Business Etiquettes

The secret behind success

 What is Etiquette?
Etiquette can be defined as the forms,
manners and ceremonies established by
convention as acceptable or required in
social relations, in a profession or in
official life.

Etiquette is respect, good manners, and

good behavior. It is not just each of
these things, but it is all of these things
rolled into one.
 Agenda

• Greeting Etiquette
• Mastering the Handshake
• Dress Etiquette
• Telephone Etiquette
• E-mail Etiquette
• Dining Etiquette
Greeting Etiquette
 Greeting the Visitor

• Stand up when a visitor enters the

room or you are being introduced

• Shake hands

• For a female client, her prerogative to

initiate the handshake

• Invite the visitor to sit down, then sit

down yourself.

• When visitors leave, show them out, to

the reception / elevators.
 When you are a visitor !
• Don’t be late
• In the office, wait for the host to tell you where to sit
• Put briefcase / handbag on floor next to you.
• Last few words - “Thank you Sir, for your time and
attention. Good day”
• Send thank you note within 24 hours
• If meeting is less than 30 minutes, politely refuse tea, unless
it arrives unasked
• Politely say No, to an offer for cigarette
Mastering the Handshake
The Pull-In
The Two-Handed Shake
The Topper
The Finger Squeeze
The Palm Pinch
The Limp Fish
The Proper Handshake
• Firm, but not bone-
crushing
• Lasts about 3 seconds
• May be "pumped" once or
twice from the elbow
• Is released after the shake,
even if the introduction
continues
• Includes good eye contact
with the other person
• Hold your drink in your
left hand to avoid a cold,
wet handshake
OBSERVE
ASK QUESTIONS
FIND HUMOR IN SITUATIONS
LEARN TO TOLERATE UNCERTAINTY
Dress Etiquette
 Men

• Conservative suit - two piece suit & tie, conservative

& solid color.
• Long sleeve shirt.
• Avoid bow ties. Wear a conservative tie.
• Dark shoes & dark socks.
• Avoid beards & mustaches. (if you cannot help the
moustache, make sure it is well trimmed).
• Get a hair cut. A short and conservative style is best.
• Do not wear any earrings.
 CORPORATE CORPORATE
FORMAL ATTIRE CASUAL ATTIRE
Telephone Etiquette
 Telephone Etiquette
Cellular Phones

• Turn OFF cell phones during ALL meetings. (If expecting

emergency call, notify meeting participants in advance.)
OR put on a silent mode.

• Cell phone calls should be brief.

• Remove yourself from the presence of

others when making a cell phone call
 Telephone Etiquette

• Answer promptly (before the third ring if

possible).

• Before picking up the receiver, discontinue any

other conversation or activity such as eating,
chewing gum, typing, etc that can be heard by
the calling party.
 Telephone Etiquette
• Speak clearly and distinctly in a pleasant tone of
voice.
• Use hold button when leaving the line so that the
caller does not accidentally hear conversations
being held nearby.
• When transferring a call, be sure to explain to the
caller that you are doing so and where you are
transferring them.
 Telephone Etiquette
• Remember that you may be the first and only
contact a person may have with your
department, and that first impression will stay
with the caller long after the call is completed.

• If the caller has reached the wrong department,

be courteous.
Dining Etiquettes
 What is Dining Etiquette?

Whether at home or in a restaurant, it is important

to have a complete understanding of how to
conduct yourself when entertaining or being
entertained.
 Objective…
...To help you perform with
graciousness and poise at the table.

…Provide you with knowledge, self-

confidence and skills needed for a successful
social and business life.

…Teach you how to handle meal situations

and make a big difference in your image.
And to make a great impression…………
 Proper Dress Attire- Ladies
Simple is best……..
- Basic black or navy suit with white blouse.
Dress (little black) or blouse with skirt (slacks
are acceptable)
- Jewelry (pearls)- No body jewelry (i.e.
tongue rings, facial jewelry, etc.)
- Panty Hose?? (skirt) – Knee highs?? (pants)
- Well groomed: hair combed, nails clean,
shoes clean, brush teeth, use deodorant .
 Proper Dress Attire- Men

Simple is best……..
- Basic black or navy suit with white shirt and
tie. (jacket, slacks with belt, and shirt with tie -
acceptable)
- Well groomed: hair combed, nails clean, shoes
clean (no tennis shoes), brush teeth, use
deodorant.
- No earrings, body jewelry (tongue rings, facial
rings, etc.)
 Table Setting

Silverware will be arranged precisely in the

right order that it is to be used for the meal.
General rule -start with outer utensils and
work your way toward the service plate.

