Leaving your number on voice mail? SLOW DOWN!
I know you know your own phone number really, really well.
You don't need to impress me by demonstrating how you can recite it with auctioneer-like speed.
I will not be impressed. I will be annoyed.
SLOW DOWN. GIVE ME SOME CHANCE OF HEARING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. Say it TWICE, SLOWLY, so maybe I'll even have a hope TO WRITE YOUR NUMBER DOWN!!!
A lot of voice mail systems and answering machines, stupid as this is, don't have any rewind function short of going all the way back to the beginning of a message and playing the whole thing over again. Some systems are so stupid that you have to go back through a whole list of messages to play something again.
I do not want to have to listen to you yammer on and on through the same message two or three times waiting until I can get to that part of your message, five minutes in from the start, where you rip through your number, at which point maybe I catch another couple of digits to write down.
I used to have an electronic answering machine at home that had a five-second rewind function. I didn't realize what a blessing that was until my next machine didn't have that feature. And of course, whatever I have at home doesn't help at work anyway.
You don't need to impress me by demonstrating how you can recite it with auctioneer-like speed.
I will not be impressed. I will be annoyed.
SLOW DOWN. GIVE ME SOME CHANCE OF HEARING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. Say it TWICE, SLOWLY, so maybe I'll even have a hope TO WRITE YOUR NUMBER DOWN!!!
A lot of voice mail systems and answering machines, stupid as this is, don't have any rewind function short of going all the way back to the beginning of a message and playing the whole thing over again. Some systems are so stupid that you have to go back through a whole list of messages to play something again.
I do not want to have to listen to you yammer on and on through the same message two or three times waiting until I can get to that part of your message, five minutes in from the start, where you rip through your number, at which point maybe I catch another couple of digits to write down.
I used to have an electronic answering machine at home that had a five-second rewind function. I didn't realize what a blessing that was until my next machine didn't have that feature. And of course, whatever I have at home doesn't help at work anyway.
Comments
On the other hand...cell phones? Forget it. Send me an email. No wait... IM me.... no... ahfergettit...
But I'll agree with you...
<Barnes & Noble rant> B&N has a membership discount card thing. 90% of the card members either have lost they're card or forget it. We can look them up with their phone number. They rattle them numbers off just as you say....asshats.</Barnes & Noble rant>
If I'd reached you, then you'd be there!
so please, re-record to "Hi you've reached my phone" or just "leave a message"
- George Carlin
/stilltryingtofindhisquotesonvotingforanotherthread
Please tell me.
Originally posted by Kenneth
What's the purpose of this thread?
Please tell me.
Venting frustration.
Originally posted by Wrong Robot
Venting frustration.
Don't mind if I do. Vent that is.
Fuck I hate this. What's worse is sometimes they say it so quick and with such poor diction, it doesn't matter how many times I rewind I can't get it.
And when it's a business call, you just know they're going to be sitting there telling themselves what a slack show you're running and how you don't deserve their business if you can't be bothered returning their calls.
I've got another one to add to the mix.
Learn your freakin' email address and get it right! Near enough is not good enough.
But the best ones are those where they ask you to call them, rattle on forever about why they're calling (read: they're talking to themselves) and then forget to leave any number at all.
To top it off, he just bought a phone and inadvertantly turned off the ringer...
Originally posted by Wrong Robot
[B]While we're on the subject of voice mail. Why do people always record a voice mail message that says something to the effect of "Hi you've reached me, but I'm not here"
If I'd reached you, then you'd be there!
My gf's message for a long time was:
"It's a machine: you know what to do."
Strangely, most people thought this was a little abrupt. Then again, she also answered the phone by saying "speak!"
Originally posted by staphbaby
My gf's message for a long time was:
"It's a machine: you know what to do."
Strangely, most people thought this was a little abrupt. Then again, she also answered the phone by saying "speak!"
Yeah, that's my roommate right there, his voice mail just says "leave a message" he answers the phone with "speak" and when someone knocks on his door he says "enter!"
(of course, he learned that last one from me
"...I'm either on the phone, or away from my desk..."
ARGH!!!!! I hate that one! I mean, how duh can you get?
My home message is simple enough:
"Thanks for calling, please leave a message"
Originally posted by crazychester
But the best ones are those where they ask you to call them, rattle on forever about why they're calling (read: they're talking to themselves) and then forget to leave any number at all.
Women. Mostly.
Originally posted by Artman @_@
Women. Mostly.
Unfortunately now I come to think about it, and as much as I hate to admit it, that's pretty accurate.
My message starts off with "I can't get to the phone right now...." in an effort to fool them into thinking I'm actually here but otherwise engaged so they won't come round and steal my Macs.
818-633-9638
"How to Make Friends by Telephone"
A 1940s pamphlet on the correct etiquette to use when speaking on one of those new-fangled telephone thingies.
I especially like the advice under the heading "Visualize the person you call".
Speak to the person at the other end of the line...not to the telephone...then you're more apt to be pleasant and understanding
Think I'll go talk to my telephone for a bit.
I'm going to be really rude to it.
Last time, it was a wedding shop reminding me continually about coming in to finalize my wedding plans. Another message was someone asking me to please bring over the mop and bucket.
I *never* get calls like this when I'm at home. But when I'm gone, they fill up my message tape so that the people who really are calling *ME* have to wait an age to leave a message.
Originally posted by Wrong Robot
so please, re-record to "Hi you've reached my phone" or just "leave a message"
I always re-record my machine whenever I leave the house. It's always something.. well.. new, like my location, or what I'm doing, or where I can be reached. People love it!
Some weeks ago I went kite flying with my brother. We re-recorded it, chanting "Kite flying! Kite flying! Kite flying!"