I had a prospect leave a message on my answering machine yesterday.
guy is a FAST talker—-one of those guys who leaves a phone message like he is actioning off livestock
the sort of message you have to listen to 4-5 times to decipher it?
well—-all I know at this point is that the guy is named Adam something or another and he wants some sort of an estimate.—but on the 3 or 4th time through the message I accidentally hit delete–instead of repeat
so I guess I won’t be calling him back.
hope it wasn’t a good project!
Stephen
Replies
No caller ID? I've done the same thing... maybe it was God telling you you don't want to work for this guy :P
PaulB
http://www.makeabettertomorrow.com
http://www.finecontracting.com
I don't know what kind of 'machine' Haz has answering his calls,but mine is the service with my calling plan so it is remote. Caller ID doesn't show the calls that service picks up. But I still refer to it as my answering machine.I switched to that instead of the machine partly because it is one of six great and wonderful convenient things they offer 'free' with the calling plan, and partly because we can get almost daily power outages here and the spikes would screw up my physical machines, causing lost messages.Back on topic, I am like Steve in that I deplore bad phone manners and pushy people. Leaving an unintelligent message is like sending a business letter scribbled in crayon on Big Chief paper.
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I have caller ID on my house phone---but not my business line.--- It's an actual machine on my desk-----but back in the days when answering machines had little tapes--- I could retrieve a message as long as it had not been recorded over----- now it's all electronic--and once it's deleted--its deleted!
stephen
"I have caller ID on my house phone---but not my business line."Hmmm? I wonder how much money you've really saved by not putting caller ID on your business phone. According to my estimates, this one lost job might buy caller ID until you retire LOL!
It's a real pisser when people cant talk slow snough to be understood. The worst for me is when I call a business, and they say the name so fast, I don't even know if I've reached the right place!
MikeInsert initially amusing but ultimately annoying catch phrase here.
I get those messages too - they say their number too fast and too jumbled to understand. As a result, I always make it a point to enunciate clearly, and leave my number slowly, and twice, when I'm leaving it on a message machine.View Image
Stephen,
You're likely better off as most of the folks that I have talked to that are fast-talking, sound like they are trying to be your friend type, just end up as dead ends.
A while back a guy called me and left a message like he knew me for 20 years "Mike buddy this" and "I need you to really get this project going for me that".
He end up being a ad rep trying to get me to advertise in one of his magazine contacts. Didn't really even have a real job to discuss!
Mike
I cant make out there names and numbers they talk so fast and slurry.
Half the time i have to call my wife over to see if she can hear what they said.
I get em back though i call them back with a Fake midwestern accent!!!!
I call them back with a Fake midwestern accent.
You must be mistaken. We in the midwest, have no accent.
Everybody else does though!
MikeInsert initially amusing but ultimately annoying catch phrase here.
I have actually done that exact same thing. A few times actually. You just get programed to listen to the message, write it down and hit 7 (or whatever number) to erase. So you listen a few times and get a few numbers each time and out of habit hit the erase button. Hope they call again lol. DanT
If you catch it before another call comes in *69 will tell you the last number that called you.
this is where caller ID comes in handy, but I've had the same thing happen.
Welp... I have caller ID and a few Sundays ago a guy calls at 7:00 AM saying he need some windows. Doesn't leave his name or number but sez I can call him back at the number he didn't leave up till 9:00 am that morning. Checked caller ID it said Mary Smith. He didn't get called back.
Some lady called me the other day yelling that she was waiting all day for me to show up and i never did. She must have dialed the wrong no, I was gonna pick it up and run over and steal a job but she was MAD!!!!
Been there done that too.
I had a long very abusive message from a homeowners association how they were gonna file suit against me if I didn't come back and fix a bunch of stuff. I did call them back, they were about 100 miles 1 way from home base, I don't go more then 10 miles.... They had the wrong number.
machine is NOT the place for that sort of thing anyhow.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
The best one is there is a guy in my area with a similar name as mine who is apprently some big time loser and owes EVERYONE money. (Maybe he is a contractor too?!) :)
Collection agencies will call my house and say in a real friendly voice "Hi Michael (no one except my wife and deceased grandmother ever call me Michael) I *really* need to talk to you ASAP and then leave a 1-800 number" I always call back just to have some fun as they get real aggressive then when I let them try their pressure tactics, I ask them to give the birthdate or SS# of who they are looking for and then find out its not me! They say they will take me off their list then I get another call in two weeks!
