Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2012 13:11:07 GMT -5
I'm not sure why I find this thread so interesting, but I keep coming back to it. So I did a little math this morning (I don't want to go to the gym)... We're a little underrepresented on men at the moment, but 41 women and 6 men responded. Apparently, we are a fairly informal group, or else we try to preserve some anonymity. Almost everyone answered with their first name, but <10% give a last name to callers. We provide our company or department name about half the time. This seemed to be most related to whether or not the caller had already be routed through another person. The main difference I saw was that about 1/4 of the women include some variation on "may I help you?" and none of the men do. I wonder if that is the key to implying power and authority? Or the distinction between Office Manager and Receptionist? Because if you have some a position of authority, it is just implied that you will help the caller, but otherwise you need to offer it? I don't know. I'm probably reading way too much into this, but it's food for thought. Interesting analysis. I'm not sure either; the only one I know of who uses both first and last names when answering is my boss/our lead sales person (male). He has short names, the last one is one syllable. Our drillers answer with only their first names (males) and my supervisor answers with only his first name (male). When I first entered the company and was in the front line phone answering pool, none of us never used either of our names, we just said "Good morning/afternoon <company>" or "<company>, may I help you." Usually the caller would just say "disptach please," we'd route them, and that was that. My impression from overhearing conversations is that it's not so much how you're introduced, it's the content of conversation that implies authority. My boss has a way of saying "let's do this, we/you/I xyz," when there's a logistical uncertainty that hauls people in line behind him. My supervisor and I speak formally, but softer; we use too many conditionals and softening words to be very authoritative. I'm only a bad-a$$ in company emails so far *edit for post-mulling* It couldn't hurt to tack on my last name when answering though. Hum. Maybe I should practice a bit; both together don't roll off the tongue well, but that just means I can't chirp my greeting, I'd have to speak slower and more deliberately - implying yet more authority and knowledge I don't have, but people think I do.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2012 13:11:09 GMT -5
Waffle, so we're supposed to say "This is First Last" when we answer? I'll have to work on that. On the up side, there is no diminutive version of my name.
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milee
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Post by milee on Jun 23, 2012 13:50:44 GMT -5
We provide our company or department name about half the time. This seemed to be most related to whether or not the caller had already be routed through another person. The main difference I saw was that about 1/4 of the women include some variation on "may I help you?" and none of the men do. I wonder if that is the key to implying power and authority? Or the distinction between Office Manager and Receptionist? Because if you have some a position of authority, it is just implied that you will help the caller, but otherwise you need to offer it? Based on my observations - I think there is a definite undertone of authority and power based on not only what is said but what is omitted. The person who doesn't answer with the company name not only is implying that there are other front line (less important) people doing any pre-screening and introductions but also that the caller should know who "Jack" is without further intro. Again - the implication is - I am important enough that not only should you know who I am but some other person should have done the mundane weeding out of people who might not know the company, etc. Same thing with the inclusion - or exclusion - of a "may I help you" variant. Having to offer help or another pleasantry instantly identifies you as a lower level person, not a decision maker. By offering help, you are defining yourself as a person whose role is to serve. Bosses don't offer to help because it's just as likely that the person calling is going to be the one helping them. The implication is that the person who just answers "this is ___" doesn't offer to help because they don't have to or you may be calling to help them.
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daylight
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Post by daylight on Jun 23, 2012 15:30:15 GMT -5
I answer the phone with "First Name Last Name speaking, good morning/afternoon." Everyone answers the phone similarly, although they may begin with good morning/afternoon, so I just go with the flow, I guess.
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aliciar6
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Post by aliciar6 on Jun 26, 2012 8:08:55 GMT -5
if it's a fellow co-worker, i just say "hi _____"
if i don't know the number i say "small cal, this is Alicia"
it's easier than saying our branch name which is a mouth full, i guess i could cut part of it off and say "technology branch, this is Alicia"
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Waffle
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Post by Waffle on Jun 26, 2012 10:02:16 GMT -5
Waffle, so we're supposed to say "This is First Last" when we answer? I'll have to work on that. On the up side, there is no diminutive version of my name. Yes, I think that's the idea. But, I've been answering the phone the same way for a lot of years - not sure I can or honestly even want to break my habit at this point.
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Driftr
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Post by Driftr on Jun 26, 2012 13:45:48 GMT -5
My standard (unless I can ID the person from the number on caller ID) is "Good morning/afternoon, company name, this is (first name).
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greenstone
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Post by greenstone on Jun 26, 2012 14:48:50 GMT -5
Waffle, so we're supposed to say "This is First Last" when we answer? I'll have to work on that. On the up side, there is no diminutive version of my name. Yes, I think that's the idea. But, I've been answering the phone the same way for a lot of years - not sure I can or honestly even want to break my habit at this point. I think it is very company/industry dependent on whether or not using your first and last name conveys authority/position. I can see if you work with the public or at a large corporation that answering the phone with your first name or no name says 'I'm an unimportant underling, my name will mean nothing to you.' Using First Last, you imply that your name should be recognized and thus convey your level or importance. I work only with industry insiders so if I were to always answer with First Last, the undertone would be 'I'm a noob. You don't know me so let me introduce myself.' If someone calls me and doesn't know who they are speaking to, then that tells me a lot about what the caller does and doesn't know. I consider it a personal achievement to have my first name speak for itself in my work environment.
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