featherlou, et. al have caught on to my exact point. I rather pull your paperwork, if necessary call a supplier, do web research, etc., prior to calling you back. That way I can tell you that your Buttmatic 2000 is still in warranty, that it sounds like a frammised widgetizer control module, and I’m having one drop shipped to your location from the regional parts distribution hub in Rangoon, and will be out on Thursday for a service call.
When I’m told nada, and I have to call you, and you’re not in, and then you call me back and still tell me nada, Thursday has come and gone without anything useful being done to make you a happy little camper, and the only one winning is the phone company, charging both of us while nothing of value transpires.
When I get a recording, I’m ready to leave a good detailed message. Example-my automated commercial fuel bill came with a missed invoice noted. I checked, and I had paid on time, so I called the company, after hours, and left them a message with my name, customer number, the date that the check was written, the date it was presented to my bank for payment, and so forth.
The next day, the owner called and thanked me for providing all the information, that it had been misposted, and my account would be credited. Entire phone time spent for both calls, less than 3 minutes.
Perhaps it is a more critical issue to me as wasted, nonproductive time doesn’t earn a nickel when you’re self-employed, as I am. YMMV.