28 chapter Business Etiquettes Cha Pter Coverage 28. Meaning and Importance of Business Etiquette 28.2. Fundamental Rules of Business Etiquette 28.3 Scope of Business Etiquette 28.4 Introduction in Business Interactions 28.5. Business Meals 28.6 Interaction with Foreign Clients 28.7. Inter-personal Business Etiquette 28.8. Business to Business Etiquette 28.9 Telephone Etiquette ——— 28.1 MEANING AND IMPORTANCE OF BUSINESS ETIQUETTE The word ‘etiquette’ means conventional rules of social behaviour. These rules are generally unwritten and are passed on from one generation to another. They serve as norms of behaviour for the member of an organisation or a profession. In other words, etiquette provides the benchmarks for acceptable behaviour in cial and professional_life, Those who fail to follow the standard behaviour pats oe ‘called ‘lones’ or ‘headstrong’ persons. Such behaviour might cre misunderstanding and tensions among the ue ea shar eON eRe In the present-day business environment, th ti ener A ves at company meetings, parties, an ey, nowihayi toh ona en = and etiquette. Further, the rules of bu SE ae ee ae just being nice to others. They, etiquette mean moze than the rules ee as of conduct discipline and respect for the convention’ 2S ————~ 28.128.2 28.2 ee Nee all) | 4 Communtcation For i, na gem, on F ine, law, chartered accountancy) are Tequited to obser 5 Lpheratiets ean conduct. So ecties ee in busines organisations are supposed to behave as per a ue a Riau eee be aware of the culture and behavioural Sao a ee : : °Y shout know how to conduct themselves in formal and informal g. Hee Ta 45 compan meetings, office parties, ceremonial dinners and so Gy indamental rule, of business behaviour are known as business etiquette. Non-observance of business etiquette may cause tension ang misunderstanding between the colleagues of a group a Organisation, toy example, when someone habitually turns up too late Ae n meetings relations are likely to be strained and decisions may get delayed. Demanding (not Tequesting) a favour, backbiting, indulging in character assassination during Coffee breaks, are all examples of lack of business etiquette. FUNDAMENTAL RULES OF BUSINESS ETIQUETTE The golden rules of business etiquette can be easily remembered by the word "IMPACT’ whose letters signify Integrity (I), Manners (M), Personality (p), Appearance (A), Consideration (C) and Tact (T). The rules are briefly stated below, 4, Integrity. It means you act in an honest, truthful and trustwort hy manner, A reputation for integrity is slowly gained but quickly lost. Unquestioned integrity is the first golden rule of good business behaviour. 2. Manners. It means the patterns of behaviour. Selfish, boorish or indisciplined behaviour cannot lead to fruitful business relationships, Speaking or acting in a racist or sexist manner, and disloyalty to your company or Colleagues are unacceptable business manners. 3: Personality. It communicates your own values, attitudes and opinions Your behaviour will decide whether your qualities are appreciated or not, Abalanced the civilities of business life. 4. Appearance. Always present yourself to your best advantage. A well- clothed, and rightly Postured appearance makes good impression on others. Never let your appearance become a liability. 5. Consideration. See yourself from the viewpoint of ot the likely reaction of the Person you are to meet, speak with him more carefully and sensitively, A Successful ne likely action of his opposition before meeting him. 6. Tact. Think before you speak or act, There is ali liately to some Provocation or situation in by| a oo Etiquetten pooineso EV 73. SCOPE OF BUSINESS ETiQuery, 1, Introduction . Business meals + Interactions with foreign client : s . Inter-personal business etiquette . Business-to-Busi Business etique . Telephone. sia 28.4 INTRODUCTION IN BUSINESS INTERACTIONS “Good morning, I am Kri . Pocitiveltires eee Kapoor.” This type of gold self introduct pemoduction while erecting ne ist Amression is long lasting, a con ara : meeting others is very important in busines, Mon ia to do so either due to shyness or b siness. Many people fail ! jecause they consider it i é a it impolite. met 3 re ies the first time, you can make him/her comfortable ee inown aS re and why you are there. When you greet someone in a formal eeting, state your full name and official position at the very outset. This is not only a norm of business etiquette but also the first step towards cordial business en First name and surname should be stated like, Amit Kumar, PRO, Mittal Steel”. ori 5 When do you introduce yourself ? > When you recognise someone but they don’t recognise you. > At large gatherings : business or social. « > When the introducer doesn't recall your name. > When you are being kind to someone who is looking uneasy in an unfamiliar setting. > When you meet a friend of a friend. 