Answering machines. I hate 'em!

Post Reply New Topic

Is it just me, or is there anyone else out there who really hate the thing. I never leave a message, just terminate the call. I have tried to leave a meaningfull message a couple of times, and they turned out a complete mess, gave the folks the impression that I was either stoned, or dead drunk. Is it possible to overcome this thing.. anyone? I realize that it sometimes can be useful to leave a decent message, so what is the trick?

I hear you. I hate leaving messages too. I just hang up and try phoning back later. I hate talking to machines. I also have to say I miss the old days when you phoned a company and a secretary answered the phone as well... these days if you call into a company you have to go through several automated menus to reach someone.

Most of the time I just hang up.
If it's important, I leave a short message, containing:
- my name
- date/time (so the guy knows when I called, so he knows if it's worth calling back or too late anyway)
- my phone number if I'm not sure he has it on a list
- maybe a very short message about subject ("about appointment on friday")

I prefer answering machines to answering people ;p

if I'm calling a friend I would usually leave them a lengthy message just talking about random crap, usually until I get disconnected, so about 20 minutes lol

when I call someone with some business I just say my name, my number and what it was I wanted. I do a lot of "ummmm"s and "errrrr"s in between sentences but all in all it's much easier than dealing with a non-mechanical person- you don't have to know when your turn is, nobody can stop your monologue and the silence is never uncomfortable

Last edited by anna-banana on 11 Dec 2008, 1:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I find it useful to write down what I need to say and read it into the answering machine. If you get an answering machine, you can hang up, write down what you want to say, call back and leave the message.

I don't like phones, whether it's a machine you're talking to or a person.

I don't like answering machines either. If it's not an important phone call, or something urgent, I hang up. If it is important, and I have to leave a message---I blunder my way through even though I sound stupid.

Good to hear from you again.

That's what I do, if it's important at least. Don't write it down though, I just rehearse it in my head a few times...and even then, I still get all those "ums" and "uhhs" in there

I don't have a good relationship with my phone in general. There are times when I'm relieved that the machine picks up, even though my messages usually sound very awkward too.

p.s I avoid picking it up when it rings whenever possible. Hooray for caller ID!

I hate receiving them. I'd rather get the talking over and done with rather than having to call someone back or worry about the message they've left (when I was kid if it happened to be the social worker leaving a message then chances were it would be bad news, but they were almost impossible to contact directly).

As for leaving them- I don't bother. I'm useless at phone calls and never make any sense but I make even less sense on the answer phone- even if I read out what I'm meant to say. xD

i hate them too id rather talk to a real person then a robot..

Oh, I'm here quite a lot. Got to say I'm not in particular happy on phones at all, but the answering machine makes me even more uneasy. I always have these aaa..when i speak to people in general, even at a simple yes or no question. People always make jokes about that, but I don't mind It has become like a brand to myself. aaaa..yes or aaaa..nope!
Glad to get responses

Yeah, the same. It always feels good to see you post or respond to my posts.You are one of the few who ever left a private message. Feels good to get to know you. You are one special person.

Me too. I can speak my piece or ask my question without being derailed by the other person, unless it is someone I really want to talk to (and then I'd rather do it in person, anyway). If I'm really lucky the callee will leave their answer on my machine.

I hate leaving messages. I sound ret*d when I do that because I do pauses and I stumble over words because I have to think up of how to leave a message. Most of the times, I just hang up. But when I leave one, I am very hard to understand so I have to talk slowly and don't forget the machine sometimes stops recording because it has a certain time limit, so not all your message is recorded.

Hello this is "your name"

I called for "recipients name"

I wanted to talk to him about "subject here"

Please call me at this number (slight pause) "phone number here"


This is the format I use if I EVER use the phone