Ways to end a phone conversation


Despite its being one of the most basic element of daily-life Japanese, I
often find myself looking for a proper way to end certain phone conversations.

Of course, I know the standard: `[それでは]失礼します`, or: `よろしく[お願いします]`...

But somehow, neither of these seems quite right when ending a (somewhat
formal) conversation where _I_ am the customer (e.g. making a restaurant
reservation). I often opt for a basic `ありがとうございました`, but I don't think it is a
very idiomatic way to end such phone conversations.

What would be a good phrase, beside the ones above, to end a phone
conversation with a stranger?

**Update:** So from Tsyoshi's comments, it sounds like `失礼します` is just the way
to end all phone conversations, service people included. But Dave MG's
`はい、どうも` provides a nice alternative (and he's the only answer), so I'll
accept it.




For my money, `「はい、どうも」` just can't be beat.

What's that? Too informal, you say?

Far from it, my good man. `「はい、どうも」` isn't a replacement for `よろしく` or
`宜しくお願いします` when you're winding down the conversation.

But there's always that awkwardness that sets in - happens in English, too -
when you and the person on the other end are saying conversation-ending-
phrases and no one knows who is going to be the person who actually hangs up.
I find I get into the goodbye-vortex even more with customer service people
because... well, I don't know why for sure but I suspect they think it's rude
to hang up on me.

That's where `「はい、どうも」` comes in. You've been polite all conversation, you've
thrown in a few `「失礼します」` where appropriate, and now it's time to just get off
the phone.

You throw out a `「はい、どうも」`, and then **BAM** , you slam down the receiver
(even though it's a smart phone and you already pressed the button on the
screen - we're doing this old school, baby!), then you raise your hands in
flawless victory.

> はい、どうも!!




For my money, `「はい、どうも」` just can't be beat.

What's that? Too informal, you say?

Far from it, my good man. `「はい、どうも」` isn't a replacement for `よろしく` or
`宜しくお願いします` when you're winding down the conversation.

But there's always that awkwardness that sets in - happens in English, too -
when you and the person on the other end are saying conversation-ending-
phrases and no one knows who is going to be the person who actually hangs up.
I find I get into the goodbye-vortex even more with customer service people
because... well, I don't know why for sure but I suspect they think it's rude
to hang up on me.

That's where `「はい、どうも」` comes in. You've been polite all conversation, you've
thrown in a few `「失礼します」` where appropriate, and now it's time to just get off
the phone.

You throw out a `「はい、どうも」`, and then **BAM** , you slam down the receiver
(even though it's a smart phone and you already pressed the button on the
screen - we're doing this old school, baby!), then you raise your hands in
flawless victory.

> はい、どうも!!

