Like SOOOO many people, I have a cell phone. It's so people can get in touch with me when I'm not at home.
Like NOT so many people, I have a Fido phone that's a pay-by-the-minute deal. Meaning, I don't have any kind of plan where I get evenings and weekends free.
And UNlike SOME people, I have a land line as my base phone. My cell phone is NOT my main source of telecommunication.
So, perhaps there's a paradigm shift of which I am unaware-- maybe everyone ELSE'S perception is changing and mine hasn't, I don't know-- but what the hell is the deal with calling my cell phone without trying my home number FIRST?
I work at home. Everyone who has my cell phone number knows this. So isn't it logical, therefore, that they would try my home number first? See if I'm there?
Because, folks, if I'm hangin' around the house, my cell phone is off. And if I don't go out anywhere-- which can sometimes be for three days at a time-- my cell phone stays off then, too.
So I turn it back on when I go out somewhere and it has messages! "Call me." beep. "Mr. McAdam, we need to set up an appointment for..." beep. (CORPORATE clients that call my cell-- always listed as a SECONDARY number-- just really widen my eyes in disbelief.) And of course, they never leave the date and time they called. So how old is this message? Well, presumably it's dated sometime between the last time I turned the phone off and when I turned it on. Whenever THAT might be.
Another thing is the cellphone LONG TALKERS. If you call my cell phone and you get me-- you may not know that I pay by the minute. I accept that. But you've GOT to know that I'm OUT somewhere. I may be driving. I may be WITH someone. A cell phone is NOT an appropriate place for long conversations. A cell phone is to get ahold of someone in an emergency or in a social emergency (Dude, we've got five minutes before the movie starts, where are you?)-- it's not for big ol' chats.
(Oh, and like Agent ACK said on his blog, cell phones are NOT FOR USE AT ALL once the movie has started in an actual movie theatre. Turn it off, or turn it silent-- or be turned into dog food.
Respect the cell phone, people. And hey-- if you read this, respect MY cell phone. Call me at home first. If I don't answer, leave a message THERE. Then, and only then, call my cell phone. If I don't answer THERE, leave a message-- with the date and time. Then you've got all your bases covered, and you're GUARANTEED to get ahold of me!
...and isn't that the purpose of a cell phone in the first place?
Posted by Agent M at September 11, 2003 10:56 PMJeez, I'm glad I called your house first last night.
Posted by: Quixote on September 12, 2003 07:05 AMCell phones... must...not... talk...about... CELL..phones.
GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
*insert sound of head exloding*
Posted by: Agent ACK on September 12, 2003 08:01 AMI can only offer up why corporate people call the cellphone number. Generally, it is recognizable as a cellphone number and regarded as a direct line to you. The "main" number may be the front desk, a menu driven central system (eep!) or worse, a phone in a house where a child or some other unreliable message taker may pick up. All of which represent redundancies and possible communication gaps.
A professional that gives out a cellphone number is expected to check that number for messages at every convenience several times a day. If you can't do that, don't give out your cellphone number as a professional contact point. It would be the same as giving out a land line number for an office that you check only once or twice a week.
As for the rest of your comments, it comes down to etiquette and many people seem to lack certain social graces. Here is what many on-the-go pros are doing to work around the idiots:
Most professionals leave their cellphones active on their desk, but don't pick up. They let the cellphone ring, watch for the call display and timestamp and then return the call via a landline.
At meetings or outside the office, the cellphone is active but in silent mode. As soon as the meeting lets out (or at a convenient time - ie - ignition has been turned off), they check their phones.
At home, the cellphone is active and conveniently placed, but the call will only be returned immediately if it seems like a real emergency, otherwise the call is returned at 8:00am the next morning (which sends a pretty distinct message in its own right).
So there you go, if any of that is helpful.
This really hurt me, Michael. How can you be so judgemental about my cellphone-having lifestyle? Yes, I only have a cellphone, yes, I've called you on yours when I don't know where you are--but how about judging me based on our friendship? Our friendship is important to me--after all, I only call when I know your phone's on vibrate and in your front pocket.
Does having a cellphone make me a bad person? Or a less accomplished human being? No it does not. And it really upsets me when your post is all about me. In fact MOST of your posts are all about me. So is much of the Internet in general.
