Telephone Etiquette Dos & Don'ts

Judith Martin suggests we remember that a phone is a tool.

Telephone use has increased and altered its form so intensively in the last few decades that good manners on the telephone means as much or more than good manners face to face. As Miss Manners, Judith Martin points out, "Using a telephone to increase the range in which one can be rude isn't new". Most of the new rules of conduct with telephones are versions of old rules of general polite discourse.

Residential

Your home phone is a tool used to communicate with those not present. Never disregard a human sitting in front of you in favor of a person calling unless you would do the same if both people were physically present. When calling a personal residence, identify yourself before requesting to talk with an individual. When taking or leaving a message, make sure you note names, contact information and the general purpose of the call.

Business

Put customers on hold with the function button on the phone, not by placing the receiver off the carriage.

Hold time can be the most contentious aspect of business phone communication. Always ask permission to put a caller on hold and never leave a caller unattended for more than a minute. Handle long delays with a message and return call. Don't give more detail than necessary about the reason for a delay, let the caller know their party is unavailable at them time but don't detail the reasons for the lack of availability. When calling a business, be prepared to succinctly explain your position, the purpose of your call and who you wish to talk with. Never forget to leave a contact number, preferably twice, with any message.

Cell

Microsoft's Joanna L. Krotz notes that, "Loutish cell use is out of control." She suggests liberal use of the vibrate option, never talking on a cell phone during a business meeting, keeping ten feet from others when talking in public, and banning all but emergency use in venues such as museums and churches. Use manners when placing a call as well as receiving one--don't call a family during dinner hour or interrupt a friend at work. Just because you now can call someone any time doesn't mean you should. Mike Elgan of Computer World makes a new etiquette point: cell phones have a delay. This is called "latency" and manners demands that you respect that latency and avoid talking over or interrupting the person you are conversing with.

References

• Time: Miss Manners Warns, Don't Be Wireless and Tactless
• Cal State Fullerton Information Technology: Telephone Etiquette Guide
• Microsoft Business: Cell Phone Etiquette, 10 Dos and Don'ts
• Computer World: Here Comes the New Cell Phone Etiquette

Resources

• Salary: Telephone Manners