How to answer phone call?
By anapoc
@anapoc (16)
Latvia
January 25, 2008 5:40pm CST
Some time ago I started to find weird the way how people answer to phone calls. First words when you pick up phone is different and some time weird.
I always say word "Yes" in asking form. Others tell their name like "John listening" and so on.
Once in internet I found statistics about this subject, and I found that more than 10% of all people when they pick up phone they are not talking at all. No first itroduction words :D I think it's a bit strange.
What do you think and how would you answer if I would call you? :)
Sorry for my bad English, still learning :)
4 responses
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
26 Jan 08
I always answer with my phone number. This should tell people immediately if they have a wrong number and it also allows the person on the other end to make the first move. It also does not give away my name, which telemarketers may not know. If they then ask who they are speaking to, I have a fairly good idea that they are cold calling. If they ask for someone in the house by name, I know that their call is probably legitimate. In England it would be considered rude and, perhaps, aggressive to simply say "Yes?", though it would depend somewhat on the tone of voice.
When at work I always answer with "Good morning/afternoon, [name of company]. Can I help you?" This was also the style when I worked for a telephone helpdesk.
Did you know that if you phone a company with a problem or if someone calls you and is angry or aggressive, if you SMILE, they cannot see it but they can 'hear it' and you are much more likely to get an amicable solution to the problem.
@anapoc (16)
• Latvia
26 Jan 08
Yes I agree with you and if I pick up phone at work I answer in the same way as you.
But what in situations if you know that in that day will call some person which is not friendly with you and you dont want to answer to the phone call but you still must becouse you dont know who is calling you :) Like boss from work, but it is holliday :D
1 person likes this
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
26 Jan 08
There is always the little facility called Caller Display which shows you the number (sometimes) of the caller before you pick up the phone. I believe that you have to have a compatible phone and subscribe to the service (for a small fee). Mobiles have it built in.
Once you know who's calling, you can answer as politely (or as rudely!) as you like.
@cheapscake1326 (43)
• Philippines
26 Jan 08
I answer the phone with a greetong (good morning..etc) then I ask who they want to talk to.
@Creepout84 (38)
•
26 Jan 08
Here in Italy we answer "Pronto" or, seldon, "Si" (which means "yes"). "Pronto" means "Ready!" which is quite silly if you think, It sound like the answerer is fit for a mission, or something similar...Bearing in mind this,every morning, on TV, there's a game show which (among various phone games) does a funny experimentation: THEY call randomly some phone numbers (taken from the various telephone directories) and if the first answer of the person they call is not "pronto" or anything else, but the name of the show, they win even some thousand euros...Guess how funny when they call old people who don't understand anything, or the answerer is a baby who can't talk with unknown people,or the number doesn't exist anymore...Nice show, while studying I often look it, it raises my low morale (for the study itself,I mean) :)
@the_ruler (1442)
• Turkey
26 Jan 08
It is really weird if many of the people are not saying anything when they pick the phone up :)
I usually say "Hello?" when I pick up the phone, and sometimes "Yes?" just like many people do
