29 Business Etiquettes

Ipshita Bansal

Module 29: Business Etiquettes

1.      Learning Outcomes

2.      Introduction

3.      Business Etiquettes

3.1 Business Meeting Etiquette

3.2 Introductions and First Impressions

3.3Telephone Etiquettes

3.4 E-mail Etiquette: Netiquette

3.5Dining Etiquette Basics

4.   Summary

1.   Learning Outcome

By the end of this module the students will be able to understand:

•  The importance of business etiquettes in business.
• How to make good first impressions.
• Basics ofbusiness etiquettes in various areas of business.

2. Introduction Etiquette

Etiquettes are defined as rules governing sociallyacceptable behavior. Human behavior is a subjective matter. An act can be right or acceptable for one person and at the same time it can be altogether unacceptable for other persons. Similarlyetiquettes governing human behavior are also subjective and they can be satisfactory in one situation and unsatisfactory in another situation.There are certain rules governing human behavior but there can be deviations from it also considering the human aspect attached to them. Cultural boundaries also play a role in defining the area of etiquettes. These deviations and differences can be ignored in informal setup but in formal business setup etiquettes play a very important role and they need to be adhered to so as to not hurt or offend the people associated with us.

Business Etiquette

Business etiquette is the code of conduct regarding the interactions among the members in a business setting that is not necessarily written anywhere. Right business etiquette plays a big role in making a long lasting positive impression. In business situations, showing proper etiquette will give you a competitive edge over others who may not be using proper etiquette. Likewise, failing to use the correct etiquette may result in being overlooked for employment or losing other valuable opportunities. Business etiquette can be applied to many areas of an individual’s professional work life including e-mails, phone calls, and business meetings.

Business etiquettes depend upon the situation that you are going to face for example if one is travelling abroad for business purpose, it would be good to do some research beforehand to find out what is considered proper etiquette in that particular culture.Cultural differences need to be understood to maintain proper communication between the interacting parties. There are many differences in dining style, greetings, and perceptions of body language all across globe. Being aware of these differences will save one from making a blunder and possibly offending someone or ruining an opportunity for oneself.

3.1 Business Meeting Etiquette

When you are invited to meet in person with a business contact it is necessary to keep a few important rules in mind to show that you respect other person’s time. Following this will help you to have a positive impression.

i.  Cell phone should be turned off or set to silent mode. Beforeentering for the meeting keep your mobile phone on silent mode or turn it off.Do not check your phone or messages during the meeting.

ii. Be prepared. Before meeting prepare some points in mind that what you are going to discuss in meeting and note down all points so that you will not forget them. Keep a pen and notepad to write down important points during meeting.

iii. Attend the meeting on time. Coming late in meeting gives a very bad impression about you. In fact, it isa good idea to arrive a few minutes early to do last minute preparations for meetings.

iv.  Actively participate in the meeting.By asking questions and making appropriate and reasonable comments you should have active participation in meeting. However, you should avoid interrupting others or being critical or negative. And always, try to stay on topic, do not divert from the topic.

v. And at the end of meting thank others for the opportunity to meet with them.

3.2 Introductions and First Impressions

When meeting professional contacts there is only one chance to make a positive first impression. Some factors like appropriate attire and physical appearance, the right verbal and non-verbal communication skills, right body language as well as manners and good business etiquette practices helps in making better impression on the first time.

3.2.1 Physical Appearance:

When attending a professional function or meeting with a professional contact:

Grooming is necessary. Men should always be clean-shaven and keep facial hair well-groomed. Try to avoid bizarre hairstyles. Keep fingernails clean and neatly trimmed or filed. Women should keep minimal make-up.

Dress-up according to the situation.It is always a better option to be slightly overdressed thanunderdressed. You should neverwearcrumpled, shabby, unclean, stained, or faded clothing. At work place casual clothes should be avoided. Very tight or revealing clothes should not be worn at the work place. This is unprofessional. Shoes should be clean.

