Business calls

[tmkr]

I have owned a small business for about 15 years (machine shop) and get quite a few calls that start like this.
Me- Hello xyz machine and tool
Them-Hello is the business owner available ?
Me-maybe,depends on who is calling.
Them-Oh,my name is whatever,I have a product you cannot live without.

My rant is,if I have to ask you who you are and who you represent you have wasted my time and your's.

I was always taught when you make a call the first words out of your mouth should be who you are and who you represent.

Am I right ? Am I wrong ?
Or am I just getting grumpy as I get older?

 

[VUPDblue]

When I managed a mom-and-pop and would get calls like that, I'd tell them that they needed to talk to "Mr. Click" and hang up.

 

[tmkr]

When I managed a mom-and-pop and would get calls like that, I'd tell them that they needed to talk to "Mr. Click" and hang up.

That is usually the way it ends up here also.Are the days of good telephone manners gone?

 

[churchmouse]

That is usually the way it ends up here also.Are the days of good telephone manners gone?

You have answered this yourself. The days of good manors period are fast disappearing.

 

[17 squirrel]

I tell them hang on, you need to talk to my Grandfather he's the owner.
And then I speak like a old man thats hard of hearing until they are yelling into the phone and they hang up on me.. Once in awhile you can string one out for a bit.. It's some of the only fun I get at work...well that and porn on the TV..

 

[printcraft]

Typically when the call me they are told that Mike handles that and he's on vacation and will call them when he gets back.

Somewhere, not here, a man name Mike works and handles those calls.

ETA:

This has the added benefit that when they call back and ask for Mike he's still on vacation. That a-hole never works.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I don't own a company but when our phones ring, a double ring is an outside call and a single ring is a call from inside the facility. I don't answer a double ringer if I can help it. If I do and that momentary pause is there when I answer, I know it's a 99.9999% it's an autodialer and I just hang up. If it's a real person calling and I don't recognize the voice, if they ask for me, I've been known to tell them: 'he's not here right now, can I take a message'. They'll usually just cut to the chase and I can decide if "I" want to call them back when "I" return to the office.

 

[SSGSAD]

I have owned a small business for about 15 years (machine shop) and get quite a few calls that start like this.
Me- Hello xyz machine and tool
Them-Hello is the business owner available ?
Me-maybe,depends on who is calling.
Them-Oh,my name is whatever,I have a product you cannot live without.

My rant is,if I have to ask you who you are and who you represent you have wasted my time and your's.

I was always taught when you make a call the first words out of your mouth should be who you are and who you represent.

Am I right ? Am I wrong ?
Or am I just getting grumpy as I get older?

Simply tell them that the boss, is Helen wait, if they don't get the pic., then just tell them to go Hel en Wait.....

Oh, YOU are CORRECT ..... I was taught Proper Telephone etiquette, in the 3rd grade ..... Something they probably DON'T teach today .....

 

[shibumiseeker]

I sold my company two and a half years ago but kept the business line to the house since that is what has the internet. I STILL get calls 2-3 times a day. The ones that **** me off are the robocalls where there is silence for about 15-20 seconds then I get "Is this XYZ company?" I usually tell them that the company was dissolved after the flood. They rarely get the joke.

 

[bwframe]

People still answer the phone?
Thought that was what voice mail is for, unless caller ID is recognized?

 

[churchmouse]

I sold my company two and a half years ago but kept the business line to the house since that is what has the internet. I STILL get calls 2-3 times a day. The ones that **** me off are the robocalls where there is silence for about 15-20 seconds then I get "Is this XYZ company?" I usually tell them that the company was dissolved after the flood. They rarely get the joke.

Yes, the auto dialer calls. Silence and then Hodji comes on line and says (in some very poor english)......Hello there, I am Steve. Steve....thats rich.

 

[shibumiseeker]

People still answer the phone?
Thought that was what voice mail is for, unless caller ID is recognized?

I do search and rescue. I get calls from all over the country from numbers I don't know. I always answer the phone when I can.

 

[bwframe]

I do search and rescue. I get calls from all over the country from numbers I don't know. I always answer the phone when I can.

Thank you, and please keep doing this!
I wonder if the machine shop's calls are so mission critical though? I know mine aren't. I have screened calls with voicemail for years.

 

[long coat]

I have a mowing business. The only place my private number was ever listed was on Angie's list and I told them to remove it and only list my business number. My son now has that number. He gets calls all the time from "google" wanting me to update my listing. I have told them several times to remove my from the liat, but they keep calling from different numbers. So now when they call I tell then that "google keeps telling me a can't list my brothel, so why do you keep calling? They then tell me the name of my business and I tell them that a can't very well call it XYZ brothel, now can i." They then hang up.

 

[hopper68]

Typically when the call me they are told that Mike handles that and he's on vacation and will call them when he gets back.

Somewhere, not here, a man name Mike works and handles those calls.

ETA:

This has the added benefit that when they call back and ask for Mike he's still on vacation. That a-hole never works.

And give "Mike" a last name. Do not be surprised when Mike starts getting mail. Some "companies" will ship something with Mike ______ as a PO hoping you will assume Mike ordered it and pay the enclosed invoice.

 

[shibumiseeker]

Thank you, and please keep doing this!
I wonder if the machine shop's calls are so mission critical though? I know mine aren't. I have screened calls with voicemail for years.

In my case the shop line is the one everyone calls because I don't get reliable cell service at the house and when I had the business there was always someone available to answer it 24/7, so that was the number that was distributed all over. It was simpler to just keep the shop line and give up the house line since it rings in both anyway and now I have fun with the robocallers and sales people.

 

[hopper68]

Tales from when my dad owned a garage.

There was a time when they all called selling blue air hose, if you said no they would just call back.

Excuse #1. We do not use air at the shop because air is polluted. Even our blow guns are electric.

Excuse #2. Can not use blue air hose because it would clash with the shop décor.

Mess with telemarketers and they will not call you back.

 

[Leadeye]

I always figure if it's important they'll leave a message.

 

[mom45]

Mess with telemarketers and they will not call you back.

THIS is so true!

We had one that kept calling wanting to talk to the person in charge of our NIPSCO gas bill. We don't have NIPSCO available in our area and I tried telling them that and that they should check their service area before calling about this. Two hours later, I got a call again asking to speak to the person in charge of my NIPSCO gas bill. I hung up. This went on for a few days until it was our day that our business was closed and I knew I would not offend a customer that might be in my shop. They called and started the same spiel. I told them they would need to hold for Mattie as that was her department. I set the phone down and wandered around doing stuff for at least 30 minutes. I went back to the phone and sure enough, they were still "holding" for Mattie. I apologized for the long delay and asked if they wished to continue to hold. They asked how long I thought it might be, and I responded "I have no idea. I think she is still licking her butt." They hung up. Mattie is one of my cats.

 

[Shadow8088]

Telephone manners aren't gone. I work in a NOC. When I answer the phone it's "Thank you for calling ****. My name is ****. How may I help you?" every time, without fail. Our clients seem to respond very well to that. I don't see what's so hard about that.