This video takes me back to my childhood. My dad had his office in the home & that's pretty much how we had to answer the phone. " Smith residence", "Shall I say who's calling?" or " I'm sorry he isn't home right now, can I take a message?" I felt like a 10 yr old secretary & loved it!
Lol we had a similar situation. We always answered the phone with Hello Williams. And who shell I say is calling. And I'm sorry he\she is unable to come to the phone may I take a message. All our friends got such a kick out of hearing it. They would put on such a posh voice to immate us. My brothers use to get mad about it. But it never bothered me. I always thought they admired it because they really actually liked how it sounded.
I wish that friendly, personalized service was still the order of the day. I remember working at BellSouth when I was in my late teens. It was around May of 1999 and an older sounding woman called me and asked me if I would call her back in 25 minutes. I informed her that I believed we no longer provided that service, but as a courtesy to her, I would be happy to. I wrote the reminder on a pad and in 24 minutes, I busied-out my console and called her as requested. Long story short, she was 93, had a little trouble with memory and hadn't called an operator in decades. What was the reason she wanted a courtesy call? She was baking a cake for her great grandson. The cake was done. 🍰 Thanks for reading this far-the moral of the story is this: Friendly, personalized service has been taken over by instant gratification and cost-saving measures. We need to make it part of American culture again. Service with a smile! 📞😁
Alas, it's a rare occasion that you're afforded the opportunity to speak to a human being at all these days. I'm reminded of a lyric of Bob Dylan's from a song called "Talking world war 3 blues" where he dreams he's virtually the last person on earth after a nuclear war, and that song was written in the 60s. He sings... In his quest for other people and having difficulty finding anyone else to talk to.....So I called up the operator of time, just to here a human voice of some kind..... when you hear the beep... it'll be 3 o'clock, she said that for over an hour and I hung up. That's the great Bob Dylan's, political activist and it's been said "The voice of a generation" he could be very serious of course, but sometimes very funny I think. I worked for Blockbuster video at one point, who aren't the household name they once were. Go Home Happy was printed right on the bags I put peoples' movies in and, I loved (and still do ) making people happy. It's contagious, it spreads like a virus, happiness I believe and your comment, helping that old woman made me smile. What a beautiful story of kindness and I think your one of the good guys. At least that's the way it sounds to me, so I thought I'd let you know, and I hope you'll maybe smile a little yourself. Stan
Still effective with todays standards, lots of people who don't know basic phone etiquette, it actually makes one job easier to be professional and courteous when answering the phone properly.
My contractors will not call me to convey important/pertinent information to me. I think they are texting my landline! And they are clueless about leaving voicemail.I told them a million times I HAVE A LANDLINE!
Basic phone etiquette: Use a LAND LINE where and whenever possible! Especially if you are calling the studio line to be on air with a TV or radio station. The station's broadcast 'air chain' will magnify cellular/mobile imperfections mercilessly
@@HerecomestheCalavera Yeah even bosses are lazy now. Can't even be bothered to train new employees. Your co-workers have to either teach you on the fly, or it's just sink or swim.
My dad always told me that when I called a friend, I should say, “Hi, it’s Cheryl. Can I speak to Lisa?” I had to introduce myself first then ask to speak to whoever. I still do that.
I think that was good advice for calling a residence before caller i.d. but not a business. I work Reception at a major office and answer the phone. I don't need to know who's calling or what you're calling about (I could care less ) but I need the first and last name of the person you want to talk to. Caller: " I'd like to speak to John Public". Reception: "One moment please".
Maybe not for a receptionist. But a good personal assistant is a gatekeeper. Therefore it's necessary to know who is calling, which calls will be transferred, which will be blocked.
I work in roofing service when I call a company to say that I'm in route to look at a roof issue. I say hello I'm so in so with such n such company. May I speak to whomever my contact is. Its important information, and courtesy. I would not do that if I was calling a friend who had my name saved in contacts. Now back in the 80s and 90s before everyone had caller ID. Thats what you did. You introduced yourself when you called, or it would have been rude.
Best telephone answering ever -- Farina (Our Gang) watching Grandma's store while she's out -- the phone rings, and he answers "Start the argument". Priceless! 😀
When I worked in retail, we were to answer the phone with, "Thank you for calling RadioShack, Plainfield. This is Steve. How can I help you?" The caller nearly always replied with, "Is this RadioShack?" Oh, how I wanted to say, "No, please call again -- and listen to the greeting!"
Adeline. You deserved to win the lotto after having to say all that! Interesting story. Whenever I call somewhere and the employee on the other end has to say a mouthful, I feel for them. It is awkward.
This is why my grandpa is always very formal on the telephone. I really like that. i wanted to learn those manners and use them but my friends made fun of me when i used some of the manners i learned
You should still use those manners! Who cares if your friends make fun of you. My coworkers make fun of me because I sound like a recording when I answer the phone at work and they think I’m old-fashioned because of the tone of voice I use. I don’t let that change how I answer the phone. Be true to yourself and use the telephone manners you admire!
