Acceptable time to ring in the morning?

27-04-2019 06:19PM

fin12 wrote: »

I worked in Social welfare before and we were told not to call anyone till after 10am.

:D:D

elperello · 27-04-2019 08:45PM

I have some sympathy for the OP.

I think calls of the nature described should be made during office hours ie. 9.00 - 5.30 unless previously agreed.
I also can see the side of the overworked receptionist trying to get a head start on the day.

It's part of the busy busy, always on, contactable at all times culture that has crept in over the last twenty years with the availability of mobile phones, computers and other devices.
We have not been long enough doing this to know if it is good for business and more importantly good for people. We have sort of drifted into this way of living without much forethought or consideration of the issues involved.

On the other hand two generations ago a six day, sixty hour week was normal for many people.

the14thwarrior · 27-04-2019 08:55PM

I have sympathy, it happened to me a few times.
builder ringing me at 8.40 a.m. to discuss an important issue. I told him i was in the middle of driving to work, and it was too early to string together a sentance.

I had a secretary that called me at 8.15 all the time, to make appointments (consultant again). I told her my phone was (naturally) off, as I was still asleep. She seemed to be taken aback.

when a customer called me at 8.50 one morning and said was it too early, I said yes, too early and i asked him to call me back in an hour.
sorry, too early in the morning.
get a grip

iamwhoiam · 27-04-2019 09:05PM

the14thwarrior wrote: »

I have sympathy, it happened to me a few times.
builder ringing me at 8.40 a.m. to discuss an important issue. I told him i was in the middle of driving to work, and it was too early to string together a sentance.

I had a secretary that called me at 8.15 all the time, to make appointments (consultant again). I told her my phone was (naturally) off, as I was still asleep. She seemed to be taken aback.

when a customer called me at 8.50 one morning and said was it too early, I said yes, too early and i asked him to call me back in an hour.
sorry, too early in the morning.
get a grip

8:40 is to early to string a sentance ? Really ? I started work on a paeds ward at 7 am for years .We had two kids gone and back from theatre by 8:40 !

Get a grip

The Talking Bread · 27-04-2019 09:12PM

the14thwarrior wrote: »

I have sympathy, it happened to me a few times.
builder ringing me at 8.40 a.m. to discuss an important issue. I told him i was in the middle of driving to work, and it was too early to string together a sentance.

I had a secretary that called me at 8.15 all the time, to make appointments (consultant again). I told her my phone was (naturally) off, as I was still asleep. She seemed to be taken aback.

when a customer called me at 8.50 one morning and said was it too early, I said yes, too early and i asked him to call me back in an hour, too early in the morning.

get a grip

Get a grip............... indeed.

nthclare · 27-04-2019 09:23PM

I would be delighted to get a call in the morning, unfortunately for me im able to string together Cindy Lauper Time after time on the way to work, I can also sing along to Aha or Metallica...

Im a morning person, have been since i was a weein...

I should have my own radio show...

Sunshine Lollipops and Wainbows....

Mary Poppins at your service

Still waters · 27-04-2019 09:56PM

I start work at 8, I've been told by a couple of clients that no way could they accommodate me coming into their house so early in the morning, I told them to get someone else if they couldn't be out of bed so early, I take/start making calls from 7 on, people should stop being so precious about little inconveniences in life

iamwhoiam · 27-04-2019 10:00PM

Still waters wrote: »

I start work at 8, I've been told by a couple of clients that no way could they accommodate me coming into their house so early in the morning, I told them to get someone else if they couldn't be out of bed so early, I take/start making calls from 7 on, people should stop being so precious about little inconveniences in life

Good job they don't live in Germany !! Most people start work at 7 there

dartboardio · 27-04-2019 10:14PM

Bottom line is we cannot dominate what time a business or company call us at.

They could be based anywhere. For example alpharooms call centre are based in india and I got ten missed calls from them in the space of 3 minutes.

I didnt complain but i just didnt answer

Just make it clear what time is acceptable to call you instead of giving out about it when you dont and they call at 8.30 if its not 'socially acceptable' for you

Jesus if a company or person similar to who called you rang me when it wasn't convenient i would either tell them to call back at 6pm just before dinner or else i would have made sure to leave a voicemail saying please call me between the hours of x, y and z. People cant read your mind and just because you think 8.30 is not an appropriate time to be rung doesn't mean other people do

27-04-2019 10:23PM

I don’t think people should be phoning before 9am at the earliest, I’d often be still in bed at 8:30 so would liklely miss the call due to the phone being on “do not disturb” for the night still or else if I got the call having to try deal with someone when your half asleep is a bit of a pain.

JeffKenna wrote: »

And its grand to take a call in work?

Hardly an issue for most people nowadays, I make and take personal calls everyday at work no issue at all as do all the people I work with and in my previous jobs also.

