Telephone conversation. Managing phone calls. Taking a message Telephone Etiquette: What You Need To Know Introduction

Answering Machines
Just a few quick tips for these will suffice so that they are used properly without being annoying to anyone on the receiving end of your outgoing message and so that you leave messages that people will appreciate:
· Your children may be cute and adorable, but your answering machine is not the place to display their charm. Messages recorded by young children are difficult to understand and usually ramble on far too long.
· Jokes, music, and emotional pleas to save the spotted owl, etc., are also inappropriate on your answering machine. Someone may be calling with bad news, an urgent message, or simply may be having a terrible day. Your attempts at humor or your political views will at the least fall flat and at the most will be offensive.
· Keep it short and sweet. All that is needed are your names and a brief explanation, such as "We can't come to the phone right now," followed by a request for callers to leave a message, name, and phone number.
· When you reach an answering machine, talk clearly and distinctly. There is nothing as frustrating as an urgent message ending in a phone number mumbled so fast no one can decipher it. You should always repeat your name and phone number for clarity's sake.
· Remember to indicate when you called, including the day and time, and get to the point of your message quickly.
· Do not forget to say, "Good-bye." Lots of people leave this off on answering machines for some reason, as though because it is a machine, politeness is not required. A person is still going to get the message, so do sign off as though you were talking to the actual person.