As the check-out clerk rings up merchandise and asks for money, does he think about respect? When you hear an associate complain about having to leave five (5) messages for someone before the call is returned, do you wonder about respect? When a friend laments having to go back to the office after-hours to clean out her desk and abruptly end a career because of downsizing, does she think about respect?

RESPECT. According to Webster’s dictionary it is: a feeling of deferential regard; esteem, the state of being regarded with honor, willingness to show consideration or appreciation.
How effective is your business at integrating this important value into practices and customer service? As the attitudes and etiquette norms of our society change, business finds itself faced with a growing dilemma – the impact of poor employee professional etiquette on service and ultimately profitability. 

We know that professional etiquette builds leadership, quality, business, and careers. It directly influences team and client relationships, face-to-face and telephone impressions, and the culture of an organization. 

As careers develop, professional etiquette skills become just as important as technical capabilities. Businesses with poorly developed etiquette skills limit their potential, risk the image of the firm, and jeopardize relationships with current and potential customers. 

Letitia Baldrige, the foremost expert on etiquette, began one of her books with the line, "This is a book about manners but also about the quality of excellence". She went on to say that good manners are cost-effective because they not only increase the quality of life in the workplace, contribute to optimum employee morale, and embellish the company image, but they also play a major role in generating profit.

As Lititia articulates, and we have all observed, "an atmosphere in which people treat each other with consideration is obviously one in which a customer enjoys doing business."
On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate yourself and your co-workers on the following most admired business behaviors?

• Exceptional, insightful listener
• Speaks deliberately and thoughtfully
• Is appreciative of time and efforts
• Honors people’s time, as a precious commodity
• Is approachable and accessible
• Consistent in demeanor, stable during times of stress, does not overreact
• Honors commitments, trustworthy

How about the flip side? These behaviors should be avoided at all cost. Where detected constructive feedback and training should be implemented to prevent the damaging of team relationships and customer satisfaction:

• Telephone rudeness – not returning calls, taking calls in meetings, not identifying yourself on the phone,
• Invading personal space with cell phone
• Interruptions, personal/telephone
• Inappropriate business appearance
• Lack of appreciation, insufficient feedback on good behaviors
• Lack of saying "thank you"
• Consistently late, not honoring time
• Publicly criticizing people
• Mis-use of e-mail

And while your thinking about etiquette, don’t forget to consider the professional etiquette displayed in honoring customers from other cultures. Don’t make the mistake that it’s business as usual and approach it from the perspective of American business etiquette. Honor your counterparts by learning the proper  business etiquette for their culture.

Business success results from a complicated formula of many important ingredients. Don’t scrimp when measuring the value of professional etiquette training to the recipe. Be sensitive to the importance of first impressions, and that employees and customers watch what is said ad done to others, expecting that is how they will be treated. Know that your competition is also aware of, and working on valuing customer satisfaction and service, seeking to give your customers an alternative. 

R-E-S-P-E-C-T, it’s not just the name of an old song, it’s also the name of the game.

© Debbie King, Evolution Management, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.