# Answering the phone **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 28, 2024, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/1012261 "2024-12-28T14:17:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/1012261/81 "2025-03-22T12:51:50Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > That would require my having given them my phone number. When you live in a multifamily building often there’s an intercom/building directory. They find your name or unit number in the directory and it calls your phone whether mobile or landline. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/1012261/82 "2025-03-22T12:56:33Z")
I live in an area with older construction. It usually triggers the building intercom, in my experience. That buzzes in the unit’s kitchen. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/1012261/83 "2025-03-22T13:00:10Z")
a friend of mine (when landlines still were a thing) always answered the phone with a: “_who’s interrupting?_” ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/1012261/84 "2025-03-22T13:17:21Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > When you live in a multifamily building often there’s an intercom/building directory. They find your name or unit number in the directory and it calls your phone whether mobile or landline. But does that come up on your phone as an unidentified number ? I know my son’s building uses phones rather than the old-fashioned buzzer on the wall (even though the building was built in the 60s) - but as far as I know, it doesn’t list each person’s phone number in the lobby, so I assumed the caller ID would say “lobby” or “intercom” or some such thing. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/1012261/85 "2025-03-22T13:28:46Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > That would require my having given them my phone number. Which I give them, because I want to receive the packages. Delivery people already know my name and address - comes with the job. Knowing my cell number doesn’t really add that much of a risk. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/1012261/86 "2025-03-22T13:39:13Z")
In Japan and Taiwan everyone uses LINE app for calling friends and family. Most of the rest of the calls I receive are from numbers registered as contacts. For all other calls, I answer the Japanese equivalent of “This is Bayer.” We don’t get that many spam calls. There aren’t calls by political groups and with LINE and cell phones, the number of wrong numbers is really low compared to back when people used landlines. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/1012261/87 "2025-03-22T15:03:11Z")
When I call someone I know, friend, family or acquaintance it’s usually their personal cell phone I’m calling. So when the call is answered it should be the person I called answering. No need to identify yourself when answering your phone? Yeah I know it’s you , who else would be answering your phone? I’m ok with this is Kim’s phone Sara speaking. I don’t care for the question what are you doing as a reply when I answer someone’s call. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/1012261/88 "2025-03-22T15:47:28Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > Then there are the people whose machine starts talking as soon as my phone picks up and tells them to leave a message. My voicemail message ends, recording begins, and the entire message I get consists of half a phone number (possibly followed by “Thank you”) Oh yeah. That one really bugs me. My local Office for the Aging is inviting me to . . . something. It’s free, whatever it is, and the time and place came through; but what it is, I have no idea. I’m not likely to show up. But half the time, with those messages, I can’t even tell who left the message. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/1012261/89 "2025-03-22T16:22:51Z")
OTOH, back when answering machines and later voicemail were the primary means of contact, I **HATED** the people whose VM prompt was 2 minutes of pleasantries and excuses for them not answering, a complete recitation of their week’s schedule, _and_ detailed instructions for total noobs on how to leave a VM. Which of course the VM computer repeated as soon as their greeting had ended. STFU and get to the point!!! My greeting: “This is FirstName LastName’s voicemail.” Spoken in a friendly tone but quickly. Got to the point ASAP. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/1012261/90 "2025-03-22T16:40:37Z")
Also, if you’re leaving a message for someone, _please_ put the important information up front. I’ve had long, boring two or three minute messages I had to listen to multiple times because the person calling only mentioned their phone number once and only at the end and very quickly. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/1012261/91 "2025-03-22T16:46:02Z")
The one who is calling is supposed to identify themselves first (e.g. “This is XYZ, is ABC there?”). Answering the phone by identifying yourself gives spammers part of the info they’re looking for. I just say “Hello” and when they ask me who I am I just ask “Who’s calling?” and eventually usually ending by hanging up on them. ---
**Author:** ![MonkeysBrother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@MonkeysBrother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeysBrother)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/1012261/92 "2025-03-22T16:47:30Z")
Back in the old times before spam calls and voice mail, my Dad’s standard answer was, “Duffy’s Tavern, Joe da manager speakin’, Duffy ain’t here.” Stolen from a radio sitcom from the '40s. I will confess that I have on occasion used it too. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/1012261/93 "2025-03-22T17:58:28Z")
Hehe, the outgoing message on my answering machine for a year or so was my roommate and I screaming: “THE POWER OF CHRIST COMPELS YOU!! THE POWER OF CHRIST COMPELS YOU!! THE POWER OF CHRIST COMPELS YOU!!” \ ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/1012261/94 "2025-03-22T18:50:22Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Who still answers their phone? > > More seriously … That seems like a serious answer to me. I only answer if it is a number that pulls up a name from my phone’s contact list. Then it is “Hi [name of person]” and possibly followed with “What’s up?” Or if one of the kids during the work day “Everything okay?” or “Anything wrong?” because I worry. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/1012261/95 "2025-03-22T18:55:02Z")
I’ve been spending weeks at my parents’ house in Connecticut. I’ve noticed many, many phone calls from scammers that the Caller ID identifies only by a town name and phone number, though never the same of each. (So that the caller ID might say, Hartford, CT / 203-555-1212. And every time we get one of these calls, no one responds to us saying Hello. I usually hang up after about five seconds of silence, though others here don’t even wait that long. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/1012261/96 "2025-03-22T19:26:00Z")
I have caller ID. I never answer those calls. Real calls have a name or company listed, not just a town. None of those calls ever leaves a message, either. ---
**Author:** ![Newtosite](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/newtosite/32/8623_2.png) [@Newtosite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Newtosite)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2025, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/1012261/97 "2025-03-23T01:31:50Z")
Ha! My dad wrote for that show. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2025, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/1012261/98 "2025-03-23T23:31:10Z")
You could go back to Alexander Graham Bell’s idea of saying “Ahoy”. Sometimes if I can see it’s one of the kids I’ll say “Men’s wear” in my best Mr. Humphries voice. Or there’s the good old standby: “St. Paul’s Cathedral, Paul speaking” ---
**Author:** ![X.L.Lent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/a5b964/32.png) [@X.L.Lent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X.L.Lent)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2025, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/1012261/99 "2025-03-23T23:56:39Z")
I just say “hello”. If I happen to accidently answer a spam call I will sometimes answer with a Frank Nelson style “YEEEEEEEEESSSSS?” Video with Nelson: [The YES Guy: Frank Nelson](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FQL_SxCA-s) ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2025, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/1012261/100 "2025-03-24T00:01:37Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > IME a lot of workers answer their phone with some variation along the lines of CompanyName, DepartmentName, FirstName, how can I help you? That’s more or less how I answer the phone at work, only I end with “first name speaking.” It doesn’t ring often, because I’m not in a call center. But literally decades of that has so habituated me to it, that I start to answer that way one out of every ten-twenty non-ID’ed calls I get on my personal phone. And yeah, I still answer the phone - habituation again. Usually with just “hello” if I’m not mind-blanked into answering in on-the-job mode. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/1012261.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/1012261.md?page=6)