For some reason, phone etiquette, which was a “required course” back in elementary school, doesn’t seem to be taught anymore. Phone manners are basic common sense, but lately I keep getting calls from my younger brother’s classmates asking for him. They usually blurt out a name the moment the call connects. For example, if my brother’s name is A, they might shout, “Hey A~ what’s the homework for tomorrow?” or “Dude, A, why aren’t you on IM?” and so on… And these classmates aren’t elementary school kids anymore. They go to a top junior high school…. Plus, they aren’t calling a cell phone. They’re calling our home!
The most basic, minimum courtesy on the phone is this: don’t start calling out someone’s name the moment the call connects, because the person who answers may not be the one you want. So once the call connects, you should say, “Hello, may I speak with XXX, please? Is he home?” <- This is the most polite way to put it.
If you think that’s too long, the less polite version is: “I’d like to speak with so-and-so.”
Never shout a name the moment the call connects, and it’s even worse if you start cursing as soon as the line picks up…
And if the person who answers isn’t the one you want, you can say, “Could you please get XXX for me? Thank you.”
If the person you’re looking for isn’t home, remember to say thank you. You can also leave your name and phone number so they can call you back when they return.
Whatever you do, don’t just hang up boldly because the person you want isn’t home. It leaves the person on the other end speechless…
The above is just the basics. If you’re reading this and realize you’re one of those rude people, it’s not too late to change. Otherwise, the people who call you will really be left speechless….