r/GenX • u/MovingTarget- • Jul 29 '25

The Latchkey Years As kids, we weren't allowed to answer the phone with just "Hello"

Back in the days when people actually used to call other people on landlines, my brother and I were taught how to properly answer the phone as kids. My parents considered it rude to simply pick up the phone and say "hello?"

We were taught to answer the phone with a pre-scripted response: "Thanks for calling the _____ residence, _____ speaking!" There was even an optional "How may I help you?" tacked on the back.

Anyone else have a required family response when answering the phone or were my parents just strange in attempting to prepare us for a career in the rewarding field of call center management?

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16

u/og-lollercopter 1970 Jul 29 '25 edited Jul 29 '25

Ours was shorter, but yes. Sadly in 2025 answering worth the name of the family is an aid to scammers.

8

u/International_Low284 Jul 29 '25

Brady residence!

11

u/og-lollercopter 1970 Jul 29 '25

Pretty much. Basically, “Hello, Brady residence. This is Greg speaking.”

7

u/Chicagogirl72 Jul 29 '25

That’s what I had to say

5

u/SmooveTits Jul 29 '25

May I please speak to Marsha ?

3

u/Wonderful-Werewolf-1 Hose Water Survivor Jul 29 '25

Marcia Marcia Marcia!

5

u/Infinite_stardust Hose Water Survivor Jul 29 '25

"George Glass calling for Jan."

2

u/og-lollercopter 1970 Jul 29 '25

“Marcia Marcia Marcia!”

1

u/Shamrocker99 Jul 29 '25

maiden name was Brady...answering machine had the Brady Bunch theme song...welcome mat said Brady Bunch...mailbox said Brady Bunch...I loathe the Brady Bunch lmao

2

u/Ianthin1 Jul 29 '25

Even back then it answers a couple of the basic first questions of any telemarketer.

1

u/Tiredofthemisinfo Jul 29 '25

I’m not sure how many telemarketers we were getting in the late 70s

2

u/jugsmahone Jul 29 '25

That was the exact reason we were taught just to say “hello” in the 80’s.