A telephone poll

[wellinghall]

[Poll #1649474]

Comments

[emperor]

When at my parents', I used to answer the telephone in their manner (which was to say the number), but I don't do that any more.

[gurthaew.livejournal.com]

During the standard working day, I answer with my name. After that, with whatever comes into my head.

[segh.livejournal.com]

I answer with my surname, since I don't know whether the person at the other end is entitled to call me by the abbreviation of my name until I know who it is.
There was a few months of my working life when I had to answer the phone with the words "Guy's Hospital Surgical Appliances Department, can I help you." By that time the person at the other end had already run up a substantial phone bill.

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

No longer working, but I used to answer with my branch title within the directorate, so I have ticked Department.

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

I used to answer with the whole number, as learned from my parents who first used telephones in the days when numbers were just two digits long! Now I say, 'Hello' and at work, 'Hello, science'.

[helflaed.livejournal.com]

"Good morning, Orgnaisation I work For, Building I Work In, Helflaed Speaking how can I help you?"

Yes, I have to say all that, every time I answer the phone.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

I worked somewhere that made us do that once! People never listen to it anyway, so it's pointless: their first question after the spiel is over is always: 'hello, is this *organisation* ?'

[el-staplador.livejournal.com]

... I don't actually know my home landline number any more. I answer my mobile with my full name if it's a number I don't recognise, or 'hello' if it's someone I'm on good terms with.

[helflaed.livejournal.com]

Yes- apart from the one time that it was the boss on the line and she congratulated me on getting it right....

[tigerfort.livejournal.com]

Depends somewhat on who caller ID says is ringing.

[sally_maria]

At home- hello, Sally speaking - to which a couple of my friends delight in answering, hello, Sally speaking

At work, good morning etc/company name/branch name/Sally speaking, how can I help you?

As you may have gathered, the home one is a cut down version of the other, since I answer the phone at work ten times as often.

[hmmm-tea.livejournal.com]

Work depends whether it's an internal or external caller - if it's external I'll give my name otherwise I just say hello.

When I was growing up, because we ran a b&b I used to have to say the name of the house when I answered.

[chris-maslen.livejournal.com]

At work the full corporate greeting which is audited and failable is...

"Thank you for calling Motor Claims [Name] speaking can I have your reference number please... [DPA questions]. Thank you, you're through to [Brand Name](we answer the phone for up to 5 different brands & the STUPID telephone doesn't always get the right one when it anounces to me which line the customer is calling) how can I help you today.

We are also required to close with...

"Is there anything else I can help you with? Thank you for calling [Brand Name]."

[didiusjulianus.livejournal.com]

I was told a long time ago that it is best (domestically) to answer with 'hello', 'good morning/afternoon' (or similar) and not your name or number, because if you confirm your name or number before you know who it is, that plays into the hands of prank callers, potential stalkers and gives extra info to companies that have autodialled you. I'm quite an informal sort of person so I use 'hello'. (Not 'hi' though usually). No-one has objected yet :)

I don't have a work phone, if I did (and I have in the past) I'd answer with whatever fitted my position and the situation best. Although being me, unless told otherwise, I'd probably go with 'good morning/afternoon' or even just 'hello' still.

[didiusjulianus.livejournal.com]

Because it's too long/involved to take in esp. when you are thinking about how to word your question, or when said quickly by the person made to say it (and often inaudibly) because they just want to get through it. I hate company "schpiel" (sp?) - when WILL they understand this I wonder?

[miss-t-ide.livejournal.com]

I generally greet the caller by name if it's come up before I've answered it. That's at home. I can't answer the 'at work' bit now I'm a full-time housewife and mother. I can't even remember what I used to say when answering the 'phone at work...

[asklepia.livejournal.com]

When at work I always start with Good morning etc, then the department, then my name - it gives people a chance to "tune in" to my voice before I say my name and minimises requests for repetition.