This morning while I was doing some research for an upcoming blog entry, 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 managing partner’s contact information for the private recruiting & selection firm. 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 recruiting blog writer for Riverside County Human Resources..." 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 what I had just done. 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, (although I have been criticized for this) 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, others 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, "Victor Smith speaking" or "This is Victoria Smith." (Film buffs, get the
Victor Victoria reference?)
We had an HR Analyst in the department (who is now retired) that we called Shirley-May, because when she answered the phone inevitably she would say, “This is Shirley… may I help you?”
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.
I have tried answering the phone in a high pitched falsetto voice so people would think I was important enough to have a secretary with this job. But, it didn’t work out very well, mostly people wanted to know if I had my under shorts on backwards or something.
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.
This is very good advice, and if you are that conscientious (I wish I were) we certainly need you as a county employee.
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.
Also, in this vein I would suggest that you call the person to say that you have forwarded the message to the appropriate person to answer their question, and that person’s number is ______, in case you don’t hear back from them in a reasonable period of time.
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.
Several authorities on the subject have suggested one way to shorten those long boring office meetings is to have everyone “stand up”. I don’t expect this technique will work over the telephone… unless it is a video conference.
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.
Sounds like this could be a great comedy sketch for Mad TV… all the things that somebody might do while conducting a business telephone call… could be quite funny, but I think I will allow you to mentally elaborate on this one yourself.
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.
Kind of reminds me of an old joke where this young employee in the produce department goes back into the store room to inform his manager that, “Some idiot out there would like to buy half a head of lettuce” and catching sight of the man in his peripheral vision (who must have followed him back), the young man explained, “… and this gentleman would like to buy the other half.”
Speakerphones
Plain and simple, unless you're on a conference call, using speakerphone is rude - don't do it, Brody says.
Right, and show a little courtesy towards your cubie mates on the other side of the patrician.
Voice mail
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.”
Brody has hit on something that really bugs me. That is people who can’t help but leave long – long messages. Realizing just how much time they are actually taking they end up rushing to give you their name and telephone number before abruptly hanging up. It is so indecipherable that you have to play it back to the end several times before you can make out the name and all of the numbers in proper order.
Oh. Thx anywy.
Just when you thought I had milked this subject for all it is worth, let me exchange one of the technologies for another in order to deliver a communications wake up call, or should I say text… Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, a writer and blogger for Timemagazine.com tells her story about E-mail vs. Texting:
“I recently e-mailed our babysitter about some upcoming dates. I waited and waited for her response, but it never came—by e-mail, anyway. When I finally thought to check, there was a prompt answer waiting on my cell phone. "ive gt dance rhsl so i cant," she'd texted. Oh. Thx anywy.
It'll come as no particular shock to you that my high-school babysitter prefers to text rather than e-mail. But a work friend tells me that's true of most young office workers too. They text to set up interviews, to check directions, even to toss off thank-yous. And that means we older workers have to start flexing our thumbs. Including me, an excruciatingly slow-adapting Gen Xer.
Question for you young 'uns, and those of you who manage or work with them: is this negotiable? Why is texting better than e-mailing, especially if you have a mobile e-mail device? (Listen to me; mobile e-mail device. Apparently I just graduated from carrier pigeons.) Do you text your boss? What with texting and Facebook and IM, do you even check—or have—e-mail accounts anymore?
I just need to know how much time I need to invest in learning the symbol keys on my circa 1998 Verizon Samsung.”
My point exactly!
Thx Lisa for illustrating a point I am about to make… Now we can start to see the evolution of communication preferences from Boomer phone calls, to Gen X e-mails, and now to Gen Y text messages. So to my detractors I say that it isn’t so much a problem that I prefer sending an e-mail message vs. making a phone call, but rather that I am behind the times for not texting in the first place!