Don't Call Me I'll Call You

Don't you hate it when people call you during office hours and start a conversation before finding out whether you're busy or not?

Whilst I have no qualms taking business calls when conducting informal meetings in my office, I find it inappropriate to take personal calls with my staff sitting not two feet away. First of all I'm not particularly partial to colleagues being privy to my personal conversations and secondly it's rude, inappropriate and unprofessional to disrupt a business chat with personal business, unless it's a dire emergency.

So when I've no sooner answered the phone with a quizzical yet polite hello and the caller on the other end dives into a diabolical tirade before I have even established who I am are talking to; I can get pretty peeved.

Wait for me to complete the pronunciation of the 'O' in hello; introduce yourself if you know that I don't know you; and then enquire as to whether or not I am available to take the call. If not, have the courtesy to further enquire as to when would be a good time to call me back, alternatively leave me your details and I will return your call at my earliest convenience.

I’m specifically pointing my finger at call centers. Be it banks, insurance or those god forsaken timeshare agents; telesales people have no manners whatsoever. Why should I give a rat's ass about your family funeral plan when you couldn't be bothered with the simple courtesy of finding out whether I have the time (and patience in my case) to listen to all the benefits of including my in-laws (which I don't have) on my policy. From your demeanor, it appears you are under the impression that I am sitting next to the telephone, right hand hovering over the receiver ready to pounce at first ring. This is not the case, I assure you.

In all fairness, I must mention that whenever the dreaded Hellkom place a call to me, the operator always asks whether it's a good time for me to talk. However I must further add that it is as clear as broad (band) daylight that the poor hapless operator is reading from a script. That is another telephone faux pas that irks me. It sounds terribly insincere when someone is reciting from a generic draft and I'm too distracted singing along in my head to the sing song in the voice to concentrate long enough to hear about the fantastic call-more plan for just how much a month?

Does telephone etiquette have a place in today's fast paced society? Don't call me, I'll call you.