Voicemail etiquette

[miranova]

I have never seen such vehement loathing for all voicemail of any kind.  Interesting.

Personally, I only dislike VM from my husband, simply because it takes time to hear why he's calling, and I could be using that time actually calling him back and hearing why he's calling.  We talk every day so it's not like there is any chance that I'm only gonig to hear what he has to say if he leaves a message.  So, he doesn't leave me very many voicemails.  We know the times that we are probably available and not available and we always answer the phone when we are available.

However, I ADORE voicemail for people I simply never want to talk to.  Like my ex.  Conversations with him are so horrible that I just never answer my phone and let him tell me what he needs to tell me about the kids on VM.  If a quick response is needed, I text back the answer.  If a discussion is needed I will reluctantly call him back, but at least this way I avoid 90% of discussions and the ones I have to have I am at least prepared and know what it is we need to discuss so I know how much time to set aside.  After YEARS of doing this, he STILL insists that I "call him back" every single time he leaves a VM, even if the VM is to determine something as simple as what time something starts.  I'm not calling him for that, and he apparently still hasn't notice the pattern.  A text is sufficient.  And it is proof that I already gave you the answer and I'm not ignoring you.

I also love VM for when I don't recognize a number.  I'd rather it go to VM then risk dealing with a salesperson or something.  I don't need to pick up a live phone for an appointment confirmation from a dr, or a reminder from the pharmacy that my meds are ready.  All of these things are the perfect situation for VM in my opinion.  I don't need a conversation, just the information.  And I certainly don't expect my dr's receptionist to text me.  So VM is fine.

[Awestruck Shmuck]

How does one disconnect or turn off voicemail? I have never heard of anyone being able to do that and I would LOVE and welcome any insight onto how to do it. My phone (Android Galaxy) doesn't seem to offer the option, nor does my provider (Sprint).

The reality is in my experience, VM is not a function people can turn off. Its a necessary evil included with the convenience and awesomeness of having a cell phone. I do have my out-going message set to inform people to "please not leave a message", but I really don't know what else I can do.

WillyNilly, i'm with Vodafone, who make it easy to turn off VM, but I googled Sprint - and found this link with step by step instructions:
http://www.ehow.com/how_7168746_turn-off-sprint-voicemail.html

DietyBlessGoogle!!

[Hmmmmm]

I don't think the act of leaving a voicemail is rude. If you don't want them, then you should turn off the feature. And I'm sure there are some instances where a voicemail can be rude. But simply leaving one isn't.

They are annoying to me* because so many people seem to take so long to get to the point.  The most annoying VM's are the ones that go like.

"Hi, HMMM, it's your sister.  It's Sat around 10. We're on our way to lunch and I was just thinking about you. We're going to this new restaurant I know you'll love it when you guys come up next month. By the way, DH says Hi (hear DH in the backgroun). The weather is just BEAUTIFULLLLLL today. We are just so lucky, I hope you're off having a fun time.  Anyway, the reason I called was....."

Well, I never get to the reason you've called because I deleted your message at "By the way".

But if she'd just get to "HMMM, can you call me back tonight, I want to finalize plans for next month." or "HMMM, I looked at the calendar and next month isn't going to work. Can you call me and let me know if June is good?"

Or the work VM from someone that is so detailed and all I can think is "this is why email was invented."

*I was happy when reading this thread to realize I'm not the only ubber impatient person.

[fountainof]

In my province you pay extra for vm so you don't have to take it on a cel phone package.  I personally find typing work emails time consuming you have to analyze every word, the tone, the length...  I could talk to someone for 15 minutes what it would take 1 hour to compile and proofread via email.  So for business I do think leaving a brief vm to get a return call is important.  I think it is weird to send an email that says call me and as I mentioned I think texting for business (at least the one I am in) is unprofessional.

[Hmmmmm]

...If someone has a hatred of voice mail, they should not have that option on their phone (doesn’t matter if it’s cell, business, land line) – for goodness sakes, have it disconnected/disabled!..

...If you don't like the process, disconnect the service...

Leaving a voicemail isn't rude - it's a function that can be turned off, if the individual doesn't like listening to them!..

How does one disconnect or turn off voicemail? I have never heard of anyone being able to do that and I would LOVE and welcome any insight onto how to do it. My phone (Android Galaxy) doesn't seem to offer the option, nor does my provider (Sprint).

The reality is in my experience, VM is not a function people can turn off. Its a necessary evil included with the convenience and awesomeness of having a cell phone. I do have my out-going message set to inform people to "please not leave a message", but I really don't know what else I can do.

I know with Verizon and AT&T you can call and ask them to disable on your phone number.  Or you can call your number and leave a really long message that takes up all your allocated space so no more can be left. Or you can auto forward you calls that aren't answered to a landline that doesn't have a VM. Or you can sign up (in the US) a google voice account, have all non-answered calls forwarded to it and have it set up to transcribe the vm and send it to you as a text or email.

[Outdoor Girl]

If there is an option to leave a VM, it isn't rude to do so.  It is possible to leave a rude VM, if you aren't clear or use objectionable language or something.

I have to have VM on my work phone.  We are required to change the message every day.  We have to have our name, title, the date, options for zeroing out, etc. in the greeting.

When I leave a VM, I say my name up front, as well as my number.  Then I leave the pertinent details as clearly as I can.  And then I repeat the phone number at the end.  So if they didn't get it the first time, they have a chance to get it again.