Mike
That can go on a long time. I get collections calls about once or twice a year on a couple guys who have worked for me in the past and moved on. They always promise to not call again and remove my info, then I get it again after time passes.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Piffin,
Don't I know it! I have been getting these for years! But its fun as I can get folks pretty riled up over it. One woman got mad at me for not giving her MY SS# and I proceeded to go into a story about how I don't need to divulge that info to anyone that randomly calls my house etc. She even demanded I speak to her supervisor. Its kind of fun some days when I feel the need to tick others off.
M
Maybe she gave that other guy the wrong address too
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
What does "Mary Smith" have to do with the reason why you didn't call him back?
You know blue--- that's an excellent observation---- thefinaces of caller Id never entered my mind-------- we only got it on the house line to avoid my sisters calls---and to avoid telemarketers------ never thought of it from the business end.
stephen
One telemarkerter just wouldn't give up. I told him I couldn't take advantage of his free trip to Disneyland. Because I was a convicted murder and could not get a passport.
Then I asked were he lived. No call since.
And a friend of mine had a number close to the Bus Depot, nobody noticed he didn't answer as a business they just started asking about fares and schedules. I'm sure there were people waiting a long time for the bus to come in.
I hate bad phone manners. These guys that rattle off three phone numbers in 10 seconds: "Office is 268-009-0987, my cell is 345-0987-2367 and my home is 456-732-8987. Call me back !".
Hey guy, I have a pencil here and I'm TRYING to write this down. What's really amazing is half of the time these are guys seeking MY business!!
Slow down guys. Say the numbers slowly and the chances of your call being returned will skyrocket.
Runnerguy
Gees that bugs me. What do they think I am a court reporter?
I always say my name slowly and call out the numbers slow. I am amazed how well that works. People say I got your message. Heck now we are 60% done.Maybe Sienfeld will come back and do a show about the "Slow Talker"I have call display, if it comes up as "Unknown or Priviate caller I do not pick It up. Usually some sleazy telemarketer. Saves lots of time and if they leave a message that is worth returning I will.What does some one call just after you have put glue on something?
When leaving messages, I always announce myself/phone# at the start, say my spiel, then say my name and number again as clearly as possible. http://www.quittintime.com/ View Image
Same here.Now when you get a live person, do you start out with your name too?
That's what I was taught.My wife bugs me to no end on this one. She will call somebody and start right in talking when they answer.Since I have poor hearing, I can't tell her voice from Carmen, Micheal Jackson, or Don Rickles. So if she calls me, I have to ask, "Who IS this?"
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Well, you can be pretty sure its not Michael Jackson anymore.
Unless your phone service is a LOT better than mine.
Whats going to Fara's faucets
dang.
You'll have to try again later.
The Woodshed Tavern BackroomFor Topics Too Hot For Taunton's Breaktime Forum's Tavern (abandon hope all ye who enter there)
couple of things i notice--- when a guy leaves you THREE possible phone numbers--- you won't be able to reach him at ANY of themand when someone leaves you ONE phone number---and says you can reach him on that number"anytime"---you won't be able to reach him either.
stephenBTW- my favorite-------are telemarketers that try to fool you into thinking that you actually know them and so will return their phone call-" Steve-- this is Frank---call me back at 1-800-235-8790"
I learned from a friend of mine that when he leaves a message he gives them his name and phone number at the beginning of his message, and then at the end he repeats the information s-l-o-w-l-y so that the one listening to it has time to write it down.
Nice example that I have tried to copy."Objects in mirror appear closer than they are."
Klakamp Construction, Findlay, Ohio - just south of the Glass City
I experienced a problem with my line going in and out of service. I couldn'y figure out why my machine had no messages. I was feeling real blue until one day i called my own number and it did not answer.
Ever since then I now use verizon's answering service for $8.00 per month. No missed calls even if my line is dead. Their messages are tagged with the number calling you. No missed numbers!
It all starts with receiving your messages.