They have no class and not the slighest clue what proper manners are! Keep those manners always with you as they will advance you further in life than your "friends".
Now the scammers are calling from India claiming they are from the IRS and sending the police if you don't go to Walmart, get gift cards, and read them the numbers. Love the people who call them back and post it on youtube.
I always do a sound like "Hmmmm?" and if it's clearly a scammer, I just start screaming in fake Chinese. Bet they won't be calling ME again. Now that's phone courtesy!
A time long gone... I was once called up and unknown to me I was put on loud speaker at a managers conference and asked about some projects I was working on. In talking I also gave my personal views on some issues which I believed would be kept in confidence. There were around 30 people at that meeting, I felt ambushed once I knew. Etiquette: inform the person you are talking to when you put them on speaker.
HAHAHA I remember that! OH man, you were an absolute clod, we knew you thought it was confidential. Frank came up with the idea. The girl that used to answer the phone for the company said you were a total Moose twit. She said your breath always smelled like fish.
I worked for a big manufacturing company that had many of these telephone courtesy methods for answering the phone in my department. The sales department had to answer calls in less than 3 rings. I often wonder why I would get misdirected calls every other day. I found out the answer once I kept the company. Calling my company to take care of paper work, I was shocked as to how rude the receptionist was and how she misdirected my call. I realized at that point even if all the departments of my company were responsible on answering calls. The company’s receptionist was at fault for probably losing the company valuable clients. So in essence, the company receptionist is the most important, and most valuable to any company large or small.
Customers are much more abusive and uncouth. Nobody owes you shit once you start acting like that. People aren’t putting up with that foolishness anymore.
@@chargermoparcell phones don’t really have a dial tone. It has the phone dialing. A dial tone is what a land line has when you pick it up and tells you it’s ready for dialing.
Never work at a call center. I did for 15 yrs & had mini nervous breakdown but not before telling that “a-hole” on the line where he could go. People think they can talk to employees so nasty. Of course I retired then. HA-HA
I can imagine how these employees would deal with today's telephone menus. First there's the 1-minute spiel on office hours, location, directions, etc. Then "Please listen to this message carefully as our menu selections have recently changed" (they always say that -- the menus must change every day). Then "For Spanish, press 1, for a list of telephone extensions, press 2, to make an appointment, press 3" ... 90 seconds later ... "for the operator, press 0". By the time this is all finished, you don't even remember why you were calling. 🤬
@Richard Head I know! And I'm too embarrassed to say "I can't understand your accent", so I end up saying (over and over) "Sorry, I'm having trouble hearing you; could you please repeat that?" LOL
Very nice film from the long gone Bell System, about the wrong usage of the telephone, such as shouting over the phone, or garbling on the line, or slamming the receiver in the workplace. A business has a "telephone show" to learn phone courtesy.
18:35 features Hope Summers (Clara from the Andy Griffith Show. ) Giving an example of something we still deal with today. Being bounced from one wrong department to another to another.
This film says nothing about using an airhorn to get rid of telemarketers, so I presume it's okay. During my very recent days as a receptionist, I was often mistaken for an answering machine, because of my polished old-school voice and technique. I'm not that old, just a damn good mimic. I use the same technique when I make calls, especially to customer service lines. While I may be firm sometimes, I always try to be polite and respectful, because, having worked as a receptionist, I know the abuse they have to put up with.
I love the woman eating on the phone, that's so funny! This is great, it makes an educational topic fun and actually something you'd want to watch, rather than being lectured. Simply, these basic rules apply today. Be polite, don't keep people waiting ages, get the right info noted, and also it's OK to have a bit of fun and joke with customer service etc on the phone, it sometimes brightens their day.
I learned that same phone educate in high school business class. After my youngest kids started grade school I put those phone skills to use. I had a job as a receptionist and then a desk clerk for a hotel chain. I'm now a assistant manager and use the education and teach it to my desk staff.
I'll leave it to others to make the obvious contemporary comparisons. I'll just say , that amongst the magnificent dress of the times , what superbly convincing acting there was.
That bit about the importance of answering your own phone calls to avoid confusion... The entire point of having a secretary is to screen the calls coming in from the switchboard, so you can know your time isn't being wasted on calls you don't want to receive yourself. I used to handle a small, 8-line switchboard, to 32 stations, screened calls for the deputy director, did data entry and physical files, worked as a creative consultant and proofreader of the newsletter and op eds for the analysts. I had 3 desks and was the administrative assistant and receptionist. The operator on here only having one job to do all day must have been in hell after a few years, and suffering from carpal tunnel in both hands.😜
I really enjoyed watching this. The good ol’ days of slamming the receiver down on rude callers are long gone....at least in homes (I don’t know about businesses) who don’t have an older telephones. Those were the days!
I recognized two people in this film the boss looks like Dick Lane who use to be a ring announcer at The Olympic Auditorium in downtown Los Angeles and one of the ladies played Clara on the Andy Griffith Show.
