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We don't have a company policy per se, but we are expected to be professional when answering the phone.  I answer the phone "Patricia speaking, may I help you?" My co-workers do the same or some variation of that.  I have phoned some places and they answer with the full name of their company and if it is a law firm, it can be quite a tongue twister as they go through the five names of the partners of the firm, Whew!  I think only if you are the receptionist would you use the full name of the company.  if they are calling your direct line they usally know which company they are calling.

Our company does however have a policy on how we word our voicemail.  They are very insistent that you not dead end your voicemail.  If you are not in, you need to give a co-worker's name and extension or say press 0 and ask the receptionist to direct your call to someone who can assist them in your absence. 

When I first started at my last job they wanted us to answer the phone w/a long speech as I referred to it.  Luckily I worked a shift when we were actually closed so I didn't have to answer the phone that way and I am so glad.  The speech basically was "Hanover Humane society, now offering boarding, grooming and training, this is so and so how may I help you?"  I had problems w/the grooming and training part as I didn't approve of the way the groomer groomed or the way they trained.  So I usually answered with everything but the "now offering boarding, grooming and training" bit. 

We don't have an actual specific format to use when answering the phone. I simply answer Cameron, this is Jeanette. Most of the time the outside calls are from friends or family anyway. When someone calls from inside I simply say Jeanette. They know who they are calling. Although some of my immediate co-workers simply answer with the department name. That in my opinion is a not professional, if feel we should at least give our first name.

Good Morning/Afternoon, Thank you for calling *name of company* this is Brittany. Most people that call my office know who they are calling for. But then I get the ones that love to chat too! I really like my job can you tell? : )

I answer the phones for two different CPA firms that share a suite.  My greeting is "Accounting offices, this is Julie".  I try to do it with a "smile in my voice", but I have to admit that during the stress of tax season I can sound pretty lame.  I don't think my bosses really care what my greeting is, as long as I am curteous/helpful.

Hahahaha...I don't think that you read my post, but I have to begin with "It's a great day...".  Lmao!  I can't stand it, but it's better than what was tagged on with it a few months ago.

So, I had to come back and add something.  I usually get the "Is it really a great day" response from the majority of our callers here.  Yesterday I had a very nasty man who kept calling.  (I mean nasty as in he was mean, rude, irate etc not  nasty as in he was a pervert).  The second time he called back, I gave him the greeting, and he yelled at me that no, it was NOT a great day and if it isn't a great day, then I shouldn't say that it is.  He said that it's not a great day when you cannot get ahold of anyone and keep getting their voice mails and that I need to stop saying that it's a great day!  He then said that he wants to speak to a manager about me saying it's a great day when it is not a great day.  How friggin narcissistic is this guy?!  So I had to inform this lovely man that the manager was actually in a meeting.  He got upset and hung up on me.  He called back again, telling me to stop saying that it was a great day and told me to transfer his call.  The rest of the day, I found myself REALLY enjoying the greeting that was pissing this rude guy off, especially knowing that any one of those calls was going to be him again! 

Ahh...it IS a great day at ...