Use perfume etc with care. Some people are very sensitive to fragrance, so it isbest to limit the use of perfume, or not wear any at all.

Jewelry should be simple and minimum. In formal set up you should never wear heavy jewelry. This includes men as well. Wearing chain in the neck or ear studs should be avoided.

Visible tattoos should be covered. Tattoos and body arts etcshould be covered under clothing.Its better to be safe than sorry.

3.2.2 Giving Introductions:

State your first and last name while giving your introduction.

Use right hand for shaking hands.While introducing yourself, always stand up. And always extend your right hand to shake hands. Your grip on their hand should be firm, but not uncomfortable. Handshakes normally should last around 3 seconds and of 3 up-and-down shakes.

Maintain eye contact. Introductions should be made with a smiling face. While making introductions eye contact should be maintained with the person to whom you are introducing yourself.

Use of nametags.Use nametags on your right side of your shirt when at an event where nametags are being used. It helps others to view the nametag while you are shaking hands.

Closing statement at the end of conversation. While reaching the end of a conversation it is polite to use a closing statement like “It was nice meeting you.” Walking away abruptly after the conversation is over is discourteous.

3.2.3 Conversing:

Use proper language. When conversing with others in business environment, try to speak in a grammatically correct manner. Avoid the use of slang words or phrases, and never use foul and bad language.

Avoid topics that could be controversial.A formal meeting is notthe time to have debate on controversial subjects. Topics related to religion, politics etc should be avoided in formal conversations.

Show interest and respect by using good listening skills. Listener should look at the speaker while listening and give that person his or her full attention. Do not interrupt. Stay focused on what the speaker is saying.

Focus on the relevant topics. In formal meetings discuss only the topic of your meeting or the event you are attending, current events, and books and articles which are related to the industry of concerned person.

Maintain proper body language. In business situations verbal as well as nonverbal communication is equally important. During conversation with anotherperson, it is important to make sure that your non-verbal communication including the body language is also proper. Good posture, smiling and eye contact, all convey positive messages. Tightly crossed arms, slouching, fiddling, leaning on objects, and looking around distractedly, all these things show improper etiquette.

3.2 Telephone Etiquette

In a business scenario communicating through telephone is a very oft repeated and important practice. Telephone is used for scheduling meetings, exchanging information, talking to buyers and suppliers, teleconferencing etc, so it is very important that communication through telephone is done following proper telephone etiquette.

3.3.1 When placing telephone calls:

Be polite while talking on phone. Never be rude to administrativestaff who may be answering your call. Its unprofessional also, and also when the person that you are trying to reach will come to know about it will get a negative opinion about you.

Keep the timing in mind while calling someone. Telephonic communaication should not happen at any time. Be familiar with the hours of operation when trying to reachsomeone at his or her place of business. Avoid calling in odd timings. If you have permission to contact someone at his or her personal number, never call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m.

Ask if this is a right time to talk. After making a call ask him or her if this is a right time to talk. This is very important if you expect that your call will last longer than a few minutes. If you are have to have a lengthy conversation , the call should be made an appropriate time suitable for the receiver of the call.

When the call gets connected the first thing you do is give your introduction to the receiver of the call. Tell your first and last name to the person answering the call,and let him/her know the reason for your call.

Use pleasant tone while leaving a message on voicecall.When leaving messages on answering machine or voicemail, speak in a pleasant tone, and try tobe concise and to the point, and be sure to leave your name and details like the date and time, your telephone number, and brief reason of the purpose of your call. Be sure to speak clearly and slowly enough so the listener won’t have any problem to understand your message and to gather the information.

3.3.2 When answering calls:

Speak clearly. While answering calls focus on the caller and speaker clearly. Don’t eat while talking on the phone as the biting and chewing sounds get amplified on the phone and the conversation will be hampered and poor image of the speaker will be projected. Hold the telephone about two finger widths away from your mouth neither farther nor nearer than that so that the voice does not sound stifled or become inaudible. Be careful about the volume and speed of your speech. It should neither too high nor too low.

