Problems with phones

[Serendipity]

I'm with you on this one. I absolutely hate making phone calls, sometimes even to friends. Needless to say, having to make them to total strangers completely freezes me--I can't do it.

 

[Cerulean]

I also have a hard time answering the phone if I don't know the number. God only knows what will happen when I pick up!

 

[Mitch]

Please no phones!! I'm available through social media, text apps and always try to answer email in a timely manner, but when someone is asking me for my phone number I'm out. Yes, I have a number and did fine without it for many years... (my smartphone has always been 'smart' not 'phone') but I like the idea of having a number for emergencies and for family that need to contact me if necessary. They won't call me to have a chit chat, because they know of my phone problem. I did however run into several problems because of my phone problems in the past. Especially when dealing with companies that seem to embrace it. I would rather switch to Morse code.

However, about 3 years ago the phone was my best friend when I could use it to scare away a burglar I was standing eye to eye with at home and I definitely had no problem calling 911 while he was running away (Looney Tunes style) down the street! (Or actually 112 the Dutch 911).

 

[Jacki Cucinotta]

I've always had problems talking with those I don't know on a personal level (especially those involved with insurance companies and financial aid - those fields have always confused me). Getting tongue-tied is the norm for me when I'm in this situation. Even placing an order for a refill on my prescriptions always gets me confused. That's why I have to rehearse and sometimes write down what I'm supposed to say; I've been getting better at it though as I've been seeing that planning out word for word what I want to say is too mechanical for my taste - I'm starting to prefer saying things as I go because it feels more natural now.

 

[Spinning Compass]

Here are my pet peeves regarding phones:

People (usually telemarketers) who jump right in without introducing themselves and where they are from. I know I am old-school but in my day I was taught that that was pretty rude. Yes, I know that there is caller ID but caller ID doesn't catch everything. What is wrong with saying, "Hello, I am so and so from XYZ company" rather than "is the person in charge of the bills home?" Also, if I haven't initiated the call, it's a pretty safe conclusion that I am not interested in what you are selling. I don't sit around waiting for the phone to ring to decide if I need or want something.

Telephone trees. I don't think there is a person on the face of the earth that likes them except maybe the persons who design them. As a matter of fact, my community theater is putting on a little skit about a person who goes into a church to pray and gets a telephone tree to God. It's pretty funny.

Cell phones. I absolutely hate them and I think that maybe one of the reasons texting has become so popular is that yu cnt re ly he ny thing whn som n is tal king n them. As I am getting older my hearing is not what it used to be and I can tell right away when someone is on a cell phone instead of a landline. And if they are moving around it is even worse. I get so annoyed at having to say, I cannot understand you, you are breaking up. And my hearing is still pretty good compared to a lot of people my age. I don't know anyone else who has complained of this problem so maybe it is not me.

 

[Jordan]

It really stresses me out, you have people like cold-callers phoning you up and asking you to see if your boiler is working; is your roof okay.

The thing that bugs me, if I say everything is fine, they push you in further with "a boiler check" - Then I say I'm not interested, and they carry on.

I end up hanging up the phone, but they never give in and keep calling me back.

So I called the police for harassment, and they got reported and fined.

They also must of rang me about 11 times because I had so many answer-machine messages on my house phone that night - // just makes me want to facepalm and meltdown...

 

[Soup]

@ Jordan: they do the same thing here & to make things worse, they come ring your bell claiming that your driveway is dying, your roof is having a stroke & your boiler is about to keel over. They're ready to save you right that second! They're like getting rid of termites & many are scams trying to get into your home, assess it (case the place) & later commit robberies. My husband lets the big Dane bark his guts out at them & usually, they just continue to the next house. We've complained to the municipal authorities about this several times but these people are slippery & hard to stop. If they get a hold of your phone number, the calls begin. Right now, it's 'ramoneurs' (chimney sweeps?) who are calling over & over. We have 2 fireplaces & they keep saying that *GASP* our house is in danger of burning down unless they rescue us. We have a company to whom we entrust this task (registered officially with the municipality & having all appropriate licenses etc.) but the calls are impossible to stop.

