• uniquely-ironic said on Jul 17, 2008....

  It takes me awhile to give an automatic greeting from a new company.  I'd say about that same month that you take.  I am in a position now where I support 3 different departments, so I have yet to make a real automatic connection to phone greetings.  I still pause that extra second or two before picking up the phone so that I can mentally fix which department I'm answering for.

• CreativeWoman said on Jul 17, 2008....

  I think I read somewhere that it usually does take about 30 days to create a new habit.  I'm betting that will be a pretty common answer.
  
  CW
  

• Eilan said on Jul 17, 2008....

  I don't really have enough work experience to answer the question.  At my teaching job, I normally just answered my phone by identifying myself.
  
  A friend of mine is a teacher/administrator for a small business school that recently changed owners.  With the new ownership came a new name for the school.  She had to learn a new phone greeting for work: "Good morning/afternoon/evening.  Your future looks bright at [school].  This is [name].  How may I help you?"
  
  Yuk.
  

• Zaraida said on Jul 17, 2008....

  I retired from one job after 25 years.  I loved the people I had worked with but hated the stress of the job.  Anyway, after I started a new job that was a lot easier, I didn't like the people because (I know this sounds weird) they were kind of "blah."  It was really hard for me to identify with my new company and position and also in the beginning started to answer the phone stating my name and my old position.  I would correct myself immediately, of course, but I really, really missed that old job and my old friends.  Whenever I saw any newspaper reports about my old employer, I would gravitate to it as if it were news about an old flame.

• RollingC said on Jul 18, 2008....

  That's happened to all of us really.  With me it's the same company but different post or building and I hesitate  a second collecting my thoughts so I remember the correct name of the new building. It took about a month or so before I could do it like a reflex.
   

• silverwhisper said on Jul 18, 2008....

  u-i: you know, i think my head would explode if i had to juggle three departments!
  
  CW: really? that's new on me, but i can see that being true.
  
  eilan: [blink] one doesn't often think of schools as changing ownership, or at least i don't. and what's the deal with that greeting, is she supposed to sound like she's consulting a magic 8 ball?!
  
  zaraida: it's nice to see you again, it's been a while! you know, it's said that you never miss the work but you miss the people and i've always found that true for every job i've ever had. i can easily see how one's ears might perk up at news from a previous employer, though.
  
  rollingc: ah, so more evidence re: CW's comment about it taking 30 days or so! hm, different buildings? that must be a very large employer indeed!
  
  ed

• CreativeWoman said on Jul 18, 2008....

  Ed,
  I'm guilty of reading a lot of self help books that tell me these things.  lol
  
  CW
  

• Zaraida said on Jul 18, 2008....

  Thanks, Silver .  I'm glad to be back.  All of you are so friendly here.  Glad you have time to post again also. 

• silverwhisper said on Jul 19, 2008....

  CW: ah, that hadn't occurred to me. :>
  
  zaraida: yep, definitely glad to see you again! and i really only have time during the mornings, these days.
  
  ed

• whiterose said on Jul 19, 2008....

  It does take a while to adjust.  There have been a few times when I've answered the phone with the name of a company that I have not worked for in years.  At that moments I think a previous co-worker must be thinking about me.
  
  Good luck with your new position.
  

• silverwhisper said on Jul 21, 2008....

  whiterose: thank you, so far i think it's early to say but i hope it's going well. :>
  
  ed

• tbs230 said on Jul 22, 2008....

  Ha! Seeing how I've been answering phones for like...FOREVER...and really I've never had more than one office job at one time, it would make sense to get mixed up...
   
  But I don't...I say, "*blah blah blah blah*...how may I help you?" Or, "*blah blah blah blah*...membership office, how may I help you?" I never say my name, because current everyone in my department is new, so we haven't figured out who is even supposed to be answering the phones...so whenever it rings, someone just picks up...
   
  I really hope that I'm not the one who does it...I have too much to deal with as is. (But I love my job!)
   
  * [blah blah blah blah being company name]*

• silverwhisper said on Jul 23, 2008....

  heh...i know what you mean about that! heh...that's funny that everyone's so new no one knows who should answer the phone! :D
  
  i'm glad to hear the job is going well, tbs! :>
  
  ed

• tbs230 said on Jul 23, 2008....

  Our boss started a month ago, and she hired a whole new staff! There are only two people who were there before, and they only work 2-3 days a week. So.......
   
   
  I do love my job! Thanks!

• silverwhisper said on Jul 25, 2008....

  that's awesome, tbs, i'm glad you're loving it! :D
  
  ed

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