The other day I tried calling a lawyer I sometimes work with.
An assistant answered the phone: Jeff Foster's office.
Me: Hello, this is Max. May I speak with Jeff please.
Assistant: He's not in right now. Would you like his voice mail?
Me: No, that's okay. Please just ask him to call me when he returns.
Assistant: I can't take a message, as I work in a different part of the building, but I can give you his voice mail.
What the hell? Why do you waste my time to answer the phone and then ask if I want voice mail? Why not save me the time and just send the thing to the damn voice mail? I have noticed this particular phenomenon with lawyers and other consultants. What is the point of having a useless person answer a phone? It sure doesn't suggest "high class office" but rather screams, "We're pretty dumb and pretentious, and we presume you are too!"

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