Phone etiquette

[Jolly Blue Giant]

Only recently I've noticed that I end all my calls with "bye, bye" and that the end of the call, the caller just says, "bye". It makes me think I send out a hidden message that I'm effeminate or something. Would you guys ever say "bye, bye"?

I worked in an office environment for years and answered the phone with a brisk tone and identifying myself - name only. At the end of the call, I basically said, "yup" or "okay". But now that I'm an old retired coot, I don't like the way I end my calls. Even my daughters and granddaughters don't say, "bye, bye". Is there something wrong with me (that's a rhetorical question BTW, I know there are plenty of things wrong with me, so be kind please)

In the old days when I was a kid on a farm, my father and whoever he was on the phone with just hung up when they were through with whatever they had to say...never said "bye", just "click". Anyway, I need to up my game on the phone. Anyone else have this issue?

[T200]

My phone call endings vary depending on the person on the other end.

Most people get "Bye". Most of my business calls end in "Bye bye."

Friends and family get a variety of "Lata", "Peace out", "Ciao/Chow", or "I'll holla". FYI, the appropriate response to "Chow" is "Mein".

Telemarketers and scammers get a variety of "GET OFF MY DAMN PHONE AND STOP CALLING ME!!!" 

[Sem]

*This is you asking how I should end my phone calls*
**This is my saying buh-bye**

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wg5lIpQkoOg&t=3s

[MightyGiants]

[Jolly Blue Giant]

*This is you asking how I should end my phone calls*
**This is my saying buh-bye**

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wg5lIpQkoOg&t=3s

At least I don't say "buh", LOL

Hilarious skit...brought back memories from past comedians I loved...especially Norm McDonald and Chris Farley - two great losses

[LennG]

I'm with Tim in that many of my endings depend on whom I am talking to.
To be honest I was never a bye bye person. Just never was
 me. I'm more of a 'take care' type of person. If it isn't a close person it may just be 'have a nice day/night.

If it is family or close friends I usually end with 'talk to you soon. Take care'
If it is immediate family it's always
'love you' and that's it.

[DaveBrown74]

Agree with Tim that it depends on who I am talking to. If it's my wife it's often just "love you." If it's certain friends of mine it is often "later."

But usually it's something like "alright - bye."

I don't think I ever say "bye bye." Nothing wrong with it but I just don't think I ever happen to say it. When I really think about it, I'm not sure people I talk to on the phone do either.

As a general side point on the phone: These days I try to avoid the phone as much as I can. I still use it plenty for all kinds of reasons, but I generally prefer text or emails for routine, quick, less important communication. I like that I can respond when it's convenient for me and I'm not on the spot. I generally try not to surprise people with phone calls for that reason. If I want to talk on the phone, I'll often shoot them a text and say "hey you have 10 min for a call?" or something like that. I know it's been normal behavior for a very long time to just call someone without warning, but if you really think about it, it's somewhat presumptuous to just assume that person isn't busy doing something and is going to to take the time to talk to you. Or even that they're just relaxing and don't feel like talking right at that moment. So I try to do that less and less these days, and I appreciate my friends and family members who have a similar attitude.

[Ed Vette]

Agree with Tim that it depends on who I am talking to. If it's my wife it's often just "love you." If it's certain friends of mine it is often "later."

But usually it's something like "alright - bye."

I don't think I ever say "bye bye." Nothing wrong with it but I just don't think I ever happen to say it. When I really think about it, I'm not sure people I talk to on the phone do either.

As a general side point on the phone: These days I try to avoid the phone as much as I can. I still use it plenty for all kinds of reasons, but I generally prefer text or emails for routine, quick, less important communication. I like that I can respond when it's convenient for me and I'm not on the spot. I generally try not to surprise people with phone calls for that reason. If I want to talk on the phone, I'll often shoot them a text and say "hey you have 10 min for a call?" or something like that. I know it's been normal behavior for a very long time to just call someone without warning, but if you really think about it, it's somewhat presumptuous to just assume that person isn't busy doing something and is going to to take the time to talk to you. Or even that they're just relaxing and don't feel like talking right at that moment. So I try to do that less and less these days, and I appreciate my friends and family members who have a similar attitude.

Pretty much how I do it and what I say. I text more in my Job and it's become a very useful means of documented communication. When I call it's because it requires personal connection where vagueness can't be misinterpreted or to have a meaningful exchange. If it's personal, it's to catch up with family and friends.

I also say, Take Care, Bye. Don't know how that started, but it's used by me the most. Bye, Bye seems childish and I never use it. Later, was used by me a long time ago with the posse. I use Be Well, Bye with family and close friends.

[Jolly Blue Giant]

I can't remember when I started saying "bye, bye", but I imagine it was after I left the corporate world and started interacting far more with kids and grandkids on the phone. I inherently have the need to say the last word, so I think I started to basically echo whatever the other caller on the other end of the line used as their sign-off, which has usually been, "love you, bye, bye" from family. But it's carried over to my calls to businesses like insurance, bankers, etc., (minus the "love you" part) and it comes out of my mouth before I even think about it

I guess I just need to be more conscious of my language at the end of a call instead of just shutting off my brain once the meat of a conversation is over and robotically spewing words I don't even hear myself (until recently). I'm going to try and be aware of what I say at the end of a call from now on...a single "bye", or "later", or if one of my grandkids under 10, "later gator". I'm long retired and in my 70's and just learning to use the phone...duh. Whatever the case, I have to stop with the double bye! 

[T200]

I can't remember when I started saying "bye, bye", but I imagine it was after I left the corporate world and started interacting far more with kids and grandkids on the phone. I inherently have the need to say the last word, so I think I started to basically echo whatever the other caller on the other end of the line used as their sign-off, which has usually been, "love you, bye, bye" from family. But it's carried over to my calls to businesses like insurance, bankers, etc., (minus the "love you" part) and it comes out of my mouth before I even think about it

I guess I just need to be more conscious of my language at the end of a call instead of just shutting off my brain once the meat of a conversation is over and robotically spewing words I don't even hear myself (until recently). I'm going to try and be aware of what I say at the end of a call from now on...a single "bye", or "later", or if one of my grandkids under 10, "later gator". I'm long retired and in my 70's and just learning to use the phone...duh. Whatever the case, I have to stop with the double bye! 

   

Ric,

You've lived a lot longer than many people. You have attained a level in life that affords you the prerogative to do whatever the hell you like! Within reason, of course 

You don't strike me as a guy who is uncomfortable in his own skin. As the young folks say, "Do you."