Leaving Voice Mail

Frank Stastny

Guru
5000 Post Club
7,066
Florida
I posted this because I am surprised at how a lot of people leave voice mail. I would think that since we are in the communication business that agents would be especially conscious about what they say and how they say it when leaving a message.

These are some of the things that I have noticed and I feel confident that most people are not even aware of. them. We very seldom hear the messages we leave for others.

Slurring their name at the beginning of the message and saying it real fast. Even after playing the message several times the name still isn’t clear.

Clearly stating the reason for the call.

The really big one is rapidly saying the phone number you would like the call returned on as fast as you can and only saying it once. So fast that the numbers are difficult to understand requiring the message to be played several times to get the number. (I’m going to catch a lot of crap for this one but women in general are the worst about doing this.) Or, they leave a number once and their cell phone breaks up and part of the number is missing.

If one wants their call returned then they should think about doing the following. (I’m especially thinking in terms of leaving messages for clients and prospects.)

Pronounce your name clearly and slowly at the beginning of the message. Give a brief description of the reason of the call. Then say “please call me at”, slowly speaking the phone number. (Many times the number they leave is not the same number they call from so caller ID isn’t helpful.) Then clearly and slowly pronounce your name and phone number a second time.

Or not!
 
We are of similar vintage and I feel your pain. I hate it when they either don't leave a number (and my caller ID doesn't work if I am on the phone) or they leave a number that, no many how many times you play it, you miss a few digits. Some of them even trail off in volume on the last 2 - 3 digits and a having the first 7 digits doesn't work for me.
 
We are of similar vintage and I feel your pain. I hate it when they either don't leave a number (and my caller ID doesn't work if I am on the phone) or they leave a number that, no many how many times you play it, you miss a few digits. Some of them even trail off in volume on the last 2 - 3 digits and a having the first 7 digits doesn't work for me.

Don't give away too many secrets, a lot of the idiots calling these people are our competition.

One of the most annoying things to me is when the purpose of the call is not stated. I tend to lose interest at that point.

Fortunately, a lot of sales trainers teach that it will inspire curiousity, instead of cynicism.
 
sales trainers teach that it will inspire curiousity, instead of cynicism.

I never return calls that show up on caller ID but no message. Never answer the phone if the ID is out of area and is not a name or number I recognize. I have been getting calls from something called Lost Tribe for 2 months. No message.

Today I picked it up for chuckles and grins. Must have frightened them. They hung up shortly after I answered.
 
On my answering machine:

You have reached the number that you have dialed, but I have made some changes in my life. Leave a message and if I don’t call you back then your one of them.

Or

Hi, this is John. If you are the phone company, I already sent the money. If you are my parents, please send money. If you are my financial aid institution, you didn’t lend me enough money. If you are my friends, you owe me money. If you are a female, don’t worry, I have plenty of money.
 
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