Manners!

[paintednailsandnoknickers]

I'm generally a grumpy old cow about most things and genuinely try to curb this as much as I can as no one wants a misery around, but manners or lack of them really really annoy me.

I'm trying to be kind and more thoughtful so hope to get your thoughts on this.

I was left a message on my answer phone from a lady wanting to know more about the services my husband's business can offer her (quote, etc). It was quite a long message going into quite a lot of detail, not once did she say please or thank you? I always answer questions, leads, etc even if we don't necessarily want or need the work.

I deleted the message and ignored it, AIBU?

She might have been rude, but so were you.

How ironic 🙄

Wow, not your message to delete, your manners are terrible!!

Ah, note to self, before posting on AIBU, buy a flame retardant blanket to protect myself.

Classic example here.

For what it's worth, yes I agree manners are important, but I get a bit flustered on Answrphones so May forget niceties as I'm trying to relay relevant info /facts etc.

I would have deleted it too. In the old days might have let it slide but now I tend to take a fair response on things, and I think your reaction was fair. It was not combative. Just follow your morals

In an era of recommendation on social and google reviews I would suggest that deleting the message was seriously unwise.

Yes people do leave google reviews complaining that no one ever got back to them, and when someone posts on Facebook “I’m thinking of using x” people comment - well I tried to contact them and they never came back to me.

I do get it - I run a business and quite often the tone of an initial email or message may put me odd, but I at least have an initial chat with them to suss them out before politely declining. Just deleting a message and ignoring it is ... rude.

What did your husband say when you told him what you did?

Ah, note to self, before posting on AIBU, buy a flame retardant blanket to protect myself.

You don't have to if you are not a dick

Not the point, but I dare say that if the OP’s dh is a good builder, he’ll never be short of work anyway.

Personally I’d always say please or thank you or both, when leaving a message asking anyone to ring back.

Children’s manners - my pet hate is when you say, ‘Would you like X?‘ and they just say ‘ OK’ - with or without shrug - but even more pet-hate-ish is the parent who just sits there and doesn’t remind them that they should reply, ‘Yes please’ or ‘No, Thank you’ instead.

Yet another builder that doesn't return calls. In this case I'd be glad, I don't think I'd want you working on my home. Quite ridiculous. Most people concentrate on getting the facts across as consisely as possible on a voicemail message. You just add your company to those not to bother with.

Ummm. Scratching head here. Surely anyone leaving a message on an answer machine knows it will be listened to by a human being? Of course it's important to say please and thank you on an answer machine message/ voicemail/ email/ Facebook message/ What's app. All (maybe not facebook) will be read by a human and should therefore be just as polite as if speaking face to face or on the telephone. Good builders are scarce. Well done OP, you really don;'t need customers like that. Ignore these dimwits who are too inept to stay calm and leave a polite message, I'd take their opinions with a large pinch of salt.