28.4.1 Introduction of Self_ Self-introduction can give more trouble than anything else in i ciara Given the number of people we meet in a day, it can be the most imp: : opportunity to make a positive impact on 4 potential client, partner es on Ane el ee Mehra (The Economic Times, New Delhi, 6 April, 2007) has o} i introduce yourself: four-step action plan to intro a : =e Extend a firm handshake, maintaining direct eye contact. 2. Say your first and last name and company name clearly (1 . Say yourself a title e.g, Mt Ms., ete.) + — ee—= Communication For Managoman, 28.4 3. Say something about yourself that creates a connection and is releyany ‘0 the target and the setting. ; 4 mat ne person's name and say you're pleased to meet with him, If your name sounds unfamiliar, speak your Te aa Sleaty, tf necessary help ether by spelling your name politely. teate cordial relations, . These days most business meetings begin at end ae a handshake, A handshake should be immediately done after introduction oi een your right hand and firmly holding the other person’s right hand My tiefly. In, modern Societies a handshake is a non-verbal communication of friendly dealing, Nowadays, in business as in society, there is no gender distinction, Hence, handshaking with young ladies is normal. Only it is to be done by holding the right hand gently and very briefly. Sémetimes, while parting, people shake hands by holding both the hands together or putting their left arm on the back or the shoulder of the other person to communicate the warmth that has developed between them after meeting each other. When you fail to recall somebody's name, it is rude to directly ask the Name of a person whom you have met earlier. Tact is necessary in such a situation, You should ask for the person's card before he detects your failure. You can say, ” Could I have your latest business and/or your telephone number”, 28.4.2 Introduction of Others Before conducting a meeting, the person involved need to know one another in terms of their names and professional status, The status conveys the role a person will play in the meeting or in negotiations. Aclear and complete introduction of the host and the visitors makes everyone feel relaxed and creates a congenial atmosphere for the deliberations. Normally the most senior person among the visitors, or the host team, introduces the other members of his/her group present there. The etiquette is that first visitors are introduced to the host. Then, members of the host group are introduced, Do not introduce a senior to a junior, Instead, introduce the junior to the senior according, say Mr, Gupta (CEO), may I introduce Niharika Goyal to you ? Niharika has joined us as a tesearch officer", 28.5 BUSINESS MEALS In business, executives meet before or after the office hours. They also have formal Occasions to be together at lunch or dinner parties during the process of making business deals. At such occasions one should follow the cultural norms which setsun esi Both Italians and Span; an PaNish by social life. They are Less formal qh ts PeODle take fy - punctuality at meetings, Persona, noth Luo siness occasions as part of ness Th ‘are and famil ey are not fus: \ f sy about of words which leaves no trace meeting, there ott May precede the over, They freely accept hospitatnc Te can be an exci itali ited exch pusiness deals, Pitality JS a8 soon as lange way he talks and the topic( impression about an individual from the S) on which he converses, Most of us find it eas: i 'y to converse with our fri i whom we like and trust. That is why aaeahalide sae ee Secueena i 5 ‘ rely fil i programme of formal instruction. Since every professional is lie ‘o ae in this form of dyadic communicati i ion, \ i i aaestalke eae let us briefly look at some of the important. It is useful first to analyse your own conversation habits and then try to change them for greater effectiveness. Ask yourself questions such as the following for self-analysis (i) Do I find it difficult to start a conversation? (ii) Am I unable to pick a topic? (iit) Am I unable to keep the conversation flowing smoothly? (iv) Do T always agree with what others say or disagree with them all the time? (v) Dol frequently talk about myself, my family and my interests? (vi) Have Ta tendency to dominate every conversation situation? (vii) Do I give the other participants @ chance to speak? (viii) Have I any mannerisms likely to annoy people? (ix) Do I respect other people's time and interests? us about the language 1 use—grammal, pronunciation, (x) AmI self-conscio! articulation, etc.? ‘ The answer that you get would prove se fie oe conversation. For effective interpersonal busine: i should be followed = (i) The conversation sh with a topic in whicl the participant and may Be interest to F Should be of inte me interest, AS it fi h both of you have $0!