I had a call from a lady who left her first name and her cell phone number only. Do you think that was a good lead? Probably not, she was just fishing for a third quote.
I love being the third quote. Thats a very high percentage place to be.
Outside the Bristol zoo in England , there is a parking lot for 150 cars and 8 coaches, or buses. It was manned by a very pleasant attendant with a ticket machine
charging cars 1 Euro (about $1.40) and coaches 5 (about $7).
This parking attendant worked there solid for all of 25 years. Then, one day, he just didn't turn up for work.
"Oh well", said Bristol Zoo Management - "we'd better phone up the City Council and get them to send a new parking attendant ..."
"Er...no," said the Council, "That parking lot is your responsibility."
"Er...no," said Bristol Zoo Management, "The attendant was employed by the City Council, wasn't he?"
"Er...no!" insisted the Council.
Sitting in his villa somewhere on the coast of Spain (presumably), is a man who had been taking theparking lot fees, estimated at 400 (about $560) per day at
Bristol Zoo for the last 25 years. Assuming 7 days a week, this amounts to just over 3.6 million ($7 million - or $280,000 every year for 25 years)! And no one even
knows his name.
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Good story. Even better if it were true.http://www.snopes.com/crime/clever/carpark.aspBruceT
and?????
note to self....
somebody else with not much of sense of humor....
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
Edited 7/10/2009 11:32 pm by IMERC
Your story reminds me of one of my kid's favorite stories about me:
Well, I had worked a really long day. No way I had enough energy to make dinner for the 3 kids. Somehow, I had convinced myself that chinese food was healthier for them than McDonalds, so I went to the Wok and Roll. (Yep, cute name for a chinese food drive-thru!)
Anyway, I decided to get the kids fried rice for dinner. Figured it was a healthy and cheap solution, and the kids liked it.
I pulled up to the drive-up to order. Now mind you, this speaker system is fairly archiac and pretty crackly.
So I ordered the fried rice.
Me: I would like two orders of fried rice.
Her: chfryri-befryri-shfry-pofryri...?
Me: (Long pause while I roll that information around my tired brain to decipher what she said.).... What?
At this point, the kids begin to giggle in the back seat.
She repeats:
Her: chfryri-befryri-shfry-pofryri...?
Another looong pause, because I am mystified as to what she said.
Me: Umm...what?
Now the kids are laughing out loud, which isn't helping the situation any.
So, she attempts to claify for me:
Her: chfryri-befryri-shfry-pofryri...?
I still couldn't figure out what-the-heck she was saying, so another looong pause.
Me: Umm...what?
By this time the kids are absolutely howling with laughter in the backseat, like I said, not very helpful to the situation.
I turned and asked them if they wanted dinner or not?
She says: What?
(Thankfully, the were no other cars behind me during this ordeal!)
Anyway, I finally decided to just drive up to the other window...LOL. Ordered chfryri (chicken fried rice) and headed home with the kids still laughing at me.
But I understand what you are talking about. I always try to give my numbers out very carefully. Pausing, giving the person time to write.
The best way to give a number out is in twos or threes: 123-...456-...78,...90.
And with the 0's, always say zero.
Edited 7/11/2009 10:00 am ET by Grier
I try to be precise with my diction all the time, but especially leaving messages like that, because becoming hard of hearing makes me more aware of sloppy speech habits in others.So it really torques me off when a phone menu asks me to speak my info, then tells me it could not understand me. one company in particular I don't even wait for. I hit zero to bypass the menu and get a representative
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
I hit zero quite often and try to bypass all the nonsense too.
Couple of calls this week.
in a very low volume: "Hey, it's me, gimme a call."
"This is John, give me a call at 234-bzz - 03 - bzzz." = would it kill you to repeat the number? I don't think so because I always do.
I did a job this week where the work order came in in March. The lady called a couple of times saying she lost my number (got it from a retailer for whom I was doing the work.) I think I must have called her 8 times before giving up. I finally get a call from the retailer asking me to be there at 9:00 on Monday. I did and no one answered the door, nor the phone. Painters were there and said he'd seen the owner out back. Walk around and find the woman at the kitchen sink.
Might I also suggest keeping a log with every inquiry indicating the date and time of every time you've tried to reach them.