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7/29/2019 Business Phone Etiquettes_Feb 2013
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The phone is used extensively as compared to other
communication tool in a business scenario. Business
phone etiquette can make a significant impact on othersperception on you in the business world. The way you
sound, the way you act, and the way you treat peopleare all components of business phone etiquette; as much
as they are of conversations, meetings, e-mails and otherformal / informal mode of interaction. To ensure you use
this critical communication tool effectively, you have tounderstand how to apply good phone etiquette.
There a lot of phone Etiquette that can be followed. Inthis article we will like to show you how to use the rules
to influence others and present yourself in the best
possible image.[
The broad business phone etiquette categoriesthat will be covered in the article are as follows:
Know Your Contact
Communicating Using the C.A.G.E Decision Making
At a Glance
Feb-2013
Tip of the week
Bee Wise
Communication is aword that meanseverything.
When youcommunicate, youexpress yourself andyou create a meaningful
connection withsomeone or even toyourself.
It is the expression ofideas, the creation ofnew ideas, andexplosion of creativityand unleashing of
Know theRecipient
Content
EffectiveUse Of
Cellular Phone Etiquette Tips
Etiquette for Texting
Etiquette for Speaker Phone
New Contact (First Time) Known Contact
Gather background information of the new contact
through a mutual contact or by writing an e-mail to
seek information
Gather all the documents required for the call to
avoid asking the contact to wait
Introduce yourself formally (Name, designation and
the company you represent. You should also give
the background information of your company
Introduce yourself by informing the contact your
name and the company name you represent
to help them refresh their memory
State the reason for calling State the reason for calling
Check whether it is a good time for calling?Inform Approximately how much time will you require
for the call
Explain the reason for your call
State your points logically and concisely State your points logically and concisely
Summarize the call with the help of identified
action items
Summarize the call with the help of identified action
items
Know Your Contact
We all call people. More often than not we will either be calling the other person for the first time (new contact) or it will
be in continuation to the previous conversation we have had (Known contact). Based on this fact the essence of the
conversation will be different. To further this, a few nuances for you:
. a ge
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Communication is a skill a person masters over a
period of time and an important thing to do is to have
a reference. Here we are introducing you to a
communication Decision Making Model C.A.G.E
Communication etiquette means making decisions
about what is appropriate for various situations. The
CAGE communication decision-making model can help
you analyze what's appropriate for various situations
of communication.
For Instance: What would you do if you were askedto convey information to senior executives at asister company in which the culture was radicallydifferent?
The CAGE model includes three elements: culture,
audience, and goal, all of which result in etiquette.
You also can think of this model as: culture + audience
+ goal = etiquette (C + A + G = E).
You can use this model to guide your communication
'
Communicating Using the C.A.G.E Decision Making Model:
February 2013
Audience (contd)
The more you understand about your audience, the better.
What do you need to know about your audience before
attempting to communicate? It's important to have a good
understanding of both its mode of operation and its
communication needs. You need be aware of the following
elements:
Demographics It helps to understand the demographics of
your audience. Is it a group of recent college graduates orbaby boomers? Are you addressing your peers or management?
A younger crowd may prefer a bulleted list rather than a
lengthy explanation. Executives may want a formal
presentation.
Medium or method How is your audience accustomed toreceiving information? Do they prefer e-mail, phone messages,
and teleconferences? Will they prefer to receive a phone and
then a mail to support your conversation?
Bee Wise
e que e ec s ons w en you re n un am ar err ory
(while talking to our regional colleagues). How do you
decide the best way to make that presentation in theuncharted waters at your sister company? Try
considering the elements of the CAGE model, as
described here.
Culture
The first element of the CAGE model involves
evaluating the culture of the organization in which
your communication is taking place. What is the
culture of the company? Is it formal or informal? Does
the company observe a structured hierarchy? What are
the company's priorities? Considering culture is an
important first step when deciding how to convey your
message in an appropriate manner and avoidingcommunication blunders.
For Instance: While you call your colleague in NewYork, how will you greet your colleague (Hi / Hello /Good Morning) as compared to your colleague fromSouth Africa.
Audience
The second element of the CAGE model involves
evaluating your audience. You can't communicate well
unless you understand the needs and expectations of
the person or people who will receive your message.
At your sister company, what are the communicationneeds? How are they accustomed to receiving
information? Do they prefer brief e-mails or detailed
documentation?
Style Does your audience typically prefer its information in a
form that's formal and compact or a bit casual? Do the peoplewith whom you're communicating need detailed information in
a lengthy memo or a chart to which they can refer?
Goal
The final element of the CAGE model involves determining the
goal of your communication. Your goal may be to convey
information, provide training, facilitate a discussion, argue a
point, or something else. Without a clear understanding of
your goal, you can wander off track, which could confuse your
audience. By having a clear goal as you address the aim of
writing the mail, you'll have a better idea of the appropriate
communication etiquette to use.