—x Communication For Manegeman, 28.10 new channels adjust yourself to the comments and new points of view, Occasionally there would be spells of silence. These need not bother you because often during these spells new thoughts are generated, (ii) Be always courteous and cheerful. Feel interest in what is being said, (iii) Be alert to the attitudes that others may have and do not be surprised when you realise that the attitudes are likely to change, (v) Occasionally, call the person by name and look at him while speaking, If you speak the name aloud you would be generating a more friendly feelings. To cap it all, take care of your language and oral demeanour, (v) Being dogmatic and argumentative may spoil your conversation, but it is useful to have a point of view. (vi) Avoid pet and superfluous words and phrases. An analysis of your own speech may reveal that you have a fad for certain words or phrases (e.g. ‘time frame’, ‘allergic’ etc.), Avoid using them frequently in conversation, Similarly, expressions that smack of affection and exaggeration should be shunned. (vii) The smooth flow of conversation is likely to be hampered if you deliberately use foreign words or use high-flown vocabulary to impress the listener. An overuse of words such as ‘very lovely’, ‘wonderful’, ‘excellent’ may also mar the pleasant informal atmosphere in which conversation ought to take place. 28.8 BUSINESS TO BUSINESS ETIQUETTE Fach member of a business is its ambassador in dealing with other business houses, Naturally he/she should follow the appropriate norms to maintain and enhance the image of the business he/she is representing. Respecting Hierarchies » While dealing with persons from other companies, make your status clear through your business card, > Know the status of the other persons. © Use a level of formality appropriate to your respective Positions, > Decide on the most effective way to use your respective Positions. Agree on the way communication and decisions are to be handled. Organisational Loyalty » Always speak well of your company. You are a part of your company’s activities, » Never criticise your organisation before people from other companies, > Defend your colleague's action without offending the complainant. Promise corrective action on your colleague's/ company’s behalf. a. ene” 28.9 feel proud of your organisation’ r achi ra the new development points of § gceverents, Keep yourself { rGanisation, self fully inf 5 formed 28.) ganating confidential Matters > Keep confi i p confidential material in as few hand: Nds as possible le. > Keep records secu re and use code names if i es if i identity of the pers. “ persons. As necessary to protect the Take copies of key y do other staff. cuments yourself to reduce the i involvement of Respect any reasonabl os sonable conciti giving you confidential Set a GOCE Do not leak other's ) ‘ secrets. In Senter heet nmeeincel case your secrets are leaked take it up Handling Negotiations > Make your company’s position clear. > Make the best of your case. > Be prepared to respond in case the opposite party conced i > Be polite but firm. mei s, > Be prepared to compromise in case minimum terms acceptable to you are satisfied. Dealing with Customers > Treat all the customers well, do not ignore the small customers and clients. > Be fair in deating with the customers. > Execute the customer's orders promptly. > Handle customers’ complaints urgently and with due care. TELEPHONE ETIQUETTE Telephone manners are very important in the present-day globalized words tS create goal yelations with others and also to raise company § goodwill te ee noted that conversation ove! the telephone requires the use of verbal and i tt tone, a ae ae nf non-verbal SKIS: YOR sould be able to convey Joe jntonati message not speak, heat, respond an telephone habits and la pees UNE ca= Communication For \y, 812 asenen, !8.9.1 General Considerations A telephone conversation con telephone communication these stages ™ discussed below : rH (i) Preparation for the Call. In business communication on telephone f, iver or as the caller requ; receiving and making calls ee Sa a fopieait up-to-date ieee appropriate knowledge of t ‘ i) es our section or the department, our prody, i of its activities, the knowledge Hi AGiet cucamerfi We sheulainateete cts d services and the information regarding ‘ Fz Pecial oa nd pen ready to jot down the important points emerging out of oy; eateiettoi As a preparation, an up-to-date telephone directory and a complete list of queries should also be kept ready. 