AIBU to think someone answering the phone for a business should say more than just "Hello"

[JeewizzJen]

Is it just me who gets annoyed when a call isn't answered with some indication that you've called the place you think you have? When someone just says "hello" I then panic thinking I've misdialled and called some residential number! And then I have to ask them if I've called the right place and they sound all "well, duh, yeah!"

A minor annoyance perhaps, but it just bugs me! Anyone else?

[JeewizzJen]

Admittedly it doesn't happen that often, but it happened to me the other day! It was actually the office of the Administrator for Jessops.

[lazybastard]

YANBU, it happened to me last week and I worried I'd dialled the wrong number. It is not how I was taught to answer the phone.

[ArtemisiaGentileschisThumb]

It's happended to me a couple of times and it drives me nuts. If that person is the first point of contact for the business surely it's part of their job to be polite and make you aware you've called the right place.

[JeewizzJen]

It was Administrators for Jessops - i.e. the company who are dealing with it's remains, PwC, not Jessops itself

[BigAudioDynamite]

Hmm...Im guilty of doing this. If secretaries were all out/busy/whatever and I was asked to man the phones; I would without fail become engrossed in work, forget I was supposed to be answering phones until about the 100th ring...answer it in a fluster, forget what I was supposed to say and then usually cut the caller of whilst trying to transfer them......maybe it happens when people not usually answering phones are just covering..?

[salcz]

My Dad runs a company from home and the number is shared with the home phone so that is always answered with 'hello'. This is quite rare though. Admittedly he's not as big as PWC!
Also, I may have forgotten that I've been at work before and done it.

[EduCated]

I always used to bollocks up answering the phones at work They don't make me do it anymore...

[ClippedPhoenix]

What's wrong with saying hello. You know who you called. Or does everyone have to say hello this is jessops, amanda speaking, how can I help you? Very american and very annoying. Hello is sufficent then you ask the question

[BumpingFuglies]

YANBU they should state the business name, especially if they have advertised themselves.

[ImperialBlether]

Oh god, I hate it when people give their life history when they answer the phone. We're in a college, so we just say "Staffroom" when someone calls, as the caller's already gone through the reception desk, but a man I work with says, "Good... (pause while he looks at his iPhone) afternoon, College Name staffroom, Major Twat speaking, how can I help you?"

His introduction is longer than 99.99% of the calls.

[BumpingFuglies]

"Might as well face it, you're a dick with a glove"

[BumpingFuglies]

Gah! Wrong thread, apologies! I was on the song lyrics one

[ImperialBlether]

Actually, that just about sums up the bloke in our staffroom! Nice coincidence!

[elizaregina]

YANBU

sooooo annoying.

[5Foot5]

I suppose it depends on whether you have the appropriate number.

I work in a non-customer facing role but we do have direct dial so it is remotely possible that a member of the public could get through. I never do answer with just hello, I always say my name and department at least, however I almost certainly don't do the full company greeting a customer thing.

[StuntGirl]

I'd prefer it! My official phone answering has to go like this:

"Good [morning/afternoon/evening], [company name] where you can now buy [insert latest offer] until [whenever], Stunt Girl speaking. How may I help you?"

I sense them lose the will to live halfway through.

[chandellina]

To be fair I think this is often just a case of the person thinking it's an internal call. Pwc definitely don't answer the switchboard with a hello.

[carabos]

I always answer the phone with "it's Carabos". 99 times out of 100 the caller will then say "Is that Carabos?" . Nobody listens to what the person answering the phone says, so "hello" is as good as anything.

[GrendelsMum]

I think Chandellina's right - in theory I always check and answer either 'Hello, X company, GrendelsMum speaking," to external callers, and '"Hiya," to internal callers, but I have been known to get confused, especially if also trying to swallow a mouthful of sandwich.

[WorraLiberty]

YANBU

I thought it was just me who finds it incredibly annoying

It normally happens when I ring a local trades person...like a plumber, electrician or something.

I rang a local garden fence company for a quote the other week and the answer message was, "Yeah this is Steve. Leave your number and I'll get back to you".

That was it

[Bottleoffish]

YANBU, I find it very annoying and always wonder if I have the right number. It seems unprofessional to me aswell and puts me right off.

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

Yes, it annoys me. Especially because cold callers do that annoying thing of not telling you who they are and just launching into their spiel, so anyone else who doesn't give their name sounds the same.

Mind you, I have been ticked off by my landlord for not answering my phone with 'Hello, this is LRD' and just 'Hello'. Given that 90% of calls I get are from my mum because everyone else uses my mobile or skype, I felt that was a bit off.