Saturday, 22 July 2017

BUSINESS ETIQUETTE


Etiquettes are expected behaviours and expectations for individual actions within society, group, or class. Business etiquettes involve treating co-workers and employer with respect and courtesy in a way that creates a pleasant work environment for everyone.
Office Etiquette:  Office etiquette means the manner in which one conducts oneself within the office environment among people. It helps smooth the wheel of daily interaction within the office. Some of office etiquettes are as follow:
1.      Reach office on time. If there is a delay, inform the concerned person.
2.      Dress code may not be compulsory in office. In such case, wear appropriate dress and foot wear.
3.      Keep your phone on silent mode.
4.      Be neat, clean and as conservative as the business requires you to be. Do not expose yourself under the name of fashion.
5.      Speak clearly and audible enough. Do not shout. Do not use slangs and abusive words or language.
6.      Listen to people when they speak to you. Give them your full attention. Do not interrupt the speaker though you are not agree with him. After he is done speaking, express your opinion.
7.      Avoid gossiping and criticising others. Never pass personal remarks about anyone. It shows your personality poorly.
8.      Be polite with your juniors. Be respectful towards your elders even if they are junior to you.
9.      Knock before entering other’s cabin.
10.  Acknowledge people and their work. Show appreciation with words or appropriate gestures.
11.  Be part of office gatherings. These are informal situations where you can interact with your colleagues and get to know them better.
12.  Above all, never forget the use of four magic words of good manners- ‘Please’, ‘Thank you’, ‘Sorry’ and ‘Excuse me’. Use these words sincerely; never overuse them that the sincerity behind the words is lost.

Internet Etiquette/ Netiquette: Internet etiquette is also known as ‘Netiquette’.
1.      Be kind and courteous. Never fire or shout in a public forum. Show respect for the opinions of others, even if you don’t agree.
2.      Never say anything negative about your company, your former company, your bossor your co-workers.
3.      If you are unsure of anything you’ve typed, hold it in draft mode and read it later before releasing the email or post.
4.      Most people use the internet to save time, so honour that and keep all messages as brief as possible. If you have more to say, try breaking it up into smaller topics. This will force you to be more organized and enable the reader to digest the information in a more orderly manner.
5.      Avoid using all caps in any email or post.
6.       Protect personal information. Since anything you post on the internet is out there for all to see, avoid adding anything personal.
7.      Obey Copyright Laws. Never copy someone else’s work and post it as your own. It is against copyright law because it is considered stealing.

Business Card Etiquette: Business cards are exchanged at first meetings, casual, formal and at social and business gatherings. Business cards are very important for the success of the business. So, a lot of attention should be paid to the etiquette of exchanging cards.
1.      Design a smart business card.
2.      Always carry enough business cards with you.
3.      Keep your cards in a business card case to protect them from wear and tear. A crumpled one makes a poor impression.
4.      Keep your business cards up to date.
5.      Give your business card only to someone who asks for it.
6.      If you would like someone to have your card, ask for his card. He is sure to reciprocate.
7.      Give your business card with your right hand, facing the receiver so that he can read it without turning it around.
8.      Receive the card with right hand, hold the card by its edges, and thank the person.
9.      When you receive a card observe the logo, the business name and comment on it.
10.  Do not write anything on the card during the exchange.

Handshake Etiquette: Handshake is a formal greeting that goes along with our words. Some handshake etiquettes to be followed are:
1.      Shake hands when meeting someone, renewing an acquaintance and when you say goodbye.
2.      Offer your hand with fingers towards the floor; don’t hold just the fingers or try to crush the other person’s hand with an iron grip.
3.      To shake hands properly, keep your thumb up and touch webs (the space between your thumb and first finger) before wrapping the fingers around the other person’s hand.
4.      While handshake look the other person in the eyes and lean forward ever so slightly.
5.      Greet the person before and during the handshake.
6.      Shake hands in an up-and-down motion.
7.       Handshake should be brief and formal. It should extend two to four seconds.
8.      The person in a higher position of authority or age should initiate the handshake.

Telephone Etiquette: As the telephone is still widely used for organisational communication, the receiver or the listener forms an image of the speaker and the organisation while communicating. The personnel in an organisation may receive calls directly, get calls transferred to them through the telephone operator or other departments. The calls could be about providing information, making requests, inquiries, fixing appointments and so on. The receiver of the call should be able to guide the caller to the right person or department. Here are some guidelines for making a positive impact by telephone.
   Answering a Call-   
         1.         Answer the call promptly on the first or second ring.
         2.         Greet properly and provide basic information. Ex- On receiving a call, ‘Good morning- This is Komal Patil of Tata Electronics- How can I help you?’ The tone should show that you are eager to help.
         3.         If you have to leave the telephone to get some information, ask if the caller would like to hold on or would like you to call back.
         4.         If you have to put the caller on hold, ask permission and wait to hear the answer before doing it. Thank the caller for holding.
         5.          Listen carefully. Use words like ‘Yes’, ‘I see’, etc. to show that you are listening.
         6.         If the call is for another person, transfer it and make sure the caller reaches his destination (person) quickly.
         7.         If you have to take a message, get all the relevant details from the caller.
         8.         End the call politely with thank you.
    Making a Call-
         1.         Before making a call, prepare with all questions and comments. Collect all required information, files, papers that may be needed. Have paper and pen at hand.
         2.          Greet as soon as the call is answered. Return the greeting and identify yourself, and ask for the person to whom you want to speak. Ex- ‘Good morning, I am Mukesh Patil from Pragati College; could I speak to Pravin Patil of English Department?’
         3.         Use simple language, familiar words and short sentences. Speak in your normal voice, neither too loud nor too soft.
         4.         Never put anyone on speakerphone without taking permission.
         5.         End the call politely and thank the receiver for giving you time or information or help. Wish the receiver for good day.
         6.         As the caller put down the receiver first.

E-mail Etiquette:  All offices today use computer and e-mail is a commonly used method of communication. For effective and successful of e-mail, one should take care of following etiquettes.
         1.          Use professional e-mail address.
         2.          Write a specific subject line. Make it short and to the point.
         3.         Begin your e-mail with proper salutation.
         4.         Write clear, short paragraphs. Be clear and to the point.
         5.         Avoid using capital letters unnecessary.
         6.         Keep to plain text and readable font.
         7.         Use only the common abbreviations.
         8.         End e-mail with your name and other details.
         9.         Always revise and check the message before sending.
       10.       Send copies only when essential.
       11.       If you have to forward a mail, delete the needless information.

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