Whenever you call someone and get their voicemail do you state what your call pertains to or do you just say “Call me back"?

99% of the time when I call back, I get no answer. It sure would have been nice to know why you called.

Those few times that people do leave detailed messages, when I call them back they reiterate the entire voicemail.

I honestly don’t know which to prefer.

Please, leave details in your voicemail and when they call back and say they got your voicemail you don’t have to repeat yourself.

This is just me, but 99% of the time when I'm calling someone I either have their e-mail address or cell phone number. So if they don't answer I don't bother to leave a message. I either send an e-mail or a text.

On the rare occasion when I don't have an e-mail address or phone number, I leave a brief, but detailed message so at least they know what I'm calling about.

Depends on who I’m calling. Family and friends? Absolutely. Everyone else is in a gradient.

If i want a call back I leave the reason for my call in voicemail.

Asshats who call me and leave nada get just that from me...nada.

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
Depends on who I’m calling. Family and friends? Absolutely. Everyone else is in a gradient.

This. Depends on what I require and how much they need to know.

I provide highly detailed messages with the hopes that the recipient has all of the actionable information necessary to get whatever I need done before they call me back.

The optimal outcome for me is getting a voicemail or email back that says, "I got your message. Thanks. I took care of it."

The next best outcome is that the other party is actually prepared to discuss when they call me back.

It's been years since I've called anyone just to chit chat.

If it's someone whom I call frequently I just say "Give me a call back when you can"

If its a sensitive topic I will not leave that info on a VM, otherwise I do leave info.

If I leave a message, I introduce myself, leave my phone number with a brief message and then repeat my name and phone number.

99% of the time though, if it’s an option, I just hang up and send a text. I seem to have way better luck getting responses via text.

Early on in my professional career I was dressed down by a retired Marine Gunnery Sergeant over a voice mail I left. Since then I have tried to use this format for messages, because well, the Gunny was right.

The date and time of my call.
My name.
The phone number where I can be reached.
My message (no longer than 15 seconds), including a statement about any need for action (e.g., if a callback is required).
My name.
The phone number where I can be reached.

Thats a good format, can't say how many times I've got VM where they speak name and phone number so fast you have to rewind it a few times to get the information, repeat the phone number and your name at the start and end, it really helps.

Get plenty of VM with call me back, in half the cases if I could have had their question up front I could call with the answer vs having to get the problem and then call back again after researching the question...

If it's a friend and that just call call back, I do.

If it's someone I don't know and they say call back, I erase the voicemail and don't call back.

If they can't be bothered to tell me what they want, I can't be bothered to waste my time calling them back.

I get several business calls per year that go something like, "This is Bob, and I have a question on your assessment of my house." "Click." I added caller ID, but frequently Bob has that blocked, or he called from work where there's no way to figure out who he is.

Bob then later gripes that I never returned his call...

I rarely use voicemail any more, but if I leave a message I leave my name and number, why I am calling and then my name and number again.

Family and friends know to text me, but if a stranger leaves a message that just says 'call me' I just chuckle as I delete it and block their number - but it's rare for a number I don't know to get thru my call filters.

What chaps my backside is when people rattle off their phone number as fast as they can, as though I've heard it a thousand times and then, don't repeat it.

Of course. These days etiquette is lacking. You state your name clearly and repeat your phone number twice. Cursing into the voicemail is considered low class.

I don't call any one back that I don't know unless they leave a detailed message that makes sense to me.

Yeah, that reeling off the phone number so fast like a kid who is reciting his ABCs. I hate having to play back a message three or four times to get understand the name and number.

Something else to consider: the person you call at a business may not pick up their own voicemail. Someone else (assistant, secretary, paralegal) may play it back and write phone message slips for them. The person writing the message down likely does not recognize your voice if all you say is “call me.” It may be somebody else listening to your funny but embarrassing message. If you leave fifteen minute messages I hate you. There is no way to get it all down without playing it over and over and over. Name and number slowly and clearly and a BRIEF message as to why you are calling will do.

A lot of times I do leave a VM.

What I love, and one of my best friends is guilty of this, is when I leave a detailed message as to the reason for my call (and a call-back isn't necessary), and when the party calls back, they haven't bothered to listen to my voicemail and say, "Hey...saw you called" and I have to repeat the whole gd thing over again. I've been VERY tempted to just say, "Listen to your gd voicemail" and hang up, but that would just burn a bridge. Probably...

Yeah...first world problems, I guess.

If I want someone to respond back, I leave my name, number, what it’s about and my number again

I would hang up before the voicemail prompts the recording.
If it's important, then I leave a message, if not, then hang up the call before the recording and try again until you reach the person.