Nothing drives me crazier at work than to have to replay a message 3 or 4 times to get all the information I need.  I do have a machine at home because I don't have any other phone features.  If I have to listen to a message more than twice, I don't and they don't get a call back.  If it is important enough, they'll call me back.  Unless, of course, it is such-and-such charity lottery that I know I have tickets for, calling to tell me that I've won $1,000,000.   

[WillyNilly]

How does one disconnect or turn off voicemail? I have never heard of anyone being able to do that and I would LOVE and welcome any insight onto how to do it. My phone (Android Galaxy) doesn't seem to offer the option, nor does my provider (Sprint).

The reality is in my experience, VM is not a function people can turn off. Its a necessary evil included with the convenience and awesomeness of having a cell phone. I do have my out-going message set to inform people to "please not leave a message", but I really don't know what else I can do.

WillyNilly, i'm with Vodafone, who make it easy to turn off VM, but I googled Sprint - and found this link with step by step instructions:
http://www.ehow.com/how_7168746_turn-off-sprint-voicemail.html

DietyBlessGoogle!!

I'll try it, thanks!

[CakeBeret]

Could it be that those who do actually hate the way messages are left rather than the message itself?

For me personally, it's the fact that I have to waste time navigating to the message and listening to it, when in most cases it's entirely unnecessary. If I see I've missed a call from you, I'll call you back. The only exception is for numbers that I don't recognize--those I am okay with leaving a message, so that I know to whom the number belongs.

[Outdoor Girl]

Could it be that those who do actually hate the way messages are left rather than the message itself?

For me personally, it's the fact that I have to waste time navigating to the message and listening to it, when in most cases it's entirely unnecessary. If I see I've missed a call from you, I'll call you back. The only exception is for numbers that I don't recognize--those I am okay with leaving a message, so that I know to whom the number belongs.

I don't have any sort of call display on either my landline or my work phone so the only way I would know you called is if you leave me a message.  (I do have a cell phone which has call display but it is a work phone and very few people have the number.)

[oceanus]

For me personally, it's the fact that I have to waste time navigating to the message and listening to it,

When I turn on the TV, I have to navigate through the channels.  When I use the computer I have to turn it on and navigate thru wensites, sign in to email, scroll thru messages and read them, then click more keys to reply or delete.  I even have to navigate thru this forum to read and post.  (That takes a lot more time than listening to a voice mail.) To me, that’s just the way things are and I don’t find it stressful.

[Mammavan3]

It takes much less time to retrieve a VM than it does for your caller to type out a text or email message to you after calling you and listening to your outgoing message.

A couple of months ago, I received a VM from a new store from one of my favorite companies. I was tempted to ignore it as a sales call, but when I called back (it really is one of my favorite products), I was told that I had won one of their products every month all year. It seems that DH had been in the store buying me a Christmas present and had put my name in a drawing to celebrate the store's opening and then forgot about doing it. 

Now I'll never ignore a VM.

[Library Dragon]

I loathe voicemail, but I use it because I loathe actually answering the phone even more.

I LOVE getting someone else's voicemail (yay I get to leave a message but get points for trying to call!).

I don't mind getting calls from my BFF(she'll call just to chat and she's interesting) but calls from ANYONE else (especially DH) always seem to somehow generate work for me.

POD and PODx1000

I dislike talking on the phone.  I also get a lot of phone calls from vendors.  There are only a few people I take calls from immediately.  Everyone else needs to leave a voicemail with a clear description of who they are and why they are calling.  The woman who called today and refused to be connected to my voicemail is not going to be put directly through to me.  This is especially true if you refuse to tell the staff what the call is about. 

I think we also need to teach how to speak on the phone again.  Not only etiquette, but how to answer and speak clearly. 

[Sharnita]

Not rude exactly but I wonder why people would use vm if they knew the person they wanted to communicate with didn't like/check it.  If they were unaware that would be one thing but if I want somebody to get my message/info/whatever it seems like it would make the most sense to use a form they would pay attention to.

[elephantschild]

This is frankly appalling to me professionally.

I work in a field where I tend to leave lots of voicemails. I do so with the assumption that the people I've leaving them for will eventually get them and call me back. After all, I'm sitting at the office unable to procede with my work unless they do so. Frankly I've always considered it rude to call and call and call after I've left a voicemail and they will presumably call back when they get a chance. I try not to do that unless I'm desperate.
 
Now I wonder.     Should I be calling and calling until I get a response? Should I assume they do not wish to speak to me at all if they do not return my voicemail? That's frankly dangerous in my profession. At the very least, call me back and say "No comment."

[Sharnita]

This is frankly appalling to me professionally.

I work in a field where I tend to leave lots of voicemails. I do so with the assumption that the people I've leaving them for will eventually get them and call me back. After all, I'm sitting at the office unable to procede with my work unless they do so. Frankly I've always considered it rude to call and call and call after I've left a voicemail and they will presumably call back when they get a chance. I try not to do that unless I'm desperate.
 
Now I wonder.     Should I be calling and calling until I get a response? Should I assume they do not wish to speak to me at all if they do not return my voicemail? That's frankly dangerous in my profession. At the very least, call me back and say "No comment."

I think that what you do is fine.  Now if it was somebody who had previously indicated they preferred email or that they didn't check voicemail it would seem wiser to find out if there is a certain time when you are more likely to get ahold of them or to send an email.