with + company name

[BrunaBC]

Good evening!

Today I answered a phone call where the person said: "Hello, this is Peter with company x".
Is it ok to use with when referring to the company you represent? shouldn't it be replaced by from?

Thank you.

 

[5jj]

I'd use 'from', but Peter is apparently happy with 'with'.

 

[emsr2d2]

Given that most companies give their staff a script to work from when they are calling out to customers (or to potential customers), not only is Peter happy with "with", but probably so are his employers.

If he's self-employed he can tell himself what to say!

 

[BrunaBC]

I'm sorry, maybe I'm a little slow today. So you mean that either way is fine, it depends on the script you are provided?

 

[5jj]

The language of people in business who want to show that they are up to the minute on what is the 'in' language of the moment change so quickly it is hard to keep up. If people are using 'with' in this way then, clearly, it is being used in this way. Who are we to say it's wrong?

 

[SoothingDave]

I just checked my voicemail message and it says "Hello, this is Dave with XXX Group."

So it must be pretty natural.

 

[5jj]

I just checked my voicemail message and it says "Hello, this is Dave with XXX Group."

And to think I used to consider you a sound member of the forum. :-(

 

[SoothingDave]

If you asked me, I'd tell you I've been "with" the company for the past 5 years. I haven't been "from" the company for the last 5 years.

 

[BrunaBC]

I see, but from would refer to the origin (where I'm talking from). Depends on the point of view;-)
Thank you guys. Next time I have to call a foreign company I'll use with.

 

[5jj]

If you asked me, I'd tell you I've been "with" the company for the past 5 years. I haven't been "from" the company for the last 5 years.

So would I. I consider 'from' to be incorrect in that sentence.

I might also say, "I'm Jed. I'm with XXX". I, personally, would not say "I'm Jed with XXX" or, answering the telephone, "This is Jed with XXX". For the former, I'd say "I'm Jed from XXX"; For the latter, I'd say, "Good morning, (This is) XXX. Jed speaking". With modern companies, where phone calls are monitored all the time, I'd say what the company told me to say, if I wanted to keep my job., though I'd draw the line at "This is Jed; how may I help you?"!

 

[emsr2d2]

If I called someone and started "Hello. This is John Smith and I'm calling ..." then of course I would follow it with "from + company name".

If I simply started "Hello. This is John Smith, ..." I could follow it with either "from + company name" or "with + company name".

 

[Tdol]

They both sound fine to me.