Ever get a voicemail that you’ve got to listen to the phone number several times in order to hear it completely?

I have a rule. If you cold call me, leaving your phone number so fast that I have to listen to it more than twice to get it, I delete the message and give up.

This is one of my pet peeves (whatever that phrase means – other than it means it ticks me off). Have we become a society that is in such a hurry and so self-centered, that we can’t take an extra second or two to leave a message that is understandable for the person we’re calling? What message (pardon the pun) are we signaling about our concern for this person should they become a customer if we’re not empathetic enough to make their job easier while they’re still a potential customer?

Saying the number slowly seems to resonate pretty easily, but some of our workshop participants have said, “But Barry, what if I am calling from a land line to a land line? Why do I need to repeat my phone number again? It’s going to be clear.” My answer is to ask a question back in return. “Do you ever check your land line messages from your cell phone and have you ever had a number or a word not understandable on one of those messages?”

By the way, when you’re calling a customer, a colleague, even a friend who you know has your phone number (somewhere) do you make it difficult on them and not leave your phone number? Always make it easy on those that have to call you back. Say your number s-l-o-w-l-y and repeat it.