Peony's Friday Five
1. Do you like talking on the phone? Why or why not? Depends on whom I'm talking with. I do enjoy settling in for a good yak with a friend or with my mom.
2. Who is the last person you talked to on the phone? My husband.
3. About how many telephones do you have at home? Four (a cell makes five)
4. Have you encountered anyone who has really bad phone manners? What happened? I've talked to some really rude people on the phone, but they would have been rude in person as well. (I particularly hate being addressed by my first name in professional settings. Note to store clerks and doctors' and dentists' office staff everywhere: I have a last name. USE IT.)
I think the worst was when, at work, I had to call a person who worked at an embassy. Our rule at work was to always allow the customer to signal the end of the conversation (to make sure all their concerns had been addressed). This guy seemed oblivious to the fact that I was trying to allow him to end the call. So we were trapped in this endless loop, where I would say, "Is there anything else I can help you with?" He would respond with some small thing, I would respond and add, "Anything else?" He'd come up with something, I'd reply and add, "Anything else?" (or some variation) It was gruesome. All he had to say was, "No, I'm okay" and we could have said goodbye but instead he hung up on me while I was talking to him. After that I added, "Thanks for bringing this to our attention, if I can be of further assistance here's my number..." to my list of stock telephone phrases.
5. Would you rather pick up the phone and call someone or write them an e-mail or a letter? Why or why not? I often prefer to use email. That way I'm not interrupting; the other person can read the email at her convenience. I can also stick to the point and not get sucked into awkward conversations with someone who has a vague sense that it's rude to end a phone conversation. Sometimes I'll send an email saying "I am going to call you."
