Wrong Number
By Modestah
@Modestah (11179)
United States
April 3, 2008 5:28am CST
you pick up the phone and greet the caller - who proceeds as though you are a business or company.
How do you tell them they have the wrong number? do you interrupt them or let them give their spiel first? what do you say?
I once had an elderly lady call my home thinking it was her doctor's office, I did not want to interrupt her rudely - but I also did not want her sharing her personal information with me.
it took a couple tries before she caught on that I was telling her that she had the wrong number... I guess she was on a roll.
I say, I am sorry - but I think you have the wrong number.
Or
I am sorry sir, but this is a private residence.... sometimes they will argue with me that I am the business they want as they have called this number many times before...to which I tell them how long we have lived here and ask what is the number they wish to dial.
I try to not be rude.
1 person likes this
6 responses
@itsmepinky (1300)
• India
3 Apr 08
generally i listen to them for around 30 seconds , then i just interrupt in between & say wrong number and hang up. i can b really rude at times.
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
3 Apr 08
I try not to be rude either and do interrupt them before they continute talking to me. They usually realise it because of my accent LOL
@heart143 (1202)
• Philippines
3 Apr 08
I listen for a while and ask who they want to talk to just to be sure. If I found out that he/she dialled the wrong number, I politely say " I'm sorry but there is no _________here, you dialled the wrong number." Sometimes, like in your case, they insist that they've been calling that number before. When it happens, I'll ask them to "what number are you calling?" so that they'll tell me the number they want to contact. To that, I'll tell "Sorry, but this is a private residence, you dialled the wrong number." There are also times that the caller calls again and again insisting that they're calling the correct number. Though it can be irritating, I tell them again and again, in a polite manner that they dialled the wrong number. But sometimes, when I see the same number of the insistent caller on the caller ID, I just don't answer the call.
@Modestah (11179)
• United States
3 Apr 08
I am glad that you did not let the person's bad attitude infect you and you will be patient and kind when someone calls you by mistake. you may just be the only happy voice that person hears all day long. your sweet response to them may just be the thing that keeps them from doing something drastic to themselves in a fit of depression.
We never know what impact our actions may have upon others, even if it is just a brief and fleeting moment.