Use a friendly tone and greeting. Smile while picking up the phone and greet the caller.Smiling while receiving a call on the phone affects the way you speak, and cause you to sound more pleasant.

Take permission for hold. Always ask permission before placing someone on speaker phone or on hold. Thesefeatures should only be used if is very much necessary.

Record professional message.Be sure that the recorded message on yourvoicemail or answering machine is professional one. And also make sure that the message is polite and states your name. Do not use slang. Return all calls as soon as possible.

End calls on a pleasant note. Thank the caller for calling you and wish them a pleasant day or end with any other suitable greeting.

3.3.3 Cell phone etiquette:

Consider this picture. In the picture we can see that during a meeting one of the member, is talking and laughing, perhaps loudly and causing disturbance to the other people and wasting the meeting time. There are certain things which have to be kept in mind specific to cell phones as cell phones are always present with the people.So lets understand about Cell phone etiquette.

i.Minimizing cell phone interruptions. Before the starting of a formal meeting make sure you switch off your cell phone or keep it on the silent mode to avoid any form of interruption. It is also improper to check your missed calls or messages during business meetings.

ii.Consider the surroundings. While using cell phones for business or professionalcalls its very important to consider the surroundings. When ever you have to be on an important call make sure there is no noise in the room. If it is not possible to diminish the noise move to a quieter place so that conversation can be carried out clearly with out disturbance. This is also done out of respect for others who may be nearby, as do not want to be forced to listen to your phone conversation. Also be sure that you are in an area where you get good reception of cell phone signals to avoid dropped calls during important conversations.

3.4 E-mail Etiquette- Netiquette:

E-mail is a form of communication that is used very much in present times and has replaced face to face communication to a large extent. Writing a professional e-mail should be handled much differently than writing an informal e-mail to a friend or family member. While using e-mail for communication with various stake holders of the business, considering the following tips will be helpful:

Use an appropriate subject line. Subject line of the e-mail should reflect the main idea of the email so that it catches the attention of the receiver and doesn’t go unnoticed. Appropriate subject lines help receiver sort and locate important e-mails in their inboxes.

Have an e-mail address that is formal. Be aware of what image your e -mail address conveys to others. Email address as far as possible should be based on the name of the individual so that it is easy to remember and search. Also it should be formal not frivolous.

Example: Email id like: [e-mail], is unprofessional and frivolous, the one like [e-mail] would be a much better and formal approach.

Addressing the recipient properly.Recipient’sname should be properly mentioned in the e-mail. Be sure to use formal titles (Mr., Mrs., or Dr.). In case when you are not sure whether a female recipient is married or not, you should use Ms.

Use proper manners. Use please and thank-you in the appropriate places throughout youre-mail.

If you don’t use such words your mail can be considered as disrespectful or rude.

Be Specific.Try to keep your e-mail brief and to the point. It should follow the principles of communication that is it should be crisp, precise and at the same time have full details.

Use of right tone. As email communication has taken the place of face to face communication so the usage of proper tone is very important. Nobody wants to sound disrespectful in their formal communication so proper attention should be given to the tone of the message while writing a formal one. You want to sound friendly and approachable in e-mails.Never convey anger or annoyance through email. Do not type in all capital letters, as IT SEEMS THAT YOU ARE SHOUTING. Using all lowercase letters is the proper way.

Use proper spelling, grammar and punctuation.Misspelled words and improper useof grammar and punctuation look informal and improper. Proofreading your message before sending is a good idea; do not rely on spell check alone.

Do not use emoticons, abbreviations, and fancy formatting in e-mails.Emoticons (like smileyfaces) are not appropriate for formal mails. In present times abbreviations that are now common (LOL, TTYL, “U” instead of “you,” etc.) are also unprofessional. Fancy fonts, formats, and layouts are unprofessional, so it is good to stick to plain text while writing a formal e-mail.

