation along the lines of, "Hi, this is Jane Doe. May I speak to Vox?" or whatever. I hate when people neglect to tell me who they are. I really hate it when people want me to identify myself first, and don't bother to do the same.

I especially hate it at 7:00 in the morning, when the conversation sounds like this:

  • Vox: Hello.
  • Caller: Who is this?
  • Vox: You called me.
  • Caller: click.

Say "Hello", ask for whoever you are looking for, acknowledge that you may have the wrong number...something, but not "Who is this?"

Posted by Vox at October 4, 2005 08:38 AM | peeves
Comments

That's one of my pet peeves, too. I get that from my dad. :)

Posted by: yayaempress at October 4, 2005 11:13 AM

I get it from Mom - oh, it makes her nutty when people do that.

Posted by: Vox at October 4, 2005 12:08 PM

I have had that exact phone conversation many, many times. I am not exactly a fan of the phone in the first place, so it really bugs the bejeezus out of me to have some idiot stranger who probably misdialed demand to know who I am. It's my phone, you're bothering me, WTF?

Posted by: Anne at October 4, 2005 02:02 PM

AMEN! Having worked as a receptionist in the past, phone etiquette was part of my job. Before that, it was still a pet peeve!
When you call a home, and ask for a certain person, you should always identify WHO you are.
"Hello, is Mr. Smith there? This is so and so with so and so." (Just simple manners)
I have threatened my husband, with dishing out the same rude behavior some of his reporters use when they call our home. They will not get him on the phone, until they dientify WHO they are.
Sorry I have rambled, but this one has been a topic in our home off and on for the last year!

Good rant! :-)
3T

Posted by: 3rdtimesacharm(3T) at October 4, 2005 04:20 PM

Absolutely!! It's just politeness for the caller to identify themselves.
My conversations usually go like this ...
Me: Hello.
Caller: Who is this?
Me: Who the hell are you?
Caller: click.

Posted by: David at October 4, 2005 08:58 PM

Not to change the subject to much, but I really hate it when telemarketers or salespeople who show up at my door call me "Dave." I don't mind "Dave" at all, from people who've known me for a while. But it's totally presumptuous to jump right to "Dave" if this is our first conversation.

P.S. The same principle applies when I meet someone the first time and introduce myself as "David." Sometimes they come back with, "Nice to meet you, Dave." Hey, buddy, you have to earn that "Dave."

Posted by: David Dodenhoff at October 4, 2005 09:26 PM

Oh My Gosh - you are reading my mind...from over 2 years ago

Do I know you?

Posted by: Vox at October 4, 2005 10:02 PM