 

[Jordan]

@Soup; I agree with you buddy, and the worse thing is, is that they go to lengths to try and con you into thinking that they are a genuine company, which in reality they are a bunch of con-men. You have to be very careful with people knocking on your door, and calling you up, if you need it, then call up a genuine company. It's just surprising the amount of times that they get away with calling people up so many times when they have been asked not to and they have the cheek of cold-calling your own home!

The steps I'd go to, to actually stop it is to:-

1. Don't answer calls from numbers that are unknown to you.
2. Don't answer the door to someone that you don't know.

 

[Grumpy Cat]

No matter how long I've been doing it, I always get anxious when I have to call a doctor for a patient. I always hope to God that I have all the right information in front of me because I've had some doctors find a way to make a real a** out of me no matter what I'm calling about - I know they hate getting calls at night, but that's what they're getting paid for. One doctor was so bad (he's gone now) that I actually hung up on him a couple times because no matter what I said he was not going to give me the orders I needed. That's about the only time I have a problem talking on a phone, unless I don't know the person at all and want to make a good impression.

 

[Yoshi08]

Angela thats awful.geez.
What an ass.

I don't like talking on the phone either but I'm able to do it for a call to make an appt or something small like that.
But a conversation on a phone is hard for me. I'd rather text.

 

[Warwick C]

I don't like using the phone either , for me is what will I have to do next, and what do I want to ask, might as well through in call centers for good measure. just too much for me to process.

 

[ghoulbler]

Definitely, though I can't even talk on the phone with relatives or people I know very well. I never know what to say.

I tried to do an interview for a job on the phone but I started stuttering really badly and I couldn't catch my breath and so I just hung up right in the middle of it. I knew I'd already messed up. It was the first question, too. I'm still pretty upset about that and can't honestly see myself getting an official job ever.

 

[Yoshi08]

I own a smartphone but rarely make calls on it. Usually use it for web browsing and texting. I'm better about making calls but I still don't like it.

 

[Andrew206]

I have a smartphone and use it for the internet, Facebook, Twitter, and playing games. I sometimes make outbound calls, but these are usually to my credit card company. If I have to make a phone call to someone I know, I'll do it.

 

[Stacey]

I allow most of my calls to reach my voice mail. (I hate listening to them. I panic) Then I wait an hour or two until I return the call. Praying it will go straight to voice mail, so that I can just leave a message too. I screw my eyes shut and pinch my skin when I have to take a call. Then I go and take a 5 minute time out in a toilet.

 

[Judge]

It's weird. It's also depressing. What makes this form of communication so difficult for us?

Yet it's one mystery for me that reflects an improvement over time. I still have difficulty timing when to speak, and it still isn't easy to think of what to say at a precise point in time. That said, I managed at least to overcome the "fear factor", enough to use the phone routinely, and extensively when I work for years in the insurance industry.

I just hope for those you posting, that with time, you too might somehow overcome how otherwise daunting it can be to speak on the phone.

 

[Warwick C]

Thanks Judge, I wonder how much of it is the surprise nature and not being in control of the whole situation.

We are reacting the whole time.

 

[Judge]

Thanks Judge, I wonder how much of it is the surprise nature and not being in control of the whole situation.

We are reacting the whole time.

Yes. Verbalization in real time tasks us. Made even harder when it involves unscripted, impromptu communications.

And yet we can all be pretty effective communicators right here with our keyboards.

 

[Judge]

I'm just so grateful for caller id. I get far too many scam/junk calls. If it's not anyone identifying themselves they have to respond to the answering machine. Interesting to run an online check on the numbers only to find out they're usually nuisance/criminal calls.

Nothing worse than someone approaching me personally to sell me something I don't want or need.

 

[Warwick C]

You would have thought he would know the main phone numbers for the plant.