Telephone etiquette... what's that?

Telephone etiquette.  Has it totally disappeared?  I pride myself on telephone etiquette at work.  It is my job.  I am a personal assistant and I answer the switchboard all day.  I always answer with a good tone, no matter what my mood.  Always “one moment please”, “going through”, or which ever comment is needed (not “ok” or “just wait” which are remarks I have often heard in our Rainbow Nation.

Usually I’m met with a throat clearing, obviously getting ready to speak to the person they want to be speaking to, or silence.  It doesn’t cost anything to say “thank you” or at least acknowledge the gesture. 

In my mind a call should go something like this:

“(name of company) Good morning” (which is how I answer)

“Good morning, may please speak to (so-and-so = let’s call her Mary)”

“Yes certainly, one moment please”

“Thank you”

Is it that difficult?

Why does the call often go this way?

“(name of company) Good morning”

“Mary” (what happened to “hello”, or “can I speak to”)

To which I usually reply “I’m sorry I didn’t catch that” and they just repeat the name

Sometimes they interrupt my greeting by just shouting the name at me.  I do admit I have started sometimes putting them on hold and only putting them through once the call has returned to me.  Learn some patience.

When I do put them through, I’m usually confronted with a cough, a throat clearing or that person continuing another conversation, while I am often trying to explain that “Mary” is currently on another call…

Often they are so busy talking to somebody else, they don’t even realize that their call has been answered and I’ve greeted them, followed by another “Hello, can I help you?”

I wonder if they would appreciate the phone call going something like this

“hello”

“can I speak to Mary”

“okay”

Put the call through even though the person is on another call.

Pick call back up while still speaking to a colleague then “she’s still busy… cough”. Back on hold.

They would be very quick to complain about the telephone etiquette coming from me.  Why is it that I must be expected to be happy, helpful and professional and pay all my attention to you, when I don’t get afforded the same respect.

At least I can say I have never had anybody complain about my telephone manner – I have even had a few complements.

Having said all this, it certainly does not apply to all people.  Many people are friendly and professional.  All I’m saying is it doesn’t cost you anything to be polite – a little goes a long way.