Do You Answer Your Cell During Face-to-Face Meetings With Others? (Poll)

Posted on November 5, 2009 by Laura Christianson

During meetings with clients, I turn the ringer on my cell phone off so I can devote my full attention to my client.

Inevitably, my client receives one (or more) calls during our meeting, which they almost always answer.

I heard on the radio that the vast majority of Americans believe it’s rude when others take calls in their presence. The majority of us claim we NEVER answer calls when we’re having a face-to-face with someone.

Fess up.

Do you take calls when you’re meeting with someone?

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Do you consider it rude when someone answers their cell when they're meeting with you?

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Please share why you do—or don’t—answer calls when meeting with others.

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  • http://1to1discovery.com/weblog/ Juli Monroe

    There have been a few times when my son has needed to be able to get to me. Then I will leave my ringer on. But I will explain that in advance to the person I am meeting with. Other than that, the ringer is off when I am in a face to face meeting. And I don’t take other calls when I am on a call unless I’ve been playing voice mail tag with someone for hours.

  • http://1to1discovery.com/weblog/ Juli Monroe

    There have been a few times when my son has needed to be able to get to me. Then I will leave my ringer on. But I will explain that in advance to the person I am meeting with. Other than that, the ringer is off when I am in a face to face meeting. And I don’t take other calls when I am on a call unless I’ve been playing voice mail tag with someone for hours.

  • Laura

    Juli – Informing the person you’re meeting with that you’re expecting a call seems like the polite thing to do. I don’t mind that.

    But it irks me are when the person I’m talking with randomly (and frequently) checks their phone for texts or voicemail. That shows me that they are only partially invested in our conversation (at best!). I know I’m not all that exciting, but still…

  • Laura

    Juli – Informing the person you’re meeting with that you’re expecting a call seems like the polite thing to do. I don’t mind that.

    But it irks me are when the person I’m talking with randomly (and frequently) checks their phone for texts or voicemail. That shows me that they are only partially invested in our conversation (at best!). I know I’m not all that exciting, but still…

  • http://card.ly/sefcug sefcug

    I run and attend a lot of meetings. The rules are that cell phones are off during meetings, no calls, no texting.

    There have been a couple of times where I, or another, have had to be available for family emergencies, in which case the phones are still off, but word is left with reception to interrupt the meeting for the expected call, and that call only.

    I do feel that it is rude to be constantly interrupting the meeting. I do not do it, and I expect others to be focused on the meeting as well.

  • http://card.ly/sefcug sefcug

    I run and attend a lot of meetings. The rules are that cell phones are off during meetings, no calls, no texting.

    There have been a couple of times where I, or another, have had to be available for family emergencies, in which case the phones are still off, but word is left with reception to interrupt the meeting for the expected call, and that call only.

    I do feel that it is rude to be constantly interrupting the meeting. I do not do it, and I expect others to be focused on the meeting as well.

  • http://www.bloggingbistro.com/ Laura Christianson

    Thanks, sefcug. That’s good advice, and very easy to implement.

  • http://www.bloggingbistro.com Laura Christianson

    Thanks, sefcug. That’s good advice, and very easy to implement.

  • http://www.janetanncollins.com/ Jan Collins

    Because I live where cell phone reception is difficult to get my battery needs frequent recharging even if the phone hasn’t been used. To avoid that, I keep my phone turned off unless I’m out of the area, need to make a call, or expect to receive an important one at a certain time. Otherwise I do the old fashioned thing and use land lines.

  • http://www.janetanncollins.com Jan Collins

    Because I live where cell phone reception is difficult to get my battery needs frequent recharging even if the phone hasn’t been used. To avoid that, I keep my phone turned off unless I’m out of the area, need to make a call, or expect to receive an important one at a certain time. Otherwise I do the old fashioned thing and use land lines.

  • http://christianbookscout.blogspot.com/ Crystal Laine Miller

    I once had a person I had not seen in a long time who stopped by my house to visit.(She’d set up the time.) When I answered the door, she was in a full-fledge conversation on her cell! (Why didn’t she just finish the call in the car??) Anyway, it was awkward as she barely acknowledged me when I let her in, motioned her to a seat. I didn’t know whether I should leave the room (I assumed she didn’t care if I overheard) or what.

    Her conversation went on for a full 10-15 minutes and it was even more awkward when she finally hung up. She didn’t even apologize or explain!

    It really annoys me unless it is an emergency call or it has something do with what we are doing at the time. People lose all courtesy, it seems, on their cell phones.

  • http://christianbookscout.blogspot.com Crystal Laine Miller

    I once had a person I had not seen in a long time who stopped by my house to visit.(She’d set up the time.) When I answered the door, she was in a full-fledge conversation on her cell! (Why didn’t she just finish the call in the car??) Anyway, it was awkward as she barely acknowledged me when I let her in, motioned her to a seat. I didn’t know whether I should leave the room (I assumed she didn’t care if I overheard) or what.

    Her conversation went on for a full 10-15 minutes and it was even more awkward when she finally hung up. She didn’t even apologize or explain!

    It really annoys me unless it is an emergency call or it has something do with what we are doing at the time. People lose all courtesy, it seems, on their cell phones.

  • Laura

    Crystal,

    Your incident wins the crocheted bedpan for rudeness!

  • Laura

    Crystal,

    Your incident wins the crocheted bedpan for rudeness!

  • http://www.freedomtrainministries.com/about/ Marilyn Gray

    I really try hard not to do that – I leave my cell phone in the car when I meet people. Very rarely is it important enough to take with me and answer. If it is a possibility that I have to take a call, I tell the person I am with. I am always reminded about how life was without cell phones. We all survived!

  • http://www.freedomtrainministries.com/about/ Marilyn Gray

    I really try hard not to do that – I leave my cell phone in the car when I meet people. Very rarely is it important enough to take with me and answer. If it is a possibility that I have to take a call, I tell the person I am with. I am always reminded about how life was without cell phones. We all survived!