Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: May I tell him who's calling?

This is topic May I tell him who's calling? in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 11-25-2002, 10:09 AM:

No you may not!

Does anyone else find this phrase rude? I have noticed that the only companies who's secretaries use this phrase have something to hide (or more importantly are screening a call to dodge payment or responsibility of some sort).

If the guy is on the phone, or even worse..."out of the office", then don't say "may I tell him who's calling". Instead say "he is on the phone right now, may I take a message or have him call you back." If the guy is out of the office, then SAY he is out of the office and offer to take a message. Is this too much to ask? Does anyone else find this annoying?

I think I'm just going to start making up names and companies whenever this happens.

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 11-25-2002, 10:59 AM:

Hmmm... I was in a management position at my last place of employment, and I was barraged with calls every day from people trying to sell me stuff. I instructed our receptionist to screen my calls for me by doing exactly this. If it's someone I don't know or don't want to talk to, I would tell the receptionist to dump them into my voicemail, where I could then ignore them or deal with it later.

When I'm on the other end of this (I'm the caller and they ask me who I am), although yes I find it annoying, I understand exactly why they're doing it. But it can work to your advantage too. If the person you're calling knows who you are and wants to take your call, you get put right through without screwing around with messages or voicemail. It does give you a shot at getting through immediately instead of being delayed.

Annoying: Yes. But understandable.

Posted by Joe Beres (Member # 678) on 11-25-2002, 11:03 AM:

I don't find it rude per se. I would tend to think that most people want to know who's calling to make sure that they have any relevant or necessary information in front of them. If I had someone answering phones for me, I would have them request that information. The few seconds I would take to pick up that phone would allow a bit of time to collect information or thoughts pertaining to the person calling, allowing me to be more professional and responsive. For example, let's say you call a company that you recently received a price quote from (at your request). The secretary answers, asks who's calling and then tranfers your call. Would you rather be greeted by your sales person with, "Hi Brad, what can I do for you." and have the person have your info in front of them or have a second person pick up and have to say for the second time, "Hi, this is Brad from Film-Tech. I have some questions on my price quote." The second situation will most likely land you on hold a second time while the salesperson digs up your info. Personally, I find the first scenario to be much more professional. If someone wants to dodge your calls, they will find a way whether their secretary assists them in doing so or not.

I must admit that we sometimes use it at home to screen telemarketers that may have a name to work with. I hate those calls. [Mad]

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 11-25-2002, 11:35 AM:

I'm definately in the call-screening camp on this one. The number of calls that we get from people trying to sell stuff exceeds actual business calls some days!!

I do want to create a "voicemail box" that states something to the effect. "If you have reached this message, then we do not desire to do business with you please never call here again"

Steve

Posted by Thomas Procyk (Member # 1170) on 11-25-2002, 12:05 PM:

I've actually called someplace, and asked for "so-and-so"... the person answering the phone first said, "Just a minute."

Then I heard a voice in the background, "Who is it?" Then the person asked, "May I ask who's calling?" I told them who I was, then again, heard a voice in the background, "Tell them I'll call them back." Then the person came back, and told me the person I am trying to reach is "Out of the Office." [Mad]

THAT practice is rude. Sometimes, I just say I am "corporate". That sends a chill down people's spines and gets them to answer the phone. I never said I was from THEIR company's corporate, hehe. Mind you, I never do this on a "professional" call. Just when I am trying to find out information from a store, theater, etc. This helps bypass the 17 people who don't know the information and puts me straight to a manager.

=TMP=

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 11-25-2002, 12:30 PM:

Steve's post reminded me that I used to add the following to my voicemail greeting: "If this call is sales-related, please don't be offended if I don't return your message." This gets rid of most of the sales people -- at that point they don't even bother to leave a msg.

Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 11-25-2002, 12:33 PM:

This is my absolute pet peeve.

Here is the habit that I have gotten into:

Whatever place I call (this mostly happens with OTHER movie theatres) I make it a habit to know the owner or president of the company (or at least thier last name). If I get a rude person on the other end - asking 'who's calling please' I will give the appropriate name:

When calling a Regal Cinema - I tell them it is Mike Campbell calling.

When calling a Century Theatre - I tell them it is Ray Syufy.

When calling a Crown Theatre -I tell them it is Dan Crown.

Of course when the manager answers and realize it is me - they get all upset. Then I explain to them that it could of very well been one of the above calling - and the way the call was handled was incorrect.
That usually wakes them up.

If it is a company I am not familiar with - I tell the person answering that I am the person's father and it is extremely important I speak to them.

