to wish that people leaving telephone messages...

Thing is, most telephones have a short message time, after which it is cut off. Which is why people talk to fast, to get it all in. Daft.. as it just does not work.
Nowadays I always think clearly about the shortest possible clear message beforehand, for any important call, and always repeat name and tel slowly.

Especially when they gabble out a ring-back number. I sometimes have to play it back eight or more times, to get the number digit by digit.

At work we often have messages just saying "Ring me back" - no name or phone number - very infuriating.

Oh, I can't resist phoning 1471...!

Yes gabblers are a pain. It isn't difficult to leave a short succinct message with date and time of call plus your number. Repeating the number is also helpful. But equally annoying are people who won't leave a message even though the machine shows one has been left. I never do a 1471 as I figure that if it was important they would have left a message.

My husband runs a small business and leaves his answer machine on out of hours. The amount of people who call and leave a garbled telephone number for him to call back, is unbelieveable. Often he has three or four colleagues trying to make it out. Then he'll get the irate customer complaining they weren't phoned back!

First time my mother got our ansaphone - way back - she asked me who the 'nice young woman was who answered the phone' - that would be me of course in best telephone voice! Do we rush messages on the same principle of speeding to the garage because we are nearly out of petrol?

I chat away quite happily to answering machines I have been known to redial up to 4 times in order to complete my message (Always clear and eloquent, of course!)
I'm probably as much of a nightmare as the gabblers!!

phoenix - particularly if they are giving out an alternative number to call

I agree, but also wish that when I am ringing companies, the person answering would speak more slowly too!

When answering machines first made their appearance, I used to put the phone down and go off to write my message down, then re-dial. Strange how quickly we get used to innovations!

Isn't it because people hate the bally things and hope against hope that they will get a person? When I don't get a person I panic and gabble, gabble.

I hate recording the message asking people to leave a message too!

On my husband's practice phone we often just get heavy breathing!! Luckily, the machine tells us the number so we call them back - up to now it has always been an older person (rather than an elderly one!!)

I know that sometimes I rush when leaving a message because some machines will cut you off in mid-flow before you get a chance to finish.

Have had to play the message 4 times before to get all the details!

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