While the girl was getting my dental records, the phone rang at my dentist's. I reached over and answered the phone and took a message to cancel an appointment. Is it okay to do this in stores as well? These people can't do everything and need all the help we can give them!
2007-08-26 09:53:34 · 39 answers · asked by JD 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
I understand you wanting to help. I have been in the same position and I had to practically yell at myself to not answer someone else's business phone. It was very tempting because I like to help out too. You did what a lot of us would like to do, but don't have the guts. I would love to have a customer like you!
2007-08-26 10:23:54 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 4⤋
No, it is not proper etiquette to answer any phone, whether it be a personal friend or business. The only circumstance under which it would be permissible is if you asked the person if they would like you to answer it and they said yes. I'm certain you meant no harm and were just trying to help, however, if any business is so short staffed that it needs a customer to answer a telephone, they need to hire someone to fill in the gaps.
When you answer the telephone for a business, and most especially a doctor or any type of professional, you never know who is on the other end. It may have turned out that you actually knew that person and perhaps they would not have wanted a casual acquaintance or friend to know that this is the very same person who treats them! It becomes an issue of privacy for many people and for those who treat them as well.
In today's world there are very few people or businesses that who do not have voice mail or an answering service of some kind. Leave answering the telephone to those whose job it is.
2007-08-26 10:12:55 · answer #2 · answered by Chris B 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Never. Under no circumstances is it proper to answer a business phone if you are not an employee or have not been asked to do so.
Consider the case as it may well have been when customers call to cancel appointments and the receptionist does this on a customer management program on her computer. Your paper note could end up in the trash and the customers request is then not serviced. Whose fault would it be?
2007-08-26 10:04:58 · answer #3 · answered by PastorBobby 5 · 7⤊ 0⤋
You are just nosy. Never, ever, answer a phone that does not belong to you, especially in a business and most especially at any type of medical facility. Don't you remember having to sign all those privacy forms at all those places a few years ago when the HIPPAA laws were updated? It's against the law for the receptionist to share any information about other patients with you; what you did was the equivalent to reading the files on her desk while she was away. She can get in big trouble for that, even though you are the one who was wrong.
2007-08-26 11:13:00 · answer #4 · answered by Robin 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
No way! Customers should never answer the phone in businesses, unless of course a staff member asks them to. Even though you would like to help it's really inappropriate to do answer their phone. It's none of your business what kind of phone calls they get and you as a customer shouldn't be dealing with other customers. Customers calling in expect to talk to the staff, not some random customer who happens to be by the phone at the time, so you would actually be doing them a bigger favor by staying out of their phone calls.
2007-08-26 12:01:45 · answer #5 · answered by undir 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
No its not.
It could be considered criminal. Going to the Dentist or who people meet for medical attention is private. Doctors dont even have to tell the police what is going on, unless its a gunshot.
For you to answer a medical doctors phone, I could see the police filing charges against you. What if you wrote down the number wrong, or got the wrong name. And they billed insurance for missing an appointment. Now lets say you answered taco bells phones. Its still wrong.
I dont think you have to worry about criminal charges, I doubt they would charge a 13 year old for it. The reason I say 13 years old because nobody over 13 is that immature they would even do it. Actually a 13 year old wouldnt even do that.
You shouldnt lie about your age to get onto Yahoo Answers. Give your older sister back the computer and go play with your barbies. This is a place for grownups. Go back to the kids table.
2007-08-26 10:03:44 · answer #6 · answered by financing_loans 6 · 6⤊ 1⤋
The answer is no. Unless you work for the company it is not permissible for you to pick up the phone and act as an agent of the company. The company is liable for what they do in their business. If you were to pick up the phone and give someone advice or attempt to take information then you are essentially acting as an employee of the company. What if someone was hurt as a result of this? What if a very important piece of information did not make it to the person (ie: doctor) who needed it? If someone were hurt as a result of this the company would be liable for their actions (and the person who answered their phone). If you do not work for a company you should not be answering their phone unless they specifically ask you to.
2007-08-26 10:04:32 · answer #7 · answered by binaryloop 3 · 5⤊ 0⤋
I would say that if someone (a customer) found it a requirement to answer the phone at my business I would be a bit embarrassed by that. Not to mention what the person on the phone would think if you told them "hold on I dont work here." They would think "then why the hell did you answer the phone?"
I would suggest you let it go to voice mail.
2007-08-26 10:12:48 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
No, not acceptable. People permitted to answer the phone (at your dentist) are employees. What if the person on the other end had been rude to you? Would you have then been rude in return? You can't take it upon yourself to do the receptionists job. It seems tacky that you would answer any phone that isn't your own. Just my opinion.
2007-08-26 10:04:53 · answer #9 · answered by Stephanie F 1 · 6⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely not! Not everyone is so open and willing to give their information to strangers. When someone calls their doctors office of dentists office they are expecting to speak to someone knowledgeable about the product/service and about their personal records. When a receptionist is hired on they are usually under strict confidentiality codes. As for a mainstream business, it's still NOT ok. When you call a hardware store for a type of tool do you want to speak to someone who doesn't work there and may not be as knowledgeable? I don't think so.
2007-08-26 10:01:59 · answer #10 · answered by Under Z Sea 3 · 8⤊ 0⤋
No. It's not appropriate. The person who answers the phone is a reflection on the company. Often, companies have a script which their employees are supposed to use. Business pay for phone services that drop into a message box if the employee is busy. It is very bad form to pick up the phone for a place that does not employ you. You could have gotten her fired.
2007-08-26 10:01:26 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 8⤊ 0⤋