People telephoning, in general, used to be pretty good about leaving messages when calls were unanswered. I have noticed recently that not all, but many Millennials and GenZ folks don't bother leaving messages. They either give up on contacting you about something important, or call you over and over so the phone never stops ringing. When did this become acceptable behavior? How do we stop it?
3
Enjoy being online again!
Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.Create your free account
17 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.
I do not have a landline such
If is important they cannot get hold of me they leave a message if not is not that important
I do not worry about it.
Rosh
Level 7
Apr 10, 2018
0
Thank you, this is exactly what I am speaking of. If it is their job to leave a message to remind you of a doctor's appointment, let's say, then they should learn to do so and not call bomb me because they don't like leaving messages. I will never allow professional contacts to text me. I never give permission. BTW, I don't have a landline either. Not since 1995.
So if I miss an appointment because of their unprofessional conduct, who is to blame? The youngest Millennial alive is 25. They should know better.
If you can set individual ringtones set theirs to a silent tone. Explain what you have done so it's not to be aggresive. Explain you don't like that and will get to them when you feel okay to, or they can text, message etc ... ? ? Just gotta train em lol.
Nickbeee
Level 8
Apr 10, 2018
1
I used to always leave people messages, but I quit doing it at work since they don't listen and just call back. I don't want to waste my time in telling them twice. However, if you call me and don't leave a message, I don't know that you called. I ignore my missed calls, but not my messages.
mt49er
Level 7
Apr 10, 2018
1
Exactly! If they work in a professional capacity at my brokerage, let's say, they should leave messages for important information. And not call bomb me like a petulant child because they don't like leaving messages. I won't give doctors, bankers, etc., permission to text me.
I don't listen to messages if you can't reach me leave a text.
Lauxa
Level 5
Apr 10, 2018
0
Text is not protected speech as defined by American courts. If your investments go straight to hell, you should get a voicemail from your bank or broker if you cannot answer a call. If you don't listen to your messages, I suppose you won't know the damage until you are reached by snail mail.
I’m GenX. Messages are a waste of time. We are way passed those olden days...?
bgporter4455
Level 3
Apr 10, 2018
1
I am GenX also...I still don't think professional callers/salespeople should be allowed to text me.
Younger people don't have the patience to listen to messages anymore. 
Text is great for simple short communication but not sufficient for many conversations.
Emmagoldman
Level 4
Apr 10, 2018
1
I agree. The youngest Millennial alive is 25, however. If they work in a bank or doctor's office, any professional capacity, they need to learn to leave a message or get fired. I don't allow those in professional capacities to text me. I never give them permission.
voicemail is so yesterday. if they don't leave a message I give it no consideration. if the same number calls twice with no message it's blocked. if one of those hidden number calls comes in I'll never know it, the call goes to the cosmic pothole.
hankster
Level 9
Apr 10, 2018
2
Exactly what I do.
Do you get texts from your doctor's office or your investment banker? These are the jobs I am talking about.
not too much just my phone carrier and a credit card alert when I buy something. the dentist office reminds me with a phone call and usually a voicemail message.
I'm curious, if they're not leaving messages, how do you know they're Gen xers or millennials or whatever?
After reading your comment further detailing exactly what you mean, it doesn't necessarily sound like your problem is aimed at millenials or GenZ, but the places in which you do business or the places that are trying to do business with you. At that point, it sounds like you should block the unfamiliar numbers that you -can- see, if any, and find a different bank if you can. My insurance agent has people my age and younger under her employ and they always leave a message when they call. Since you're not talking about family and friends doing this, i think it'll be tough to actually stop but I'd start by going down to the bank and having a chat with someone.
TheInfiniteChris
Level 5
Apr 10, 2018
0
I'm not talking about family here, people. I'll get official calls from my bank's number with hangups. Sometimes I'll get constant calls from numbers I don't know and I'm blocked from my seeing them. I can't block a number I can't see. Professionals don't text me, they aren't allowed and I don't grant permission. So it's no message hangups or constant calling.
This is a thing. I've read about supervisors who have made a point of asking what their Millennial subordinates left on a vital message, because the client never received one. The supervisors hear, "So and so never answered," so the caller just hung up. They should be fired if I miss important information because they can't follow protocol. Their mobile has voicemail just like mine does. It's there for non-personal callers to state their business and leave messages. People I know personally will text me.
hemingwaykitten
Level 6
Apr 10, 2018
0
@Bierbasstard The US Congress has already admitted publicly that the DO NOT CALL registry does not work anymore and can't be fixed because of all the shills and random salespersons violating it.