I admit to having a cellphone. I like the convenience. So the fact that you don't agree means NOTHING to me. You hear me? NOTHING. And I think the fact that I took the time to take it personally and draft a long post defending myself illustrates how much I don't care what you think. In fact, I don't care what you think about what I just wrote!
Reply soon. It validates me.
Posted by: Mike on September 12, 2003 03:03 PMI'd just like to thank Mike for making me spew water all over my monitor. Bastard. :D
Posted by: Agent ACK on September 12, 2003 03:51 PMGotta say I disagree with The Hug'Gee.
A professional who gives out his cell phone number as an ALTERNATIVE method of contact is under no obligation whatsoever to check it that often.
I'm sure SOME corporate people think that if they have that magic number, they'll get me all the time. But to use your own example, Hug'Gee-- re. returning the message at 8:30 the next morning-- I always answer the phone or return messages ASAP if they use my home number.
Not so on the cell. Makes the same message.
I disagree with your implied assertion that those of us who do not follow your proscribed cell phone rituals are not professionals; a professional sets the rules for who he wants to work with, and soon discovers whether he gets work or the phone stops ringing.
My phone is still ringing, as is yours, so obviously both methods work. And I'm stickin' with mine!
M
Posted by: Agent M on September 13, 2003 12:58 PMIt boggles me how people will call Robin's cell BEFORE trying the land-line. We gave out the land-line to a certain group of people, telling them that 90% of the time, they can contact us that way or leave a voice-mail message. What do they do? Proceed directly to leaving voice-mail on Robin's cell phone.
I've always been of a similar opinion as you, Agent M, on cell phone usage. We took Robin's cell with us in the car when we went to a wedding in Taber yesterday. Why? We were convoying it with another carful of friends of the bride & groom, and having the cell meant checking in every so often to make sure that we were on time, maintaining a good cruising speed on the Trans Canada to pace each other, and if someone needed to pull over, the other car could follow or know why the Little Red Escort is No Longer Following.
Thing is, the couple in the other car treats Robin's cell like a land-line. They HAVE the land-line number, but never use it...they always call his cell FIRST, and bitch him out if it's not on. THEY, on the other hand...never generally have their cell turned on. We were supposed to meet them prior to leaving yesterday. Robin tried their cell AND their land-line multiple times. No answer. Finally, we just decided to do the coin-toss on which route to take and headed out on our own. Half an hour later we get a call...on the cell... asking us where we are. Seeing as how we were supposed to get a call from THEM first...likely on the land-line...to meet up and THEN leave the NW of Calgary, I found this boggling. There were no messages on the land-line when we got home, btw, which means they didn't even try us at home before heading out, contacting us on the cell, etc.
The mind boggles. Really.
Posted by: Maire on September 14, 2003 08:52 AMOooo! ooooo!
That reminds me of the flip side of my rant. If you tell me to call you on your cell, if you SPECIFICALLY INSTRUCT ME to use your cell number and then that cell isn't turned on, my head explodes.
Seriously. I have had to sew my own scalp back together at least eight times now-- thank god the scars are hidden by my hairline. And my walls? God, I'm tired of scrubbing them down.
So please, folks-- if you go out, and have told the rest of us to USE your cell phone number, please have the cell phone ON.
This message is directed specifically at MRS. M. The cause of so many of my head-explodeys. :)
M
Posted by: Agent M on September 14, 2003 09:34 AMM, it's not me that you are disagreeing with. Take your issue up with the people calling your cellphone who do not regard your home phone as a business line. I have pretty much only ever called your home phone.
Nobody is implying that you are unprofessional. Both you and Maire expressed confusion as to why some people are calling cellphones as a first option. The response was in answer to that question. It's not my method, it's an example of the pattern most of them are adopting.
Use your cellphone however you like. Seriously, some times you sound like Catspaw.
CH
Posted by: ch on September 14, 2003 05:01 PMIf by that you mean "Hug'Gee always sounds like if you don't do it this way you'll DIE," then yeah. :)
Although I suppose my question did sound a bit whiny. Hm. You'll have to...spank me. I've been bad.
No, seriously. I kept the paddle and that silk thong. C'monamyhouse.
M
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