Don't call me at home!

[Salesmonkey]

The SC in question isn't mine, it's actually Mrs. Salesmonkey's. But since I had to deal with them, you all need to know how it went down. A little background: Mrs. Salesmonkey works in an office with about 15 people in all. I work out of my home office, which is a little room off the garage. I've petitioned Mrs. Salesmonkey to allow me to convert the 2nd guest bedroom into an office, but she says no way.

Anyway, she occasionally has to call her clients from our home phone after hours. I have an extension off this because although I take incoming calls on my cell, I use the home phone to call out- unlimited long distance and all that.

The SC must have gotten our number from caller ID, because they call at about 11am and ask for her.

Me: I'm afraid that she's at her office right now. You can reach them at 555-1984 and she'll be there until 5pm.
SC: Her office called and told me to call her. I need to talk to Mrs. Salesmonkey.
Me: She's not here. You should call her office.
SC: There's nobody there. I just get an answering machine.
Me: There is a phone tree, but you just need to press the number for her assistant Melinda if you need a specific thing, or you can press the other number for main reception to talk about appointments.
SC: But they told me to call them.
Me: So you should call the office. (hang up)

This ignorant primate calls back! Lather, rinse, repeat: call the office! As it happens, Mrs. Salesmonkey calls me a little bit later to discuss plans for dinner. I inform them of the problems this client is having with the phone. I hear her asking her assistant about this and they haven't heard a thing from the person, and the phone system is definitely working OK and not diverting calls to voicemail.

The gravy on this porkchop is that when we got home late from dinner, there was a message on our voicemail from the SC berating us for not getting in touch with them and informing us that they'd be taking their future business elsewhere. We were both elated. Mrs. Salesmonkey said that it saved her the trouble of telling them herself that they should take their business away.

[Megg]

Did you get it in writing?

I've petitioned Mrs. Salesmonkey to allow me to convert the 2nd guest bedroom into an office, but she says no way.

Why not? You have 2 guest bedrooms, you can convince her she doesn't like people that much or something.

[Snowbird]

It sounds like you all need to get your home phone number unlisted a.s.a.p. if Mrs. Salesmonkey is going to continue to make work calls there, otherwise this is going to be repeated and will only get worse, I'd imagine.

[telecom_goddess]

rather than making the number unlisted you should block outbound caller id so it shows up as private...that way they can't pull your number off of caller id....

[donruss]

rather than making the number unlisted you should block outbound caller id so it shows up as private...that way they can't pull your number off of caller id....

If you are running a business that is not an option. I myself will never do business or even answer a phone that comes up on my caller ID as "private" or "Unknown". You are calling MY phone, I have the right to know who is calling me and why.

They should just get a separate business line. Keep your personal line just that, personal.

[cinema guy]

Why not? You have 2 guest bedrooms, you can convince her she doesn't like people that much or something.

Beacause she's saving the second one for a nursery.

[Salesmonkey]

Beacause she's saving the second one for a nursery.

Woo Hoo! I am totally ready for kids. I can teach them to hate the same things I hate. We've been trying for a year with no success. Might just have to buy one from China or something.

[wagegoth]

Woo Hoo! I am totally ready for kids. I can teach them to hate the same things I hate. We've been trying for a year with no success. Might just have to buy one from China or something.

I have two. Want one? They're well past potty training, can feed themselves, good with computers, and cute as hell.

[telecom_goddess]

If you are running a business that is not an option. I myself will never do business or even answer a phone that comes up on my caller ID as "private" or "Unknown". You are calling MY phone, I have the right to know who is calling me and why.

They should just get a separate business line. Keep your personal line just that, personal.

I thought it would be an option in this particular case since the OP stated that they took incoming calls on their cell and the wife's office, and not this home line, it was used for outbound only.

I don't answer those kinds of calls either generally but it is a good way to keep unwanted inbound calls out.

[Dips]

If you are running a business that is not an option. I myself will never do business or even answer a phone that comes up on my caller ID as "private" or "Unknown". You are calling MY phone, I have the right to know who is calling me and why.

They should just get a separate business line. Keep your personal line just that, personal.

There are plenty of legitmate business reasons for someone to use their personal phone to make business calls and to supress caller ID.

One that springs to mind is an on-call physician. Their employer isn't going to pay for hundreds of separate phone lines for every single staff member who may be on-call on occasion. They always have and always will call patients back from their home phones. And they will ALWAYS supress caller ID for very good reason. Patients who refuse to pick up won't get helped.