Voicemail has spread across the land. And with any new communication technology, comes etiquette. This site has a pretty good list of voicemail etiquette. Here are things I recommend:
The key to understanding polite voicemail messages: Most voicemails have no rewind button, so the listener has to go back to the very beginning to hear your message, if he misses something the first time. With that in mind:
Leave your phone number first.
In fact, leave it twice.
And leave your number slowly.
Don't leave more than two numbers. If you leave your work phone, home phone, cell phone, fax, and email address, thinking the listener is going to write them all down, you're either Elvis, the Pope, or delusional.
Also: Don't leave no message. "Eric, this is Jake. Give me a call." What's the point in that? Is Jake calling to yell at me, to give me money, or to tell me my wife is having an affair? Is it business or pleasure? This is voicemail, not a smoke signal. It's meant for detail. If you tell me why you're calling, I'll know how soon I need to call you back and whether I need to get information before I call. And if you leave enough detail, I might be able to answer your question by leaving a message on your voicemail, thereby obviating the need for us to talk at all.
Why am I raising this on TDE? Well, I'm scrambling for script this week, since I have very little computer access. But more importantly: If you go through those examinations of conscience for the sacrament of penance, you'll see that it's a sin to provoke a person to anger. This list of simple etiquette will help you on that score. Trust me on this.
