[N/A] Annoying Phone etiquette [N/A]

Which phone "habit" bugs you the most?

  • Don't phone me if you haven't texted first

    Votes: 9 25.7%

  • Calling back everyone you've had a missed call from when they don't leave voicemail

    Votes: 10 28.6%

  • Answering the phone and immediately asking "Can I call you back?"

    Votes: 7 20.0%

  • If it's an emergency, call twice within 5 minutes and I'll answer

    Votes: 5 14.3%

  • When the caller does get you on the phone, "Why didn't you answer my call?"

    Votes: 8 22.9%

  • When you've left a message, they call back without listening to the message

    Votes: 10 28.6%

  • Calling and leaving messages at every one of my "known" numbers

    Votes: 13 37.1%
  • Total voters
    35
  • Poll closed .
R

Ravioli

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Since we're all working from home and there's less ability to walk to a coworkers office or cube or whatever, what's been bugging you about all telephonic interaction.

These all bother me. I'm sure I'm missing some.

PM me if you'd like to add response choices.
 
When they ask why didn’t you answer my call,I hope they really don’t want a truthful answer.
 
Calling back before listening to my message, so I have to repeat everything, grr.
I thought this was going to be about call centers; that’s a decent topic for another thread!
 
A cell phone is for my convenience. Not yours.

Any incoming calls from a number that I do not recognize goes unanswered. Any missed call without a text or message gets ignored.

Unfortunately, with business I have to ignore my rules.... darnit...
 
Calling me back without listening to the message I left them is my biggest gripe. I even hate that worse than robocalls.
 
One of my friends recently informed me that his late-teens daughter informed HIM that including punctuation in texts is rude and means that you're mad. I, personally, believe that is ridiculous; punctuation, as well as good grammar, is indicative of respect for the language and your peers. I! really! Mean! That! Understand?

i guess from now on we shuld allrite like this n lern not 2 h8 it id ont see y not
 
Nope... he bought his whole family new iPhones. He's a wonderful, loving, kind guy. Maybe doesn't always make great decisions... ;)
 
Here's a suggested entry: Trying to conduct meaningful conversations via text message - all that pecking wears out my fingertips. SMS is good for secure access codes and lols. Not serious business.
 
iflyvfr said:
Here's a suggested entry: Trying to conduct meaningful conversations via text message - all that pecking wears out my fingertips. SMS is good for secure access codes and lols. Not serious business.
Click to expand...
A bajillion "likes." A text "conversation" interrupts whatever I'm doing for as much as an hour sometimes, when the entire discussion could have been accomplished with one minute of actual speech. However, I hate to be rude and start ignoring friends and family who continually text. If you care, call. If you only care enough to text, I'm beginning to think you don't care enough and I may just "not have my phone on."
 
iflyvfr said:
Here's a suggested entry: Trying to conduct meaningful conversations via text message - all that pecking wears out my fingertips. SMS is good for secure access codes and lols. Not serious business.
Click to expand...

I'm with you on that. If I get a question via text or email that requires some back and forth, I pick up the phone or walk over and have a face to face.
 
None of those bother me. It's the spam calls that bother me. It's the people who call for the rock quarry that shares my 7 digit number but lies right on the other side of the area code line. It's the tire kickers that called me (and woke me up) around 10pm asking a bunch of questions on the plane I had for sale.
 
I coordinate deliveries at Lowe's. Order notes frequently request text before call. For in person calls, that can't be done. Our automated systems do it, but then I get Last minute calls to change something, deliver at a later date etc... After their load is on the truck and down the road.

fly to the scene of the incident, or be recovered at the scene of the tragedy
 
If the number is unknown, it gets bumped otherwise will take the call if I can without concern.

However...if unanswered, then shoot me a text if you need to get ahold of me quickly or just a "call me back" VM. I have come to hate voicemails. I don't want to listen to a lengthy preview of the call we are about to have anyway!

I have even changed my VM recording to say to email or text me if able for fastest response.

I do however have a two question/response limit on texting when trying to transfer information vs just bantering...any more than that we are talking over the phone!