[Smile]

Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 11-25-2002, 12:59 PM:

I believe I'm probably the only theater manager that takes his calls unscreened. Every time I call another location, before I can talk to the GM, I'm asked "May I ask who's calling?" It's really impertinent to me who's calling. Anyone that asks for me by name usually has a good reason to speak with me. If I screened my calls, I may blow off a customer with a valid concern simply because I didn't recognize them by name.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 11-25-2002, 01:42 PM:

What bugs me is if I call a place, and the receptionist asks who is calling, and then the person answers the phone and still doesn't know it's me until I tell him myself!

I called up the doctor the other day, and said "May I speak to the doctor?" The lady said "May I tell him who's calling?" I said, "Yeah, go ahead.....and since you're so smart, tell him WHY I'm calling too, Miss E.S.P."--George Wallace

Posted by Matthew Bailey (Member # 601) on 11-25-2002, 03:22 PM:

Telemarketers-yicchhh! [Mad]

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 11-25-2002, 06:52 PM:

Believe it or not, my business number is unlisted! [Big Grin]

Not on purpose. When I changed local carriers a couple years ago somehow the order got screwed up (it was the 2nd line that was supposed to be unlisted) and despite many attempts to correct it (and I have a whole list of the "ticket" numbers they give you when you order a change) they never fixed it. I was really going to give them hell and then it dawned on me that it would just be my luck to be deluged with telemarketers at work like at home. Hasn't seemed to hurt my business--the people who need to find me can (plus the number was one of the direct lines of my predecessor when my place was owned by Cineplex Odeon) so I am inclined to leave things be.

Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 11-25-2002, 06:52 PM:

I have to use the phrase here at the Rialto due to the high volume of calls that Ky receives. I need to filter his calls or he wouldn't get any work done. I also filter his calls because most of the time it is a stupid question that I (his equal business partner) can answer for him.

He uses 1000 minutes per month on his cell phone where as I use only 300 minutes per month. He needs to filter some calls.

But damn it, I am not his secretary!

Posted by Gerard S. Cohen (Member # 994) on 11-25-2002, 08:47 PM:

When I answer the phone in my wife's pediatric office, the caller usually asks if the doctor is present. If she's busy, I answer
"Yes, she's examining a patient. If you leave your name and number, I'll have her call you." When I get that, I'll ask which child the call is in reference to, so that I can have the chart open when my wife returns the call.
If it's a telemarketing call, I indicate we don't accept such calls and request our number be removed from their list, since we are on two "Do not call" lists that are supposed to be honored in New York.

Posted by Sean McKinnon (Member # 612) on 11-25-2002, 09:31 PM:

It is actually company policy to answe the phone "Thank you for Calling Loews Cineplex __________, This is _______ Speaking how may I help you?" and if they ask for someone you are supposed to say "IT WOULD BE MY PLEASURE to get Mr. Soandso for you, May I let him know whos Calling? Do you mind if I place you on hold?"

I like to screw with people and tell them that I would infact mind if they put me on hold [Smile]

Posted by Bob Maar (Member # 763) on 11-25-2002, 09:48 PM:

I do not have a problem with somebody who asks " May I ask who is calling? or Who is calling ,please? If someone is calling me, I want to know who I am going to speak to before I pick up the phone. I would rather talk to a live person than deal with and automated answering system. How impersonal is that? Come on guy's we have bigger problems to worry about than "Whose Calling?"

Sorry I gave you three instead of two cents. [Smile]

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 11-25-2002, 10:24 PM:

quote:
"Thank you for calling Loews Cineplex __________, This is _______ Speaking how may I help you?"

This is one of my pet peeves, these long drawn-out introductions. Our local Greyhound depot is in a convenience store. They actually used to say, "Keeping you on the go with Kum'n'Go, good evening, this is _____, how may I help you?"

My initial reaction on these is to say, "well, first of all, SHUT UP so I, your customer, can talk!" I mean, "how may I help you" is completely unnecessary. And how do they know they're thankful for my calling if I haven't even spoken yet?

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 11-26-2002, 01:14 AM:

I think some are not understanding what I intended to get across. The actual phrase is fine. My beef is with people who use that PC happy talk as a disguise for hiding from an obligation.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 11-26-2002, 05:12 AM:

Not having a secretary myself, I find myself increasingly hiding behind the answering machine, i.e. waiting until someone starts to leave a message and then picking up the 'phone if I want to talk to them. As previous posters have pointed out, there is such a high proportion of calls which are either cold sales calls or calls from people who want information you haven't got that it's the only way to stay sane. If I can identify a particular troublemaker early enough, I will only give him or her my mobile number, because (i) my mobile 'phone displays the number of the incoming call, thus enabling me to screen it, and (ii) it costs so much to ring a mobile 'phone in this country that people generally think twice before doing it. As least if some moron does ring up my mobile trying to sell me something I either don't want or can't afford, I have the satisfaction of knowing that they're paying the equivalent of about a dollar a minute for the privilege of being told (in slightly more diplomatic language, obviously) to bugger off.