|
BETTER
COMMUNICATIONS IN THE WORKPLACE
1)
Concentrate on the quality not the quantity of your
communications.
2)
Think about what you are going to communicate BEFORE you call,
fax, or email.
3)
Keep your focus. A one page fax is often all that is needed.
Email longer than one or two paragraphs is often not read. FOCUS
ON CONTENT.
4)
Keep email replies short. Reply beneath the question asked.
5)
Change the color of your reply to draw attention to your message
and make the reading easier for your client.
6)
When leaving a voice mail message, always leave your phone number
with any extension, time of your call, and the best time to reach
you. Always keep your message short. It is beneficial
to repeat the contact information at the end of your message to
ensure the receiver has recorded it correctly.
7)
Change your voice mail message daily and indicate what day it is
and whether or not you are in the office. If outside the office
indicate what time you will return and when you plan to return
calls.
8)
If you have a secretary, or fellow worker who can take your calls,
leave this message in your voice mail so callers can turn to
someone else if necessary.
9)
Return your phone calls! Many people complain that calls are
not returned. This is poor practice.
10)
When on holidays, leave a voice mail message indicating when you
will return and possible alternatives to those who are covering
for you.
11)
If you will be unavailable for an extended period, such as on
vacation, use an email auto responder to reply to email
messages so people are aware you are away and will not wonder why
they have not received a reply.
12)
Consider auto forwarding your messages to a co-worker or secretary
while on holidays, for checking. Any important messages can
be followed up by your assigned co-worker.
13)
Remember that email is not infallible. Incorrect addressing,
servers that are down, and other issues can mean lost or delayed
email. Send your email properly and when needed ask for a
return receipt. Then you know your email arrived. Lost
email may be returned to you, but often it is days later.
14)
When sending a fax, don't use a cover sheet that simply indicates
who sent the fax and the number of pages. Instead make the cover
sheet part of your message. Many times a one page fax can be
created by just using the cover sheet. This saves paper as
well as time.
15)
When sending a fax always indicate how many sheets were sent
INCLUDING the cover. Simply mark NUMBER OF PAGES INCLUDING COVER
on your fax. Don't forget your phone number as well as fax
number. If not all pages of a fax are received, the recipient
knows immediately who to contact.
16)
Always record your phone, fax, email and web addresses on all
communications and correspondence.
|