*Tip…..The word “left” has four letters, so does

the word fork. The word “right” has five
letters, so do the words knife & spoon. This is
a great way to remember that the fork is on
your left and the knife & spoon are on your
right.
Table Setting
 Preparing to eat…..
How to use a napkin
Proper Posture • At the beginning of
• Make sure you sit up the dinner, place your
straight with your napkin in your lap
arms near your after the last person is
body. seated. Unfold the
• Never, never, hang napkin and put it in
your elbows heavily your lap…do not
on the table when at shake it open.
a formal dinner.
• Turn off cell phone
 When to start eating , how to eat food

• Eat food in the order it is served.

• Start eating hot food when it is served.
• For cold food or buffets, wait for the
host/hostess to announce dinner. (Wait until
invocation or bless your food before you
start eating.)
 When to start eating, How to eat food
• Bring food to your mouth, not your mouth to
your food
• Chew with your mouth closed
• Cut your food into small pieces…take small bites
so you can carry on a conversation
• Do not smoke, use a toothpick, chew gum, apply
make-up at the table
 Salt & Pepper

• Taste your food before adding salt & pepper.

Passing the salt & pepper
• Pick up both (salt & pepper) and place them
within reach of the person next to you, do the
same until they reach the person who asked
for it.
• Do not pass hand to hand…salt & pepper
should only be used by the person that ask for
it. Always pass to the right.
 Drinking Beverages
• If the glass has a stem, hold the glass by the stem
to preserve its chill.
• Tuck empty sugar packs, plastic cup from creamer
under the rim of your plate or under the edge of
saucer or butter dish
 Eating Bread

• Take one piece of bread, place it onto the

bread plate and pass it counterclockwise.
• Break bread into moderately sized pieces with
your fingers – do not cut it.
• Spread enough butter, using the butter knife,
onto the piece you have broken right before
you eat it.
• Do not butter the whole piece of bread first.
• Do not bite bread
 Eating Bread cont.

In the absence of bread plate and butter knife

• Place bread on your service plate
• Use your knife at your place setting to retrieve
butter from butter plate. Place on your plate.
• Butter pats in foil….remove foil, using your
knife, slide butter onto your plate.
• Fold foil and place it under the rim of your
plate.
What to do when finished with your meal

• Leave your plate where it is, do not push it

away.
• Place knife & fork horizontally or diagonally
in the plate. (Indicates to server you are
finished)
• Place the napkin to the left or right of your
plate, or in the center of your plate.
And…Whoever extended the invitation to
dinner should pay the bill.
 More Important Tips….
• Always be on time. If you are late, call the
host/hostess.
• If you are uncertain about how or when to
use a certain utensil, watch others and do
what the majority of them do.
• If a little bowl of water is on the table, or
appears with the dessert, wash tips of your
fingers in it. Dry them on your napkin.
• Meat ordered with bones, should be eaten
with knife & fork (cornish hen, ribs). Never
use your fingers.
 More Important Tips….
• To eat soup, dip the spoon into the soup, then
remove it by going away from your body, not
toward it. Sip, (not slurp) the soup off the side of
the spoon, instead of placing the whole spoon in
your mouth.
• Ordering spaghetti (shell pasta) easier to eat
• Eating peas from a dinner plate use knife to push
peas onto plate. Eating out of a bowl, use spoon.
• Never discuss controversial issues (religion,
politics)
• Never chew gum
• Do not talk with mouth full of food
• Do not apply make-up, lipstick at the table
(May not be able to apply all of these rules to
banquet meals)
 Formal Dinner Place Setting
Formal Dinner Place Setting
1. Napkin
2. Fish Fork
3. Dinner or Main Course Fork
4. Salad Fork
5. Soup Bowl & Plate
6. Dinner Plate
7. Dinner Knife
8. Fish Knife
9. Soup Spoon
10. Bread & Butter Plate
11. Butter Knife
12. Dessert Spoon and Cake - Dessert Fork
13. Sterling Water Goblet
14. Red Wine Goble
15. White Wine Goblet

Silverware in this example is not placed on the table in the order in which it will be used for
a meal.
DO NOT LET THE BOWL -BOWL YOU
OVER!!!!!
The finger bowl can be the most confusing course at a fine
dinner. When the waiter arrives with a large plate holding a
doily (see pic below) , a finger bowl and a large fork and
spoon, often the guest looks bewildered

