How do you take a message for someone over the phone without advertising that you are home alone?

Question

I am physically disabled and still living at my parents but they go out of town on "weekends" (they both work 12 hour days on Fridays to Mondays and have Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays off. I also have a voice that sounds very young but I am 28 years old. Anyways, when people call asking for one of them, I ask them if I can take a message. For some reason, they always go into a mode like "Is your Mommy or Daddy home?" and they won't accept my offer to take a message. I explain that I am not a child, that they are "not available" and I demand to know who is calling because I don't like when people call my house and don't identify themselves. Probably telemarketers. But the point is, I am looking for smarter ways to take calls without advertising that I am home alone... and especially how to deal with people who don't identify who they are because I tend to get kinda mad and lose control with people like that. This is our landline which we don't normally use for personal calls and we don't have an answering machine for screening (it goes to voicemail with a special number that you have to call to get the messages later). Normally we get all of our personal calls via cellphone but lately my cellphone signal stinks in this apartment. I answer the landline because I often have my friendly neighbor call me on that line when she is ready to walk my dog for me when my parents are out of town or have my friends that live nearby use that line when they want to come over and check up on me and keep me company for a little while. Otherwise, they could call but my cellphone won't necessarily ring and sometimes I don't even get the "missed call" alert or voicemail alert until hours later. Also, the landline is more reliable for emergencies (because my cell signal cuts in and out) so I carry it around with me at home and when it rings, I want to know if its my neighbor calling or one of my friends. So just not answering it is not the kind of advice I am looking for. I am looking for better ways to handle phone calls... not ways to avoid calls. Thanks!

Answer 1

Tell them that whoever is in the bathroom and that as soon as they can, they'll call back. You can't argue with someone being in the bathroom; everybody does it. In fact, it seems whenever I'm in the bathroom, the phone rings.

Answer 2

Always say they are "indisposed" at the moment, can I take a message?

Answer 3

I always ask who is calling before I tell them weather the person is available or not.  If the person isn't home I simply say they are unavailable right now, can I take a message.  Good luck!

Answer 4

All you need to do is say, "I'm sorry, he/she is not available, but I wold be happy to take a message."  At this point, if they start quizzing you further, you simply say, "I'm sorry, I'm running late for an appointment, and I have to hang up."  This works well and it's not even being rude.  

Answer 5

You must come to understand the mentality of a telemarketer.  They get a little training and then get put right on a phone and given loads and loads of numbers to dial.  They are not well paid, they are often lead to believe that they will make a lot of money if they hit some sort sales goal that initialy seems reachable but in practice is all but unobtainable.  It is a proffession with a lot of turnover because people get discouraged from the negativity they encounter from customers and for the low pay.  To survive as a salesman, they want to do all they can do to get to the decision maker.  They can't leave a message with a non decision maker.  A telemarketer must speak directly to that one in a thousand people who is going to say "yes" on the spot.  They usually peddle inferior products.  They don't have time to keep calling someone back 10 times and leaving messages with a non decision maker.  In that time, they could have made 20 other calls and been that much closer to finding a yes.  

Someone that will take the time to research a product, request information or be too leery of a stranger is someone that would never buy from a telemarketer anyway!

Stop agonizing about not getting messages from such people!  Assume the role of a gatekeeper.  They are intruding in your space.  Either they divulge what they have to you or they get nowhere.  Anyone calling you should be willing to give their name, their organization and the purpose of the call. Even if your parents are home - find out what they want first!  Do you want your parents to have to get stuck with a telemarketing call - or worse get ripped off?  If they won't even give you basic information, tell them to take you off their list and then hang up.  

Contact the National Do not call registry and enroll your landline on the list.

https://www.donotcall.gov/

Their is no reason why you should have to divulge that you are home alone to a perfect stranger.  That information is on a need to know basis - and they don't need to know that.  Do these people pay your bills?  So why do you have to spill out your life story to them or put your self at risk?

Just show some more resolve.  Don't let them push you around.  Don't be nasty, but do be firm and do protect your self.

Good luck!

Answer 6

I would say shower or bathroom...if they are still persistent and wont identify themselves you can always hang up. Someone had mentioned a do not call list which is probably the best way to avoid telemarketers.  You can find it at  https://www.donotcall.gov/

Answer 7

Just say the person is indisposed (usually meaning in the bathroom) and could you take a message.  If they get stinky with you, just hang up.

I ask who is calling before passing a call on to anyone else in the house even when they are home, so if the caller refuses to identify them self to me, I tell them I will see if the person they want will talk to them.  The answer is usually, "Who is it?"  I go back to the phone and if they refuse to identify them self, I say so and so will not take your call and I hang up.

Answer 8

Try answering the phone either good morning/afternoon. If they ask for one of your parents say may i ask who is calling. If they refuse to identify themselves simply say your no longer willing to deal with them and hang up. If they are going to ring your house at least have the decency to tell you who they are. You do not need to go into any further details.

As for that mummy daddy c**p. I get that a lot too on the phone and i simply say "if your unable to comprehend that i am over 21 and speak to me on an adult level then perhaps you need to rethink your phone etiquette" that normally shuts them up.

Answer 9

I always say "theyre in the tub/shower"

"in the bathroom"

"having a nap"

"talking to someone at the door"

"are in the middle of their work and would prefer to not be disturbed"

"sorry its lunch/dinner,  can they call you back?"

Answer 10

First you really need to think about investing in a phone with caller id or an answering machine. They have phones out now that have all this stuff built in.

All you really need to say is your MOTHER or FATHER are unavailable at the moment and if they wont tell you who they are or leave a messge, tell them there is nothing more you can do for them, say goodbye and hang up. It's really not anybody's business what your parents are doing at the time. Maybe they will think that by saying mother instead of mom you are more mature then they realize.

Answer 11

say they are in the shower or the bathroom and if they wont say who they are then tell them they obviously arent anyone ur parents would care to talk to if they cant identify themselves and hang up on them. there is a thing u can go on online to put ur number on a do not call list it was on one of the new websites that way u wont get telemarketers but the shower thing is the best idea i have and f*ck it if u get angry with them who cares about them anyway they are just being ignorant and dont deserve ur respect

Answer 12

   I have always said, I'm sorry they are not able to reach the phone just now, may I take a message so that they can return your call as soon as they are able?  That way the caller doesn't know if they're on a ladder fixing the roof, or in the bathroom!