"Moshi-moshi. Kochira wa Japan Taimuzu no Shuraibaa to moshimasu. Itsumo wo sewa ni natte orimasu" ("Hello, this is Schreiber of the Japan Times. Thanks as always for your kind support.")
In a world where good manners and decorum are vanishing almost as fast as the polar icecap, Japan is one country where proper telephone courtesy is still practiced, especially in the business environment.
Armed with my dog-eared copy of the "Japan Yellow Pages," I've made zillions of cold calls to government and corporate offices and obtained the information I needed. Granted, I have a rasping voice and speak with a gaikokujin no namari (foreign accent), but I make a point of using proper phrases to put the person I'm calling at ease.