You needn't go blank. As the name implies, the finger bowl is a

small bowl that holds water for rinsing fingers at the table. If
you are faced with the finger bowl dilemma, just relax.
When the finger bowl arrives, after dinner and before the
dessert course, the guest should dip fingertips in the finger bowl,
wipe them on his or her napkin, and then remove the finger
bowl and doily to the upper left side of the place setting. Then
take the silver pieces and place them on either side of the plate -
- fork on the left, spoon on the right. The large plate is now
ready for dessert
This presents an exception to the oft-quoted rule, "Solids on the
left, liquids on the right." The finger bowl is not to be drunk,
therefore it is considered in the salad category. No wonder
you're confused
My friend, once told the story of how at a fancy dinner, he
thought the finger bowl, with its green garnish, was a strange
after-dinner soup. He wasn't the only one. Eleanor Roosevelt
once observed an guest pick up his finger bowl and drink its
contents. She thoughtfully drank hers (a good host)
Finger bowls are now used at every meal. At breakfast they are
sometimes on the table with the fruit plates and removed with
the doily to the side. Some only use it with the fruit course;
others it is passed around after the breakfast plate is removed.
For lunch or dinner the Finger Bowl is passed at the close of the
meal; though occasionally it is used if grape fruit in their rinds is
the First course.

In the formal households where the servants are trained never to

have a vacant space in front of the guest except just before the
dessert course, when the table is brushed, a finger bowl on its
plate is set down in front of each diner.
When the finger bowl is passed by itself it is allowed to remain on
the doily on the plate; when it is passed on the dessert plate the
bowl and the doily are removed together.
A finger bowl doily should about cover the center of the plate and
must be spotless and well laundered. The fingers should never be
wiped on it.
A finger bowl should be filled with a clear water to a little more
than a third of its depth. It can have a nice piece of lemon it or
petals or scented leaf
Lemon verbena is delightful in season (see picture above). Occasionally a
single flower of those used in the table decorations floats in the bowl will add
to the dainty touch.
If you do not have adequate bowls to go around its better to do without it..
One bowl shared by two is Taboo.

Its not necessary to bathe your fingers or even palms in the bowl. Just dip the
tips of your fingers in the water rubbing them over the lime or scented leaf
should be all that is needed for a well mannered eater. Some “well bred
persons” run their moistened fingers over their lips-it’s a propriety mooted
question???.

Dry your fingers on the napkin unremarkably.

 E-MAIL ETIQUETTES

“EMAIL - when it absolutely positively

has to get lost at the speed of light.”
 NEED OF E-MAIL ETIQUETTES

Professionalism: by using proper email language your

company will convey a professional image.
Efficiency: emails that get to the point are much more
effective than poorly worded emails.
Protection from liability: employee awareness of email risks
will protect your company from costly law suits.
 What are the etiquette rules?

