Matters Arising from the Movie, Love in Every Word – Call Etiquette
After watching the movie, Love in Every Word, I did a comprehensive review of it. I also decided to do a series on some teachable moments in the film.
The first in the series was on accents. Today, I want to look at call or phone etiquette. It’s not only Customer Care staff of companies that need to practise this. We all need to apply it in both our personal and professional telephone conversations. I’ll emphasise the observance of call etiquette in the personal context.
So what is call etiquette? It refers to the appropriate way to interact during a call that shows you’re courteous and engaged. However, it goes beyond what is said during a call and how it is said to the proper time to make calls.
If you watched the film, you will recall the scene where the male lead, Obiora or Odogwu exploded when the female lead, Chioma’s phone was ringing continuously by 3 a.m. She kept ignoring it although she saw it was her boss on the line. Odogwu picked the call to know what the matter was and heard the boss yelling, supposedly, at Chioma. Odogwu chose to fight fire with fire which could have jeopardised his girlfriend’s job.
The fact that we now have mobile phones and people are usually with their phones does not mean we can call them at any and every time. I read somewhere that the standard window for making calls is between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. That sounds reasonable and will work for many, although some early risers and late sleepers can be available for two more hours either way. Of course, in calculating the time, we have to factor in the time zone within which the receiver lives. It may be lunchtime where you are but midnight where they are.
What is important is that we don’t wake people up to talk what may not be urgent or top priority. One lady’s phone would ring at 6 a.m. and she would scramble to pick it and find that it was her cousin living far away. But there was no emergency, nothing that could not have been discussed a few hours later. What made it worse was that her cousin was interfering with her morning routine to beg for money. After a while, she had to caution the offender to call at more opportune times.
Many people fail to realise that a call at midnight or in the wee hours of the morning screams, “Danger!” Whoever you’re calling may imagine the worst and their BP could shoot up before you explain yourself.
The way we talk with people on the phone also matters. Although this should be obvious, I’ll say it anyway because I’ve encountered all sorts of callers – Start with a greeting, “Hello!” “Good morning,” or something along those lines. This is not only a polite way of starting a conversation, it also affirms that you have the attention of the receiver. The timer showing that your call has been picked is not enough as recent experience with bad signals from network providers shows. You need an acknowledgement that you’re getting through to the receiver.
Then introduce yourself if you’re calling an unfamiliar number. Some students will call me for the first time and launch into a lengthy complaint without introducing themselves. Even if you’ve spoken with someone before, what if they didn’t save your number? Let them know who is calling and confirm whom you’re speaking with.
Calmly give your message and ask for feedback if necessary. If the conversation is aggravating, try to end it without losing your cool. There may be occasions when you need to cut calls or block certain numbers. Young ladies, you know what I’m talking about. 😉 Those people would have been asking for it and you should warn them ahead of time. Just don’t make a habit of speaking to anyone in a manner that makes them label you uncouth. And don’t think being older or higher in position than someone gives you the right to habitually shout at them over the phone or face to face. Respect, they say, is reciprocal.
Furthermore, be sure you have sufficient airtime before placing important calls, particularly to people you need assistance from who are neither your friends nor relatives. The practice of speaking for less than a minute before your call is cut for insufficient airtime and you hope the person will call back or you do so and start by explaining … is lame. It can make people see you as unserious.
If you’re taking a private call in a public place, excuse yourself. Don’t force people to overhear your personal stuff by receiving calls in their presence and putting it on speaker.
If you’re in a meeting, put your phone on vibration and if you must take calls, be very brief, especially if you’re chairing the meeting.
What do you do if someone does not pick your call? Wait a while (at least, several minutes) and call again. Maybe, they were not with their phone right then. If they still do not pick your second call, send them a message. It is offensive to call someone’s number incessantly. If they’re not eager to speak to you, blowing up their phone with calls will probably not convince them. They may block your line instead.
I know that call credit is expensive but try not to end your calls abruptly. You can say, “Have a great day,” “Talk to you later,” or God bless you!” I know that calls haven’t been going smoothly on some networks now but cutting someone off in mid-sentence can affect how warm they sound next time you call.
The last point here seems moot but I’ll add it anyway: Remember to cut your call when it’s over or check that it has been cut if you’re leaving the privilege to the receiver. If you overlook this, you may have your airtime wasted or people you just spoke with eavesdrop on your subsequent conversations.
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What’s your take on this issue?
Are there other points on call etiquette you would like to add below?
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