Do You Still Answer the Phone w/o Checking Caller ID?

[ikarcuaso]

I remember the days when, if the telephone rang, you picked it up. Period. If it was someone you hoped it wasn't, you dealt with it after the fact.

When answering machines were new, you'd start to leave a VM, and you'd get these people who then pick up with, "Oh hi, I was in the (shower, backyard, etc)..."

Now, your call goes unanswered, then 20 seconds later you get a "what do you want?" text message from the person you were trying to call.

I'll admit, I never p/u the phone w/o checking the caller's #, but I'll still say "Hello?" as if I don't know who's calling. Anyone else?

[holtjv]

Never. And if it's an "unknown caller", never.

[legion]

Never.

Considering that I have a high school ex-friend who is still actively calling me (mostly to beg for money), I always check caller ID.

And I do often let calls go to voicemail and call people back. Mostly because I leave my cell phone upstairs and by the time I get to it it is too late.

[911Rob]

Why should I?
Just because someone picks up the phone and calls me at a given moment; doesn't mean I should be available at that very moment to answer the call. Communication has always been very important to me; there's no excuse for someone not to be able to reach me. But I'll reply on my time.

Most of my buddies just call; if I dont answer they know I'll see their number as a missed call and call them back when I have time; no voicemail required.

I also have a service whereby all my voicemails are emailed to me. As my work mostly involves deligation, I can send the emailed voicemail to whoever I want, thus saving me time. I love that service.

Cell phones create freedom; freedom from the desk. Call display is just an extension of those freedoms imo.

[jyl]

I do not pick up the home phone at all. Unless they start to leave a message and I decide its someone I want to, and have time to, speak with at that particular moment.

At work, I also do not pick up the phone, unless the call is from within the office or I'm expecting a call-back. I check messages every 2-3 days and it is usually full. This is because I get a lot of broker calls and blast vmails that are time-wasters. I tell everyone to contact me by email or IM if it is important.

[Jim Richards]

No, absolutely not.

[scottmandue]

I have never had caller ID on my home phone and I have an unlisted number so yes I do pick up the phone 99% of the time.

And yes I do think it is rude and immature to "screen" your calls.

Can't believe you guys are such hard a$$es and yet your afraid to pick up a phone.

[onlycafe]

too frugal for caller id.

[legion]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

I have never had caller ID on my home phone and I have an unlisted number so yes I do pick up the phone 99% of the time.

And yes I do think it is rude and immature to "screen" your calls.

Can't believe you guys are such hard a$$es and yet your afraid to pick up a phone.

I pick up the phone unconditionally for friends and family, assuming I reach it in time. Numbers I don't recognize go to voicemail and mostly no message is left. I do a Google search of all the numbers I don't answer. 99% belong to telemarketing firms. The other 1% belongs to a deadbeat high school friend who calls twice a year to beg for money.

I don't have a land line. I only have a cell phone. I also don't answer the phone when I am talking to someone else. Whoever is physically in front of me has my undivided attention, be it a cashier at a store, the girl that cuts my hair, or my wife. I don't "screen" calls in that situation, I don't even look at my phone and turn off the ringer.

[Zeke]

No caller ID and I don't block mine. I answer the phone if I'm not doing anything important (like lurking here ). However, my phone is in the garage and detached office along with my computer and fax. When I'm in the house, you can't reach me.

My wife has a phone that I seldom use or answer. It has caller ID, so if there's an emergency...

[BeerBurner]

I always check the caller ID. If it's someone I know I will most likely answer (unless there's some reason, at that moment, not to). If I don't know them, I'll let it go to voice mail and decide later if I need to call them back. Considering they almost never leave messages, I figure that they weren't important enough to answer.

BB.

[widgeon13]

Since retiring I screen my calls at home but when I was working never screened calls because I thought it was always important to give the customer what they were paying for, I hate call screeners in business.

[fastfredracing]

Never, always check caller ID# first. Especially at the shop. I feel the same way as legion. I WILL not answer the phone if I am already talking to a customer,vendor etc. And I screen all calls that come in. I will only answer the ones that need imediate attention, and will call back later. I dont think it is rude or childish, to screen , I am usually pretty busy, and I feel that just because someone calls at that instant, I should not feel obliged to drop everyting to take care of them. Sometimes it may take me a day or two to return calls. I probably answer between 25-50 calls a day , and it can become a burden.

[poorsche930]

Originally Posted by holtjv

Never. And if it's an "unknown caller", never.

same here. Don't check voice mail either. If I answer, your one of a few people. I hate telephones. Have been in sales for a long time and I think it made me hate the phone. But somehow I do talk for along time when I'm on it.

[p911dad]

I pick up anytime without checking. There are too many phone numbers I don't remember. I would rather take the chance than miss a call from an old friend or a new opportunity. Really, what is the risk except one's own self importance? You can always hang up.

[Danimal16]

DO I CHECK CALLER ID??? You bet, wanna make sure Dipso isn't calling.

[Danimal16]

Originally Posted by legion

i pick up the phone unconditionally for friends and family, assuming i reach it in time. Numbers i don't recognize go to voicemail and mostly no message is left. I do a google search of all the numbers i don't answer. 99% belong to telemarketing firms. The other 1% belongs to a deadbeat high school friend who calls twice a year to beg for money.

I don't have a land line. I only have a cell phone. I also don't answer the phone when i am talking to someone else. Whoever is physically in front of me has my undivided attention, be it a cashier at a store, the girl that cuts my hair, or my wife. I don't "screen" calls in that situation, i don't even look at my phone and turn off the ringer.

+1

[pwd72s]

Sure I answer...no caller ID here. I figure it doesn't take long to hang up on calls that somehow made it through my "do not call" listing...

I have a cell phone, but only use it when I'm out of the house & want to make a call. Otherwise, it's off. I check for messages every few weeks or so...when I remember.

[ruf-porsche]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

I have never had caller ID on my home phone and I have an unlisted number so yes I do pick up the phone 99% of the time.

And yes I do think it is rude and immature to "screen" your calls.

Can't believe you guys are such hard a$$es and yet your afraid to pick up a phone.

I pickup the phone without looking at the caller ID, but Mrs. Ruf looks at the caller ID all the time, bugs the ***** out of me since 99.9% of the time it's her family calling here.

If I don't want to speak to someone on the phone I just hang up on them.

[billyboy]

The only calls that we get on our landline are from either the mother- in -law or somebody selling something, so naturally, I never answer it! All my calls are on the cell, at least those from anybody that I care to talk to. The do not call thing is a joke. The number of calls has skyrocketed since the economy turned south. They are like crazed vipers trying to sell something.The sales calls have just about rendered the land line as useless since I have free long distance on my cell. I only keep it for internet access.