Comments on: Management Tactic #6: Say Your Phone Number Like You Just Learned It

By: jameystegmaier

jameystegmaier — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:47:14 +0000

Yep…it’s both a blessing and a curse. It’s great that it’s so close, but…well, see here: http://jameystegmaier.com/2008/11/19/how-to-use-my-bathroom/

By: Dionne

Dionne — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:15:23 +0000

You have a bathroom in your office??

By: jameystegmaier

jameystegmaier — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 04:38:54 +0000

I MUCH prefer anything written down and searchable than voicemails, but I still get voicemails every day. I prefer e-mail over anything.

By: A

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:06:30 +0000

yessssssssssss… http://www.youmail.com/home/index.do

By: A

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 23:32:45 +0000

Why do we still use voicemail? We all have email and/or text, and usually the ability to view missed calls. It takes me longer to log into my voicemail than to read and respond to written communication. Or I’ll just call you back at my convenience when I get a missed call.

Can’t wait: http://www.google.com/support/voice/bin/answer.py?answer=142423

By: Blog Hijacking (Is this even acceptable?) « my life, incomplete.

Blog Hijacking (Is this even acceptable?) « my life, incomplete. — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:24:23 +0000

[...] I woke up in the morning and set out to start my day, it was not on my agenda. But when I read what Jamey Stegmaier wrote, I couldn’t help myself. See, I’ve been battling a bout of insomnia this week. I [...]

By: Lauren

Lauren — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:14:46 +0000

I’m waaaay to tired to be clever, so I’m going with — LOL.

By: jameystegmaier

jameystegmaier — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:04:08 +0000

Those are excellent additions to the first few rules I put forth in my post. The end is really important too–receiver etiquette. I like the sundown rule a lot.

As for point #5 about cold callers, every once in a while I get a voice mail from a cold caller that ends with, “If you’re interested in our service, give me a call back at…” I don’t call back, and then a few days later they call me and we have the following awkward conversation:

Cold Caller: Hi, I left you a message the other day regarding our squirrel-bathing service.

Me: Yes, I got the message.

Cold Caller: I hadn’t heard back from you.

Me: That’s correct.

Cold Caller: So would you like to schedule a time for us to come out to your property?

(at this point my mind explodes)

By: Lauren

Lauren — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 05:02:09 +0000

Absolutely! PLAN AHEAD! We are all busy. We are all in our proverbial bathroom when you call. When you pick up the phone to call someone, expect the voicemail moreso than you expect the person. Know what you are going to say. Stick to the crucial points and spare me your ums and yeah-sos and anyways.

1. Who are you? (And you know if your name is hard to understand or spell, so just spare me the effort and spell it for me – slowly, like an idiot.)
2. What company are you calling from?
3. If you have a question I can obtain the answer to before calling you back, ask it – it saves us all time.
4. If I left you a message with a question you have the answer to – leave it – same principal.
5. If you are cold calling me, call back when I’m back from “the bathroom.” I’m not calling you back. No one is. Your only hope is to get me on the phone.
6. Wrap up with a synopsis. “Again, this is Jane Doe with XYZ Company and I can be reached at [slow, idiot like phone number recital].”

And for the receiver of the voicemail, it’s always good practice to use the sundown rule – call the person back the same day. Even if you are too busy to address whatever it is they called for, it is just good practice to build a reputation of being a reliable, helpful and timely professional.

Is that kind of what you were looking for?

Lauren
Human Resources Manager
XYZ Company