Reply quickly.When someone sends you an e-mail that requires a response, be sure toreply within 24 hours. If it is going to take longer than that acknoeledge the mail stating that you will revert with the information .

Take care of confidential information. Keep in mind that e-mail is not the best way to share the confidential information. If you have to send sensitive information, it’s the best way to handle it in person.

Do not send or forward jokes, chain letters, virus hoaxes, etc. Do not e-mail this typeof material to your professional e-mail contacts. It is unprofessional and wastes the time of the recipient. Additionally, never send or forward an e-mail that contains potentially offensive, obscene, or defamatory content.

Include your signature at the end of your e-mail. This will ensure that therecipient knows who has sent them the e-mail. It is also a good idea to have your contact information in your signature, including your postal mailing address and phone number.

3.5 Dining Etiquette Basics

There may be situations when you will meet with a business contact over a meal or attend a professional function where food is involved. It is also possible that you may even attend a job interview held at a restaurant. For such situations, it is very important to know proper dining etiquette so that you can leave a good impression on other person.

Be polite to all restaurant staff. This is not only your moral duty but also required as a part of proper dining etiquette as people with whom you are having meal, notice your manners and the way that you treating others

Cell phones should be on silent mode or turned off as business lunches are not only the occasions of enjoyment but occasions of conducting some serious business. The ringing of the mobile phone disturbs the conversation.

While having a seat on the table you should wait to be seated by restaurant staff or your host. When you sit down,keep your accessories like purses, bags, or briefcases out of the way on the floor beside you or under your seat. Never place such items on the table.

While ordering do not pick the menu yourself before your host has done so. Give time to your host to order first. While choosing your meal, consider choices that will not be messy or awkward to eat. It is best to order something that you are familiar with, so that you will not feel any discomfort or awkward while eating food. It is good to avoid alcoholic beverages. If your host is paying for the meal, avoid choosing the priciest selections on the menu.

Use of napkin also needs to be properly done. Once you have taken the seat, unfold your napkin and place it inyour lap. Do not shake out your napkin, crumple it, or stuff it into your clothing. If you need to use it during the meal, just bring a corner of it up from your lap and gently blot your mouth with it and return it to your lap. If there is need to leave the table during the meal, place the napkin in your chair until you return; do not put it back on the table.

Do not rest your elbows or arms on the table. Also try to avoid moving in your seat, and try to keep good posture. Feet should be flat on the floor in front of you.

While having Soup use your spoon to lift soup by dipping in the direction opposite yourself(rather than delving towards yourself). and move the bottom of the spoon against the inner rim of the bowl to remove any drips before bringing the spoon towards your mouth to sip. Do not pick the bowl up from the table or drink from it.

Excuse yourself to the restroom.For removing food from your teeth, takemedicine, for groom yourself in any way during the meal, you should go to restroom etc. These things should never be done at the table.

Things to be keep in mind while eating:

•  Try to eat at the same pace as the others at your table.
• Close your mouth while chewing and never speak while having food in your mouth.
• Allow your host to start eating or drinking before you start to eat.
• Bring your food toward your mouth rather than leaning in toward the food.
• Never blow on your food to cool it.
• Never “double dip” into shared appetizers or dishes.
• Do not scrape your plate with silverware.

The Bill.By assuming wrong that you are the hostfor the meal, if theserver accidentally places the bill in front of you at the end of the meal, do not make a big issue out of it. You should wait for your host to notice the mistake and take the bill. If he or she does not take the bill from you, politely offer to split the expense.

Always thank your host for the meal and for taking time to meet with you.

4. Summary

Business etiquettes are all about building relationships with other people. Etiquette is not only about rules & regulations but it is also about providing predictability in social behavior of the people so that people feel secure and comfortable. For success in the professional setup, it is very important to follow the norms of business etiquettes. In the module we understood about the etiquettes to be followed during business meetings, face to face conversations, communicating on the phone, making introductions, writing emails and business dining.