How to get people to return phone calls?

[opkansas Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close opkansas]

I received a business telephone inquiry yesterday. As often happens, the caller either talks too fast or talks with their mouth full.

I recognized 8 of the 9 numbers and made 10 calls trying to get ahold of "Jack". 3 not valid numbers, 4 not in service and 3 people who didn't know Jack.

Is it so difficult to leave your name and number TWICE repeating slowly?

I know I am "old school". I RETURN MESSAGES IF I CAN SECURE THE NUMBER!

[camachinist Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close camachinist]

IME, people have differing abilities to process and retain numbers. I'm quite fast at it, and do mathematics in my head, whereas my wife has a real hard time, due to a learning disability. Until I got married, I had no clue that a large portion of the rest of the world didn't operate at the same speed that I do. So, I learned to slow down and repeat the information so it is retained. I leave my contact numbers as part of the context of my message, and then, again, right at the end of the message, pausing between groups of numbers. I find it especially helpful when leaving an overseas contact number, which has a lot of digits.

Bottom line is most folks (especially the ones who blurt out the numbers) have no clue that many others can't understand or comprehend the information at that speed. They need to expand their world a bit, as I learned to do. I'm still impatient, but have reined much of it in.

Pat

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

3 not valid numbers, 4 not in service and 3 people who didn't know Jack.

By the time you reach my age, you realize that most people in this world don't know Jack.

[Keitht Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Keitht]

When leaving a number I do the same as Pat, I repeat the number and my name -S L O W L Y.
In your answering machine message you could ask people to speak slowly and to repeat their phone number. That way at least you can blame them if you can't return the call. I've actually had messages left by people I don't know, asking me to return the call, but leaving no number at all. I know I'm clever but I'm not psychic and call-back only works if it's the last caller and they haven't blocked their number.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Or to at least acknowledge the receipt of an email.

Does it not aggravate anyone else when you send what you consider to be an important email to somone and they do not even acknowledge it?

Yeah, I know, some folks are not up to snuff on this computer/internet/email thingie.

[I-DE-HO Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close I-DE-HO]

I received a business telephone inquiry yesterday. As often happens, the caller either talks too fast or talks with their mouth full.

I recognized 8 of the 9 numbers and made 10 calls trying to get ahold of "Jack". 3 not valid numbers, 4 not in service and 3 people who didn't know Jack.

Is it so difficult to leave your name and number TWICE repeating slowly?

I know I am "old school". I RETURN MESSAGES IF I CAN SECURE THE NUMBER!

If you don't have Caller ID I would recommend it. Yes, I know, not all #s show up.

Phil

[opkansas Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close opkansas]

Caller ID and cell phones

If you don't have Caller ID I would recommend it. Yes, I know, not all #s show up.

Phil

Which brings up an interesting scenario reference cell phones - With my Cingular, if someone calls and leaves a message, the caller ID does not pick up the number of the caller. Caller ID only works when I answer the phone. Also, when I receive notice of an email arrival, and someone calls me, the phone will never ring as it is apparently deactivated by the on screen note that and email has arrived.

Anyone else experience this?

[opkansas Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close opkansas]

Or to at least acknowledge the receipt of an email.

Does it not aggravate anyone else when you send what you consider to be an important email to somone and they do not even acknowledge it?

Yeah, I know, some folks are not up to snuff on this computer/internet/email thingie.

Yes, it is annoying, but the new generation of ThinkTheyAre's and WannaBe's, really don't care unless they benefit NOW.

I can remember in the mid-eighties when FAX machines were coming out. After sending the fax, I often called the person to verify that the fax was received. After a while, I realized that faxing worked.

E-Mail are another story. When I send an important email I make a notation on the email to please REPLY to acknowledge receipt. I have received emails hours and sometimes days after they were sent.