Welcome to a new series on #BusinessMonday. We'll be exploring etiquette rules across multiple business-related scenarios. But before we hit the ground running, it's best to level off everyone on what etiquette means. We would also look at the many ways business etiquette can improve a company or an organizational bottom line.
Josy Roberts, author of 'Business Etiquette: Your Questions and Answers', defines etiquette as
'conventional rules of polite behaviour.' They are guidelines on how to behave befitting good manners while in the company of other people. They show sensitivity to the needs and feelings of the person or people that you are with.'
Etiquette covers most aspects of social interactions, including self-presentation, communication, courtesy, and hospitality.
Business etiquette, in particular, covers expectations in the interactions between co-workers, the company and their clients, as well as the company and their stakeholders.
Etiquette guidelines are many and can be quite complicated. But our interest in this series, will be on basic etiquette guidelines for situations typically found in most business settings.
If you're ready, let's jump in by quickly digging into the importance of etiquette in business...
A U.S. office of Consumer affairs' study showed that "up to 90% of unhappy customers never complain about discourtesy, and 91% will never again do business with the company that offended them. In addition, the average unhappy customer will tell the story to at least nine other people, and 13% of unhappy customers will tell more than twenty people."
A company becomes a company you want to do business with because of people who work in it, so business etiquette has a very definite relationship to the bottom line.
Put differently, good etiquette is good business!
Good manners are cost effective. They increase the quality of life in the work place, contribute to optimum employee morale, embellish the company image, and hence play a major role in generating profit.
We'll take the discussion further, next #BusinessMonday.
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Acknowledgement: Micheal N. Micheal (pioneer of #TheCommonSenseProject & #BusinessMonday)
