Speaker Phones 1

[jcrater]

I work in an area filled with cubicles (the ones between 5 & 6 ft high). I guess it depends on my mood, but sometimes I just can't tune out my neighbors using their speakerphones. Some folks use this feature for all calls, even when they don't need their hands free for other stuff. For this reason, I rarely use mine. When I do, and it's a conference call, there's always one person who can barely be heard, so I have to turn the volume way up to hear him...then someone else pipes in and it's way too loud.

Headsets are finally starting to be used around here. That should eventually help things...

 

[BeckahC]

The only time I really use my speakerphone is when I am trying to reach someone and their lone is constantly busy. I turn the volume down so I can just about hear if it's busy or not and hit redial until it rings, then pick up the handset. I HATE it when people use speakerphone when not behind closed doors in an office or conference room! I don't bother with ordering a headset - got one of those things to stick to the back of my handset that helps hold it between my ear/chin and neck so it's esentially hands-free other than dial and hang-up.

BeckahC

 

[ANFPS26]

I DETEST speaker phones. I see no use for them except for a conference call. Usually the person on the other end can't understand you anyway when you have them on the speaker. I find them annoying.

Jim

 

[jtb]

Best practice is conference room or office with a door only... ;-)

JTB
Senior Microsoft Consultant
MCSE-NT4, MCP+I, MCP-W2K, CCNA, CCDA,
CTE, MCIWD, i-Net+, Network+
(MCSE-W2K in progress)

 

[SQLSister]

Another thread that reminds me how much I like having a private office.

When I worked in a cube, there was a manager who sat near me who used his speaker phone all the time. It was extremely distracting, especially when he was chewing someone out.

I too hate speaker phones and refuse to use mine (I tell people it's broken when they try to use it in my office.)

There is NO EXCUSE for ever using a speaker phone unless you are on a conference call. I sure hate talking to people who are using them too; they are so very difficult to hear.

 

[SgtJarrow]

I agree...I hate them too. My company uses them all the time, but I forced my manager to allow me to buy a headset for mine. So I have my headphones in one ear listening to my favorite tunes and my phone headset in my other ear. People never know if I am one the phone or not and generally leave me alone. Guess that is why I have the highest code turnout rate....

=======================================
People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world. (Calvin from Calvin And Hobbs)

Robert L. Johnson III
MCSA, CNA, Net+, A+
w: rljohnso@stewart.com
h: wildmage@tampabay.rr.com

 

[JillofAllTrades]

At a previous job, we were in cubes and I had a problem with my coworkers using speakerphones all the time.

I solved that by commenting on the conversations.
"Geez, Bob. Weren't you kind of mean to your daughter? It's only a concert!"
"Going to the dentist again, Patrick?"

 

[PeaveyPhones]

As a "phone person" I have a love hate affair with the speakerphone. First the only really good speakerphone I've ever heard is a Polycom. The speakers in most phones are fair, it's the microphones that suck.

I think we all agree that use of a SP in an open area is a bad idea. It, by company policy, should be prohibited. In a closed area WITH (pause for effect) more than one person in the room is fine. If a user does not want to use the handset then get a headset. I totally endorse headsets, myself being a 15 year user. I had a cubical neighbor once who would crank his speaker phone on occasion. I just turned up Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity till he got the message. Then I bought him a headset. Problem solved

Richard



The unexamined life is not worth living; Socrates

 

[gurner]

Try working for a Telecomms/WAN company with Telephony support and IT Support in the same office.

Those Telephony guys make a lot of noise, despite it being a big office.

I've got tunnel hearing so fortunatley it rides over me, but i bet it would drive some mad.

Gurner

What is Divine Paradox?

http://www.divineparadox.co.uk

 

[Kjonnnn]

Thats seems like an issue that can be brought in a staff meeting.

Not only is it annoying to the employers, but you can add that your clients on the phone don't need to hear the conversations of others in the office.

 

[PeaveyPhones]

I didn't/wouldn't even consider using a SP with a customer. That is wrong on many levels.

