WV Executive

What is rudeness costing your business? Plenty! A survey done several years ago by Eticon, Inc. revealed that 80 percent of 1,281 respondents believed that rudeness was increasing in the work place. When asked how they dealt with rudeness, more than 58 percent said they take their business elsewhere, regardless of cost or inconvenience. USA Today found similar results in a comparable analysis.

In yet another study, one of the largest of its kind, more than 20,000 participants were asked why they did not repeat business with a service or company. The results were startling; a whopping 68 percent did not repeat business due to rudeness. This figure can drastically affect the bottom line of any business. Of the remaining 32 percent, one percent died, three percent moved from the area where the business was located, five percent moved their business to friends, nine percent went to the competition, and 14 percent were dissatisfied with the product.

External Customers

According to several studies, customers find the following behaviors the most rude or annoying when dealing with businesses: telephone rudeness and poor telephone skills, lack of respect for others’ time, poor listening skills, non-professional or poor dress, an abrupt tone or rude language, personal conversations in business situations, lack of preparation and interrupting or cutting off conversation during discussions.

The most abhorrent telephone behaviors included:

• An "I don't care" attitude
• Ignoring customers or clients in order to hold a personal conversation
• Voicemail abuse
• Unreturned phone calls
• Long holds (and loud offensive music on hold)

Other common complaints include:

• "They didn't listen to my question or request"
• "I was transferred to the wrong department"
• "I was placed on terminal hold"
• Excessive automation (For example, "If you would like to speak to so and so press 1, press 2 for this, press 3 for that, and so on)

Internal Customers

In addition, rudeness between coworkers can wreak havoc on productivity. It has been estimated that close to 30 percent of management’s time can be spent on damage control between employees and/or customers, repeating instructions and in conflict resolution. This 30 percent loss in productivity can be catastrophic.

Poor etiquette skills can hurt an employee’s career as well. When CEO’s of several Fortune 500 companies were asked why employees do not advance, the reasons given had nothing to do with job performance, but surprisingly, were rooted in poor etiquette skills.

The top reasons listed included poor or inappropriate:

• Table manners
• Introductions (not knowing the proper way to introduce people)
• Handshakes
• Listening skills
• Dress and grooming
• Telephone behavior
• Consideration of common spaces
• Other behaviors (e.g. not covering their mouths when they cough, not coming out from behind the desk when meeting someone for the first time, etc.)

This was blatantly obvious during the hiring boom of the 90’s. Many large corporations hired a significant number of employees directly from college, only to learn that many lacked professional polish and business etiquette skills. The goodwill and reputation that many companies worked to build was being damaged by their new employees’ lack of etiquette.

Etiquette Solutions

The Wall Street Journal reports that an increasing number of companies are sending their employees to manners camp or bringing in etiquette consultants for training. Managers realize that business etiquette is an asset of enormous value that increases the talent level of their employees, as well as the good name of their company.

So what can a business do to improve its employees etiquette skills in order to increase sales and/or services? In their article about the lack of business etiquette, Lewena Bayer and Karen Mallett suggest that upper management ask (and find answers to) the following questions:

• How does your company ensure that your clients feel like people and not numbers?
• How can your company turn seemingly negative "wait times" into an advantage?
• How ca your employees better manage the telephone?
• What are the guidelines for technological communication such as E-mail, cell phone and voicemail?
• How can your company ensure that it leaves a positive first impression?
• How is the body language of your employees being interpreted?
• How are their listening skills? (Do they have good eye contact when speaking with customers or clients?)
• What do your employees do if they forget someone's name?
• What is the secret to professional polish?
• Do your employees understand the importance of proper conduct at a business lunch or a networking reception?
• How can your copmany maintain repeat customers?

By finding these answers, management is well on the right track to developing good business etiquette skills within the organization.

Rudeness in the workplace can have a powerful and costly affect on any business. A positive customer relationship builds a base for repeat customers which results in sustained business. In addition, good etiquette between co-workers helps to improve moral, quality of work, efficiency and team work. When employees feel valued, they develop a willingness to contribute.

Not only does proper business etiquette exude professionalism, it can also help to make the difference between success and failure for both the company and the employee.