@@machomota One time, I was shopping and a woman around us was talking so loudly about her personal business that when she ended the call....I asked her if she intended to invite her friend to their son's wedding, after what was said....lol Her face was priceless.....
I remember answering the phone@home and sometimes asking , 'Would you like to leave a message?" or " May I say who's calling?" and when the party at the other end would pass the information, I'd write it down in (Gregg) Shorthand. Got an A+ at the end of the 1975 school year! Keep on Truckin'!
Doing that now would get you into some deep sh - when half of it are spam calls or unwanted calls. Most people lie. And thankfully this is what texting is for.
I don't know about you all, but there was nothing more satisfying, than being able to slam the phone receiver down whenever you got mad at the other person on the line! Impossible to do with a cellphone lol. 😂
Most of these comments are regarding the comment about cheese on apple pie. When I was young, my mother would slice up an apple in thin slices and lay a slice of cheddar cheese on each slice and serve that with tea to her friends every afternoon. I absolutely love it and I still have it almost every other day today. It also looks very pretty on a plate with the white Apple and orange cheese on top. You have to try it!
Dick Lane, the guy interviewing the other guy in the light suit, was the longtime wrestling and roller derby announcer for KTLA Ch. 5. He was well known for the familiar expression "OH NELLIE!!!!!" 🎙️📺😁
Well, that was an odd phrase. I have never once had cheese with apple pie. They're usually fine on their own, but if you're going to accessorize, the go-to is a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Had a particularly busy day at my Vet office where I was a receptionist/tech. Phones ringing off the hook, and the girls at the front desk were busy handling the sudden rush of customers and phone calls, I was out there filing patient files, decided they could use a hand and answered the phone in my usual manner except one tiny detail, "Hello thank you for calling (insert business name) I'm Cathy, how may I direct your call?" The girl in the chair next to me, a long time co-worker started laughing and literally fell out of her chair. It was just my luck it was the boss. I could hear him laughing on the other end. The thing is, my name isn't Cathy. 🤣 I don't even KNOW a Cathy! Never did live that one down!
Most companies lack etiquette nowadays. Don’t introduce themselves, or their company, leave us on hold & lazily hang up 20 minutes while we’re on hold!
Or say they'll transfer but then hang up right away. Or hang up when you've introduced yourself because apparently everyone's a telemarketer these days. I could be a customer, a client.
Isn't it funny how language has changed. The receptionist said "Care to see the paper" not would you like to read the paper while you wait. She could have held it up and said "There it is, you've seen it now" and he could have said "Yes that's a paper alright"
He didn’t mean he was going to literally kidnap her. He obviously admired her telephone courtesy and wanted to hire her for his business. It’s understood to be a figure of speech. Don’t work yourself into a lather!
The main character Mr. Burton was played by legendary actor Richard Lane, who featured alongside stars such as The Three Stooges and Abbott and Costello. RIP sir you are not forgotten
This man is a superior leader, with proper amounts of all the prerequisites of such an archetype. Too bad such perfection simply flies in the face of human nature. Exceptions may exist to prove the rule.
One thing I personally H-A-T-E with receiver phones is the person on the other end of the line hanging up the receiver in its base so quickly that you hear a very unpleasant crashing noise straight in your eardrum before the call cuts off! That's why I always press the receiver's button with my finger in order to hang up in a gentle way for the other party. One click - silence! On today's receiver phones you ( almost ) don't have a button anymore, you have an infrared sensor you can interrupt. One finger tap, if at all - silence! Both ways make a clean line cutoff without hurting anyone!
I guess I must be old-fashioned at work... I answer the phone with my agency (DOT), the city, and my last name. Almost everyone nowadays uses their first name; I sometimes hear a pause at the other end until they realize they've got the right person.
@@oldblackstock2499 My last name is unique enough to where it wasn't an issue (I'm retired now). And with Caller ID, I almost always knew who was calling anyway. I mainly strove to make my greeting as concise as I could. Thinking about it, though, there WAS one time many years ago where my mother and I worked in the same institution and I answered using my last name. They said, "You're not _______!" at which point I explained that I was her son :)
By answering a phone call, the first syllable is mostly lost. Therefore most companies use something like: Hello, this is ABC-Company, my name is.... How can I help you?
People today are RUDE when they call. They either put you on speaker phone because they are too lazy to hold the phone, or they are carrying on a conversation with someone in the background, or are banging things in the background because they are too rude to just talk to you. They also call on CRAPPY cell phones and they sound garbled. Or when they ask you a question and you start to answer they don't LISTEN and interrupt. IF YOU WANT TO TALK TO YOURSELF DON'T CALL OTHER PEOPLE!
My very first job was as an telephone operator for state government offices. Three tears on wire switchboard. Then changed to receptionist. Phone system was so easy then. All push button.
Press 1 if you are male. Press 2 if you are female. Press 3 if you are drunk. Press 4 for directions to the bathroom. Press 5 to hear the menu repeated. Press 6 to receive freebies from Uncle Sam.
(ring, ring, ring) "The BouQUET residence, the lady of the HOUSE speaking" 😂😂
Aha, it's the Bucket woman!!
