Do you answer your cell phone if the call is not from a contact?

[jaybirdsmommy]

Usually I'm more likely to answer an unknown number (unless it's a blocked number or an 800 type number - those are always telemarketers). It's the people I know that I'm most likely to ignore.

and of course, I just ignored a number that I didn't recognize. It was a client with a new number. He called my boss to come find me so he could ask his question.

 

[scrapquitler]

Do you feel compelled to answer your cell phone if the incoming call is not from a stored contact?

I gave up years ago answering my cell phone if someone's picture didn't pop up on my home screen. I average about 10 calls a day that I let go to voice mail. Someone ends up leaving a voice mail about every 60 days and I add that number to an existing contact or create a new contact so I know to answer in the future.

I am never bothered by telemarketers since I never answer their calls.

I do, because there have been several times that my kids or my DH has called me from a borrowed phone to let me know something important when their phone had died.

AND...the more important one. I got a phone call from a number in another state that I happened to answer once, and it was the call center of the lifeline unit that my Mom had. They were calling me to let me know that she activated her Lifeline alert before she became unconsious, and that paramedics were in the process of transporting her to the ER.

So will I answer the phone even if I don't know the number? YES. It could be something important that I need to know about NOW. If it's a telemarketer, I just hang up. Better safe than sorry.

 

[dish rag]

I remember as a child when the phone rang we all ran to get to it first. Most homes I was in were this way. Now people want to hide out.

 

[bethbuchall]

I remember as a child when the phone rang we all ran to get to it first. Most homes I was in were this way. Now people want to hide out.

But when the phone rang when I was a child, it was always a real person on the other end, and you didn't get added to more lists of active numbers simply by answering.

 

[Meriweather]

For some reason I answered an unknown number today.....we're on vacation, so just in case.
It was a recorded message from Kroger about a ground beef recall......it would have been recorded, but still

 

[AurumPunzel]

I always decline, unless I know it's from an important number.

 

[bethbuchall]

So, now that I'm at least partially convinced to answer the calls, is it rude to just hang up when it's not someone that you want to talk to? Or hang up if there is a pause on the line indicating that they are using a robo dialing system? When the person immediately starts in on a sales pitch, can I hang up without apology?

 

[tvguy]

So, now that I'm at least partially convinced to answer the calls, is it rude to just hang up when it's not someone that you want to talk to? Or hang up if there is a pause on the line indicating that they are using a robo dialing system? When the person immediately starts in on a sales pitch, can I hang up without apology?

It is your phone, it is never rude to hang up on an unsolicited sales call IMHO. You might not, however want to hang up on a family member, even if you don't want to talk to them.

I know people at work hate answering calls if they don't know who it is, but a big chunk of the LEGITIMATE calls we get at work come from blocked numbers where the caller ID says "wireless caller", or "anonymous" with the name and number hidden.