A PSA for those who leave voicemail...

[Fred Wright]

Please speak clearly and slowly. Answering machines do not always reproduce auctioneer-style talk well, if at all.

Repeat your call back number. If the message is garbled, a second time around will give us a better chance at deciphering your message.

If it is not inconvenient, mention a good time to return your call.

Thoughts?

 

[Dan The Man]

I got a buddy that's good for leaving very long auctioneer like messages as soon as I hear his voice I hit delete, call back and ask him what he wanted then gets all POed that he left a message that I didn't listen to and starts talking real fast on the phone. You just cannot win with some people.

 

[Scott Hanna]

i've sometimes had to play things over and over to try to decifer the numbers they tried to leave....it does get irritating.

I naturally talk fast, so I try to pronounce each number slowly.

when I was younger, I had a girl friend that i left a message on her answering machine to call me at a friends house. She saved it for me and let me listen to it. Not only could you not understand the number i left her, i couldn't make out some of the other words either....and I was the one that left it....duh. It helped me learn to leave much clearer messages.

 

[trafficgoo]

Please speak clearly and slowly. Answering machines do not always reproduce auctioneer-style talk well, if at all.

Repeat your call back number. If the message is garbled, a second time around will give us a better chance at deciphering your message.

If it is not inconvenient, mention a good time to return your call.

Thoughts?

I don't know what's worse...someone who you can't understand OR the complete opposite...the person that talks too slow and drags out the message...throwing in an assortment of "ums" every 3 words.

 

[Kirby Ball]

Good advice, Mr. Fred.

At my day job I call the Birth Records departments at hospitals to confirm dates of birth, etc and since no one seems to answer the phone anymore I find myself talking to the dreaded voice-mail more often than not.

By leaving the the message in a slower paced, yet concise with complete information provided; I find that I get the information that I need without them calling me back asking me questions because they either didn't hear, understand or for lack of info. on my part.

Yes, I repeat all important information necessary and often will spell certain things to help them find the info. that I need.