@@MeowingKittyCat 😂😂😂
Oh sheridannnnnn
@@lkw1539 😄😄😄
on a white, slim line, push button telephone.
Listening to old melodies makes me realize that sometimes simplicity is the most beautiful thing. 🌻
This video takes me back to my childhood. My dad had his office in the home & that's pretty much how we had to answer the phone. " Smith residence", "Shall I say who's calling?" or " I'm sorry he isn't home right now, can I take a message?" I felt like a 10 yr old secretary & loved it!
I was taught to say, "so-and-so residence" until my friends teased me too much
It's good etiquette. It was then, obviously, and it still is, although very few in the business world now seem to think so.
Now if I want to work for my uncle, I have to deal with 6 different online platforms blocking me and mis functioning at once for absolutely no reason.
Lol we had a similar situation. We always answered the phone with Hello Williams. And who shell I say is calling. And I'm sorry he\she is unable to come to the phone may I take a message. All our friends got such a kick out of hearing it. They would put on such a posh voice to immate us. My brothers use to get mad about it. But it never bothered me. I always thought they admired it because they really actually liked how it sounded.
@@lazyhomebody1356 I used to say that when I was at someone else's home to let the caller know that reached the right number.
I wish that friendly, personalized service was still the order of the day.
I remember working at BellSouth when I was in my late teens. It was around May of 1999 and an older sounding woman called me and asked me if I would call her back in 25 minutes. I informed her that I believed we no longer provided that service, but as a courtesy to her, I would be happy to.
I wrote the reminder on a pad and in 24 minutes, I busied-out my console and called her as requested. Long story short, she was 93, had a little trouble with memory and hadn't called an operator in decades.
What was the reason she wanted a courtesy call? She was baking a cake for her great grandson. The cake was done. 🍰
Thanks for reading this far-the moral of the story is this: Friendly, personalized service has been taken over by instant gratification and cost-saving measures. We need to make it part of American culture again. Service with a smile! 📞😁
Last paragraph.. absolutely correct!!!
Its sad all the tier 1 level support is almost gone and replaced by insane phone trees or a person that is doing 3 jobs for 1....
@@btd7664 You are 100% spot on - I see the same thing and have come to the same conclusion.
Why didn't she set a timer?
Alas, it's a rare occasion that you're afforded the opportunity to speak to a human being at all these days. I'm reminded of a lyric of Bob Dylan's from a song called "Talking world war 3 blues" where he dreams he's virtually the last person on earth after a nuclear war, and that song was written in the 60s. He sings...
In his quest for other people and having difficulty finding anyone else to talk to.....So I called up the operator of time, just to here a human voice of some kind..... when you hear the beep... it'll be 3 o'clock, she said that for over an hour and I hung up. That's the great Bob Dylan's, political activist and it's been said "The voice of a generation" he could be very serious of course, but sometimes very funny I think. I worked for Blockbuster video at one point, who aren't the household name they once were. Go Home Happy was printed right on the bags I put peoples' movies in and, I loved (and still do ) making people happy. It's contagious, it spreads like a virus, happiness I believe and your comment, helping that old woman made me smile. What a beautiful story of kindness and I think your one of the good guys. At least that's the way it sounds to me, so I thought I'd let you know, and I hope you'll maybe smile a little yourself. Stan
Still effective with todays standards, lots of people who don't know basic phone etiquette, it actually makes one job easier to be professional and courteous when answering the phone properly.
My contractors will not call me to convey important/pertinent information to me. I think they are texting my landline! And they are clueless about leaving voicemail.I told them a million times I HAVE A LANDLINE!
Basic phone etiquette: Use a LAND LINE where and whenever possible! Especially if you are calling the studio line to be on air with a TV or radio station. The station's broadcast 'air chain' will magnify cellular/mobile imperfections mercilessly
"And I'm too busy to argue about it!" (slams phone) Welcome to my world lol.
He seems like a good boss. He recognizes when one of his people has too big of a workload and fixes it.
Yeah after he screams bloody murder
When he is not sleeping with all the women probably if they turn him down gives them the boot out the door!
Now they just say well you should have still been able to get everything done.
@@HerecomestheCalavera Yeah even bosses are lazy now. Can't even be bothered to train new employees. Your co-workers have to either teach you on the fly, or it's just sink or swim.
Not many bosses have the mental capacity to do that nowadays
My dad always told me that when I called a friend, I should say, “Hi, it’s Cheryl. Can I speak to Lisa?” I had to introduce myself first then ask to speak to whoever. I still do that.
Cheryln Kurz I used to do that, but too many people sternly said I know who you are...I’ve got caller ID!
I think that was good advice for calling a residence before caller i.d. but not a business. I work Reception at a major office and answer the phone. I don't need to know who's calling or what you're calling about (I could care less ) but I need the first and last name of the person you want to talk to. Caller: " I'd like to speak to John Public". Reception: "One moment please".
Maybe not for a receptionist. But a good personal assistant is a gatekeeper. Therefore it's necessary to know who is calling, which calls will be transferred, which will be blocked.
