Otter's Journal: How not to answer the phone...

"Damnit, I just swallowed my gum!" probably doesn't convey the image of Upwardly Mobile Go-Getter I'm trying to send out...

Unless they ask how you swallowed your gum...

[TechnoLust]

then you tell them you were trying to finish the TPS reports while saving your manager's life by performing CPR and so you didn't have a free hand to spit your gum into...

What kills me

[bethanie]

Is when locals call me (invariably wrong numbers) and go, "Who's this?"

Now, mind you -- they're calling me!!

I always respond, "Who did you call?" That's usually all they need to hear to determine that there's been some kind of mistake.

....Bethanie....

Re:

[nizo]

Is when locals call me (invariably wrong numbers) and go, "Who's this?"

It's the President, and I have my finger on the button. Don't hang up or I'm pressing it!!!!

What the hell is it with people and basic phone etiquette? When I call a number and someone "unexpected" answers, I still ask "Is Fred there?" and if they say I have the wrong number, I apologize and hang up. Why is that so hard for people to do? And why on earth would I waste the time of someone I incorrectly dialed? Though I rarely dial the wron

Re:

[subgeek]

my variation used to be, "you called me. tell me who you are, and then i'll think about telling you who i am."

i've become more polite in my old age and use a paraphrase of your version these days.

Re:

[SolemnDragon]

"Who's this?"

me: (in best professional phone answerer voice) I'm sorry, who's calling? How may we help you?

If they know us, it's usually, "Oh. Good. Is blinder there?" or "Bleah. I hate it when you do that."

If they don't know us, i get hung up on.

My favourite is when they call back. We have a high percentage of vietnamese in our area and one of them must have a number similar to ours, because they call for him a lot. At least, I think it's vietnamese that they're speaking.

"I'm sorry, who's calling?"

"ees Tua