DEAR HELOISE: I took a class on how to answer a business phone:
Say "Good day" or "Hello." This gives the caller a chance to realize that the phone has been answered.
Say the name of the company, clearly.
Last, say your name. The caller remembers what he or she hears last.
Don't say, "I'll transfer you." Say "I'll connect you."
Don't say "I'll have her/him call you back." Say "I will give her/him the message."
-- Karen M., via email
DEAR READER: Karen, those are some good hints, especially for people just starting out in the work world. Many of us have been "put on hold" and waited what seemed like a lifetime. Here are a few additional hints:
Speak with a normal and pleasant tone of voice, and don't chew gum/eat/drink while on the phone.
Ask before placing the person on hold and/or transferring.
P.S. From the caller's side, know whom you are calling and the number. Please don't call me and ask, "Where is this?" or "Who am I calling?"
DEAR HELOISE: I know the government expects us to keep certain papers for seven years. I keep them for 10 years, and here is the best way for me to save the needed material:
I have 10 boxes on a shelf, and each one is labeled from 1 to 0. This represents the last digit of any given year. This year, I will take down box number 6, shred the papers from 2006 and replace them with 2016 paperwork.
This way, I know where all my material is for 10 years, and I don't have to relabel anything. I also don't have a tendency to keep these papers year after year, accumulating much more than necessary.
-- Charlene H., Illinois
DEAR READER: The three to seven years is a general guideline. Some suggest keeping all IRS paperwork forever. The Internal Revenue Service has hints on how long to keep specific documents. Check out irs.gov.
DEAR HELOISE: When I use quick-drying glue (we had five children at home, so you can imagine the number of broken things), I apply the glue to the surfaces, then I dip my fingers in a bowl of water before pressing together the broken pieces. The moistened fingers prevent the glue from adhering to my skin.
-- Tim D., Ohio
Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email
Style on 03/28/2017