Unfortunately, there isnt an etiquette script for every
situation. However, the CAGE decision-making model can help
you evaluate a specific circumstance and plan your message
accordingly, especially while talking to our customers or
colleagues. Most of our calls are for either to provide / take a
service, Provide / Seek Information or to have a casual
conversation (To maintain relationship / keep in touch with).
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Based on the purpose of the call your behavior should change /differ as mentioned in the table below:
All the word / statement in bold-italics refer to the C.A.G.E model discusses earlier
Provide Service / Information Seek Service / Information Casual Conversation
\Provide end-to-end information which
will answer all the queries of the other
person - Audience
State in points all the information /
help you require - Goal
Maintain a friendly tone throughout the
call.
Pre-empt the possible questions thatcan be asked, so that you can prepare
yourself to answer them. Audience
Practice active listening while receiving
information from the other person.
Use open-ended question which will
help the conversation to flow - Goal
Before you end the call, ensure he/she
has understood all that was discussed.
Goal
Ask questions if any further clarification
is required. - Goal
Stay away from questions that are too
personal. - Culture
Before ending the call ask questions
Bee Wise
Communicating Using the C.A.G.E Decision Making Model
February 2013
Cellular Phone Etiquette Tips
The use of mobile/cell phones has increased drastically during the last decade, making it the most important means of
communication. Below mentioned are some etiquette tips:
1. Silence is golden: Ringtones seems to be all the rage right now. Most people like to have the ringtone from a popularsong. While this may be "cool", it is not very cool when this song goes off in a business meeting, the movie theater, or
even in a temple / church.
Cell phones have a silent, or vibrate mode. This is a great way to still be aware of incoming calls/texts without
disrupting other people.
2. Choosing the right caller-tune: Caller tunes have is the popular thing. A lot of business professionals choose caller-tunes which are snazzy which does not create the appropriate impression. Since caller-tunes mark the beginning of the
phone call it is advised to have caller-tune which sounds professional (eg: the TATA AIG caller-tune) or you may chose to
not have a caller-tune
3. Let the phone do the work: There is this magical mystery that occurs when people are on their cell phone. In caseswhere the person on their cell phone is having a hard time hearing the other person, they feel the need to yell back in
order to be heard. You don't need to do this. Most cell phones have a modulator that picks up soft voices to make them
sound louder. In fact, you could even talk in a quiet, subdued voice and the other person would be able to hear you. You
don't need to be loud...let the phone do it. That is appropriate cellular phone etiquette.
4. Respect the person that you are with: Now-a-days it is popular to see people out on social events or on a meeting
use their cell phones at will to either text or to take calls. This makes the person you are with feel unimportant andneglected
If you are with someone, especially in an important meeting, keep the phone away. Spend the time to make your
colleagues feel important.
anything? / Is there anything else I can
assist you with? Goal
information received. - Goal fun - Culture
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The popularity of using speaker phone to connect to
colleagues who are geographically spread out has gained
popularity. Thus, to harness the power of this technology
we need to understand some basic etiquette to be
followed.
1) Announce to everyone who is participating on the call.
2) Make sure to not get distracted doing something else at
the same time
3) On a business call when people are not familiar with
each others voices, it is important to let them knowwho is speaking
Eg: This is Ram speaking. I would to like inform youall the decision that the board members have takenthis afternoon is
4) When you are not talking remember to put your phone
on mute avoid disturbance on the call.
Bee Wise
Texting etiquette is a need that is growing and growing. Text
messaging has become more popular and it continues to
grow in popularity. With that growth, a new area of
etiquette has emerged and that is texting manners.
Texting in front of others: When you are in a businessavoid using your phone either to talk or text a message as it
is considered to be rude. If it is urgent for you to send a
message, inform the other person that it is important for
you to text and it will take 2 minutes.
Do not use slang language: There is no reason to make theperson receiving your text to spend an hour deciphering
what the message means? The more you use slangs and
abbreviations, the more difficult it will be to communicate
with people. Thus, avoid using slang and abbreviations with
communicating with your colleagues.
Watch your tone: With any kind of written communication,the person receiving the message could misinterpret the
tone of.
Etiquette for Texting Etiquette for Speaker Phone
February 2013
Tip for a Business Call in Public Place
Don't Shout
If the background noise is disturbing, go to a quieterplace. If the problem is a bad connection, talking louder
will not help so just end the call and try again from a
place where the reception is better.
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Name Convention: While sending a text message remember
to mention your name either in the beginning or at the endof the text message. This will avoid any kind of ambiguity in
case the receiver does not have your number stored.
Business Cards: While saving numbers on your phoneremember to save the number as First name and last
name, if required you can also save the company name. This
will facilitate you to be professional while sending business
cards to others.
Keep business private
Many personal and business conversations contain
information that should remain confidential or private.
Before using a mobile phone in a public location to discuss
private business or issues, make sure that there will be
enough distance to keep the content private. Some stories,some issues and some conflicts should be saved for times
and locations that will allow for confidentiality.
Tip for Tone Modulation
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