# "If you'd like to leave a call back number..." **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 25, 2017, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youd-like-to-leave-a-call-back-number/794674 "2017-08-25T18:02:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![2Bits](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/e95f7d/32.png) [@2Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2Bits)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2017, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youd-like-to-leave-a-call-back-number/794674/1 "2017-08-25T18:02:42Z")
What’s with the “If you’d like to leave a call back number press\_\_\_\_\_” option you often get on a voice mail recording? Have you ever chosen that option? What does the recipient hear when the listen to their messages? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2017, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youd-like-to-leave-a-call-back-number/794674/2 "2017-08-25T18:19:26Z")
And while we’re at it, is there any way to prevent my voicemail from saying that? I’ve already recorded a message, and everybody nowadays understands how voicemail works anyway. And if, for some reason, they need to leave a callback number, they can do that by saying “Call me back at 867-5309”. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2017, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youd-like-to-leave-a-call-back-number/794674/3 "2017-08-25T18:22:24Z")
I block caller ID from seeing my number, so I actually like that reminder to leave a callback number (I usually leave my work number). ---
**Author:** ![JcWoman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jcwoman/32/2889_2.png) [@JcWoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JcWoman)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2017, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youd-like-to-leave-a-call-back-number/794674/4 "2017-08-25T20:25:34Z")
I think what Chronos was referring to was systems that tell you to leave a message and oh by the way if you want to leave a callback number press 9. I’ve never understood what that’s for either. Why do you have to press a key to leave a number when all you have to do is say it in your message? ---
**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:** [August 25, 2017, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youd-like-to-leave-a-call-back-number/794674/5 "2017-08-25T20:28:41Z")
Yes, you _could_ just say the callback number in the message, but every now and then, I get a long, droning voicemail message that ends with the callback number being recited quickly at the end. So I’m forced to listen to the damned thing all over again, perhaps more than once, just to get the number. So if the “leave a callback number” thing captures the number more accurately, it’s worth it. (I make a point of giving my number in the very first sentence of any voicemail message I leave.) ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2017, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youd-like-to-leave-a-call-back-number/794674/6 "2017-08-25T20:45:36Z")
> [@JcWoman](#): > > I think what Chronos was referring to was systems that tell you to leave a message and oh by the way if you want to leave a callback number press 9. I’ve never understood what that’s for either. Why do you have to press a key to leave a number when all you have to do is say it in your message? Most VM systems, if you choose to leave a callback number, let you dial it in instead of say it. Then the person listening to the voicemail can return the call by pushing a button instead of manually dialing you back. ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youd-like-to-leave-a-call-back-number/794674/7 "2017-08-26T00:57:20Z")
“If you’d like to press 3, press 4 now.” ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youd-like-to-leave-a-call-back-number/794674/8 "2017-08-26T01:17:19Z")
That, and the fact that there’s a whole separate unnecessary message at all. If you call me, you get something like “Hi, this is Chronos, please leave a message. The person you are trying to reach is not available. Please leave a message after the tone. To leave a callback number, press 9 now. For more options, press star. \”. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youd-like-to-leave-a-call-back-number/794674/9 "2017-08-26T03:13:50Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > That, and the fact that there’s a whole separate unnecessary message at all. If you call me, you get something like “Hi, this is Chronos, please leave a message. The person you are trying to reach is not available. Please leave a message after the tone. To leave a callback number, press 9 now. For more options, press star. \”. Can’t you eliminate that automated part? The whole "If you’d like to leave a call back number . . . " thing is a remnant of paging. There was a time when some people didn’t have a phone, and only a pager, but still wanted the full service of voicemail. A person who didn’t have a phone could at least see your number and know who called. Who would that be today? I don’t know. Maybe there are still some devices that for some reason or other operate just to receive a paged number. ---
