Can I ask who's Calling Please?

Ever tried to get hold of someone on the telephone recently? Enjoyable experience?


I doubt it.


I call people every day. Sometimes I make many calls in a day. So when it comes to receptionists, I've experienced my fair share. These are the people who have been selected to serve on the "frontline" for businesses everywhere.


However someone seems to have forgotten to brief them with the right strategy. Their job, as I see it, is actually to enable the caller to get through to the right person.


My experience, sadly, tells a different story.


Can I ask who's Calling Please? (Okay, I appreciate the need to know my name so yes, you can ask!)
Can I ask what it's about? (Well, no. I have limited time as it is and I don't really want to explain myself twice - why do you need to know?)
Will they know what it's about? (Well, no. Not unless they are psychic. Which I very much doubt.)
Will they know who you are? (How exactly does that make a difference to my call being put through?)


Their defence strategy is second to none. The British Army could learn a lot from their tactics. Nobody's getting through this frontline of defence. It's clear to me that someone's told them that everyone else who works there is far too busy and important to take phone calls from customers, potential customers, partners, colleagues from other companies.... the list goes on.


Instead, genuine callers have to strap on the best of riot shields, tool up for the battle and make best use of their wit and agility to win the war: getting put through.


What a missed opportunity.