Good Manners Are Good Business

By George Mwangi

We’ve all encountered people with bad manners – from the person who cuts in line to the poorly written email or the curt person on the telephone.  These encounters may leave us feeling frustrated and angry, but when it comes to business, bad manners can be hazardous to the bottom line.  So, how can we all strive to make better manners a part of our everyday routine?

First, we can focus on what we’re doing right now and what we can do better in the future.  By practicing good manners ourselves, we will not only be setting an example for our employees, we’ll be making good manners a part of our answering services’ strategy and, ultimately, our culture.  Practicing good manners shows people that we care about them and that we respect them.  This is how all people should be treated. 

With the workplace becoming increasingly more global and virtual, much of our communication with customers does not happen face-to-face but rather through emails and phone calls.  Because we’re often unable to see the person with whom we’re speaking, practicing good manners is even more critical, as we’re unable to see facial expressions and body language – two key indicators of a person’s mood and attitude.

Often, first impressions are lasting and, as we’ve heard so many times before, we only get one chance to make a first impression.  Make it count by practicing good manners.  So, how do you measure up?

In Face-to-Face Meetings: Do you greet the customer warmly, with an appropriate handshake?  Do you make eye contact?  Are you paying attention to the person who’s speaking?  Do you interrupt them?  Do you talk over them?  Do you use profanity or phrases that might be considered rude or sarcastic?  Do you answer your phone, text, or read emails during a meeting?  Do you arrive late to an appointment?  Do you fail to have an agenda for a meeting, thereby wasting everyone’s time?  Have you ensured that you’re properly groomed?  Do you thank the customer for his or her time at the end of the meeting?

In Email Messages: Is your customer’s name spelled correctly?  Is your communication grammatically correct; does it contain typos?  Do you type in upper and lower case letters, versus all caps (which is the virtual equivalent of yelling)?  Do you ramble on incessantly without making your point clear?  Do you greet the customer before plunging into your own agenda?  Do you thank the person for his or her time?  Do you include full contact details about how you can be reached should there be any questions?  Do you share your schedule, so others can communicate with you easily?

During Phone Calls: Do you greet the customer and identify yourself?  Do you talk clearly and slowly into the phone?  Are you prepared to speak to the person by having notes and materials at hand so you’re not wasting time searching for what you need?  Do you have an established agenda to make the most of everyone’s time?  Do you thank people for their time at the end of the call?  Do you promptly follow up to answer any questions that arose?

Above all, in any communication you have with others, do you say please and thank you?  These phrases are timeless for people of all ages; they never go out of style, they’re always pleasant to hear, and they show respect.

Remember the Golden Rule of treating others the way you’d like to be treated; this is always a good way to determine if you’re practicing good manners or could stand a few adjustments.  Practicing good manners can add to any company’s growth, profitability, and longevity; it is even more critical for telephone answering services.

George Mwangi is general manager at Call Desk Inc (www.CallDesk.com), a privately owned telephone answering service near Portland, Oregon.

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