How Many of You Screen Calls

[wahmof3]

How many of you screen calls for daycare?

I am bad about this but I like to have an idea of the needs before I actually speak to them, so I let it go to voicemail. I don't always do this, but it does happen often. I know I am taking a risk by doing this because they can call the next provider, but I do return calls.

I love to screen through emails, but rarely get emails from potential clients.

[Breezy]

I screen anyone who calls me at all! I really dont like talking on the phone so I only call back important people. Usually 1 minute after they call and I listen to the message.

[wahmof3]

I screen anyone who calls me at all! I really dont like talking on the phone so I only call back important people. Usually 1 minute after they call and I listen to the message.

ME TOO!!!!!!!::::::

[Blackcat31]

I screen anyone who calls me at all! I really dont like talking on the phone so I only call back important people. Usually 1 minute after they call and I listen to the message.

same here.

[Crazy8]

sometimes I answer - all depends on what I'm doing at the moment. Since I have my home number listed I never know if the call is daycare related or not.

I was glad I didn't grab a call yesterday though - the message was very hard to understand and said "I found your place on the internet and wanted the address". Ummmm... that is the reason the address isn't on my website!! I don't know if they thought I was a center or what - they didn't even mention daycare - just "your place". Didn't even call that one back!

[brookeroo]

I screen any number that doesn't come up with a name I recognize. The first few minutes of a phone call can tell you so much about a person. There are a few wack jobs... I mean people, in the past I wished I would have screened before I answered.

[PitterPatter]

Depends on the caller ID. If family or friend I usually take it. If unknown number I always screen. I hate the risk of missing a potential client who may not like talking to machines and may call next on the list but I like to get a feel for what the person is like.

Nice quiet, easy spoken, informative calls I'm happy to return and may even pick up on the spot. ~ VS ~A girl chomping on gum saying "yeah this is Becky I need daycare" with kids screaming in the background and crashing noises while Becky pauses to yell "shut up I'm on the damn phone" then finishes her message with "call me at.." then proceeds to leave 3 different possible numbers. LOL Yep so not taking that drama!

[MyAngels]

I answer the phone unless my hands are full. Nothing drives me crazier than when I call someone only to have them call back a few minutes later - thus telling me I've been screened ::.

[Hunni Bee]

A girl chomping on gum saying "yeah this is Becky I need daycare" with kids screaming in the background and crashing noises while Becky pauses to yell "shut up I'm on the damn phone" then finishes her message with "call me at.." then proceeds to leave 3 different possible numbers. LOL Yep so not taking that drama!

::

Whatever do you mean, you won't take them? That sounds like such a lovely, well-behaved, stable family.

[My3cents]

I screen anyone who calls me at all! I really dont like talking on the phone so I only call back important people. Usually 1 minute after they call and I listen to the message.

I do the same-

[kayla]

I screen calls as well. But I have lost a lot of oppurtunities doing this, but in my opinion if they can't leave a message there really not worth it...

[kayla]

I also never answer on the weekends have the courtesy not to bug me on a day off!!!!

[wahmof3]

I am so relieved that I am in the majority..... LOL I have friends who answer every.single.call. I think she thinks I am weird for all of my phone screening. In fact if she sends a call my way she usually tells the person to leave a message !! ::::

[Blackcat31]

I answer the phone unless my hands are full. Nothing drives me crazier than when I call someone only to have them call back a few minutes later - thus telling me I've been screened ::.

Oh my, people calling me just because my number showed up on their caller ID is one of my biggest pet peeves!!!!!!

Especially because a majority of those people have an answering machine and if I didn't leave a message for them to call me back, it usually means I didn't want or need them to return my call.

I tend to get rude if people do that and the convo will go like this:


Me: "Hello?"

Caller: "I saw your number on my called ID. Did someone call me from this number?

Me: "I don't know, did they leave a message?"

Caller: "I don't know I just saw the number and called you back"

Me: "Hmm, Maybe it was someone else from this number, let me check..."

...and then I hand the phone to my 18 month old DCG and let her talk.....she LOVES the phone!!


I used to be much more "unpleasant" as it just bugs me that people do that but as a business owner and a somewhat mature grown up, I try not to be so harsh anymore.

[brookeroo]

I tend to get rude if people do that and the convo will go like this:


Me: "Hello?"

Caller: "I saw your number on my called ID. Did someone call me from this number?

Me: "I don't know, did they leave a message?"

Caller: "I don't know I just saw the number and called you back"

Me: "Hmm, Maybe it was someone else from this number, let me check..."

...and then I hand the phone to my 18 month old DCG and let her talk.....she LOVES the phone!!


I used to be much more "unpleasant" as it just bugs me that people do that but as a business owner and a somewhat mature grown up, I try not to be so harsh anymore.

:: I used to know someone who would do that to telemarketers. They would hand the phone to their toddler and tell them it was Santa.