The Etiquette of calling someone back

[Poker643]

So, I have a question about phone calls.  Obviously, nowadays a large majority of people have and use their cell phones as a primary means of communication. And all cell phone have a "caller ID" feature that will show up the number that is calling you, or the name if its in your address book. My question is: if someone calls you, and does NOT leave a message,  but you know they call since it shows up as a missed call...do you call them back?

I know personally the only reason I wouldn't leave a message is if it wasn't important for any reason. And when calling friends and SO, they will always return my call regardless of whether I leave a message or not. And same if they call me and don't leave a message.

But what about in a business relationship? What is your policy, and what is the etiquette for this?

[Bob Ducca]

I wouldn't return a call unless it was accompanied with a request to do so.  My cell phone is often mis-called, and if I get a missed call with a number I don't recognize and no message, I assume it was a wrong number.

In a business relationship, your number may have been mis-dialed, or it could have been something the person wanted to make sure was addressed personally, so he or she chooses to call back on his or her own time.  Again, I don't call back unless there is a request that I do so.

Personally, I hate calling someone back if I don't know why.  I don't do it, and I wouldn't expect anyone else to do it for me.  I'm interested in seeing some other responses, though.

[Chocolate Cake]

Unless you are expecting the call in an urgent or emergency situation, to call back when the caller didn't leave a message is kind of creepy (in my opinion).  

One time I misdialed a number and realized it when I got the person's voice mail (at which point, I hung up and redialed the correct party).    It was very disconcerting when that first person called back and said, "You called me.  Who are you? What do you want?".  

[LadyClaire]

I call them back if I know the number. If it's a strange phone number, I don't bother..my cell phone number is apparently close to that of a local news station, so whenever the weather is really bad or something news worthy happens here, I get inundated by calls for that station.

So chances are, the mystery person wasn't wanting me anyways.

By the way, I've looked everywhere to find that news station's number, and all the listed ones are not even remotely close to mine. So I'd love to know how in the heck these people are calling me when they want the news station. I should ask the next person who calls looking for them.

[ClaireC79]

Unless I've JUST missed it, ie it was ringing and rang off before I picked up then I wouldn't ring back without a message

[MDefarge]

I don't answer the phone if I don't recognize the # - so in that case if they don't leave a message, no I won't be calling back.

If it's my mom, or a friend who calls but doesn't leave a message, I will call back unless I'm going to see them later that day or something.  

I'm also really bad in that if someone I know calls and leaves a message, I usually call them back w.out listening to the message.  

[Sophistry]

I don't have the answer, but I wanted to say this is a really useful question for me-this happens to me all the time as my work phone sometimes rolls to my cell.  If I recognize the number and there is no message I'll return the call.  Sometimes I don't recognize the number, but if I knew who it was I'd call them back.

hmmmmm


good question

[Mom2PBJ]

Unless you are expecting the call in an urgent or emergency situation, to call back when the caller didn't leave a message is kind of creepy (in my opinion).  

One time I misdialed a number and realized it when I got the person's voice mail (at which point, I hung up and redialed the correct party).    It was very disconcerting when that first person called back and said, "You called me.  Who are you? What do you want?".  

I think that if you're in the person' voice mail you might as well leave a message saying that you called the wrong number; that way the person wouldn't, or shouldn't, call you back asking who you are and what do you want.

[edenparadox]

I don't call back numbers I don't recognize without some sort of message from them. If it's someone I do know, it depends on if I feel like calling them or not.

[skbenny]

Depends.

If it is DD1, DD2, SIL or DH they don't need to leave a message.  I will call them back, we call each other several times a day anyway, so I would probably be calling them later or they will call me.

Anyone else should leave a message, because I will not call them back without one.

And I hate, hate, hate, hate people who call you back after a wrong number.  Wrong numbers happen, why in the world do they call me back and yell at me for misdialing?  Often I hang up as soon as I notice I have misdialed, generally before the phone has rung more than twice.

[Bibliophile]

I hate those "Yeah, I got a call from this number..."  How do you want me to respond?  "Tell me who you are and I'll tell you if I meant to call you"?  If I don't leave a message, I either dialed wrong, it wasn't important, or I try you at another number.  I say only call back if they leave a message.

[jimithing]

I will only call back if it's someone I know, like, and want to talk to. 

[caranfin]

I don't call back immediately, but I might call back at some point. Or not. If someone doesn't leave me a message, it's usually a case of "I was at the store and wanted to see if we needed anything," or "I needed some help with my e-mail, but your sister figured it out for me."

[JustaGroom]

I will call back usually, always if it is a number I recognize.  If it is just a wrong number I just say ok, and hang up.  No biggie.  But I have people who call me from their office and so it can be a number of different ones, and they may not always leave a message.

[LadyClaire]

I should also mention that my phone number is one digit off from a number belonging to a woman named Crystal. Crystal apparently does not believe in paying her bills. I've had a number of calls from a collections agency. They stopped after I told them off after I got 5 phone calls in one day, two of them being within 15 minutes of each other. I guess after that they started to be more careful when dialing her number.