I work in roofing service when I call a company to say that I'm in route to look at a roof issue. I say hello I'm so in so with such n such company. May I speak to whomever my contact is. Its important information, and courtesy. I would not do that if I was calling a friend who had my name saved in contacts. Now back in the 80s and 90s before everyone had caller ID. Thats what you did. You introduced yourself when you called, or it would have been rude.
Elegant handwriting 😍🔥🙌
It's quite lovely
@@monkeynumbernine indeed it is🙂
Back when people actually wrote. Now everyone prints.
Truly a lost art form.
Funny we call it "penmanship"
Best telephone answering ever -- Farina (Our Gang) watching Grandma's store while she's out -- the phone rings, and he answers "Start the argument". Priceless! 😀
When I worked in retail, we were to answer the phone with, "Thank you for calling RadioShack, Plainfield. This is Steve. How can I help you?"
The caller nearly always replied with, "Is this RadioShack?"
Oh, how I wanted to say, "No, please call again -- and listen to the greeting!"
@Richard Head Please call again.
@@Adelicows Hey, at least they gave you something! We only got scolded if we didn't do it.
Adeline. You deserved to win the lotto after having to say all that! Interesting story. Whenever I call somewhere and the employee on the other end has to say a mouthful, I feel for them. It is awkward.
TheSteveMol “NOOOO, THIS IS STEVE MOL!!”
This was great! Loved the "telephone show!" I remember the days of the telephone, typewriters, and stenographers.
This is why my grandpa is always very formal on the telephone. I really like that. i wanted to learn those manners and use them but my friends made fun of me when i used some of the manners i learned
People today dont have phone manners today
So what? Your friends could learn a bit from you (that's probably why they were so jealous, they made fun of you.) 😉
@@Michelle77Va They don't have manners, in general. Likely no room for them. Butthurt is taking up all of the manners space. 😉
You should still use those manners! Who cares if your friends make fun of you. My coworkers make fun of me because I sound like a recording when I answer the phone at work and they think I’m old-fashioned because of the tone of voice I use. I don’t let that change how I answer the phone. Be true to yourself and use the telephone manners you admire!
They have no class and not the slighest clue what proper manners are! Keep those manners always with you as they will advance you further in life than your "friends".
Now the scammers are calling from India claiming they are from the IRS and sending the police if you don't go to Walmart, get gift cards, and read them the numbers.
Love the people who call them back and post it on youtube.
I always do a sound like "Hmmmm?" and if it's clearly a scammer, I just start screaming in fake Chinese. Bet they won't be calling ME again. Now that's phone courtesy!
Anyone who falls for THAT deserves it
@@GTA5Player1 Just use call blocking app and set up a "white list"...
@@TheOzthewiz Well, that just sounds too complicated for me.
Rex Warden Now that's what I call creative!
A time long gone... I was once called up and unknown to me I was put on loud speaker at a managers conference and asked about some projects I was working on. In talking I also gave my personal views on some issues which I believed would be kept in confidence. There were around 30 people at that meeting, I felt ambushed once I knew. Etiquette: inform the person you are talking to when you put them on speaker.
HAHAHA I remember that! OH man, you were an absolute clod, we knew you thought it was confidential. Frank came up with the idea. The girl that used to answer the phone for the company said you were a total Moose twit. She said your breath always smelled like fish.
That may actually also be a legal question.
@@BeckBeckGo It is not. No right to privacy on a speaker phone call.
Lol
I worked for a big manufacturing company that had many of these telephone courtesy methods for answering the phone in my department. The sales department had to answer calls in less than 3 rings. I often wonder why I would get misdirected calls every other day. I found out the answer once I kept the company. Calling my company to take care of paper work, I was shocked as to how rude the receptionist was and how she misdirected my call. I realized at that point even if all the departments of my company were responsible on answering calls. The company’s receptionist was at fault for probably losing the company valuable clients. So in essence, the company receptionist is the most important, and most valuable to any company large or small.
This is actually a really good training video
Wow! This phone etiquette and courtesy still applies for our so called " modern offices"!!!!
it's the people not the technology
Customers are much more abusive and uncouth. Nobody owes you shit once you start acting like that.
People aren’t putting up with that foolishness anymore.
I’ve never liked that way of answering a phone like you just woke up from a coma; “ Hullo?”.
the phone company needs to come out with texting manners 101
A girl once thought I was creepy because I text in full sentences and rarely any emojis.
@@MegaKopfschmerzen Frankly those little girls, who use emojis, can go to Hell. No one will text them when they are 40.
Jessa DeLaGhetto Lmao
To all: so true, lmao 😆
Not to mention spelling & grammar.
Watching this made me realize how long it’s been since I heard a dial tone!
I hear a dial tone every time I make a call!
@@chargermoparcell phones don’t really have a dial tone. It has the phone dialing. A dial tone is what a land line has when you pick it up and tells you it’s ready for dialing.
I miss slamming down the telephone receiver. It got rid of my anger
Hahahahaha!