There are many etiquette guides and many different

etiquette rules. Some rules will differ according to the
nature of your business and the corporate culture. Below
is list what is consider as the 32 most important email
etiquette rules that apply to nearly all companies.
 E-Mail Etiquette Tips:
• Be Concise and to the point.
• Answer all Questions.
• Use proper spelling, grammar & punctuation.
• Make it personal.
• Use templates for frequently used responses.
• Answer swiftly.
• Do not attach unnecessary files.
• Use proper structure & layout.
• Do not overuse the high priority option.
• Do not write in CAPITALS.
• Do not leave out the message thread.
• Add disclaimers to your emails.
• Read the email before sending it.
• Do not overuse Reply to All.
• Mailings > use the bcc: field or do a mail merge.
• Take care with abbreviations and emotions.
• Be careful with formatting.
• Take care with rich text and HTML messages.
• Do not forward chain letters.
• Do not request delivery and read receipts.
• Do not ask to recall a message.
• Do not copy a message or attachment without
permission.
• Do not use email to discuss confidential information.
• Use a meaningful subject.
• Use active instead of passive.
• Avoid using URGENT and IMPORTANT.
• Avoid long sentences.
• Do not send or forward emails containing libelous,
defamatory, offensive, racist or obscene remarks.
• Do not forward virus hoaxes and chain letters.
• Keep your language gender neutral.
• Do not reply to Spam.
• Use cc: field sparingly.
• Be concise and to the point: Do not make an e-mail
longer than it needs to be.
• Answer all questions: An email reply must answer all
questions, which will not only save yours and you
customer’s time but also your customer will be impressed
with your efficient service.
• Use proper spelling, grammar & punctuation: Improper
spelling, grammar and punctuation give a bad
impression of your company, it is also important for
conveying the message properly.
• Make it personal: Not only should the e-mail be
personally addressed, it should also include personal i.e.
customized content.
• Use templates for frequently used responses: Some
questions you get over and over again, Save these texts
as response templates and paste these into your message
when you need them.
• Answer swiftly: Each business e-mail should be replied to
within at least 24 hours, and preferably within the same
working day.
• Do not attach unnecessary files: Wherever possible try to
compress attachments and only send attachments when
they are productive.
• Use proper structure & layout: Use short paragraphs and
blank lines between each paragraph. When making
points, number them or mark each point as separate to
keep the overview.
• Do not overuse the high priority option: If you overuse
the high priority option, it will lose its function when
you really need it.
• Do not write in CAPITALS: This can be highly annoying
and might trigger an unwanted response in the form of a
flame mail. Therefore, try not to send any email text in
capitals.
• Don't leave out the message thread: When you reply to
an email, you must include the original mail in your
reply, in other words click 'Reply', instead of 'New Mail'.
• Add disclaimers to your emails: It is important to add
disclaimers to your internal and external mails, since this
can help protect your company from liability.
• Read the email before you send it: It is very important
to read the email before sending as it can prevent it from
spelling and grammatical mistakes and thus, helps you
sending a more effective message.
• Do not overuse Reply to All: Only use Reply to All if
you really need your message to be seen by each person
who received the original message.
• Mailings > use the Bcc: field or do a mail merge: Using
Bcc: field or do a mail merge can help a lot to make the
mail personalized.
• Take care with abbreviations and emotions: In business
emails, try not to use abbreviations such as BTW (by the
way) and LOL (laugh out loud). If you are not sure
whether your recipient knows what it means, it is better
not to use it.
• Be careful with formatting: Remember that when you
use formatting in your emails, the sender might not be
able to view formatting, or might see different fonts
than you had intended.
• Take care with rich text and HTML messages: Be aware
that when you send an email in rich text or HTML
format, the sender might only be able to receive plain
text emails.
• Do not forward chain letters: Do not forward chain
letters. All of them are hoaxes. Just delete the letters as
soon as you receive them.
• Do not request delivery and read receipts: If you want
to know whether an email was received it is better to
ask the recipient to let you know if it was received.
• Do not ask to recall a message: It is better just to send an
email to say that you have made a mistake. This will
look much more honest than trying to recall a message.
• Do not copy a message or attachment without
permission: Do not copy a message or attachment
belonging to another user without permission of the
originator.
• Do not use email to discuss confidential information:
Sending an email is like sending a postcard. If you don't
want your email to be displayed on a bulletin board,
don't send it.
• Use a meaningful subject: Try to use a subject that is
meaningful to the recipient as well as yourself.
• Use active instead of passive: Try to use the active voice of a
verb wherever possible. For instance, 'We will process your
order today', sounds better than 'Your order will be processed
today'.
• Avoid using URGENT and IMPORTANT: Even more so than
the high-priority option, you must at all times try to avoid
these types of words in an email or subject line.
• Avoid long sentences: Try to keep your sentences to a
maximum of 15-20 words. Email is meant to be a quick
medium and requires a different kind of writing than letters.
• Don't send or forward emails containing libelous, defamatory,
offensive, racist or obscene remarks: By sending or even just
forwarding one libelous, or offensive remark in an email, you
and your company can face court cases resulting in multi-
million dollar penalties.
• Don't forward virus hoaxes and chain letters: If you
receive an email message warning you of a new
unstoppable virus that will immediately delete
everything from your computer, this is most probably a
hoax. Don’t forward them.
• Keep your language gender neutral: Apart from using
he/she in an email, we can also use the neutral gender
• Don't reply to Spam: By replying to Spam or by
unsubscribe, you are confirming that your email address
is 'live'. Confirming this will only generate even more
Spam. Therefore, just hit the delete button or use email
software to remove Spam automatically.
• Use cc: field sparingly: Try not to use the cc: field unless
the recipient in the cc: field knows why they are
receiving a copy of the message.
Thank You
Prepared by
Premanand