Pub. 2018 Issue 1

21 T he relationships you build with your customers and business associates are fundamental to your success. Customers will see how you treat others, and make note of it. As a result, good manners aren’t just something to pay attention to as an afterthought or those moments when you think it really counts; good manners count all the time. They demonstrate that you are considerate and easy to be around. Even if you think your manners are already excellent, it doesn’t hurt to review our list and make sure you aren’t overlooking something important. Being Courteous Be polite and considerate to everyone, not just the person who is your customer right now. We’ve all heard or seen of situations where a sales person focused on one potential client, and completely ignored the other person. Sometimes we meet people we would definitely consider to be important, but we don’t realize it. Sometimes we meet people who have important friends. By being courteous to everyone, you won’t have to worry about accidentally hurting your business or your career. Being Appreciative Express appreciation. You can do this by saying thank you in person or by writing or texting a short note, but there are other ways to demonstrate your sincerity. Perhaps you could ask a colleague out to lunch, and pick up the tab. You could also ask specifically whether there is anything you could do for someone else. Be specific about what you are offering. Ablanket offer of help often leaves people with the feeling that you mean well, but don’t really expect them to ask for anything in particular. If you make a specific offer, though, then people will recognize that your offer is a genuine one and that you took some time to think about what might be needed. Being Prompt If someone calls you or sends you a letter, email, text, social media message, you should respond promptly. It’s best to do so within 24 hours; if you are particularly pushed, you still need to get it done before 48 hours. In general, a prompt response tells anyone you interact with that you value them enough to get back to them. The one exception to being prompt is a thank you. Don’t thank people five minutes after you’ve said goodbye to them. You don’t want to come across as being perfunctory. Let a few hours go by or wait until the next day. Then it is clear that you were still grateful the same day, and that you took the time to express your thanks instead of just moving on to something else. Responding promptly after someone has contacted you sends a powerful message. Being Respectful Circumstances sometimes make it necessary to monitor your phone or your computer while you are talking to someone, but the truth is, it is often not polite to divide your attention that way. If you are with someone then give that person your full attention. This means also making sure that your phone doesn’t interrupt your conversation by ringing at an inopportune time. Mute your phone, turn it off, or leave it somewhere you can’t hear it, such as your car or another room. Being friendly and courteous without being invasive or wasting someone else’s time are excellent characteristics to cultivate. Being Observant If you are talking to someone, be conscious of body language. It would be better to talk another time than to continue a conversation where the other person has lost interest for some reason. The signs are often fairly plain, such as someone checking the time, looking at something in the room, crossing arms, or breaking eye contact. What do youdowhen it is clear someone is ready to move on? You can try to make what you are saying more interesting by stepping up your energy level or thinking of an interesting story to tell, but it might be better just to graciously end the meeting instead or make it easy for the person to schedule another time. There’s one other area where you should be observant. Supposed you asked someone for an optional favor, and you’ve checked up on it once. If the other person doesn’t respond, let it drop at that point. It could be that the person is uncomfortable saying “no” to you. Find another way to solve your problem.  Good Manners Are Good Business BY SUSAN MORGAN, THE NEWSLINK GROUP