Do you say Goodbye on the 'phone?

[Land-O-LakesGal]

In Minnesota we have a special goodbye it has to be said at least five times before you really mean it. Generally this is just in person but I have seen (or heard) it employed on the phone. It is called a Minnesota Goodbye by the way.

 

[Bebop]

I always end a phone conversation with, "I think I shall remove my trousers". For some reason, I never get a goodbye. Only a 'click' from the other party. [huh]

 

[scottyrocks]

Absolutely, Lizzie. When my daughter was a teenager, and one of her friends called and did not identify themselves, I always made a point to ask. Such an annoying habit, especially since 1. I did not recognize all their voices (if in fact I had ever met them), and 2. some times people would call whom my daughter did not want to speak with.

In summary (I know, "too late") some form of greeting including your name, and a pleasant goodbye at the end!

Aamof, when I make the call, if there is any doubt in my mind if the callee will know who I am, I say hi or hello, and 'this is Scott,' or 'its Scott.' If I am positive the callee knows me by my voice, I'll skip the name.

 

[Diamondback]

Answering:
"[my last name]. State your business." (If I don't recognize you on the cell's caller-ID, you don't even get my name--this is to preclude Chatty Cathy types wasting my time and airtime-budget.)
Hanging up:
"Out."*click*

 

[Widebrim]

I always say "Goodbye," and I also always say "Hello," unless I'm at work, in which case I answer with the name of the business.

This is something which is lacking today. Quite a few times in the last few years, while phoning a business, I've had to say something like, "Excuse me, but is this the May Company?"

Regarding the original question, I always say good-bye or bye (never "bye-bye"--which either sounds like a pre-kinder child trying to imitate its adult role models, or a teen-age girl finishing a conversation with her boyfriend).

Note: After reading Diamonback's above comments, I recalled that I do often say "Out" to an Army buddy of mine...

 

[Tango Yankee]

Of course at work I have to answer with the name of the unit, my name, and ask how I can help them, as opposed to hello.

This reminded me of when I was stationed in Korea in 1986 working the graveyard shift. The nights tended to be long and boring. Being the military we had to answer our phones in a similar fashion. I'd answer ours with "Unsecure line. Eighteen Fifty-Fifth Command, Control, Intelligence Support Squadron. Staff Sergeant Yeager. May I help you?" all said with a very drawn-out drawl. By the time I was done they'd forgotten why they'd called!

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Tango Yankee]

This is something which is lacking today. Quite a few times in the last few years, while phoning a business, I've had to say something like, "Excuse me, but is this the May Company?"

Or if they do say it they either say it so fast you can't catch what they said or they say it before they get the handset up to their face so you can't hear it.

 

[Widebrim]

This reminded me of when I was stationed in Korea in 1986 working the graveyard shift. The nights tended to be long and boring. Being the military we had to answer our phones in a similar fashion. I'd answer ours with "Unsecure line. Eighteen Fifty-Fifth Command, Control, Intelligence Support Squadron. Staff Sergeant Yeager. May I help you?" all said with a very drawn-out drawl. By the time I was done they'd forgotten why they'd called!

Cheers,
Tom

"Delta Company, 3rd of the 160th Infantry. Sergeant Bartoletti speaking. May I help you sir or ma'am?"lol (All said with slightly drawn-out, southern California drawl...)

 

[MikeBravo]

Even when I am hanging up on someone I say goodbye! A typical conversation with a telemarketer would go "No thank you, we are really not interested", "But what about..." "No thanks, I am hanging up now, Goodbye!"

I like the Barney Stinson method

"Good day Sir", "But what about..." "I said 'Good day!'"

 

[MikeBravo]

This is a fun thread

When my father would leave a message on an answering machine, he would always sign off with "Over, and out"

"See you later" or more commonly "Seeya" is deeply engrained in the Australian psyche and, along with "Bye bye", is a very common sign-off on the electric telephone and off. Allow me to illustrate:

A few years ago I was at a railway station and noticed two blind men conversing with each other. I know they were blind as one had a seeing eye dog and the other a white cane. As they parted they both said to each other "Seeya"

 

[gegarrenton]

Either "See you" or "Later" or both.

 

[Undertow]

At the risk of sounding like the Beatles:
"I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello; Hello, hello"

Haha, I couldn't resist. I always greet with "Hello," and end the conversation with "bye". I know folks who just hang up, and although I know they're not trying to seem rude, I always thought it was a little too abrupt.

 

[HeyMoe]

Depends on who I am talking to. Most of the time it's have a good one, see ya or bye. If it's my Army Buddies more often than not it's "Have a good one (enter profane insult here), Out"

 

[Dan'l]

I've hung up without saying goodbye, I was mad and intentionally being rude (usually sales calls). Other than those few times, I always say "goodbye" or (if good friends) "later" or "take it easy."
I've had friends and relatives hang up without saying any kind of goodbye and it's awkward, "I guess we're done."

 

[scotrace]

This is something that has always bugged me. When watching a film and someone just hangs up, i always think, "sheesh. Not so much as a kiss my butt!"

 

[Marla]

I think the best example of this is the movie His Girl Friday (1940) where Cary Grant slams receivers left and right, sometimes having multiple conversations at once. Boy, I wish I could do that at work...

 

[The Wolf]

Sometimes at work someone will call, ask their question and hang up once it is answered. Once I thought the person had stepped away from the phone or I couldn't hear him because there was no dial tone.
Most people say goodbye or bye-bye.
I'm very put off when people don't clearly end their conversation.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[Talbot]

I'll start adopting movie telephone manners when I can get car parking spots like they do in the movies.

 

[Lillemor]

I say hello with name and goodbye here in Denmark but my Danish mother noticed when she lived in the U.S. (late 70s) that many people over there just said hello and didn't say goodbye. It's taken a long time to change. In the U.S. my dad who's American told me to say hello but not followed by my name. When I talk to my dad I still end by saying: "you take care" or "we'll talk soon again" or something similar. I wasn't conscious of it in the U.S. but come to think of it, if the last thing I did was ask a question then after the answer and confirmation of the answer, the other person would often end by saying "alright" and hang up.

 

[Lady Jessica]

I hardly ever answer with "This is Jessica" or anything. I find that to be off-putting. Even though I know who's calling my phone i just say, "Hello?" like i don't know. Not sure why. And at the end I always say 'bye' three times. "Goodbye... okay... bye... I'll talk to you later. Bye." < exactly like that.

I have to make sure they know I'm actually leaving! lol