Never work at a call center. I did for 15 yrs & had mini nervous breakdown but not before telling that “a-hole” on the line where he could go. People think they can talk to employees so nasty. Of course I retired then. HA-HA
You've got problems...
@@bradleyleacock3381 everyone does
Now it’s the silent mode. They may not know you flipped that switch.
BUT YOU DO.
Lmfao, the girl who says, "what do you want?" is me. 😂
"Oh! Is this Mr. Burton?"
"....YEEeeeEEEEeeeSSSS!!!!"
I can imagine how these employees would deal with today's telephone menus. First there's the 1-minute spiel on office hours, location, directions, etc. Then "Please listen to this message carefully as our menu selections have recently changed" (they always say that -- the menus must change every day). Then "For Spanish, press 1, for a list of telephone extensions, press 2, to make an appointment, press 3" ... 90 seconds later ... "for the operator, press 0". By the time this is all finished, you don't even remember why you were calling. 🤬
or even who you called
@Richard Head I know! And I'm too embarrassed to say "I can't understand your accent", so I end up saying (over and over) "Sorry, I'm having trouble hearing you; could you please repeat that?" LOL
Or the ones that are like "Say 'help' or 'my account' or..." and never understand you!
Ain't that the unvarnished TRUTH!!!
@@soneil7745 Those ones make me want to pitch my phone out the window.
“Aren’t you worried about me wanting your girl?” 😂🤣😂🤣
Very nice film from the long gone Bell System, about the wrong usage of the telephone, such as shouting over the phone, or garbling on the line,
or slamming the receiver in the workplace. A business has a "telephone
show" to learn phone courtesy.
The Bell System is still around, it just changed its name to AT&T some years back.
I like these nostalgia videos.
18:35 features Hope Summers (Clara from the Andy Griffith Show. ) Giving an example of something we still deal with today. Being bounced from one wrong department to another to another.
This film says nothing about using an airhorn to get rid of telemarketers, so I presume it's okay.
During my very recent days as a receptionist, I was often mistaken for an answering machine, because of my polished old-school voice and technique. I'm not that old, just a damn good mimic.
I use the same technique when I make calls, especially to customer service lines. While I may be firm sometimes, I always try to be polite and respectful, because, having worked as a receptionist, I know the abuse they have to put up with.
I love the woman eating on the phone, that's so funny! This is great, it makes an educational topic fun and actually something you'd want to watch, rather than being lectured. Simply, these basic rules apply today. Be polite, don't keep people waiting ages, get the right info noted, and also it's OK to have a bit of fun and joke with customer service etc on the phone, it sometimes brightens their day.
I learned that same phone educate in high school business class. After my youngest kids started grade school I put those phone skills to use. I had a job as a receptionist and then a desk clerk for a hotel chain. I'm now a assistant manager and use the education and teach it to my desk staff.
When I was a kid I answered the phone by saying, What. It drove my mother crazy.
I'll leave it to others to make the obvious contemporary comparisons. I'll just say , that amongst the magnificent dress of the times , what superbly convincing acting there was.
That bit about the importance of answering your own phone calls to avoid confusion... The entire point of having a secretary is to screen the calls coming in from the switchboard, so you can know your time isn't being wasted on calls you don't want to receive yourself. I used to handle a small, 8-line switchboard, to 32 stations, screened calls for the deputy director, did data entry and physical files, worked as a creative consultant and proofreader of the newsletter and op eds for the analysts. I had 3 desks and was the administrative assistant and receptionist. The operator on here only having one job to do all day must have been in hell after a few years, and suffering from carpal tunnel in both hands.😜
I really enjoyed watching this. The good ol’ days of slamming the receiver down on rude callers are long gone....at least in homes (I don’t know about businesses) who don’t have an older telephones. Those were the days!
Especially when dealing with women named Hortense. 😆
I know just what you mean! That crash of the receiver on the stand was so satisfying when you hung up on a rude or annoying caller!
And I thought I was the last remaining person who ate cheese with apple pie....
You are! This footage is very old
Cheddar on apple pie is great! Ideally, the pie should be warm.
How about eating cinnamon rolls with chili?
That was a shocker, cheese and apple pie??
@@rollandjoesephCheddar Cheese on Apple Pie? Jesus, it's like they lived in another universe from us.
Still true today, courtesy costs nothing.
But it pays big !
This one was especially entertaining.
The ladies are beautiful!
Today, even ignoring the social distancing requirements of covid, you could fit only half as many in the room.
@18:51 Hope Summers played
•Clara Beasley
•Clara Edwards
•Clara Johnson
. on “the Andy Griffith Show”
I recognized two people in this film the boss looks like Dick Lane who use to be a ring announcer at The Olympic Auditorium in downtown Los Angeles and one of the ladies played Clara on the Andy Griffith Show.
Here's another phone courtesy: stop walking out in the street while looking down on your phone!
Amen to that!! I hate when people do that, they look like zombies. And they have no idea what’s going on around them, just not smart!
Or talking on the phone and holding a conversation on public transportation.