I had a younger kid work for me that would get bent out of shape if I did not call him back on a missed call. If you do not leave a text or VM saying you want me to call you back, a "missed call" is not communication IMO.
 
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People apologizing for their kids, dog, whatever...

Been working for conference companies since the early 90s. Also done so many after hours maintenance or work windows in that timeframe... I’ve heard it all.

I once listened to a Senior Director of Teleconferencing (!) at AT&T snore for an hour while his parakeets chirped.

Don’t care! I know you’re at home. Just keep talking. :)
 
I work overnights. I tell everyone that has my number, expect it to got to voicemail, leave a short message and I'll call back when I get somewhere quiet...The cab of the truck is definitely not quiet, and even with the iphone turned up all the way, I can barely hear it. Don't call the house number, leave a message, then call my cell and do it again and then call my wife's number and do it a third time....I only need one message and I'll get back to you. They also seem to be unable to understand that I only answer calls between 9 am and 1 pm and do not answer the phone after that, as I'm headed for bed. I've threatened to return calls at 3 am, when I'm on lunch to some bozos, and it did kinda sink in.
 
Craig said:
Don't call the house number, leave a message, then call my cell and do it again and then call my wife's number and do it a third time....I only need one message and I'll get back to you.
Click to expand...

Added to the list. You are so right!
 
Ravioli said:
If I get a question via text or email that requires some back and forth, I pick up the phone or walk over and have a face to face.
Click to expand...

My wife knows I generally follow the "two question rule." Third question via text makes her phone ring.
 
iflyvfr said:
Here's a suggested entry: Trying to conduct meaningful conversations via text message - all that pecking wears out my fingertips. SMS is good for secure access codes and lols. Not serious business.
Click to expand...

This.

Texting is good for "Will you be home by 6:00?" or "Call me when you have a chance." or "If I get take-out Chinese, what would you like?"

Back and forth via text? No thanks.
 
I don't hear well. Even with high end hearing aids, I am not good on the phone. So I always try to text or email sales pukes (and inlaws) to ask a question. I always ask them to email or text me back, and explain why.

A few minutes later the phone rings. "I just thought it would be easier to call" I have found out that if I don't answer they will reply to my email, but they usually say they tried to contact me but couldn't reach me and ask me to call them. Unless they are the only ones that can handle my question, my next email is to someone else.
 
Text is awesome, I’ll answer a 50 texts before I answer the phone. Unless its complicated and needs immediate action, text me. I can finish what I’m doing and still answer you relatively quickly with a text. With a call I’m forced to drop what I’m doing immediately or ignore your call, one of the two. If it’s complicated, or more than 2 people involved, then call.
 
The most annoying part is when the phone rings. Most of my coworkers understand how to use one of the 3 chat systems or email for stuff, but I have one who insists on calling, typically for one question that will require me to do research and email it back anyway.
 
Anyone using voice-to-text, or the swipe-texting?
Pretty decent, esp VTT when driving.
 
Keyboard warriors tend to love text communication and it’s always easy to determine who lacks social skills and who doesn’t, when it comes time for face to face or verbal communication. I’ve come across several.
 
Coworkers? None ever call me. Or anyone else. Ever. They’ll have interrupt you every five minutes with an IM, including such gems as, “Hey, I just sent you an email”. Or my favorite, “Hi Dale”. I never answer that one; if you’ve got a bloody question the bloody well ask it since you’ve already interrupted my work. IM status set to “Busy” or “In a meeting?” No problem, they’ll IM anyway.

Drives me nuts, which is a short trip to begin with.
 
Ryanb said:
Keyboard warriors tend to love text communication and it’s always easy to determine who lacks social skills and who doesn’t when it comes time for face to face or verbal communication. I’ve come across several.
Click to expand...

I’m a keyboard warrior who won’t waste time on an 80 word per minute communication medium when a 300 wpm one is available. Dumb.
 
