Business Performance Perspectives Newsletter: March 2007
Welcome to the first quarterly ezine from Business Performance Perspectives. Each quarter my aim is to keep you up to date with developments in business performance management and business etiquette.
Business Performance Perspectives has two core services; business performance management and business etiquette training. Business Performance Perspectives has been working in the area of performance management since October 2003 and in March 2006 we started business etiquette training. Over 400 clients have participated on our business etiquette courses since March 2006.
Thank you to everyone who has taken part so far and if you would like any information on our in-company and open courses please contact us at info@pamelafay.ie.
What do we do?
In the business performance management arena we work with businesses to:
- Identify and clarify strategic goals
- Communicate the goals throughout the business
- Set individual targets for individuals and teams that linked to strategy
- Drive the achievement of the goals on a monthly basis
- Measure strategy implementation on a monthly basis
On business etiquette we run in-company and open programmes for clients who want to develop their business etiquette skills. For a full list of services please visit our website at www.pamelafay.ie
Are Manners Important in Irish Business?
Many people that I meet ask me if there is really a need for business manners training in Ireland. My answer is always yes and this was confirmed by a survey that I conducted through the www.pamelafay.ie website at the end of 2006.
164 people took part in the survey that was taken between the 11th of October and the 11th of November 2006.
One of the questions that was asked in the survey was "In your opinion are business people in Ireland more mannerly than 10 years ago?"
- 19% of respondents said yes
- 60% of respondents said no
- 21% of respondents said the same
And when asked "Do you think manners are important in Irish business?"99% of respondents said yes and 1% said no.
These results tell me that while we believe that manners are important we also believe that we are less mannerly in business than we were ten years ago.
The message from this is that businesses really need to improve their customer service by improving the customer experience.
There is a great opportunity for businesses to beat the competition when they focus on customer service at every level of the business.
This is important because some customers will move their business elsewhere if they are not happy with your service.
In the survey we asked "What action would you take if you were on the receiving end of bad manners?" The answers provided were enlightening.
- 6% of respondents would do nothing
- 34% of respondents would give feedback to the individual themselves
- 32% of respondents would report it to the individual's manager
- 28% of respondents would move their business elsewhere
The most interesting figure here it the 28% that would move their business elsewhere if they were on the receiving end of bad manners. Business owners need to ensure that every interaction with the client is managed with good intent and in a timely fashion.
Mobile Phone Manners
I was travelling from Dublin to Belfast this month by train and was struck by how many business people were discussing private business matters in such a public place. In a confined space it was impossible not to over hear what was being said during various conversations.
Many companies now have policies in place so that employees don't use laptops in public places (due to the confidential nature of documents on the screen). I wonder would it be a good idea for companies to enforce some guidelines around mobile phone usage?
Here is a list of my top tips for using your mobile phone:
- Put your phone on silent and let your voicemail take your calls when you are in meetings, restaurants or other busy areas.
- If you are expecting a call that can't be postponed, alert your companions ahead of time and excuse yourself when the call comes in.
- The people you are with should take precedence over calls you want to make or receive.
- Speak in your regular conversational tone and don't display anger during a public call.
- Avoid using your mobile phone in elevators, libraries, museums, restaurants, cemeteries, dentist or doctor waiting rooms, places of worship, auditoriums or other enclosed public spaces, such as hospital emergency rooms or buses.
- Stick to a normal ring tone and avoid using theme tunes and other novelty ring tones.
- Put your phone on silent and let your voicemail take your calls when you are in meetings, restaurants or other busy areas.
- If you are expecting a call that can't be postponed, alert your companions ahead of time and excuse yourself when the call comes in.
- The people you are with should take precedence over calls you want to make or receive.
- Speak in your regular conversational tone and don't display anger during a public call.
- Avoid using your mobile phone in elevators, libraries, museums, restaurants, cemeteries, dentist or doctor waiting rooms, places of worship, auditoriums or other enclosed public spaces, such as hospital emergency rooms or buses.
- Stick to a normal ring tone and avoid using theme tunes and other novelty ring tones.
- Try to avoid making calls while shopping, banking, waiting in line or conducting other personal business. Try to avoid making calls while shopping, banking, waiting in line or conducting other personal business.
In order to get the most out of your business phone calls:
- Prepare what you are going to say and the outcome required
- Have a pen and paper ready before the call
- Concentrate on the phone call, don't try to do two things at once
- Don't eat while on the phone
- Turn off radios or printers in the background
- Never chew gum on the phone
- Don't sneeze, cough or blow your nose while talking on the phone (and if you do say excuse me)
- End the call with actions and next steps
Dates for Your Diary
We are launching a new programme in Dublin on the 7th and 14th of June.
Together with Maggie Gibbons, we are doing a new one-day Professional Polish course. The course will incorporate the key elements of business manners and business style for business professionals.
For further details on this programme please email me at info@pamelafay.ie.
Maggie Gibbons is a leading Irish Style and Image Coach & Consultant. Maggie speaks on style matters to many groups and contributes regular articles to several fashion and style magazines.
June Ezine
The next ezine will a report on the International Association of Protocol Conference that I will be attending in Washington DC in May 2007.
In the next issue we will have top tips on carrying out a business performance audit on your business.
Feedback
I would be delighted to receive your feedback on any aspect of this e-zine. Please email Business Performance Perspectives on info@pamelafay.ie.