UK Telephone Etiquette

We've had threads on how to end a telephone conversation (bye! bye! bye! bye! bye!) Does anyone have any expertise on answering a telephone call?

I keep automatically answering "This is she." to "Is this Mrs.___?" and no one understands what that means, apparently? What is appropriate?

I've started to just say "speaking" instead of "this is she"...

I've started to just say "speaking" instead of "this is she"...

That's what my parents do too.

I tend to just say "This is Miss ____" (or however they've addressed me) instead of "This is she"

"It is I?" 

I usually just say, "Speaking".

I've been having the same dilemma.

My reflex response is just "This is."  Which, 9 times out of 10, results in the caller telling me who they are.

I'm trying to get into the habit of saying "This is woadgrrl," but it's tough.

OK- "speaking" it is. Now if only I can make sure my Grandmother and Mother do not catch me saying it.

I've been having the same dilemma.

My reflex response is just "This is."  Which, 9 times out of 10, results in the caller telling me who they are.

I'm trying to get into the habit of saying "This is woadgrrl," but it's tough.

I think I am going to have to put a script next to my phone like a telemarketer to remind me!

I usually respond with a question like 'may I ask who is calling'  or 'who is this?' (I use that for my door buzzer too)

I went from "This is she" to "speaking" to "May I ask who is calling?" The last one really seems to confuse things, so I am slowly going to "Who is this, please?" which seems to have better results.

I got a bit tired of admitting it was me only to have them launch into their spiel about 'we've noticed your credit stopped in 2007.. perhaps you had a credit card you no longer use..' (I didn't arrive here until 2009) or some other story trying to get me to sign up for a credit card, or buy something.

If I find out it is a 'junk mail' call, I just say "We're not interested, please take us off your list.", then hang up. Hubby usually says something I'd never say to them, debunking the myth that Brits are far more polite than Americans about these things. 

"It is I?" 

I usually just say, "Speaking".

Meh, thats a bit blunt, I just say yo, whats up, or hows it going bro

I just say "yes".  Which has been interesting in phone interviews lately (especially as I obviously know who will be calling).

I say "Who want's to know?" or "What's it got to do with you?"

No, seriously, I just say "yes, speaking" or "yes it is"

Hubby usually says something I'd never say to them, debunking the myth that Brits are far more polite than Americans about these things. 

My husband thinks I'm incredibly rude on the phone to the junk callers. I think that's the American in me, though, because I don't know any American that would be polite and welcome a junk call about something like insurance protection. I say, "No thank you" (usually when they're mid-sentence) and hang up, and if they've called me many times before, I ask to be taken off their list again and hang up. My husband sits there and chats with them and would never hang up on anyone! I think he just does it to make me mad and try to show me he's more polite than me, though

I still get calls for my parents, who've been gone some time (I live in their house and just kept the phone number).  Whenever they ask for my mother, I just say "yes" and let them blather on a bit and then say "no thanks". She had great phone resistance and would just immediately say "not interested" and hang up!
I'm often tempted to say they've moved away and give them the phone number of the cemetery 

I still get calls for my parents, who've been gone some time (I live in their house and just kept the phone number).  Whenever they ask for my mother, I just say "yes" and let them blather on a bit and then say "no thanks". She had great phone resistance and would just immediately say "not interested" and hang up!
I'm often tempted to say they've moved away and give them the phone number of the cemetery 

 I immediately know they're selling something crappy if a call comes in for my mom.  You wanna talk to her?  Yeah, so do I.  Good luck with that.

I still get calls for my parents, who've been gone some time (I live in their house and just kept the phone number).  Whenever they ask for my mother, I just say "yes" and let them blather on a bit and then say "no thanks". She had great phone resistance and would just immediately say "not interested" and hang up!
I'm often tempted to say they've moved away and give them the phone number of the cemetery 

On a somewhat similarly naughty note, back in the day (teens and early 20s) when a boy/young man would be insistent on getting my phone number and I didn't want to give it, I'd give the phone number to either the local sheriff's department or to a pay phone. I stopped by one and memorized the number for just that purpose.