DaleB said:
Coworkers? None ever call me. Or anyone else. Ever. They’ll have interrupt you every five minutes with an IM, including such gems as, “Hey, I just sent you an email”. Or my favorite, “Hi Dale”. I never answer that one; if you’ve got a bloody question the bloody well ask it since you’ve already interrupted my work. IM status set to “Busy” or “In a meeting?” No problem, they’ll IM anyway.

Drives me nuts, which is a short trip to begin with.
Click to expand...
That's a good one. The "ping" message. I hate it.

I will say hi, but I make sure to put it on the same line as the real message
 
DaleB said:
They’ll have interrupt you every five minutes with an IM, including such gems as, “Hey, I just sent you an email”. Or my favorite, “Hi Dale”.
Click to expand...

For IM communication, I often just send "..." to people who know me. They understand that a) I want to ask them something and b) I'll ask the question upon reply. Reason being that there have been countless times that I or they were presenting or working with a client at my workspace and the actual question may not be for mass consumption. Works pretty well.

My version of Ping I guess.
 
Ravioli said:
For IM communication, I often just send "..." to people who know me. They understand that a) I want to ask them something and b) I'll ask the question upon reply. Reason being that there have been countless times that I or they were presenting or working with a client at my workspace and the actual question may not be for mass consumption. Works pretty well.

My version of Ping I guess.
Click to expand...

I just ask. If they’re too stupid to turn off things they should not be running during a presentation that’s on them.

That said, sensitive or controversial crap doesn’t belong in IM anyway, so they have little worry about ME being that dumb.

IM is logged and retrievable in our org.
 
denverpilot said:
I just ask. If they’re too stupid to turn off things they should not be running during a presentation that’s on them.
Click to expand...

It's not just presentations. Often the client is looking at one of our screens reviewing things one-on-one. Usually it's the unplanned client eyes that see the "wrong" thing.
 
Ravioli said:
It's not just presentations. Often the client is looking at one of our screens reviewing things one-on-one. Usually it's the unplanned client eyes that see the "wrong" thing.
Click to expand...

Again... don’t run software you shouldn’t when people are looking at your screen... LOL.

I get it, but it’s the receiver’s problem, not the sender. :) It’s literally why these systems are store-and-forward designs, not offline-fail designs.

Some people don’t know how to manage their inputs and interrupts. :)
 
iflyvfr said:
Here's a suggested entry: Trying to conduct meaningful conversations via text message - all that pecking wears out my fingertips. SMS is good for secure access codes and lols. Not serious business.
Click to expand...
My fingers are too large for good texting but people don't believe me. They say use a pencil eraser end, yeah, right! Aviate, Navigate and Text...?
 
I don’t answer unscheduled calls from anyone - including my wife, parents, siblings, boss, whatever. If you want to get to me unscheduled, text or email. If you *must* speak to me on the phone, I (or my admin) will find a time where I can do so without your interrupting what I am doing now.
 
Salty said:
Text is awesome, I’ll answer a 50 texts before I answer the phone. Unless its complicated and needs immediate action, text me. I can finish what I’m doing and still answer you relatively quickly with a text. With a call I’m forced to drop what I’m doing immediately or ignore your call, one of the two. If it’s complicated, or more than 2 people involved, then call.
Click to expand...
That's my point. If it's simple, txt works great. But if you've taken the network down inadvertently and my phone system isn't picking up calls, pick up the phone already - we need to talk about it! <---happened today
 
Back to the poll about phone calls;

them "Do you have time to talk?"
me (in jest) "No, I just answered the phone to tell you I can't talk, bye"
 
5 and 6 don't bother me....but the others, yeah!

I'll add another a bit more obscure maybe....
I personally hate when folks send stuff to me by text such as links to long things to read, or vids to watch.
My sister does this. She never uses email so everything is a text.
but for me a text is generally more immediate and small byte stuff. I might see here text while at work, while at a stoplight, etc.... no way at those times do I have time to link over to something like that, nor do I even want to on the small screen.
For me, that stuff is email.... so it can be waiting in my inbox for whenever I have time and when I have the bigger screen.
I've already forgotten about that text I saw while doing xy&z...and no I never even remembered to try to somehow sync the link over to my computer so I could see it....
 
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