Your Answering Machine Said What?

Posted by Barbara Jones on July 7, 2009 – 1:32 pm -

Most answering machines play a polite greeting from the owner and take a message.  Nothing fancy, just good old-fashioned automated communication.   There are exceptions, though, to all of this bland harmlessness.  I was talking recently with David Wachtel of Hauticam Consulting about business etiquette mistakes we can’t believe happen.  High on David’s list is answering machine greetings that include the phrase, “…and I will return your call at my earliest convenience.” 

 I have experienced this too, and am not sure why it happens.  What appears to be colossal self-centered rudeness might be simple cluelessness.  I always want to reply, “What do you mean “at your earliest convenience?  What kind of thing is that to say?  I would hate to think my call caused you to do anything that was actually “inconvenient.” 

If this phrase is on your answering machine don’t blush, don’t stammer, just erase the message right now and start over.  Say what we all hope you meant to say like, “I will call you back as soon as I can.”  Call several friends or colleagues when you know they are not available and listen to their messages.  Borrow some of their nice wording for your own message. 

 

If you really do resent having to interrupt your workflow to respond to inquiries there are better ways to express that.  One simple one is to say your current workload means you cannot check voicemail more than once a day and will not be able to return calls until a certain day and time in the future.  Such a statement is honest, is not derogatory, and doesn’t make you sound like a jerk.  A much better solution all around.

Sphere: Related Content


Tags: answering machine etiquette, Business Etiquette, linkedin
Posted in Best Practices, Business Etiquette, General, Small Business |