Phone Numbers

[chops]

As a result, most people would only give out the last 4 digits as the phone numbers., being that I'm from an area that does 10 digit dialing, it drove me nuts.

That still happens from time to time in my hometown. In fact, twenty years ago it was possible to call someone within the same town by simply dialing those last four digits alone.

[BookstoreEscapee]

If I'm at a shop, I don't usually give my area code unless I'm out of town. It seems natural to assume that unless they say otherwise the person lives in the same area code as the shop. *shrugs* Maybe it's different other places, but I've never been complained to about it, and only rarely do they say "That's ###, right?"

At Store2 it was usually a safe assumption that customers would have the same area code, but at Store1 I got enough customers from a neighboring area code that it wasn't always safe to assume (if you drive about 20 minutes west from the store you'll hit a new area code). And when I started at Store1 we still used 7 digits, so sometimes there would be confusion.

[napoleana]

At Store2 it was usually a safe assumption that customers would have the same area code, but at Store1 I got enough customers from a neighboring area code that it wasn't always safe to assume (if you drive about 20 minutes west from the store you'll hit a new area code). And when I started at Store1 we still used 7 digits, so sometimes there would be confusion.

Ah. That makes sense. ^.^

[simplyanother]

I always give out my number with the area code. Mostly because I've gotten used to calling people--who require it... When I call for HELP! regarding the cable or what not. lol. Shoot, when I call one of the pharmacies for my grandmother, they even say "please say your phone number starting with your area code...".

Around here, there are two common area codes. Mine and whatever the one is for the state to the south. Within my area code, 10 digit dialing is only required for the places that are long distance.

People around here tend to give their whole phone numbers anyway. I think it might be because a great many of them are military and are just used to it.

I feel for the Toys R Us employees, with the phone number thing. Unless I'm paying by check, I say "no", but I'm always polite about it. I KNOW how evil people get when I ask them for their freakin ZIP code, so I can't imagine the level of suck you get with phone numbers.

[mattm04]

I have to admit that I have accidentally given my 7 digit # when I ordered something over the phone. When he mention that I forgot the area code I said sorry, my mistake and gave him the entire number over again.

[HalloranElder]

That still happens from time to time in my hometown. In fact, twenty years ago it was possible to call someone within the same town by simply dialing those last four digits alone.

Where I grew up (in outback Australia) as a kid, you used to pick up the phone and tell the operator the three digit phone number you wanted to talk to...

I feel old.

[delorean623]

When I'm creating new customer accounts, I just say 'phone number, area code first'
It saves hassle... I had to do it at first, because when I first moved here I didn't remember the area code.... Now, since Arizona has quite a few and this is kind of a college town, it just make life easier to ask for it every time.

[matty]

Referring to the original post, I don't quite understand why Toys R Us need to ask for phone numbers unless they are going to use them to actually call someone. For demographic/market research, wouldn't it be easier to just ask for post (zip) codes? I know that a few places do this.

Note that:
A) I'm outside of the United States.
B) It's probably been about a decade since I actually visited a Toys R Us store - I just haven't needed to.

So, I'm a bit curious about this process.

[Pagan]

Up until recently, and I mean the last couple of months, you didn't need the area code in New Mexico. We were all the 505. Now we've got 505 and 575 and the powers-that-be chose the absolutely most idiotic way to decide how to apply them. *wanders of grumbling about idiot PRC*