What Do you Say When Asking for Someone on the Phone?

rcollier_17 · April 2010

I know the only reason it annoys me is because I answer the phones every day at work and hear it all the time, but people call in and constantly ask "Is _____ there?" when they really mean to ask "may I speak to _______". Sometimes I just want to say yes-since I'm technically answering his/her question- and then just sit there and wait for the next question...

Maybe I'll do that today just to live up to my true younger sister bratty nature... Big Smile

operaapril · April 2010

I always say, " Hi. May I please speak with _____?"

Bubbles1022 · April 2010

"Hi can I please speak to______?"

karlee1122 · April 2010

I HATE this! Sometimes I do it without thinking about it and then I just want to slap myself bc it's so annoying when other people do it!

rcollier_17 · April 2010

Here's one that I used to do:

I had just filled my car up with gas, went in to pay and just said "I have gas" Hehehe, the lady looked at me funny and all of the sudden I realized I had been saying that for a very long time. Oops!

ocho2002 · April 2010

Even more annoying is when the caller immediately asks, "Who's this?" Um, you called here, identify yourself first.

Abinormal · April 2010

When my mother was young and her friends would call her house my granfather was always the one to answer the phone. If they asked, "Is M there?" He'd say yes and then just stay on the phone without calling for my mother. Eventually the caller would say, "May I speak to her?" and my grandfather would say, "Oh, yes, of course, let me go get her for you."

My mom says that most of her friends learned the proper way to ask for her after only 1-2 times of calling, lol!

ETA: Because of this my mother always made sure that we knew how to properly ask for someone to come to the phone. So now I say, "May I please speak to _____?"

cindydee · April 2010

ocho2002:
Even more annoying is when the caller immediately asks, "Who's this?" Um, you called here, identify yourself first.

This annoys me too! I'm a receptionist & I hate it when they say that..I just rudely reply "no, who's this"

rcollier_17 · April 2010

ocho2002:
Even more annoying is when the caller immediately asks, "Who's this?" Um, you called here, identify yourself first.

Ooo, I get that too.

The one I really hate though is when they have the wrong # and can't quite grasp that they have the wrong #. I answer the phone and say "Good afternoon [company name]" and they'll say "who is this?" so I'll say the company name again and they say, "Oh, so this isn't [co. they're tying to call]?" Ummm, wait, yeah it is, I just decided to say we were a different company 3 times first just for s&g... NO, you have a wrong #!!! ANNOYING!

Several times I've gotten people that don't speak a lick of english and they REALLY do not get that they don't have the right number. This poor guy called multiple times a day for a few days asking for his friend. He was getting really frustrated and I just had to start hanging up on him because he wasn't getting it!

Nikibug · April 2010

I am guilty of your pet peve! And I also answer the phones at the office! Oops!

babywisher · April 2010

I ask may I please speak to____? Like you I answer the phone at work all day. My favorite is "who is this" after I answer "Thank you for calling____."