Why I don't always answer my phone

My business phone is my cell phone. It looks like this one:


Except mine has scratches and dings in it. And a pretty wacky eclectic background.

I don't always answer my phone. As a business I should try to answer it every time it rings. If you're in business and reading this you're thinking.... "she's wacked going to lose business.... why doesn't she answer her phone?".

But sometimes I'm not in a good spot to answer my phone.

I could be in the car driving (a not-so-secret secret: I have 4 kids, I do a lot of driving in the afternoons & evening shuttling my kids to their various activities). I can't look up information about an upcoming class, take a course registration, or take information if I'm driving.

I could be in a class. I can't talk on the phone if I'm teaching.

I could be at home. I do answer the phone when I'm home, but I don't always have it in my hand or pocket. If I'm in my basement folding laundry while wearing clothes with no pockets I won't have my phone nearby. Even if I dropped everything and ran up the stairs there is a slim to none chance I'll get to the phone before it goes to voicemail anyway. Oh and I don't answer my phone during meal times. We have a no electronics at the table rule in our house.

I could be the supermarket (my home away from home some weeks!) or other store. Or the doctor's office (remember.... 4 kids.... ), out walking or some other place where it is not polite, appropriate or safe for me to be talking on the phone. It's not that I don't want to take your call, I'm just not in a good spot to give you my undivided attention.

So I love voice mail. Don't hang up, leave me a message! I will call you back.

Comments

  1. CarlanaApril 4, 2013 at 11:41 AM

    Hi Gail. I agree. Best to let it go to voicemail than answer and not seem professional because you are rushed or distracted. I think that's why it's so important to have a nice, professional sounding voicemail.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AKTrainerApril 5, 2013 at 7:55 AM

    Same here! I have had to make myself limit answering the phone to my posted office hours (that was hard-but the best thing for separating family and work)

    ReplyDelete

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