F like funny… G like geek

Love More

May 2

Written By Jeff Shibasaki

Mr. Ferguson's last name should have been simple to spell. It was not. There's a better system for that.

Customer service agent asks a caller to spell his last name; he spells Ferguson correctly but she reads back a garbled version.

The caller tries to clarify each letter using made-up code words like "F like funny" and "G like geek" while the agent looks confused.

The agent thinks "why's he making this so hard?" while the caller wonders what the problem is — a classic phone spelling breakdown.

patchOS Love More habit card introduces the solution: use a phonetic alphabet to prevent miscommunication and frustration on phone calls.

NATO phonetic alphabet chart from Alpha to Zulu with all 26 code words, used by pilots, police, and emergency crews to keep letters clear on calls.

Western Union phonetic alphabet chart from Adams to Zero — the original code-word spelling system built for telegraph operators, still in use today.

Three phonetic alphabet use cases: spell important details like names and passwords, spell tricky words like cities and technical terms, and spell lookalike sounds like B vs P or Steven vs Stephen.

Three ways to use phonetic alphabet code words on a call — say the letter with "as in," say it with "like," or say the code word only — with the agent noting they're not just for pilots and spies.

Silhouette diagrams show the three ways to say NATO phonetic alphabet code words: "F as in Foxtrot," "G like Golf," or just "Alpha. Yankee. Alpha."

Two NATO phonetic alphabet examples: a woman spells a street address using Sierra and Hotel, and another spells a license plate using Uniform, Foxtrot, and Whiskey.

Two Western Union phonetic alphabet examples: a man spells a city name using Sugar and Mary, and another spells a street address using Boston, Victor, and New York.

Ferguson uses the NATO phonetic alphabet — Foxtrot, Echo, Romeo, Golf, Uniform, Sierra, Oscar, November — and communicates clearly on the phone.

Trying to spell something over the phone shouldn't feel like defusing a bomb, but somehow it always does.
One second, you confidently say: "F like funny…" The next: "R like… library — wait, no, that's L. I mean river."
System crash.
A phonetic alphabet for phone calls is a standardized set of code words — one per letter — designed to eliminate exactly this problem. Instead of improvising in real time, you use agreed-upon words that are distinct enough to survive a bad connection, a thick accent, or a panicked brain. The NATO phonetic alphabet (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie…) and the Western Union phonetic alphabet (Adams, Boston, Chicago…) are the two most widely used systems, and either will make you much easier to understand on a call.
The NATO phonetic alphabet was formally standardized by the International Civil Aviation Organization in 1956 to eliminate letter confusion across languages, accents, and noisy radio and phone connections — which is exactly why aviation, military, emergency services, and customer support operations still use it today.
The funny thing is that most people already use a phonetic alphabet without realizing it. The problem is that everybody invents their own version in real time. That works… until it doesn't. "B," "D," "P," and "T" start fighting for dominance. "M" and "N" become indistinguishable twins. Meanwhile, the person on the other end is typing at the speed of panic, trying to decode your improvised system.
This connects directly to the Love More habit in patchOS. Clear communication reduces friction, lowers frustration, and helps people feel heard instead of confused. Tiny miscommunications may seem harmless, but they compound quickly — especially during appointments, customer service calls, and emergencies when getting it right actually matters.
You don't need to memorize the entire NATO alphabet overnight. Even a handful of consistent words — enough to cover your name, your email, your street — makes a real difference. And honestly? Sounding calm and clear on a phone call feels pretty great. Sometimes the difference between chaos and clarity is simply knowing that "N" stands for November, not Netflix.
Keep coming back. You're not alone. 🤓💪
Pick a challenge:
1. Learn the NATO phonetic alphabet code words for each letter in your first and last name
2. Save a phonetic alphabet chart to your phone so it's available when you need it during a call
3. Practice spelling your email address out loud using phonetic code words before your next important call
4. Use consistent phonetic code words the next time you spell something over the phone instead of improvising
5. Share the NATO or Western Union phonetic alphabet with one person who'd find it useful
Want help putting this into practice? Explore Patch Picks

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F like funny… G like geek

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Jeff Shibasaki

Jeff Shibasaki is a Staff UX Writer at Wellhub and creator of Geek Strong, a comic-driven wellness brand that helps geeks patch the habits holding them back through storytelling, humor, design, and the patchOS framework. He created patchOS — a six-habit system built around the idea that systems work better than willpower alone. New Patches drop every Saturday.

https://geekstrong.com

F like funny… G like geek

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