 When it's your blog -you get to decide what to write about. If you disagree you can post a comment doing so. And since it is a blog that I manage and write - today I'm going to vent - about Voice Mail Etiquette. If I am successful in changing ONE person from this annoying habit then I will feel like I have had an impact - especially if that one person tells one person. How many times have you listened to a very long message only to have the person leave their phone number so fast that you can't write the number down? And because they left a message as long as a chapter of "War and Peace" it takes you 20 minutes to replay it 4 times just to be able to try and understand what number they left.
Listen up people - especially in a business situation - the whole point of leaving someone a message is to get them to take action. And one possible action is to have them call you back. And I don't understand why you blow harts out there insist on leave a 4 minute message and then you try and leave a 10 digit phone number in 1.5 seconds , slurring your words like you're having last call at a bar.
So here are my Rules for Proper Voice Mail Etiquette:
#1-Announce your self in the first sentence of your voice mail. Never assume the person you're calling recognizes your voice.
#2-Leave your phone number immediately after you announce your name - that way when they replay the message the number is at the beginning.
#3-Keep your message short and to the point. Don't leave a novel and don't bore me.
#4-Talk clearly - you don't know where I'm going to pick the message up so talk clearly so if I'm in a noisy place I can at least hear you clearly.
#5-Leave the phone number a second time at the end of the message and please speak slowly and enunciate every number!!
Ok I feel better now. If every one of you will forward this to 100 people we might actauly make a difference in the work place. Who knows how much time we'll save everyone so they don't have to play the message 10 times to get your lousy phone number.
Heres to better voice mail etiquette!
Cheers! David
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