@@sabrinanelson8240 exactly. better to keep your private affairs private!
@@machomota One time, I was shopping and a woman around us was talking so loudly about her personal business that when she ended the call....I asked her if she intended to invite her friend to their son's wedding, after what was said....lol Her face was priceless.....
@@Scampergirl I wish I have the gut necessary for doing something like that
Wait a minute... You put your company’s phone number on your business cards?
GENIUS!!!!
Yeah I about threw my coffee at the monitor when they figured THAT one out...
LOL!! I know, funny when he said that. Maybe it wasn’t common back then in the 40s like it is today.
Used to call the operator and ask to be patched through to x city. Once to x city operator you'd ask for the business you wanted.
It will never work
Wearing his hat at the table. Naughty naughty.
I remember answering the phone@home and sometimes asking , 'Would you like to leave a message?" or " May I say who's calling?" and when the party at the other end would pass the information, I'd write it down in (Gregg) Shorthand. Got an A+ at the end of the 1975 school year! Keep on Truckin'!
10 4 big buddy !
Doing that now would get you into some deep sh - when half of it are spam calls or unwanted calls. Most people lie. And thankfully this is what texting is for.
I don't know about you all, but there was nothing more satisfying, than being able to slam the phone receiver down whenever you got mad at the other person on the line! Impossible to do with a cellphone lol. 😂
Said every other women responding to this video..lol
You're not slamming it hard enough
Most of these comments are regarding the comment about cheese on apple pie. When I was young, my mother would slice up an apple in thin slices and lay a slice of cheddar cheese on each slice and serve that with tea to her friends every afternoon. I absolutely love it and I still have it almost every other day today. It also looks very pretty on a plate with the white Apple and orange cheese on top. You have to try it!
Dick Lane, the guy interviewing the other guy in the light suit, was the longtime wrestling and roller derby announcer for KTLA Ch. 5. He was well known for the familiar expression "OH NELLIE!!!!!" 🎙️📺😁
Well, that was an odd phrase. I have never once had cheese with apple pie. They're usually fine on their own, but if you're going to accessorize, the go-to is a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Only difference btwn the yelling now is that he'd be yelling at a computer,lol.
Had a particularly busy day at my Vet office where I was a receptionist/tech. Phones ringing off the hook, and the girls at the front desk were busy handling the sudden rush of customers and phone calls, I was out there filing patient files, decided they could use a hand and answered the phone in my usual manner except one tiny detail, "Hello thank you for calling (insert business name) I'm Cathy, how may I direct your call?" The girl in the chair next to me, a long time co-worker started laughing and literally fell out of her chair. It was just my luck it was the boss. I could hear him laughing on the other end. The thing is, my name isn't Cathy. 🤣 I don't even KNOW a Cathy! Never did live that one down!
That’s hysterical. 😂😂
Most companies lack etiquette nowadays. Don’t introduce themselves, or their company, leave us on hold & lazily hang up 20 minutes while we’re on hold!
Or say they'll transfer but then hang up right away. Or hang up when you've introduced yourself because apparently everyone's a telemarketer these days. I could be a customer, a client.
Isn't it funny how language has changed.
The receptionist said "Care to see the paper" not would you like to read the paper while you wait.
She could have held it up and said "There it is, you've seen it now" and he could have said "Yes that's a paper alright"
I would this to get updated and put back out. Cause all around it would do wonders.
Here’s “Clara Edwards” from the Andy griffin show 😂😂😂😂😂😂
18:49 Clara from Andy Griffith show!
Right? 😉
Clara Beasley
or
Clara Edwards
or
Clara Johnson
She’s all THREE!
He threatened to kidnap the phone operator. Back in those days they just laugh that off.
It was a different time, they didn't take it seriously
it was a joke...
He didn’t mean he was going to literally kidnap her. He obviously admired her telephone courtesy and wanted to hire her for his business. It’s understood to be a figure of speech. Don’t work yourself into a lather!
He's probably got a half dozen telephone operators in his basement already ..
Issa joke
“what do you want?” That’s my line
Lol
People are so anti-social. 😁
Or "It's your dime; start talking". Of course, the days of having to put a dime into a pay phone to make a call are pretty much over. 😺
@@MeowingKittyCat Yeah. Today we use quarters. LOL.
"Work yourself into a lather", LOL!
Gregory May I’m going to bring that term back. 😆
@@elderlypoodle9181 Now now, don't get your dander up.
Somehow makes me think of Brokeback Mountain 🤣
Gregory May I still say that quite often 😂
My mom says “work themselves into a lather.” I chuckled when Burton said that.
I used to work one of those cord boards for all the big hotels in vancouver. We did manage to be a bit cheeky sometimes.😁
Love the antiquated switchboard!
The main character Mr. Burton was played by legendary actor Richard Lane, who featured alongside stars such as The Three Stooges and Abbott and Costello. RIP sir you are not forgotten
People still need this informative training today
My father-in-law used to say that apple pie without cheese was like a kiss without a squeeze. 😘
I miss the satisfaction of being able to slam that phone down.
