Professional Documents
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Etiquette
With that fact in mind, there’s one undeniable truth: like it or not, cellphones
have found their way into the workplace. So, as an employer, how can you
lean into that and turn it into something advantageous? And, as an
employee, how can you ensure that you’re following proper “textiquette”?
We’ll begin by saying that what is appropriate for each workspace varies.
The rules at Barstool Sports, for example, are probably a lot different than
that the ones at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. It’s always best workplace
communication practice to consult with your HR department before trying
anything new.
That being said, there are some foundational text etiquette rules that any
kind of organization could benefit from following:
Now that you know the most basic rules, let’s talk about the best ways to
enforce them. In this case, awareness is the name of the game. You can’t
expect people to follow rules they don’t know about, even if most of them
are common courtesy. It’s always better to over explain than under.
Here are a few easy ways you can take your newly created business sms
policy and share that information with your employees:
Businesses are almost always looking for ways to work more efficiently.
Technology has undeniably (and at times controversially) helped in doing
just that. Texting is no exception.
Texts are read quickly— 95% are read within three minutes. Faster access
leads to faster responses— average response time to a text message is
around 90 seconds. And when you’re not stuck waiting around for a
response (email takes on average 90 minutes to receive one) you spend
less time stuck on a task or project. Faster information sharing gives way to
more efficient work.
• Securing permission before sending your text (in the case of client or
customer communication, this is oftentimes a legal requirement and
not just a courtesy).
• Don’t text about anything non-work related. Especially another
employee/client’s performance or appearance. Stay focused on your
topic.
• Do not use texting as a platform for negotiating things like salary.
• Avoid racially or sexually charged topics entirely.
• Do not respond to or engage with an inappropriate text. Instead,
speak directly with the responsible party or a supervisor to deal with
the situation.
• Utilize a text marketing platform (like SimpleTexting) in order to
ensure records are kept of all text communications.
If you have any questions about how a platform like us can help you
introduce and facilitate a professional text message program within your
organization, reach out. We’ve seen plenty of success across industries,
and we’d be happy to help you realize your internal and external
communication goals.