JeffKenna · 27-04-2019 10:33PM

Rex Short Monsoon wrote: »

I don’t think people should be phoning before 9am at the earliest, I’d often be still in bed at 8:30 so would liklely miss the call due to the phone being on “do not disturb” for the night still or else if I got the call having to try deal with someone when your half asleep is a bit of a pain.

Hardly an issue for most people nowadays, I make and take personal calls everyday at work no issue at all as do all the people I work with and in my previous jobs also.

To be honest I wouldn't have the time to take a call.
#iworkarealjob

EmmetSpiceland · 27-04-2019 10:38PM

JeffKenna wrote: »

To be honest I wouldn't have the time to take a call.
#iworkarealjob

You mustn’t be a very efficient worker if you don’t have time for tea, the odd phone call, impromptu texts, or any unexpected occurrence.

If you’re flat out from 9 to 5 then either you’re overworked, and it’s your manager’s fault, or you’re inefficient, and it’s yours.

the_pen_turner · 27-04-2019 10:48PM

i think it depends on the reason for the call and how you are conected to the person.

im self employed and work with other tradesmen on jobs. i wouldnt ring before 8.30 unless its to cancer the days work, tell them i will be late, ask them to bring a tools etc.
i would only do this for guys im working with that day unless it was seriously urgent

if they are in a shop or office etc then ring during open tmes

anyone else i wouldnt ring until 11 or later incase they had a day off etc and wanted a lye in.

Danzy · 27-04-2019 10:50PM

Avah Narrow Self-preservation wrote: »

Hope you get all the help you need to get over the trauma of this as soon as possible.

Hopefully they won't call at 8, relapse.

dartboardio · 27-04-2019 10:51PM

the_pen_turner wrote: »

i think it depends on the reason for the call and how you are conected to the person.

im self employed and work with other tradesmen on jobs. i wouldnt ring before 8.30 unless its to cancer the days work, tell them i will be late, ask them to bring a tools etc.
i would only do this for guys im working with that day unless it was seriously urgent

if they are in a shop or office etc then ring during open tmes

anyone else i wouldnt ring until 11 or later incase they had a day off etc and wanted a lye in.

Yeah but for example if it was a call from somebody you don't actually know like a receptionist at a doctors or booking. Com in relation to a booking error. These people operate at certain times, of which might not be very suitable for us but that doesn't make it wrong.

I firmly believe op should have mentioned' please call me at 5pm' eg and he or she wouldnt have this issue

the_pen_turner · 27-04-2019 10:58PM

dartboardio wrote: »

Yeah but for example if it was a call from somebody you don't actually know like a receptionist at a doctors or booking. Com in relation to a booking error. These people operate at certain times, of which might not be very suitable for us but that doesn't make it wrong.

I firmly believe op should have mentioned' please call me at 5pm' eg and he or she wouldnt have this issue

its about context. if booking .com is ringing you to tell you an event on that evening is canceled or your booking hasnt went through then fair enough but to ring about an event a few weeks away is stupid

docters are a bit diferent , most of what they ring about would be fairly important but if they rang about something stupudly small and irrelivant then i wouldnt be impressed

the_syco · 27-04-2019 11:00PM

Shelflife wrote: »

Appointment was for 5 weeks time and I rang the day I got it to let them know it didnt suit.

Shelflife wrote: »

Private consultants are in the business of providing medical care, believe it or not they do need our business and we can choose to go to consultant A or consultant B .

5 weeks means that they are in low demand. I've had to wait 6 months for an appointment, as there was only one person doing said appointments in public or private medical care.

Anytime between 07:00 and 21:00 is good. I'll ring them back if their number isn't blocked.

The Real Ramona · 27-04-2019 11:06PM

I was waiting every day last week for important medical results. They ended up phoning me at 8.40am on Friday and it was so early that I hadn't even turned my ringtone volume on that morning by then (I'd always make sure I've done it by 9am).

So I missed the call and my chance to discuss the results with my Doctor, who was with patients for the next few hours and then off that afternoon, so she just left a voice message with results that I wanted to discuss.
That was too early to phone, in my opinion.

The Talking Bread · 27-04-2019 11:16PM

The Real Ramona wrote: »

I was waiting every day last week for important medical results. They ended up phoning me at 8.40am on Friday and it was so early that I hadn't even turned my ringtone volume on that morning by then (I'd always make sure I've done it by 9am).

So I missed the call and my chance to discuss the results with my Doctor, who was with patients for the next few hours and then off that afternoon, so she just left a voice message with results that I wanted to discuss.
That was too early to phone, in my opinion.

Why turn your ringtone off at all? If someone is going to try ring you at night or early in the morning, it more than likely is something significant. And I am not even talking about doctors calling you.

Since when is 8.40 am on a week day some ungodly hour anyway?

the_syco · 27-04-2019 11:17PM

The Real Ramona wrote: »

I was waiting every day last week for important medical results. They ended up phoning me at 8.40am on Friday and it was so early that I hadn't even turned my ringtone volume on that morning by then (I'd always make sure I've done it by 9am).