7 (ii) Controlling the Call. The control over the call starts with lifting the receiver, We should promptly lift the receiver when we receive a call. We should lift it hearing three to four rings. A frustrating voice is not liked by any one, We start making a call by greeting the receiver giving our own identity, may not be the name but indeed by giving the designation and the department we belong to. A friendly and cheerful tone shows our interest. It makes the caller respond immediately by revealing his or her identity. Using the caller's name in our conversation makes us sound friendly and helpful. For a sound control we should have our questions for the caller ready to extract all relevant information from the caller. We should try to avoid the caller waiting, holding or hanging on to the receiver. This hints at our positive treatment, Nor should we hold two conversation simultaneously. Even if there occurs any interruption we should ignore that and continue paying attention to the caller or the receiver. During a telephonic conversation we should be very particular about jotting down or informing names, phone numbers, addresses or any other important details. We should also know how to conclude the conversation with an appropriate summary at the end. For transferring calls we should know our telephone system, the buttons to press for transferring calls. When transferring the call we should inform him or her the identity and purpose of the caller, (iif) Follow-up. The final stage of telephonic communication deals with the essential follow-up with regard to the promises made. If we say that we would call the person back soon with the necessary information we should do it. If any message has been jotted down from the caller, it should reach the person concerned. If the person concerned has to reply to the caller we should also find out whether that person has called back or not, We should Teassure the waiting caller for some information that it will pass on to him or her soon. tinues through three stages. For an effect eed due attention and specific sii, a 526.14 Communienvion| orl Uses mat and give a few seconds to the a message say 5° e clear and accurate. If it is > If you wish to leave Let your message b receiver to get ready. important, you may repeat it. EsiquetTe OF THE TELEPHONE phone. A call can come any time Quite ‘and paper when answering 2 call. It is | you find pen and paper. 1. Keep a Pen and Pad near your often people do not have @ pen a iscourtesy to axk the caller to hold the fine Therefore, always keep a pen and pad handy right next to your phone. 2, Greet and Identify. Greet the caller and identify yourself as well as your organisation. Greeting and identifying are essential in telephone nee Im case you are busy ina meeting tell the caller and return: the call as soon as you are free. If someone else can better handle the call, transfer the call to the concerned person. 3. Concentrate on the Call. While on telephone, concentrate on the conversation and all keep distractions out. Closing 6y' while speaking on the phone, standing up and gesturing just asin face-to-face conversation are some techniques used to keep out distractions, 4 Listen Carefully, Patient and empathetic listening is essential for effective telephone conversation. Wherever necessary seek clarifications from the caller. In case of unavoidable interruptions, apologise, request the caller to hold on and get back as soon as possible. 5, Take Notes. If the caller makes several points, it is not safe to depend solely on memory. Take notes on any follow-up action which you have promised to the calle. It is also necessary to write down the message you are taking for someone else, The details should indicate the caller, the time of the call, caller's contact number, your name and the message received. 6. Cultivate a Friendly Tone. A telephone conversation is a unique form of gyal communication because only sound is involved. It is, therefore, very important to use a cheerful and friendly voice. The tone of voice should be lively and should reflect interest in the person you are speaking to. One way to improve telephone voice is to smile as you talk because it helps in ereating a warm tone. Speak slowly and clearly, Do not eat, drink, smoke or read while talking on the phone. 7. Avoid Rambling, You should be considerate to your listener by coming to the point quickly. 8. Use the caller's name during the conversation. 9. In case of any problem, project a tone that is concerned, emphatic and apologetic.