Thoughts

I have one of those fancy (XXX) XXX-XX00 type cell phone numbers. The ability to end with "hundred" when you tell people the number is a wonderful luxury. The downfall is that your number will often be confused with that of any number of businesses. I would estimate the number of calls I receive that are not actually for me in the neighborhood of three per week. That is not really a lot, and the inconvenience is low. The relative frequency did get me thinking about how we handle these phone calls.

I have found myself saying "I'm sorry, you have the wrong number." Why am I sorry that they have the wrong number? Wait, I'm not. So I do my best not to say that anymore. I am working towards saying "You have the wrong number" and omitting the apology. Does anyone else do that?

Why do some people not believe you when you tell them that they either have misdialed or been given the wrong number?
"[I'm sorry] You have the wrong number."
"This isn't Whatever Medical Supplies?"
"No. (Which is why I said you have the wrong number!)"

When they have just been given the wrong number or god forbid it was user error and they wrote it down incorrectly they really get mad at you.
"[I'm sorry] You have the wrong number."
"Is this (XXX) XXX-XX00?"
"Yes, but you must have been given the wrong number."
":utter disbelief:"
As if I am really the person you are calling and will at any minute chime in with:
"Dude, I was kidding. It's me, what's up? I totally had you going on that wrong number thing. I can't believe you fell for it! Now, thank you for calling Whatever Medical Supplies, how may I direct your call?"

Do you ever get the guy that calls you back immediately after you tell him he had the wrong number? Caller id has really turned this into your advantage as you now have options. You may simply answer the phone with, "Still have the wrong number." This will generally prompt the conversation immediately above. You may also employ the changing of your voice or greeting when you answer and tell him he has the number wrong again in hopes he thinks he has now misdialed two times. This is fun in theory, but often will lead to the third call back, so you may want to avoid it all together. The last option that if you get really bored may be attractive is, now that you know who he is trying to reach, just say you are that person. Be warned, this could take you down a path from which it is hard to turn back. Who knows how long the conversation can go before you get backed into a corner and must hang up. Then the resulting phone call is even more awkward when you tell them they have the wrong number.

My personal favorite though, is taking a message. This only works when it is a personal call and said caller is not attempting to make contact with a business. I once was able to take messages for a woman for nearly a month. I kept telling the caller that I was her cousin visiting from out of town and she was out running errands. She had to run to the bank, she went for a walk, the movies had to be back at the rental place before midnight...you name it. I wonder whatever happened to that guy.