By John Bourdage
More and more people have integrated cell phones into their everyday life. The technology has enabled us to stay in contact with family and friends and has revolutionized the world around us.
Cell phones not only provided a means of instantly communicating with each other, but also give us the ability to acquire information that assists us in our everyday living and enhances our safety.
Cell phones have created a great advantage for conducting business, as well. Cell phones have made it possible for us to stay in touch no matter where we happen to be working.
While this has great advantages for mobile professionals, it can also be a means of annoying co-workers and clients. If you fail to use proper cell phone etiquette, you may also risk disclosing confidential corporate information.
At one time or another, you may have been the victim of cell phone users’ overbearing conversations or obnoxious ring tones. Using proper cell phone etiquette, whether you are conducting personal or business conversations, should be second nature and will help ensure that you maintain excellent working relationships with co-workers, clients and the public in general.
The key is to consider your environment and the situation that you are in and let that dictate your appropriate action. If you are wondering what you can do to contribute to a more polite society, cell phone etiquette can be boiled down to some basic concepts.
• Intimate public settings such as restaurants, public restrooms, waiting rooms, airplanes, buses or anywhere a private conversation is difficult are areas where cell phone communication can be a challenge. To practice good phone etiquette, put the ringer on vibrate or silent and let the call roll over to voice mail. If it’s an important call, step outside or to a secluded area to return the call, and if that is not possible, keep your voice low and the conversation brief. Let the caller know you’ll get back to them when you’re able to.
• There are situations when a ringing cell phone or the light from your cell phone is distracting, annoying and rude — movie theaters, playhouses, observatories, class, meetings and other situations where people are working, resting or relaxing. In these places, cell phones should be turned off or put on silent.
• Use common sense and turn off your phone before a job interview, presentation or board meeting. Leave it off at funerals, weddings or anyplace a quiet atmosphere is mandated, such as a courthouse, library, museum, hospital or place of worship. If in doubt as to whether cell phone use is prohibited, watch for signs that indicate cell phone use rules. Never argue when asked to turn off or refrain from using your cell phone. If you are in the midst of a conversation, quickly wrap it up.
• Maintain a distance of at least 10 feet from the nearest person when talking on a cell phone. No matter how quietly you speak, if standing too close to others they are forced to overhear your personal business.
• Cell phones have sensitive microphones that can pick up a very soft voice while blocking out ambient noise. When people are nearby, be considerate and keep your voice low, your tone unemotional and even, and your conversation private. And keep in mind that if your signal is bad, talking louder isn’t going to make it better.
• It is rude to take a cell phone call during a social engagement with others. An example is when you are in the middle of a face-to-face conversation with someone and you stop to take a cell phone call with another person, ignoring the face-to-face conversation. This shows a lack of respect for the people around you, and respect is the cornerstone of good manners. In these situations, let the call roll to voice mail and return it later.
• Guard your availability and show respect for your personal time and others will learn to respect it, too. If you are always available, people will expect to always be able to reach you anytime and anyplace. This will lead to frustration when they cannot get a hold of you, and it intrudes on your personal time. Let technology make you the master of your world instead of letting the technology be the master.
• Some subjects are not appropriate to discuss in public and although obvious, this seems to be forgotten when a cell phone is attached to your ear. Allow people the option of not listening to your conversation. If they can’t get away, then don’t have the discussion. By the same token, if someone gets a cell phone call in your presence, step away if you can and allow them to have some privacy.
• According to many studies, talking on your cell phone while driving is highly distracting, even when using a hands-free set, and puts you and other motorists at a greater risk for an accident. Most calls can wait until you’ve reached your destination, and if a call is upsetting or distracting, pull off the road to have the conversation.
• Let the caller know you are on a cell phone so they can anticipate broken signals and other potential interruptions. When you are struggling with a bad signal, tell the caller you will get back to them when it is stronger. Also, let the caller know if your battery is dying and try to wrap up the conversation before the dead battery wraps it up for you.
• When using a phone for business, be careful what ring you choose. When in a conservative setting, a more standard ring tone is situation appropriate. When in doubt, set your phone to vibrate. If in a meeting or another situation where it would be rude to accept a phone call, let people know you are expecting an important call ahead of time. If appropriate, ask for permission to step away to take the call.
• There is no more an abused form of cell phone communication than texting, especially by the youth of today. They do not seem to care where they are or who is around them.
I’m sure we have all seen people texting in atmospheres that are not appropriate, like during a church service, when dining with friends, or at a movie theater.
Text messaging is the perfect option when you need to exchange information in a timely fashion — it is less disruptive than making or receiving a cell phone call. The key is to send a brief message, not a long back-and-forth communication when you are otherwise engaged. Remember, the key is to be environment and situation appropriate.