This man is a superior leader, with proper amounts of all the prerequisites of such an archetype.
Too bad such perfection simply flies in the face of human nature. Exceptions may exist to prove the rule.
He is super condescending.
We could use this today! People don't know how to talk over the phone anymore. There's no 'goodbye' anymore, they just hang up!
"This is the age of communication. I can't get ahold of any person." -- Ray Bradbury, 2008.
One thing I personally H-A-T-E with receiver phones is the person on the other end of the line hanging up the receiver in its base so quickly that you hear a very unpleasant crashing noise straight in your eardrum before the call cuts off! That's why I always press the receiver's button with my finger in order to hang up in a gentle way for the other party. One click - silence! On today's receiver phones you ( almost ) don't have a button anymore, you have an infrared sensor you can interrupt. One finger tap, if at all - silence! Both ways make a clean line cutoff without hurting anyone!
The good old days. Why did I have to be born when all of this was over and done with? =(
“It may sound queer for me to tell you how to talk over the telephone”...well, I wasn’t going to judge....😂😂😂😂
Whenever my husband calls his mother and whenever she calls him they always say to each other who is calling 🤣🤣🤣
I lonve those old time phones
I guess I must be old-fashioned at work... I answer the phone with my agency (DOT), the city, and my last name. Almost everyone nowadays uses their first name; I sometimes hear a pause at the other end until they realize they've got the right person.
Using your first and last name would be beneficial . Without your first name that may be confusing.
@@oldblackstock2499 My last name is unique enough to where it wasn't an issue (I'm retired now). And with Caller ID, I almost always knew who was calling anyway. I mainly strove to make my greeting as concise as I could. Thinking about it, though, there WAS one time many years ago where my mother and I worked in the same institution and I answered using my last name. They said, "You're not _______!" at which point I explained that I was her son :)
By answering a phone call, the first syllable is mostly lost. Therefore most companies use something like: Hello, this is ABC-Company, my name is.... How can I help you?
2:09 you're telling me they had Post-it notes way back then??? 12:19 apple pie and cheese???? I sure as hell am never eating at that guy's house!
Never pass up a free meal.
Apple pie and cheese was a classic desert
Byte Me
“Byte Me” for a name ?
And YOU question what someone else eats?
What are these guys complaining about? Today it’s a privilege to speak to a human being who actually speaks your language.
Well, his screaming at her into the phone wasn't very courteous.
I'd say it was just perfect!
But he's a guy. In the 1940's.
@@g0i2023 no if's or butt's about it !!
I still find something to hit when I can't slam the phone down.
Cheese goes with apple pie? 😳 Is that a "thing"?
Yes
Mr Mountain Hiker
yes .
I bet you never put peanuts in your Coca Cola,
Yes, it makes just enough sense, like eating applesauce with pork chops lol.
@@jamesbulldogmiller woh...peanuts in your coke? is THAT a thing?! haha hmmmm
isn't that what deniro order's in TaxiDriver?
People today are RUDE when they call. They either put you on speaker phone because they are too lazy to hold the phone, or they are carrying on a conversation with someone in the background, or are banging things in the background because they are too rude to just talk to you. They also call on CRAPPY cell phones and they sound garbled. Or when they ask you a question and you start to answer they don't LISTEN and interrupt. IF YOU WANT TO TALK TO YOURSELF DON'T CALL OTHER PEOPLE!
The boss sure looks like Dick Lane of wrestling fame, was also in Boston Blackie.
That girl can certainly handle a switchboard, hubba hubba.
My very first job was as an telephone operator for state government offices. Three tears on wire switchboard. Then changed to receptionist. Phone system was so easy then. All push button.
That is some stock room, I must say.
Press 1 if you are male. Press 2 if you are female. Press 3 if you are drunk. Press 4 for directions to the bathroom. Press 5 to hear the menu repeated. Press 6 to receive freebies from Uncle Sam.
Does cheese go with apple pie? That's a new one to me.
i love that he mentioned pipes specifically :)
At: 0:41 " What do you want .? " 😂😂😂😂 Love it. ❤
Me in the morning at my first call lol
@ 5:55 that's the way my wife talks to me every night around 1:30 a.m. then she goes back to sleep and claims she doesn't remember a thing! oh my!!
That big-ass X would be workin' overtime if it was still around during the age of the smart phone/rude person.
12:15 cheese goes with apple pie?
There's nothing like angrily dialling a number using a rotary phone. Kids these days won't ever know the struggle...
hypnotic and fun 🤩
“Is this Mr. Burton?” ….. “YEEESSSSS!!!!!!”
I like and agree with this video but goodness there are a lot of ads!
??? I watched the whole thing twice--on two different days--and never got a single ad.
They really should show this to Telstra customer service employees
Did the operator stick a note on her phone? I thought 3M didnt bring the sticky note out until 1977
Sometimes I watch this like a movie 😂 I’ve seen it like five times 💀
Oh wow. The frustrated transferred caller was Clara from the Andy Griffith show. 😊