If anyone has been using a withheld number to try and contact me over the last few months, you may have noticed you didn't get to speak to me. Over the years I have noticed that 90% of withheld number callers do not honour appointments, plus the fact I do not have a distinguishable phone number has often led to mix-ups and problems on the day. Also I would get the same person repeatedly phoning going over the same questions, insisting he'd never spoken to me before. Well I'm not completely daft, and can recognise a voice when I've heard it umpteen times over many months. Another 5% are sales calls trying to persuade me to upgrade my mobile (which I'm very happy with), or sell me some sort of business supplies. I therefore decided to block withheld calls, and it's the best thing I ever did. Result is I no-longer have to repeatedly ask "Please call back and display your number if you'd like to make an appointment" followed by "Just one more question please", or promising to do so then phoning on the day withheld again. I am aware a small percentage are genuine callers, but I'm afraid this move has been the best single thing I've done all year and I'm more relaxed with more time for those clients who are able to show their numbers.
I've also had a few of you email sending me a phone number to contact you on. In the past I've rung numbers to find a typo has been made, or on a couple of occasions the number has been used either as a joke or maliciously to set a 'friend' up. Whilst I hardly announce myself as 'Ruth of Kendal' I do have to say something and have occasionally heard "Who's that deary?" in the background. It can be difficult for some to explain to a partner how a strange girl has his name and number!
So in future I will insist you make first phone contact, if only to protect the innocent. I also won't phone a number left on my voicemail without your call originating from it either.
All common sense, but not necessarily for those leaving a message at 2am in the morning - yes I do get those. The other morning I was using my phone as an alarm clock, and when it turned itself on a call came through at 6:30am. I'm not sure when I'm supposed to sleep at times, and do sometimes wonder whether there are ladies out there who do answer the phone throughout the night, or perhaps it's just wishful thinking on behalf of the caller!
