Cell Phone Etiquette Part I

What is Etiquette?  I went to dictionary.com and looked the word up:

et·i·quette

[et-i-kit, -ket] noun

 

1. conventional requirements as to social behavior; proprieties of conduct as established in any class or community or for any occasion.

2. a prescribed or accepted code of usage in matters of ceremony, as at a court or in official or other formal observances.

3. the code of ethical behavior regarding professional practice or action among the members of a profession in their dealings with each other: medical etiquette.

Origin:
1740–50;  < French étiquette, Middle French estiquette  ticket, memorandum, derivative of estiqu ( i ) er  to attach, stick < Germanic.  See stick² , -ette

Synonyms
1. Etiquette, decorum, propriety imply observance of the formal requirements governing behavior in polite society. Etiquette refers to conventional forms and usages: the rules of etiquette. Decorum suggests dignity and a sense of what is becoming or appropriate for a person of good breeding: a fine sense of decorum. Propriety (usually plural) implies established conventions of morals and good taste: She never fails to observe the proprieties.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.

   

Good taste, in my opinion is lacking very much in today’s society.  With everything so “user” oriented, and “personalized” getting along with people is becoming a lost art.  My point is this:  iPod, mp3 player, or what ever music platform you like, it is your music, your mix, on your headphone, only you can hear the music.  You phone is custom made for your ring tones, and all you.  Same thing with laptop, and desktop computers, everything is personalized to be what you want. 

A good thing?  Yes. 

However etiquette, is getting along with others.  I am a manager of a fast food restaurant.  I have people ask for applications all the time, wanting a job.  I need employees, so I give out applications.  I then look through the applications to find someone who may be a good fit.  I won’t go through all my decision making matrixes, but when I narrow down who I am interested in, I give them a call and to set up an appointment for an interview.

Here comes the point I wanted to make.  I called someone this morning to set up an interview.  I dialed the 

number.  Instead of getting the ring tone, you know the sound of a ringing phone, one ring, two rings, three rings, four rings.  Okay do I hang up or give it six rings? 

I got music.  Or what the person who uses the phone number believes is music.  I didn’t like the music, and I prefer counting rings to gauge if I need to hang up or wait for voice mail.

“Hello?” A gruff voice answered.

I introduced myself and asked if I was speaking to the party I was attempting to reach.

“Hello?”

I tried again.

“I can’t hear you!”

I tried a fourth time.

“I can’t hear you!” the person shouted and then disconnected the call.

So here I am holding this person’s application for a job in one hand with a phone in the other. 

This is my impression. 

The person is impatient, selfish, and rude.  I do not want them as an employee.  So I did not call them back, instead I put the application in my do not call file and went on to find someone else.

Now this person may be a great worker.  This person may really need this job.  This person may have a spouse or children that would benefit from them having a job. 

This person doesn’t realize that opportunity for a job was calling and they yelled at it and hung up on something they were seeking.

Cell Phone Etiquette, answer your phone with a polite and friendly sounding hello.  If you have poor connection, politely tell whomever is calling that you are unable to hear and please call back.

Yes, it is your cell phone, you can do with it what you want, and treat people any way you want.  Just remember you may be hanging up on a call you were wishing would come.

There is room for manners, and etiquette.  I am old school.  Thank you, yes please, and excuse me still form part of my vocabulary.  These terms go a long way in making good impressions and make this crowded world a bit more pleasant to be in.