What do you call the person who answers the phone?

If I'm the caller, then the employee answering would be the callee, right (as in grantor / grantee speak) but that just doesn't sound right in a professional report. So is there a single word to identify that person, other than the generic "employee". And what if they are an answering service and not actually employed by the company you are calling? I use "phone rep" sometimes but that just doesn't fit either with someone taking your tee time reservation or a store attendant telling you their hours of operation, where answering the phone is not their primary job function.

Create an Account or Log In

Membership is free. Simply choose your username, type in your email address, and choose a password. You immediately get full access to the forum.

More About Phone Shops

Associate, representative, agent. You can add “phone” in front of every word if you want to be specific. Somwtimes, the company tells you in the guidelines or report form how they preffer to call this person.

The person who answered the phone. Unless the person answers "ABC Company, this is Rosie", you cannot KNOW it is an employee, team member, or associate. I've been in too many places where wives/husbands/significant others/children or just plain old friends answer the phone in a business. Basically, Joe is busy and yells "Somebody grab the dang phone, will ya?" LOL!!!

I also say the person who answered the phone. Sometimes I might refer to it as a male voice or a female voice if I am pretty certain of the gender, as in a female voice answered the phone.

I usually say the person who answered the phone also, but I was looking for a shorter phrase if there is one. It gets redundant saying the person who answered the phone several times in a single narrative.

Right, but generally after the initial, "Thank you for calling XXYZ. This is Joan speaking. How may I help you?" You then refer to the person as "Joan" and "she".

Sometimes I use phone attendant to change it up but refer them as she or he in a few sentences. Some MSC prefer to use their actual names.

I may say Employee, because if he/she answered they must work there, but nine times out of ten, they will give company name and say Jennifer speaking, never been a problem, and I have asked, your name please, then thank you Jennifer.

Live consciously....

I use whatever the MSC asks. The employee, person who answered the phone, name, associate, etc.

I think a simple "they," "he," or "she" should be sufficient on second reference.

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

Click here to login

What do you call the person who answers the phone?

Create an Account or Log In

Official List of Mystery Shopping Companies

Mystery Shopper Magazine