Summer 2012

Summer 2012
BibeauArt of Santa Rosa

Monday, June 07, 2010

One class they truly need to add to High School and College Schedules...

Communication 101 - a course that one must take each year while in High School and College/University years.  Each year the student will learn how to look others in the face while speaking, how to speak instead of mumble, how to make a proper phone call (personal and business), and how to use the English language in full sentences in order to be understood.  Failure of this class will render you jobless, clueless, lame and not very successful in life.  Required.

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There are times in one's life where it's very, very important to know how to communicate properly.  As in, always.  It's not a difficult skill to obtain, but it becomes vital as one gets older and notices that it starts to impede on your life a bit.  Or a lot.  Depending on what type of moron you are.

Yes, this is my rant of the week.  Month.  Life...and yes, I'm one of those English sticklers who notices lack of communication and is tired of trying to teach them how.  From now on, you are on your own, morons.

I do get upset when these morons decide not to care so much that it starts to ruin my day. 

Case in point number one - Communication at Workie Poo:  When at work, no matter what you do or don't do, please use your NAME when meeting, greeting or answering the bloody phone.  There is nothing as annoying as having to ask for your name or having someone answer a work phone with "Yeah."  The proper way to answer a phone at work is something like this: "ABC Industries, Jane speaking, how may I help you," or "ABC Industries, Jane speaking," is fine too.  "Yeah," "What," and mumbling the company name is totally wrong and not acceptable at work.  "Huh?" is not acceptable either, if you were wondering.

When using emails or faxes at work - READ them and put in your information properly, and so others can read it.  If you write like a first grader, use a stamp with your company's info so I know who you are.  If you are a doctor, always use a stamp or the computer for your replies since nobody can read YOUR writing.  Yes, we all know.

Case in point number two - Communication on the Cell Phone:  Don't assume I know it's YOU on the other end of a call I just picked up and say "Hey!" because I don't know who you are.  I get tons of calls a day, so if you're calling from another number or your girlfriend's phone or from Mom's house, I still don't know it's YOU. 

Timing:  "Is this a good time to talk" is a GREAT question.  My hubby uses this all the time when calling folks on the phone. 

Answering:  I'm really bad at answering my phone because I have like a million offices and am all over the place AND probably ON the phone, but a friend of ours ALWAYS answer the phone, even to say "Hey, I'm busy, can I call you back?"  Brilliant.  But don't forget to call them back.

Voice mail:  Rule number 1:  DON'T MUMBLE when leaving voice mails.  Rule number 2:  Always say who you are at the beginning of the call, with your NUMBER.  Audibly.  Slowly.  I hate getting calls with a bunch of blabbing and I have no idea who they are or why they called or how to find them.  I especially hate it when it's from a PRIVATE number.  Really?  How am I to call you back, genius???  Leaving novellas on my cell phone is BAD.  I only have so much voice mail time and it's not for you to complain about your ingrown toenail.  At least buy me a drink somewhere before telling me your 3 hour story.

Case in point number three:  When meeting or seeing someone in person - look at them, not the floor.  I know our new floors at work are nice, but I'm up here at eye level.  Use full words, not IM words or the new slang you just learned at the club.  Don't use words that don't exist and please don't try to impress me with fifty-cent words (meaning large fancy words) because you'll sound silly when they are used in the wrong context. 

Case in point number four:  Back to the phone.  When you leave a message wanting to meet someone for work or whatever - don't assume that I got the message five seconds ago and call back demanding things.  Just don't do this.  Ever.  Especially if you need something FROM me.  It will go bad.  Fast. 

Also, don't call me numerous times in a day unless we're really working on something and I said "CALL ME BACK" - stalking me isn't a good way to get on my good side and the hang ups suck.  I have caller ID, morons.

Don't make phone calls from the bathroom.  Loo.  Whatever you call it.  It's gross and the person in the stall next to you is horrified.  Yes, the phone is like a microphone and can pick up on your farting on the toilet.  I don't care if it's "only my husband" on the other line.  UNACCEPTABLE.  There was a family member of someone in the stall next to me going over all of their health issues (which were horrible to begin with) while taking care of business.  This is not cool and nobody likes it.

Case in point number five:  Faxes at work or anywhere...unless you have a photo of yourself on your letterhead or are using letterhead to return a fax query, don't assume I know who you are.  Always use letterhead or at the very least, write your name, company and a number where I can reach you at.  Sending a fax to me with "no" or "yes" scribbled on a form does nothing for you or me.  Don't waste my time by being THIS lazy. 

Case in point number six:  Emails at work.  Read them before you reply or speak to the person in question about something.  There is nothing more annoying than getting a question via email, replying to it and then two weeks later, being asked about the reply.  It's obvious you didn't bother reading my reply and now you're wasting my time.  At work this is the number one reason why I'm annoyed with you.  Read then speak.  Thank you.

Rant over, for now.  It's a Manic Monday for sure.  And, no, please don't cue up that song unless you want me to become violent.

Thank you.

1 comment:

Jo Schaffer said...

SOOOO TRUE.