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Since time and distance doesn’t always allow for face-to-face conversations, phoning someone on a business call is the next best thing. And while sometime you might be making calls from outside of the office - from your hotel room while on business travel or home with a sick child -there are a few things to remember about being professional on a call:
- Refrain from Eating: Not only is it hard to understand someone while their chewing, but even the most discreet chewers can be distracting. If you notice someone on the other end of the call is eating, you have every right to mention that ‘it sounds like it’s not the best time’ and offer to call them back later. (You could even say in a surprised tone, "are you eating right now?"
- Do not run water (i.e cleaning dishes, etc): Even if you are simply being efficient by cleaning up last night’s dinner mess or wiping down the counters, it’s not very obvious what you are doing from the other end. It’s best not to raise suspicions about inappropriate "restroom" behavior while on the phone.
- Sit up: It makes a world of difference whether you are sitting or laying down during a conversation. The person on the other end of the line can detect this by your less-alert state of mind. Be sure to keep your energy high and voice clear.
- Move away from distractions: Do your best not to keep the television on low or even muted. Any kind of distraction can keep you from being as professional as possible.
Making Etiquette Easy,
Susan K. Medina
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