Fine. (Is this rude?)

[ChallengingFigureANDUnrulyFlaps]

Hello

If I phone a client, is this rude of them?

Me: Hi, it's ChallengingFigure from MyCompany, how are you?
Client: Fine

(client does not say "thanks" or even "how are you?")

This is an existing client btw, not someone I'm cold calling.

What to do you think?

What was your reason for calling ?

I would just assume they were busy or in the middle of something. Or not interested in talking - it’s often what I say to recruiters who cold call.

Not enough context to say, maybe they were really busy or distracted or not English so dont feel the need for pleasantries

It depends if they were expecting your call. Even if it's an existing client. For example if my hairdresser called me and I wasn't expecting the call then I would be equally disinterested. I'm not rude just busy.

Yes it’s rude.

My reason for calling will be to let them know of a development in their project and discuss what to do next. It may be time sensitive which is why I am phoning rather than emailing.

Maybe they're tired of having the drawn out pointless greeting where you're not actually asking each other how you are and you're not allowed to say anything other than 'fine' and they wish you'd just say hello in half the time like a normal person?

Everyone is different. I don't find that particularly unusual.

Better than "I'm good".

TBH I cba with the pleasantries either and would rather get down to business but I feel it's nice to be polite!

Yes, it’s rude to respond that way, it’s polite to ask the other person how they are in response.

my boss does this, says “good thanks” without reciprocating when asked how he is.

Is it passive aggressive for me to say "I'm glad to hear that, I'm fine too" ?

So you could say 'Hi, it's ChallengingFigure from MyCompany, I'm calling with an update on the project if you've got time to go through it now'

Perfectly polite, no pointless waffle.

It really annoys me when I'm asked how I am. My time is precious to me and I don't want to spend it telling people I don't know that I'm fine or asking how they are. I also don't want at the end to be told to enjoy the rest of my day. I only expect "How are you?" from people that actually know me. I expect others to say "Hello, I'm Jane from X calling to discuss Y. Is it convenient for you to talk at the moment?" But if someone does say "How are you?" I reply "Fine, thanks' and then wait for them to get to the point.

I know I'm in the minority. No need to tell me I'm BU 😅.

I find the question How are you? As part of a greeting very problematic.

Some people , if you say ask them this actually tell you how they are i.e. they launch into a long detailed description of their state of health, problems etc.

I was always brought up to say Fine thanks, no matter how I was. Now a day's if anyone asks me I tend just to say Oh OK and move swiftly on and possibly ask them how they are hoping to goodness they won't actually tell me. But I try and avoid asking it if possible.

I find the question as a greeting formula very annoying It's very different of course if the context is a friend or someone whose welfare you are actually concerned about.

So I can fully sympathise with your client if they just wanted to move the conversation on to the purpose of the call.

Yes. Also rude, as you're wasting their time.

When a business or other professional phones me, I want to know what they want. I don’t want to have a fake chat where we pretend we’re interested in anything except the transactional relationship we have.

It's really annoying when people ask how you are on a business call. How I am is irrelevant. Time is ticking and I don't want to waste it on pointless questions.

Fair enough. Mibbe I will drop "how are you" and say "Hi Jim, I've got an update, are you free to discuss?"

BTW the client is a member of the public, they are not acting in a professional capacity. Like a hairdresser and a client. If that makes any difference.

Trouble is that so many businesses are bothered all the time by dozens of cold-calling people who say: "Hi there, I'm calling from XblahYblahZ company, how are you today?!!" that the default position is often to have to stifle the words "Fuck off, I'm busy" and it may very well come out as a terse "Fine" instead.

Yes. That would make you no better than her really wouldn't it.

I find it really annoying to be asked such stuff as “how are you today”, particularly in calls I’m not expecting or cold calls. Please just state your business and ask if it’s ok to talk. Asking if the call is convenient is far more polite than taking time with pointless questions and not explaining what the call is about

Yes!! I find the OPs greeting really irritating. Just get to the fucking point and stop wasting my time!

Yes, I feel literally incapable of just saying ‘fine’ without a ‘thanks’ or even a ‘thanks, you?’. But then I am 100% British 😁