Why business etiquettes are important

There is no shortage of competent and reliable people in the business world and manners can make the difference. Wouldn't you rather collaborate with, work for or buy from someone who has high standards of professional behavior? Many, but not all, of us follow these 15 time-tested rules of better behavior. Do you? It makes people feel valued, regardless of their status or position. This should go without saying, but even in a very casual professional atmosphere, this basic form of courtesy is still imperative.

Today, sending a thank you email is perfectly acceptable, but a handwritten thank you note is always a nice touch. It can be tongue-bitingly difficult to force ourselves not to interject, especially when the discussion is heated. Remember, be assertive, not aggressive. Verbal and written communications are often much less formal than in times past, but be careful to choose your words wisely. Of course, derogatory, rude or offensive language is unacceptable, but so is slang.

Since the advent of spell check, there is no excuse for typos. In some jobs or positions though, business etiquette may be required in an elevated form and more often than other positions — customer service, sales and marketing and other such job roles require employees to have a heightened awareness of business etiquette and good manners.

People and companies that display good business etiquette are considered to be professional, respectful and serious about their job and relationships with their customers, company and co-workers. Such individuals and companies are highly regarded in the world of business and put themselves on the road to success and moving ahead rapidly in their career.

In addition, understand business etiquette of many cultures facilitates better communication and opens up opportunities for business and a spurt of innovative ideas brought about by the interaction of people from across industries, countries, experience levels, knowledge base and skills. When people in an organization work and conduct themselves within the framework of business etiquette they give lesser preference to their own communication styles, culture and management inclinations, thereby keeping biases, prejudices and self-centred behaviour aside.

Business etiquette also includes maintaining professionalism and proper conduct when communicating with people through virtual communication channels. Social media, email, on-line chats and other such virtual communication are now indispensable in business relations. Being aware of business etiquette would entail that communication via these channels is clear, precise, concise and meticulously written. For example — bold, underlined, capital letters, use of different colours, multiple question or exclamation marks and other such written matter is construed as extremely rude and often cause a breakdown in communication.

It is also not professional to use emoticons when communicating with a business client or customer. In the spoken language, it is possible to explain immediately if the other person misunderstands a word or expression. Making good and lasting impressions is also a big part of business etiquette.

Sloppy appearances, unkempt face and hair and other such slovenly behaviour constitutes disrespect for those who you work for and with. We dress appropriately for virtual meetings, stay connected with everyone via internal communication channels and participate in fun work-related virtual activities as much as possible.

These are some basic examples of business etiquette that help us maintain our professional attitude. Read on to see what business etiquette entails and how we can use it for professional development.

What Is Business Etiquette? Business etiquette is a set of social and professional rules that govern the way people interact with one another in business settings.

Business or corporate etiquette is instrumental to helping advance in your career. It helps you show others the kind of values and belief systems you follow. Businesses are always on the lookout for individuals who can present themselves in a dignified manner because some may represent the organization externally.

In addition to showing courtesy and respect to others, you demonstrate self-control and better emotional management. Types Of Business Etiquettes There are various subcategories of business etiquette that contribute to professional reputation. Etiquette is about kindness, it is about being friendly, it is about being polite, it is about integrity, it is about good manners.

Etiquette helps us to be thoughtful about our conduct, it helps us to be aware of the feelings and rights of others. It is about how you present yourself, how you behave, how you speak, how you treat others, how you think.