**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:** [August 26, 2017, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youd-like-to-leave-a-call-back-number/794674/10 "2017-08-26T14:34:45Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Yes, you _could_ just say the callback number in the message, but every now and then, I get a long, droning voicemail message that ends with the callback number being recited quickly at the end. So I’m forced to listen to the damned thing all over again, perhaps more than once, just to get the number. So if the “leave a callback number” thing captures the number more accurately, it’s worth it. > > (I make a point of giving my number in the very first sentence of any voicemail message I leave.) I make a point of leaving my callback number at the beginning and saying “I’ll repeat it at the end”. Then doing so slowly and distinctly. > [@Chronos](#): > > That, and the fact that there’s a whole separate unnecessary message at all. If you call me, you get something like “Hi, this is Chronos, please leave a message. The person you are trying to reach is not available. Please leave a message after the tone. To leave a callback number, press 9 now. For more options, press star. \”. My recorded greeting is just my voice saying “LSL Guy”. So the caller hears “LSL Guy The person you are trying to reach is not available. Please leave a message after the tone. To leave a callback number, press 9 now. For more options, press star. \”. It’s not perfect, but it’s as close as I can get. And Gaah! do I hate the ignorant f\*\*\*s who leave longwinded voicemail-leaving instructions in their own voice followed by the computer saying almost the same thing in different words. It’s almost always salesmen who do this. Pisses me right off to have to listen to. > [@guizot](#): > > …The whole "If you’d like to leave a call back number . . . " thing is a remnant of paging. There was a time when some people didn’t have a phone, and only a pager, but still wanted the full service of voicemail. A person who didn’t have a phone could at least see your number and know who called. Who would that be today? I don’t know. Maybe there are still some devices that for some reason or other operate just to receive a paged number. You’re right that that’s where it started. But IMO the point for today’s use is it enables the VM system to know the callback number. So the VM system can tell the recipient “Press 3 to call their callback number directly.” A good VM system will also let you do that before listening to the whole message. So if I get a call from a known long-winded fool then as soon as I recognize the voice I press the buttons for “delete message” and “call back his number.” Boom. Boom. Task complete. Very handy. ---
**Author:** ![bardos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bardos/32/1069_2.png) [@bardos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bardos)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youd-like-to-leave-a-call-back-number/794674/11 "2017-08-26T15:14:38Z")
One of my pet peeves of living in the USA. Not a fan of this callback BS. Shows that they have opted to save money by hiring limited (at times, lame-English speaking) support staff. Wait times (hold times with truly horrible background music) are so long that they’ll “get back to you if you leave your number”; they usually do within a few hours. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youd-like-to-leave-a-call-back-number/794674/12 "2017-08-26T18:13:51Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > You’re right that that’s where it started. But IMO the point for today’s use is it enables the VM system to know the callback number. So the VM system can tell the recipient “Press 3 to call their callback number directly.” A good VM system will also let you do that before listening to the whole message. Yes, and applications like Google Voice have that built right in, so the caller doesn’t have to enter a number anyway–long as the caller is employing caller ID. There’s always a link to click for dialing the number of the person leaving the message, whether they take advantage of “leave a callback number” or not. However, when someone isn’t using caller ID, or when the caller wants you to call back on a different number, or with certain PBX systems, then this function is especially useful. ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youd-like-to-leave-a-call-back-number/794674/13 "2017-08-26T18:39:12Z")
> [@seal\_cleaner](#): > > “If you’d like to press 3, press 4 now.” 😊 nice! To the OP, I have never done the if you’d like to leave a call back number. I don’t get it. Do you get to leave a VM too? I’ve never had it done either. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2017, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youd-like-to-leave-a-call-back-number/794674/14 "2017-08-26T19:09:19Z")
I call a dozen or so people every day to do appointment reminders. I get to listen to the phone ring a bunch…, then I hear my client’s voice for a moment, and then the woman who I have come to despise goes on and on about how to leave a message. It is slightly useful, in that the options are different with different VM’s, and I do like it when they give you the option to re-record, as there are times when I find a frog in my throat in the middle of a message. It is a bit annoying though, spending about 2 minutes on every phone call to leave a 15 second message.