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From: cruz@hpuxa.ircc.ohio-state.edu (Alex Cruz)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: One Way of Answering to Annoying Answering Machine Messages
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Date: 9 Oct 90 04:20:45 GMT
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 722, Message 9 of 9


Many stories have been told on the subject of answering machine
messages.  I don't have one.

On the other hand, I can tell you what I do when I call for the nth
time the same person, namely the same machine and I get the usual
boring "Hello ... Hello ... guess I'm not here..." and "Hello? ...
Hold on let me turn down my stereo..." messages:

I simply start talking way before the beep and I modify my message
just a little bit; something like this:

MACHINE: "...so leave your name, number and a brief message and I will
get back with you as soon as I can" BEEEP

ME: "...and that's why I decided to call you; I'm sorry about the news
and don't hesitate to call me next week to that number. Thanks a lot."
CLICK.

One friend of mine confessed recently that he returned his brand new
Panasonic and got another one after I did it to him a couple of years
ago.


Alex Cruz
Consultant - American Airlines Decision Technologies - Dallas, TX
Associate - Center for Advanced Study in Telecommunications - Columbus, OH