By: Raneisha Appleberry

CELL PHONE ETIQUETTE

IN ALL SITUATIONS:

• Use caller ID to determine whether to answer a call.

• If it is urgent or you don’t risk offending anyone with your conversation, take the call.

• If you’re with a group people excuse yourself before taking the call and step away from the group so they don’t have to your conversation or attempt to talk over your voice.

• Use voice mail to leave a brief message if the recipient doesn’t answer.

• Don’t talk loudly or shout into your phone. If the connection is poor, yelling won’t improve the signal strength

• Avoid using profanity in public, no matter what vocal volume you use.

• Keep calls brief when you are with other people. Doing otherwise implies that the caller is more important than those you are with in person.

• Practice, by touch and without looking, locating the button that will silence your phone in case you forget to turn it off.

• When possible, put a distance of 10 feet or two arms’ length from other people when using the phone

• If you are uncertain about whether to mute or turn off your phone, err on the side of courtesy by turning off or putting it vibrate or silent mode

IN THE OFFICE:• Set your cell phone to silent or vibrate mode during meetings. Take calls during

meetings sends message that the caller is more important than those in the room

• If you are excepting an important call that may coming during a meeting, inform participants at the start that you may need to step out to take a call.

• If you are the one making a presentation, don’t stop to answer your phone if it does ring.

IN RESTAURANTS:• Turn off your cell phone or set to vibrate only. If you are expecting a call that you

must take, inform your dining partners ahead of time. If the call comes, excuse yourself, leave the table, and go outside or to a location that won’t annoy other diners. Make the call as brief as possible.

• With a date or business contact, there are few calls that are more important than the people you are with. If your phone does vibrate, you’ll impress them by silencing it, ignoring it, or looking at the Caller ID and stating you will call the person back later.

IN TRANSIT:• Observe the laws of your state when driving. The safest choice is not to use the

phone at all.

AT SOCIAL EVENTS, THEATRES, OR PLACE OF WORSHIP:

• Turn off your cell phone or set to vibrate only if you are excepting an important call, such as from the babysitter.

• If a call comes through that you must take, excuse yourself and go the lobby to take the call.

THE END