CAMom Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 Here's a question I've been mulling over in my mind: If you noticed a missed call on your cell phone, do you see that as an obligation to return the call? If it is my husband or one of my kids, I always call them back or text them to see if they need me. But, if someone does not leave me a message or follow up with a text asking me to call them, I don't call them back. If someone calls my land line and doesn't leave a message, I don't call them back, either. Is there a proper etiquette on this? What do you do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 I don't expect people to call me back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 Here's a question I've been mulling over in my mind: If you noticed a missed call on your cell phone, do you see that as an obligation to return the call? If it is my husband or one of my kids, I always call them back or text them to see if they need me. But, if someone does not leave me a message or follow up with a text asking me to call them, I don't call them back. If someone calls my land line and doesn't leave a message, I don't call them back, either. Is there a proper etiquette on this? What do you do? If I don't get their call and they don't leave a message, then I don't feel a need to call back. Sometimes I call them back, if I feel like it. But, if they really expected/wanted a return call, then they would leave a message. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 If I want to talk to them, I call back. If I don't, I don't. I don't think etiquette requires a return call to a caller who has chosen not to leave a message. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 If you noticed a missed call on your cell phone, do you see that as an obligation to return the call?No, I don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 If someone calls but leaves no message, I do not feel an obligation to call them back. I don't expect it on the other end either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 But, if they really expected/wanted a return call, then they would leave a message. This. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 Sometimes I don't actually want a call back. Sometimes I was calling about something specific at that time that I don't need answered later and that's why I didn't leave a message. Sometimes I leave a message and people call back without listening to it. I find that annoying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 If it is someone I recognize, then it would be a friend or family member. I would assume that they had a moment to chat and called me but didn't leave a message because there really wasn't a specific message to leave. Since I like my friends and family, I call them back when I have a moment to chat and hope that they are free then as well. No one other than friends or family have my cell number. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 Sometimes I leave a message and people call back without listening to it. I find that annoying. Maybe the message didn't show up on their phone yet. I often don't get the notification about a recorded message for quite a while after the actual missed call - sometimes it's half an hour or more. I don't know why the delay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 Maybe the message didn't show up on their phone yet. I often don't get the notification about a recorded message for quite a while after the actual missed call - sometimes it's half an hour or more. I don't know why the delay. It's my dh and my parents who do this. My parents with their landline. They know they had a message. Other people don't do this to me. I do realize there's a delay in messaging. That doesn't explain my parents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto10blessings Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 If it's my husband, kids or mom I call back. Anyone else I usually won't call back unless they left a message. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAMom Posted November 24, 2014 Author Share Posted November 24, 2014 Thank you! Wanted to make sure I wasn't missing a "rule." :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 it depends who it is. dr's office? - I call back. stranger? - no acquaintence? - probably not. good friend? - yes (it's an excuse to chat ;p) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 If I see a missed call and it's from a friend, I call back when I have time. My friends and I usually meet in person rather than chatting on the phone, so a missed call was most likely a friend wanting to set up an outing. For relatively unimportant quick question type stuff, people will text rather than call. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 Well, I have noticed a different approach with people who are younger than me. For people in their 30s and under they don't seem to leave a message. The alert of a call is seen as the message. They also don't listen to a message when you leave it. I hear some of my friends who have young adult children complaining that their kids just call and don't leave a message. When they complain the kid says 'I called, you know I called, so call me back. Why leave a message?" I think it stems from cell phones having minutes that get used up. You don't want to spend precious minutes leaving or listening to a message. Just let the caller ID do the work for you. So, if I see a call from my sister or some of my friends I call or text back. I don't leave a message for any of them either because I know they won't listen. It is also pretty normal for me to call and to get an immediate text asking why I am calling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 I don't think a call back is necessary without a message or text asking for a callback. Finding time to talk to someone on the phone more than 3 seconds is challenging for us, so I prefer text or e-mail most of the time anyway. And I hate talking on the phone when I'm out and about (which is often). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loowit Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 I don't generally call back unless they leave a message. I irritates DH if I call him back when I missed his call, unless he leaves a message asking me to call him. His opinion is that if they need you to call back they will let you know. I do, however, call my mom back. She usually is just calling to chat, and I know that if it is important she will leave a message, so if I see she has called and left no message I call her back when I have a few minutes to talk. Otherwise, I don't get a lot of phone calls. Mostly I communicate with texts, email, or in person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 I just looked at my phone, because I was curious. First of all, I get so few actual phone calls that I don't know why I even bother to call it a phone. Second, no one leave messages except robots. My 70 year old mother texts me or calls and hangs up and waits for me to text her back, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannahs4 Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 One of my pet peeves is when I get calls from people who are strangers saying "who's this?" Apparently I called them accidently and hung up. Why do people call back when they don't know who it is or don't recognize the number? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 One of my pet peeves is when I get calls from people who are strangers saying "who's this?" Apparently I called them accidently and hung up. Why do people call back when they don't know who it is or don't recognize the number? I have had this happen and I hate it as well. I am assuming they are the sort who gives out their number to people and might not recognize the number of everyone who calls them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hwin Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 I have had this happen and I hate it as well. I am assuming they are the sort who gives out their number to people and might not recognize the number of everyone who calls them. My beloved husband does this because he's nosy. It's apparent to me that if an unknown number rings just once and hangs up, it's probably a wrong number. But he has to call them back and confirm it. It's so awkward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 If I know who the person is, I call back when I can. If I don't recognize the number and they don't leave a message, I figure it wasn't important or it was a wrong number. Frankly, I don't like voicemail for friends/family. I don't want to have to call in, enter passwords, and remember to erase messages just to hear "Hey, it's me. Called to say hi. Call me when you get a chance." If you're my friend/family, I know your number, I know you called, and of course I'll get back to you when I can! But if it's urgent or specific, feel free to leave a message or text. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 I only call back my family. We usually just text each other for less important things. A phone call usually means "I want/need to talk to you now" or it's something that's too complicated/sensitive to text. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 I only call back people who leave messages or family members and close friends whose numbers I recognize. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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