Picture coming into the office after a long weekend, and you look at your phone only to find that your voicemail is positively bursting. Overwhelmed yet? Don’t be. September 3 is officially a day notorious for surprisingly, more phone calls than usual. Making itself heard just after Labor Day, Telephone Tuesday is a trendy holiday created based on a clear spike in telephone calls to businesses and organization. The high number of calls usually flood in partly due to unmanned telephones during the long weekend. Makes sense, right? Then comes the many schools which open after Labor Day weekend, blended with the holiday season fast approaching. In addition, it’s been uncovered that organized folks attempt to tackle their to do lists on this day too and so inbound calls rise up to 50% on the day. These consumers are concerned about setting up arrangements pivotal to their lives and making purchases, and so a phone call to them, means assurance. Telephone Tuesday is now known as a powerful business tool and the telephone is known as a great instrument for trade. Very close to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, this day is caught amongst the madness of the busy season.
When is Telephone Tuesday 2024?
Ring ring ring goes the telephone on Telephone Tuesday on September 7.
History of Telephone Tuesday
The invention of the telephone goes way back to the 1880’s and is widely understood to have first been invented by Alexander Graham Bell. However, it is said that the telephone had been in development since the 1660’s but there’s no clear indication as to by whom. They weren’t actually called telephones at first. Phones were called Mechanical Acoustic Devices because they simply transmitted voice data instead of audio. The first known conversation on the telephone was between Alexander Graham Bell and his assistant on March 10, 1876. He spoke into a telephone and said ‘‘Mr Watson, come here, I want to see you.’’
The first ever phone users, used to use the same opening to talk and listen, as there was only one wire for receiving and transmitting your voice. Soon, telephone operators were required to assist and to connect more calls. Women became the majority of staff in telephone exchange jobs, as many young men were proving to enjoy pranks too often while connecting calls, and lines were not being connected successfully.
In 1982, a man named Almon Brown Stowger who was previously an undertaker, invented an automatic telephone exchange company due to his frustration. He was having difficulty with local telephone operators sending his calls to his competitor all the time. His company then worked with the ‘‘British Post Offices’’ in 1912, landing a contract with the British telephone system. Regardless, some people were still using manual exchange phone calls up until 1976 in places like Scotland. By 1973, the mobile phone had arrived by Motorola and it weighed 2 kilograms! Ten years later in 1983, Motorola released the DynaTAC 8000X which cost $4,000 and had a battery life of 30 minutes.
Telephone Tuesday timeline
Robert Hooke, a British Physicist invents the tin can telephone, also named the lovers’ phone.
The first regular phone line is constructed between Somerville and Boston.
Reuben H. Donnelly makes the first Yellow Pages directory which categorizes all types of businesses.
Steve Jobs and Apple release the first iPhone.
Traditions of the Day
Telephone Tuesdays are a blessing for callers and an ordeal for receivers. It goes both ways (pun intended) and the bottom line is an influx of calls to make and attend. Businesses prepare for Telephone Tuesdays by having enough people to answer calls, especially those who are attentive and who have a good temperament.
If you are on the other side of the phone, today is a good day to make all the business calls that have been pending and, in the spirit of the day, contribute to the call volume.
By The Numbers
62% – the percentage of customers who prefer human interactions like phone calls over other mediums.
77% – the percentage of respondents in a survey who believed a phone call is the best way to get an answer.
62% – the percentage of people who have to contact a company repeatedly to resolve a problem.
5 – the number of minutes within which if a web lead is followed up on — the likelihood of converting them is nine times higher.
70% – the percentage of mobile searchers who say they frequently call a business from a search ad.
5 – the number of follow-up calls salespeople make after an initial meeting.
Telephone Tuesday FAQs
Which companies often get the most calls on Telephone Tuesday?
It’s usually insurance companies, home security firms, universities, cable providers and storage facilities.
Was Alexander Graham Bell the only person credited with inventing the telephone?
Alexander Graham Bell was the first to be patented successfully, however Elisha Gray and Antonio Meucci also developed similar inventions around the same time.
Why is using the telephone for purchases still a thing today?
The telephone is still relevant and vital to all generations purchasing habits. It’s been found that people are happier when making live telephone enquiries because they can ask questions and put their minds at ease.
What kind of stats show people are still using the telephone even when it’s not Telephone Tuesday?
In 2014, in the US a Marchex study found that customers spent more that $1trillion US dollars making click to call purchases.
Why is it so important to call customers back on Telephone Tuesday?
It is said to reap the real rewards of marketing; companies need to understand the needs of their customers. It is even more important to reflect this understanding to the customer.
Telephone Tuesday Activities
Answer the phone
Telephone Tuesday is a great opportunity for many companies to capitalize on a period that others may find a temporary inconvenience. If companies don’t respond to their customers, they will easily fall into the arms of another. Responding to voicemails and answering customers urgent calls will put you at the top.
Call who you need
If you’re a consumer, call whoever you need to since the long weekend is now over and try to do it in the morning to get a faster response. If no one answers, leave a voicemail and make it short and sweet with your contact info so you can get a call back asap. Get started on preparing for the holiday season by making your queries.
Empathize with your callers
If you’re a consumer, empathy is important. Callers have already dealt with many customers who may be irate by the time you’ve picked up. It’s also vital for callers to provide good customer service so they continue business with you.
5 Facts About Telephone’s
Phoney kind
There are 6 different types of telephones in the world including distinctive ones like exchange, tap dialing, rotary dialing, candlestick phones and more.
Dis-connected
The world’s first commercially available cell phone was the Motorola DynaTAC which was bigger than a baby monitor.
Game of Phones
The first ever telephone book was released in 1878, right after the first telephone line was invented.
Stop calling
Lady Gaga’s song ‘Telephone’’ was originally written by Gaga for Britney Spears.
Steve’s Job
In 2019 alone, around 40.8 million iPhones have been sold.
Why We Love Telephone Tuesday
Break time is around the corner
This day allows company workers to map out breaks, making them shorter and more frequent. Whether coffee breaks, tea break or a lunch break they will need time to breathe on this day.
Phone Lovin’
This day means telephones are still needed and wanted. In the age of iPhone vs Android, we still are required to make phone calls from time to time. So, enjoy that call waiting music, or simply put the call on speaker and use your other apps.
Deals of the day
Some companies make discounted deals especially for this day. Things like money off a current quote, discounted deals and some even have special Telephone Tuesday hotlines especially with sales associates standing by for Telephone Tuesday.
Telephone Tuesday dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | September 7 | Tuesday |
| 2022 | September 6 | Tuesday |
| 2023 | September 5 | Tuesday |
| 2024 | September 3 | Tuesday |
| 2025 | September 2 | Tuesday |
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