Getting acquainted in phone conversation

Question

Hi everybody!I would like to know if I ask somebody ON THE PHONE "May I know your name, mr?" or "What is your name please?" and the person on the other side tell me his name, then what is the appropriate way in BrE to tell that I am happy to get acquainted or to know him?In the real life we would just say "nice to meet you Mr Sullivan!" or something like that.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

I would like to know if I ask somebody ON THE PHONE "May I know your name, mr?"

Never refer to someone simply as 'Mr."

or "What is your name please?"

The common expression on the phone is 'Who is speaking, please?' But generally speaking, the convention is that the person who initiates the call has the responibility to identify himself to the person who answers.

and the person on the other side tell me his name, then what is the appropriate way in BrE to tell that I am happy to get acquainted or to know him?

A great deal depends on the nature of the phone call. eg Is it a business call, in an office context? Or a personal call, in a home context?

In the real life we would just say "nice to meet you Mr Sullivan!" or something like that. We don't think of a phone call as 'meeting someone'.

We often say, at the end of a call, 'It was nice to talk to you'.

Best wishes, Clive

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks.

It would be a business call to present the services of our company and I would be the initator of the conversation. Of course I understand that I have the responsibility to identify myself but If somebody would tell me his name at the begininng of the conversation, i would like to tell him that I am happy to meet/know him. What is the phrase?

Clive · Answer

Hi,

You need to consider the whole conversation.

OK. Let's try.

Pretend this is a telephone and you are calling the company I work at. You looked up our phone number in the phone book.

I pick up the phone and I say 'ABC Software, Tom Smith speaking.'

What do you say?

Clive

Anonymous · Answer

No, no. If the person is identifiying himself at the beginning of the conversation then I tell him mine and we start the conversation.
Imagine this:

A: Goodafternoon! ABC software. How may I help you?
Me: Goodafternoon! My name is Watts Knot.I calling from company Holiday Cucumbers. Our company is one of the largest in *** and we ...bla, bla, bla. The reason I am calling is that we are looking for cooperation partners from UK.
A: I will connect you to the relevant person.
Me: OK
B: Hello!
Me: Goodafternoon! My name is Watts Knot.I calling from ...

B: I see. Please send an information about your company to Email Removed. I must consult my partners because I can not make decisions like these alone.

Me: Ok! May I know your name please?
B: My names is Bob Wild.
Me: Pleasure to get acquainted, Bob! <= this phrase!

B: The pleasure is mine!

Me: Could you tell me a little about the situation in those sectors you are working in?
B: Yes, of course! The situation is rising.. bla,bla, bla.
Me: I see. Thank you for the infotmation and your time, Bob! I will send the information about our company and lets get in touch after you and your partners evaluate it. It was nice talking to you! Bye bye!

Clive · Answer

Hi,

No, no. If the person is identifiying himself at the beginning of the conversation then I tell him mine and we start the conversation.

Imagine this:

A: Goodafternoon! ABC software. How may I help you?

Me: Goodafternoon! My name is Watts Knot.I calling from company Holiday Cucumbers. Our company is one of the largest in *** and we ...bla, bla, bla. The reason I am calling is that we are looking for cooperation partners from UK.

I don't find the above natural at all. The phone is likely to be answered by a switchboard operator or receptionist, or someone else who is not all the kind of person you wnat to talk to. They will not be at all interested in the level of detail you are offering.

I suggest something like this.

Me: Good afternoon. I'd like to speak to the company president please, or whoever is in charge of supply and procurement of cucumbers.

A: I will connect you to Mr. Jones, the manager of our Supply Department. Who may I say is calling, please?

Me: My name is Watts Knot, President of Knot Software Solutions.

....

....

B: Hello, Tom Jones.

Me: Good afternoon, Mr. Jones! My name is Watts Knot. I am calling from ... because bla bla bla.
...

Me: I see. Thank you for the information and your time, Mr. Jones. I look forward to talking to you again.

Generally speaking, there are no set phrases that you need to use in such a conversation, and it is hard to make a detailed plan of what you will say. You need to be flexible. My advice is to be friendly and simply say what seems natural, but not to overdo it. You do not really become well acquainted with someone in the course of a single phone call. You might consider arranging to come and discuss this matter in person. Senior people often prefer personal contact in such matters, to see what kind of person you are.

Best wishes, Clive

Getting acquainted in phone conversation

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