Richard

The unexamined life is not worth living; Socrates

 

[flugh]

First post in this forum. Great browsing so far, glad to see I'm not the only one... ;-)

Uncubicled work area. Myself ('General Manager' due to lack of anyone else wanting the job), Office Manager, and President/Owner. He (the Owner) insists on using the d@mned Speaker Phone. Regardless of what's going on in the office.

I hate that phone. That phone will soon suffer an inexplicable accident. "Dunno who put your speaker phone in the toilet boss. May take a while to get it replaced...". And he yells into it. Try sitting there doing some database code six feet away listening to the boss yell into a speaker phone at a truck driver (who is doing 60 miles an hour with the window down) while the truck driver also has his Nextel I-90 on speaker phone with a constant barrage of "can you hear me? hello? what's that?".

The next time I post, the phone will no longer "speaker". It will either get wet (zap!), or someone (I won't point fingers at myself) will take the cover off and clip the wires until it dies.

That's my speaker phone rant. Thanks for letting me share ;-)

----
JBR

 

[RCorrigan]

Polycom is a great make !!!!!
I had a user that continually used speaker-phone from his office (v loud & with door open) while myself & 3 others were in an open area outside .... somehow the handsfree utility on his phoneset got reprogrammed to unavailable (Strange thing was it stated to work again 3 days after we re-located to our newly refurbed office !!!! )

<Do I need A Signature or will an X do?>

 

[Dollie]

I've found that comments such as "Ooooooooh where did that RASH come from?" or "I had the WORST diarrhea when I was in (insert country here)" said in close proximity to the phone works great on speaker phone abusers.

Heh, they see me coming and they're hitting the conference room and closing the door.

 

[DoubleD]

Having been a former SP user, I changed my habits after being politely informed that my SP was distracting to others.

Pain is stress leaving the body.

DoubleD

 

[flugh]

First: "Hey, can you turn that thing down? I can't hear myself think."

Then: "G3z6$ man, I can't f***ing work with all this noise."

Then: "F*** this. I'm going to lunch. I'll be back when it's quiet."

"politely informing" is an expended option. This will require the destruction of company property ;-)

However, we are getting new offices built at a new location. I have asked repeatedly for more extensive insulation around and between both our offices (he's the owner, I'm the GM, we yell at each other a lot and need our privacy ;-)). Any suggestions?

----
JBR

 

[DoubleD]

How about a simple:

It distracts me from my work when I hear you speaking on your speakerphone. As I'm sure you want me to be as productive as possible, I'd really appreciate it if you would limit your use of the speakerphone.

Sensitivity is something I've always had to work on, being a very direct person, but sometimes being very polite and non-combative can go a long ways.

Pain is stress leaving the body.

DoubleD

 

[Dollie]

My mother always told me "Sugar always works better than vinegar!"

Well...almost always. Sometimes you have people that are denser than a rock. They don't get hints, subtle or obvious. These are more often than not the abusers that drive us all nuts. When they don't get the hint, that's when I develop a rash that I feel I need to tell them about RIGHT NOW.

It's either that, or

 

[jtb]

Speakerphones give you a problem? In my office the people just speak slowly and loud... like that will make the folks on the other end understand better...

JTB
Have Certs, Will Travel
&quot;A knight without armour in a [cyber] land.&quot;

 

[BJCooperIT]

My cubicle was once in the vicinity of a gentleman who was very impressed with himself. He was in the entertainment industry and on a first name basis with well-known actors and directors. Despite the fact that he was in an office that had a door, he left it open and practically yelled in the speaker phone in an effort to impress everyone in earshot with which Hollywood mogul he was speaking to (he used their name constantly). Unfortunately, there was no way to communicate to him that he was being inconsiderate (either tactfully or brutally) that did not result with him complaining to our CIO. I enlisted the help of his secretary who would quietly close his door on these occasions.

^{Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw}
Systems Project Analyst/Custom Forms & PL/SQL - Oracle/Windows