What's wrong with leaving detailed voice mails?

I AGREE!  I got  a message today through our office voicemail system from an agent who asked for feedback from a showing and did even leave his phone number.  At least he told me what he wanted, but I had to look up his number to call him back. 

Or what about the people who leave messages that drag on and on and on and on...and still never get to the point. 

I hope your day is better tomorrow!

I agree too!  But then too many times I leave a detailed message and get this call:

"Oh, I saw that you'd called.  What did you need?"

"I left a message, did you get it?" 

"Oh no, I just checked the caller id, not voicemail."

Ugh, my lovely thought out message, down the tubes! :)  My VM asks the caller to leave a detailed message or email me their message, spelling out my email address. 

I leave detailed messages. Sometimes too long...I know what you mean with people who dont tell you what they want.

Hi Michele,

Boy, I cannot begin to tell you how many times a day I have had that thought...

How about when "they" call your cell phone ten times in fifteen minutes and don't speak, just listen, sigh, suck their teeth, or clear their voice waiting, as if they really expect you to be able to pick up and interrupt the call to answer them once it goes to voice mail. You are THEIR Realtor and you are supposed to be there the instant "they" need something. So they call you right back again and again and again because the idea that you possibly need to recharge your phone completely slips their mind. They're so used to calling you about every little detail at any hour of the day ALL day it just never occurs to them "they" are single handedly killing your phone battery. More often than not I waste a lot of minutes listening to dead air only to have a customer say at, on, or about the tenth call, this is so and so call me (again, never saying what they want or why they are calling).

Have you ever told someone in no uncertain terms "I will update / talk to you about this tomorrow," just to have them call you five more times within the next two consecutive hours to check and see if anything has changed before you get back to them tomorrow? (I get that a lot with first time home buyers and anxious sellers).  Some people are really sweet about it while others make you wonder if (a) they need to be sedated, (b) on medication, or (c) passed along to another colleague before you wonder how long it will take this person to drive you insane.

Thank you for allowing me a moment to rant for the day... Enjoyed your post.

Michele, I'm with you...  I hate the just call me messages, we could all be more efficient if you would leave the reason for your call... UGH

I hate long voice mails.  I really do.  Invariably when you call back all that was said on the voice mail gets restated anyway....HAVING SAID THAT....I really do want more than just "it's bob, call me back" on my VM....I at least would like to know why they want me to call back you know?

I tell you what I hate....the detailed instructions from the cell phone company.  It is 2008!  Surely everyone knows to leave a message after the tone and then when they are finished they should hang up.  Surely we don't need an automated voice telling us that!  But then again, maybe it's just me!