@Ella Assuming you read this far, you should know I am not talking about telemarketers. I am talking about people over 25, working in a professional capacity such as a doctor's office, or bank, or brokerage where I have an account. They are not allowed to text me. Text is not considered "protected speech" by courts. If they are doing their job, I should be able to receive a voicemail for which they can be held accountable. Those call bombing me because they don't like to leave voicemail, that is something they deserve to be fired over. If it's official info, the only way it is protected speech is if it does not come in text form. Savvy?
Oh the arguments I used to have with my mum over this, when I dared to switch off my mobile. You know, sensible times, like on planes, in meetings, or after 10pm when I wanted to get some sleep. Her standard routine had become:
- Ring my personal mobile.
- Ring my work mobile.
- Ring my land line.
- Ring my personal mobile again and leave a rant on the voicemail.
Her argument always being "What if there was an emergency? How would someone get hold of you?" Not that any of her calls were ever emergencies. She just felt important enough that others should feel obliged to drop everything if she wanted to speak to them.
This was a woman who grew up in an era when most homes didn't even have a wired telephone. Even in the earlier parts of her adulthood (and my childhood) she lived in a society where if you'd gone out shopping for the day, you were uncontactable until you got home. If people knew exactly where you were, then they might have a chance of finding the phone number and catching you there, but broadly speaking, if you went out for the day, you were completely off the radar.
Yet having got used to a society where she felt connected to everyone else 24/7, she really couldn't handle the idea that someone might want to temporarily break that connection, for a perfectly valid reason.
The only way to tackle it is to have that discussion. Even if it does turn into an argument. If people persist in their behaviours after you've asked them not to, then you're well within your rights to block their number.
NicoleCadmium
Level 7
Apr 10, 2018
0
Not talking about family here. I'll get official calls from my bank's number with hangups. Sometimes I'll get constant calls from numbers I don't know and I'm blocked from my seeing them. I can't block a number I can't see. Professionals don't text me, they aren't allowed and I don't grant permission. So it's no message hangups or constant calling.
This is a thing. I've read about supervisors who have made a point of asking what their Millennial subordinates left on a vital message, because the client never received one. The supervisors hear, "So and so never answered," so the caller just hung up. They should be fired if I miss important information because they can't follow protocol. Their mobile has voicemail just like mine does. It's there for non-personal callers to leave messages. People I know personally will text me.
I have my mobile set to block all withheld numbers. They go straight to voicemail. I have my landline set to do the same thing, thanks to a phone/answering machine system that has a call screening feature.
Call centres often have numbers auto-dialled and configured to connect you to an operator if you answer. If no operators are available, they hang up, even if you answer the call. Chances are these are configured to automatically reject calls that connect to voicemail, or perhaps their staff are instructed to disconnect, since it's likely to be more productive for them to spend their time on live calls.
It depends on the nature of the call. In an emergency (suspected fraud) I've known my bank to leave voicemails. For anything less urgent (them trying to sell me new products) they typically won't, and I'm glad of that. So it rather depends on the context.
In all honesty, I often phone someone expecting to speak to them, and don't have anything prepared to say if it goes to voicemail. So I'll often hang up and then ring back, with some thoughts already prepared, and then leave those on their answering service if they still don't pick up.
I don't respond. It is even in my voice message that I will not respond.
BufftonBeotch
Level 8
Apr 10, 2018
0
Its the internet doing it and mobile phones.
LeighShelton
Level 8
Apr 10, 2018
0
I don't return calls that won't leave a message, even if It's a friend. If it is not importal for you, it's not important for me.
Tompain1
Level 7
Apr 10, 2018
2
Great minds...
Change your number or block them. I don't call people back unless they leave me a message. If they don't leave a message I figured it's not that important and I'll call when I feel like it.
SonderOpia
Level 8
Apr 10, 2018
2
People are still using phones? I hate them, since they force you to stop what you're doing and talk to somebody when you don't want to. Just message people, and let them answer, or not.
birdingnut
Level 8
Apr 10, 2018
1
I wish they would...much quieter.
Enjoy being online again!
Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.Create your free account
Share this post
Categories
Agnostic does not evaluate or guarantee the accuracy of any content. Read full disclaimer.