Voice Paging Etiquette

The person paging should always speak clearly. Because workers are frequently involved in computer work, phone conversations or conversations with coworkers, the pager should always repeat the message once. If the employee has not responded within a few minutes, it is acceptable to page again once more.

Voice paging provides a quick and concise means of relaying information to someone in the same building. The pager should briefly require attention for the announcement without disrupting workers.

When voice paging, the pager should ask the person she is paging to call her if the message is extensive. If the message is brief, it is acceptable to relay the entire message: "Mrs. Smith, you have a call on line three. Mrs. Smith, you have a call on line three. Thank you." Also, the pager should be as specific as possible in message content.

The entire office hears voice paging. This includes bosses, clients and guests. The voice pager can affect the reputation of the company and should therefore be polite when paging. It is always acceptable to say "thank you" at the conclusion of the message.

If possible, the pager should send the voice page from a quiet area. This enhances the clarity of the message and prevents the private conversations of others from being broadcast across the building.

The pager should make an effort to use proper grammar in addition to pleasantries. This assists in the clarity of the message, making it understandable. It also reinforces the expectations of the work environment.

For additional voice paging etiquette, it's always best to reference basic business phone etiquette. The pager should not chew gum, speak too loudly or fail to use the hold button when appropriate.