So I missed the call and my chance to discuss the results with my Doctor, who was with patients for the next few hours and then off that afternoon, so she just left a voice message with results that I wanted to discuss.
That was too early to phone, in my opinion.

So you think your doctor should have waited to ring you next week, or perhaps the week after when she had time to ring you during the day after 9am?

Corruptedmorals · 27-04-2019 11:18PM

If I have to ring a patient I try not to do it before 9 especially if they are quite elderly as a huge number of them are. It's not always possible though as before 9 is a good time when the clinics are quiet/not on yet. I do most of my communication about appointments through the post thankfully and do not have an active phone line as such.

A private secretary has far fewer patients though and might only have one consultant to look after. They should have more flexibility than a swamped hospital with insane waiting lists and ridiculous demand for appointments. But plenty private secretaries only work the odd half day so maybe that was the only sensible time for phone calls for her.

Corruptedmorals · 27-04-2019 11:20PM

The Real Ramona wrote: »

I was waiting every day last week for important medical results. They ended up phoning me at 8.40am on Friday and it was so early that I hadn't even turned my ringtone volume on that morning by then (I'd always make sure I've done it by 9am).

So I missed the call and my chance to discuss the results with my Doctor, who was with patients for the next few hours and then off that afternoon, so she just left a voice message with results that I wanted to discuss.
That was too early to phone, in my opinion.

I'm very sorry to hear that, it's frustrating. Generally though doctors have very structured days/blocks of time and will never make phone calls in the middle of them. It's always before clinic/theatre or in the evenings so generally you can expect it not to be in the late morning or early afternoon.

28-04-2019 09:45AM

The Talking Bread wrote: »

Why turn your ringtone off at all? If someone is going to try ring you at night or early in the morning, it more than likely is something significant. And I am not even talking about doctors calling you.

My phone is hopping all night long with WhatsApp’s to groups from people in different time zones I’d be woken every single night if I just left the phone on loud. I don’t silent it though I use “do not disturb” which allows me set certain numbers which will ring through and also if someone rings twice close together it also allows the phone to ring.

The Talking Bread · 28-04-2019 10:14AM

Rex Short Monsoon wrote: »

My phone is hopping all night long with WhatsApp’s to groups from people in different time zones I’d be woken every single night if I just left the phone on loud. I don’t silent it though I use “do not disturb” which allows me set certain numbers which will ring through and also if someone rings twice close together it also allows the phone to ring.

For start you know you can put message notifications on silent.
Secondly the rest is a lot of gobly gook that is just backtracking and somewhat contradicting your earlier post.

How many pointless phone calls do you expect to get in such a time period late at night/at dawnbreak that you feel the need to put your phone on silent. If you are going to get call at that time it is 99% going to be relatively important. Like your results.

I've sadly learnt a lesson from silencing my phone at night time and trust me I would never do it again.

Edit. My apologies, You are a different poster. Sorry about that. But point still stands. You never know what lies around the corner.

Also apologies for being so blunt, personal past reasons getting the better of me a bit.

EmmetSpiceland · 28-04-2019 11:11AM

The Talking Bread wrote: »

I've sadly learnt a lesson from silencing my phone at night time and trust me I would never do it again.

My phone goes on silent at night until the morning.

You may have been burned missing an important call but some of us have been burned by pointless calls or messages at the same time.

The Talking Bread · 28-04-2019 11:37AM

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

My phone goes on silent at night until the morning.

You may have been burned missing an important call but some of us have been burned by pointless calls or messages at the same time.

Im willing to take the risk of a very rare rare pointless call at that time of the night if it means I am contactable for a similarly rare genuine emergency.
But yeah past personal circumstances are a strong but logical factor for this.

28-04-2019 12:28PM

The Talking Bread wrote: »

For start you know you can put message notifications on silent.
Secondly the rest is a lot of gobly gook that is just backtracking and somewhat contradicting your earlier post.

How many pointless phone calls do you expect to get in such a time period late at night/at dawnbreak that you feel the need to put your phone on silent. If you are going to get call at that time it is 99% going to be relatively important. Like your results.

I've sadly learnt a lesson from silencing my phone at night time and trust me I would never do it again.

Edit. My apologies, You are a different poster. Sorry about that. But point still stands. You never know what lies around the corner.

Also apologies for being so blunt, personal past reasons getting the better of me a bit.

If I’m going to get an emergency call at night it’s going to be from one of about 6 or 7 people and all their numbers bypass the do not disturb so I would get the call.

Even if it’s not one of them numbers in an emergency you would expect the person to call at least twice if they don’t get an answer and again two calls in quick succession like this from the same number bypasses the do not disturb function. Do not disturb is not silent.

It does stop message alerts, all other notifications from multiple apps such as Twitter, Instagram, snap chat etc which you aren’t going to silent one by one and I want noticfication during the day, drunken calls from people out on the beer, pocket calls from people etc etc.

Acceptable time to ring in the morning?

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