Nobody ever rings. They all page me. There’s nothing more annoying than that BEEP! right when I was concentrating. And then they don’t start talking right away.
The boss does the same thing. And I always answer ‘yes, sir?’
In a company of 90,000 employees at the time, it happened to me. There were probably 6 management levels between us. I just took a deep breath, swallowed hard, and answered between the second and third rings, in a slightly more polite manner than usual. Turns out, it was a buddy in Texas using a soft IP phone client pre-beta prototype that let the user edit his calling ID string. To this day I remember it the way people remember a car accident.
I’ve spoken to him 3 or 4 times already today, why would this call be any different?
What’s all this wait two rings stuff, a “pretending I’m busy” game?
That would depend. If I thought it was something good, or a mistake, then I’d answer. If there was something bad going on, I’d likely decide that was a good moment to wander off to the restroom.
But in most organizations I’ve been in, even at a Project Leader level, the CEOs I’ve had have considered themselves too far up the food chain to speak to a mere mortal such as myself.
Heck, at one company, I even got called into a closed room and spoken to by my manager for daring to make small talk with the CEO in the hall one day. (I was a PL there.) “The CEO has better things to do with his time then to speak to someone at your level.” Yeah? If the CEO has time to arrange to have a mere peon “spoken to” over something like that, then he can go fuck himself.
I doubt I’d recognize the CEO’s name, but seeing as how I don’t know shit about shit, I really wouldn’t have much to be afraid of.
It’s basic good customer service: it gives both ends a small pause. That small pause relaxes the person ringing a little and allows the answerer to get in the right frame of mind.
No CEO - I have an Executive Director. He and I just had a half hour meeting in person so I would just answer and assume it was about that.
If it was the Dean I would just answer that too, but might be a bit more curious as to why he was phoning.
Those answering in this manner must either be a direct report or otherwise accustomed to getting calls from the CEO on a regular basis. I’m in operations and two spots down the totem pole from the CTO - why on earth is this guy calling me?
Tasks or projects need to be handed down properly through my deputy and director to the appropriate resource. If he dropped another load on me, that would totally screw over my boss who already has me overloaded with tasks.
If you’re in trouble for some reason, best to let it go to voicemail to give you time to fabricate the most truthful response and get your alibis in place.
Exactly, and this is the train of thought that has to work its way through your mind before that fourth ring, when the caller goes to your voicemail.
In my case it turned out to be one of the CTO’s gofers doing a voicemail greeting audit, and she told me to hand up and not answer when she calls right back so she can see if my greeting is policy-compliant. :rolleyes:
That would be mysterious, as I am the CEO. Who has my phone?
Pssst, they’re calling from INSIDE YOUR OFFICE!!!
We have a President and there’s no way he would ever call. But since our phones only show the number, not the name, I would 
and then answer in my best customer service voice.
Since it seems like it has come to this, let’s say those smart-alec CEOs answering in this thread are being called by the CEO of some other company. Your arch competitor, to make it a bit more interesting.
Providing I wasn’t on a call with a customer, of course I would answer. “This is Litoris, what can I do for ya, Chuck?” I adore our CEO, he reminds me of my Dad, and he’s a great guy. The other day, when I had tried to transfer a call to him (it’s always a supervised transfer to his extension) and he didn’t pick up, he called me back a few moments later to see what I needed – I was on a call and he rolled to my VM – I shot him an email letting him know why I had called his extension while I was still on the phone with the customer. We’re a samllish company. I can understand some apprehension if you work in a very large corporation, though. Hell, when I worked for Sprint, I wouldn’t have known our CEO if he (she?) smacked me on the butt and called me Poopy-Pants, so I s’pose I’d have answered there, too, but would have wondered why the hell they were calling me.
Yeah, I’d answer it. After some of the Captains and Admirals I’ve dealt with, CEOs don’t intimidate me. Besides, my company is owned by an equity firm, so I don’t have the foggiest idea who my CEO is. I barely know the head of my division.
The Caller ID in this building is almost worthless, and doesn’t display until AFTER you pick up the call.
And, most long-distance intra-company calls will only display as MCI PRI, identifying that the call is coming via the primary MCI trunkline.
Adding to the muddle, I’m not even sure who our CEO is these days, much less what their phone number is.
As a result, all calls get answered in the same way.
Sure - deep breath beforehand, but pick up and see what’s up. I wouldn’t be too worried about really bad news - that would filter through HR or the usual hierarchy.
Probably, as likely as anything, he either need me to make sure one of my bosses gets a message for him, or he’s got a project idea involving software development he wants to ‘sound out’ against an expert to see if it passes a sanity check. I would guess.
Sure, why not? I’d be very curious, considering he’s about eight rungs above me, but I wouldn’t mind talking to him.
I usually answer just after a heartfelt groan.
I worked for a guy for half a day who thought this way. It was one of the reasons I only worked there for half a day.
hissing: *you have seven days … *
Heh, not the CEO but 2 rungs down (about 5 up from me) called me in November. Went something like this:
ring glance at the caller ID, it’s got a name so it’s an internal call, man but that name’s familiar. Probably about a claim. Shut down The Straight Dope Message Board thread about, “How long would it take 4 tbsp of human semen to boil over a bunsen burner at sea-level: need answer fast!” Bring up a blank claim screen …
ring Deep breath, clear my head, go through my typical greeting just so I don’t repeat my once-in-a-lifetime classic: “Straight Dope, this is Inigo”
Me: “Shifting Sands Insurance, this is Inigo…”
Lucy(bubbly voice, obviously on speakerphone): “Inigo! This is Lucy VanPelt, How are you today?”
Me (in my best corporate genial): “Hey Lucy, all is perfectly marvey over here, what’s up?”
Peppermint Patty (vaguely familiar voice, jubilant, also on speaker phone): “Inigo, this is Patty. I’m here with Marcie in Lucy’s office…have you met Lucy?”
**My head is spinning now, I know Marcie, she’s my boss(Linus)'s boss … And Patty is her boss … and that would make Lucy … **
Me: “No, can’t say as I have. Say, have I done something wrong? Because I swear Linus told me it would be alright!”
Lucy/Patty/Marcie: “Ha ha ha ha…”
Lucy: "Inigo, I’m Lucy VanPelt, [extraordinarily impressive title] the reason why we’re calling is to let you know that you are going to be receiving “The Very Nice Corporate Award For Very Clever People.”
Inigo: “Wow … Um, thanks! So, I’m not in any trouble then?”
Lucy/Patty/Marcie: "Ha ha ha ha … "
After getting off the phone I stomped into Linus’ office and very grumpily admonished him for not giving me a heads up that Lucy was going to be calling me. Evidently, they hadn’t informed him either. they just thought it would be a pleasant surprise to drop a bomblet on me from 5 storeys up. Hags.
Phone?
I get a phone?
I’ve work in the Lab for 11+ years, & never did I get a phone.