Business Ethics

Can you hear me now?

This morning while I was doing some research for an upcoming article, I had a few questions about the information I was finding. I clicked on the "Contact Us" button on the site, and up came the PR contact for the company. I got his name, address, phone, fax and e-mail.
As I picked up the phone to call him, I rehearsed what I would say in my head...
"Hi, I'm a writer for CareerBuilder.com..." no, that doesn't sound right. "Hey, I'm looking for some more information on..." no, not that either.

I hung up. As I clicked on the contact's e-mail address and I quickly typed out my request, I thought about my actions. Why couldn't I just pick up the phone and call the guy? It's not like I was in 6th grade and calling my crush or anything.

And then it occurred to me - I sort of forgot how.

When it comes to the phone, the only people I really talk to are my friends and family - at work, e-mail is my choice of communication. In a time where technology rules, this isn't surprising, so I thought that if I'm having a problem, other's might be too.

Here's a quick lesson in telephone etiquette from Marjorie Brody, author of "Professional Impressions: Etiquette for Everyone, Every Day."

When the telephone rings...

Answer all calls within three rings, Brody advises. When you pick up, smile (she says it will come through in your voice) and identify yourself. For example, "Victoria Smith speaking" or "This is Victoria Smith."

Screening your calls

Everyone is busy - there's nothing wrong with having your assistant screen your calls, or screening them yourself - as long as everyone is getting screened, and not just certain people.
If you use voice mail to answer your calls, Brody suggests keeping your outgoing message up-to-date with the time you expect to return or be available.

Calling back

The sooner, the better, Brody says. Always return a phone call within 24 hours. Even if the call isn't about something you can help with, let the caller know so he or she can look elsewhere for help.

Scheduling a conversation

Scheduling a phone call is the same as scheduling a meeting, Brody says. You wouldn't ignore a meeting or appointment you made, so don't "stand up" someone who is waiting to speak with you.

Holding a conversation

Keep your full attention on the person you're talking to , no matter what else is going on around you, Brody says. Concentrate on listening - not on checking your e-mail, not doodling on a notepad - listening.

When you are the caller

Before calling, get organized. Know what you want to say and accomplish, Brody says. (This was my problem earlier!) Identify yourself immediately.

Oh, and never make any comments in your work area until after you've hung up, Brody says.

Even then, make sure it's on the hook - you don't want the other person to hear anything you say if they're still on the line.

Speakerphones
Plain and simple, unless you're on a conference call, using speakerphone is rude - don't do it, Brody says.
Voicemail

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You want your voice mails to be professional, Brody says. Keep the message brief; speak slowly and enunciate; and give your name and number at the beginning and end of the message.

"Tips on handling telephone calls"

"Good Telephone Habits for Everyone"

Whether answering the phone or making phone calls, using the proper etiquette is a must in order to maintain a certain level of professionalism. Proper etiquette leaves callers with a favorable impression of you in general.

You'll also find that others treat you with more respect and are willing to go out of their way to assist you if you use the proper etiquette.

"Answering Your Phone"

*Answer your calls within three rings (if possible).
*Always identify yourself when you answer the phone: "This is ______."
*Speak in a pleasant tone of voice - the caller will appreciate it.
*Learn to listen actively and listen others without interrupting.
*When you are out of the office or away from your desk for more than a few minutes, forward your phone to voicemail.
*Use the hold button when leaving a line so that the caller does not accidentally overhear conversations being held nearby.
*If the caller has reached a wrong number, be courteous. Sometimes a caller is transferred all over campus with a simple question and the caller gets frustrated. If possible, take the time to find out where they should be calling/to whom they should be speaking.

"Making Calls"

*When you call someone and they answer the phone, do not say "Who am I speaking with?" without first identifying yourself: "This is _______. To whom am I speaking?"
*Always know and state the purpose of the communication.
*When you reach a wrong number, don't argue with the person who answered the call or keep them on the line. Say: "I'm sorry, I must have the wrong number. Please excuse the interruption." And then hang up.
*If you told a person you would call at a certain time, call them as you promised. If you need to delay the conversation, call to postpone it, but do not make the other person wait around for your call.
*If you don't leave a number/message for someone to call you back, don't become angry if they are not available when you call again.
*Keep in mind the Golden Rule when it comes to phone etiquette. Don't make people dread having to answer their phone or call your department.

"How to End Conversations Gracefully"

There are several ways that you can end a long phone call without making up a story or sounding rude:

*Leave the conversation open.
*Promise to finish your discussion at another time.
*End on an "up" note.
*Tell the person how much you've enjoyed speaking with him/her.

As long as you are honest and polite with the other person, you shouldn't have any problems getting off the phone and onto something else.

"The Ten Commandments of cell phone etiquette "

Well I've reached the point with cell phones
where I feel the need to lay down the law. There are some real abuses of wireless technology being perpetrated all around us, and the time has come to create some social order out of the cell phone chaos.

This is by no means an exhaustive list simply because as the technology evolves, new annoying traits will surely emerge. But commandments usually come in tens, so think of this as the first Ten Commandments of cell phone etiquette, with amendments to follow:

1. Thou shalt not subject defenseless others to cell phone conversations. When people cannot escape the banality of your conversation, such as on the bus, in a cab, on a grounded airplane, or at the dinner table, you should spare them. People around you should have the option of not listening. If they don't, you shouldn't be babbling.

2. Thou shalt not set thy ringer to play La Cucaracha every time thy phone rings. Or Beethoven's Fifth, or the Bee Gees, or any other annoying melody. Is it not enough that phones go off every other second? Now we have to listen to synthesized nonsense?

3. Thou shalt turn thy cell phone off during public performances. I'm not even sure this one needs to be said, but given the repeated violations of this heretofore unwritten law, I felt compelled to include it.

4. Thou shalt not wear more than two wireless devices on thy belt. This hasn't become a big problem yet. But with plenty of techno-jockeys sporting pagers and phones, Batman-esque utility belts are sure to follow. Let's nip this one in the bud.

5. Thou shalt not dial while driving. In all seriousness, this madness has to stop. There are enough people in the world who have problems mastering vehicles and phones individually. Put them together and we have a serious health hazard on our hands.

6. Thou shalt not wear thy earpiece when thou art not on thy phone. This is not unlike being on the phone and carrying on another conversation with someone who is physically in your presence. No one knows if you are here or there. Very disturbing.

7. Thou shalt not speak louder on thy cell phone than thou would on any other phone. These things have incredibly sensitive microphones, and it's gotten to the point where I can tell if someone is calling me from a cell because of the way they are talking, not how it sounds. If your signal cuts out, speaking louder won't help, unless the person is actually within earshot.

8. Thou shalt not grow too attached to thy cell phone. For obvious reasons, a dependency on constant communication is not healthy. At work, go nuts. At home, give it a rest.

9. Thou shalt not attempt to impress with thy cell phone. Not only is using a cell phone no longer impressive in any way (unless it's one of those really cool new phones with the space age design), when it is used for that reason, said user can be immediately identified as a neophyte and a poseur.

10. Thou shalt not slam thy cell phone down on a restaurant table just in case it rings. This is not the Old West, and you are not a gunslinger sitting down to a game of poker in the saloon. Could you please be a little less conspicuous? If it rings, you'll hear it just as well if it's in your coat pocket or clipped on your belt.

Well, I'm all thou-ed and thy-ed out, so there you have it: the first 10 rules of using your cell phone. Most of these seem like common sense to me, but they all get broken every day.