Yesterday, The Washington Submit printed a information to telephone etiquette in 2023: “The brand new telephone name etiquette: Textual content first and by no means go away a voice mail” (present hyperlink). Within the article, know-how reporter Heather Kelly defined that she “spoke to an etiquette skilled and other people of all ages about their very own telephone pet peeves to give you the next steering to assist everybody navigate telephone calls in 2023.” (The Submit additionally not too long ago shared “Texting do’s and don’t’s for 2023.”)
The telephone “guidelines” the Submit offered, which have been written for private, not skilled, communication, appear assured to spark debate (and have already resulted in 5,000+ feedback), so let’s focus on: What are your ideas about telephone name, textual content, and voice mail etiquette in the intervening time? What points of telephone etiquette do you assume are merely generation-specific? (Kelly does acknowledge that making use of these guidelines varies by age, relationship, and context.)
The New Guidelines for Telephone Etiquette
A few of The Submit’s telephone tips appear fairly simple, like “Don’t use speakerphone in public” (sure pleeaase); “Don’t cease speaking on the telephone,” as a result of telephone calls nonetheless have worth; “Use video voice mails judiciously,” as a result of sure, they’re a factor now; and “You don’t have to reply the telephone” when it’s not an excellent time.
Others on the listing are more likely to be extra controversial, like “Don’t go away a message”; “Textual content earlier than calling,” particularly for video calls; “Keep nonetheless for video calls”; and, presumably, “Feelings are for voice, details are for textual content.”
My Private Telephone Etiquette Guidelines
I’m positive we’ve all developed our personal little telephone etiquette guidelines or habits… For instance, I typically unnecessarily give my telephone quantity twice when leaving a voice mail for a enterprise, as a result of I grew up when caller ID wasn’t ubiquitous and robocalls weren’t such an enormous drawback.
I virtually by no means reply calls from unknown numbers except a fast google turns up a recognizable enterprise (which sometimes makes me miss essential calls); and I attempt to keep away from truly listening to voice mails, as a substitute studying the transcription each time attainable.
Additionally, I’ll by no means in 1,000,000 years ship a voice word to a buddy or member of the family.
Let’s hear it from you, readers: What do you consider The Submit’s telephone etiquette tips? What private telephone etiquette guidelines do you observe? (Point out your age should you assume it’s related!)
Have you ever developed your individual telephone etiquette guidelines or habits?
Inventory photograph by way of Stencil.