6 Situations Where Using Speakerphone is NOT Okay
I travel a lot. I mean, a lot. So, much of my advice comes from the bad behaviors I see day-in and day-out at the airport. This week’s post is inspired by a recent trip and the extremely loud fellow I encountered in the lounge. Yes, you know who you are.
Friend, here are six places where the speakerphone option is not okay. Okay?
Airport Lounge
Conducting business in an airport lounge is fine. What’s not fine? Doing it on speaker phone! Nobody wants or needs to hear the negotiations you’re having with that distributor out of Bora Bora. So, put in those iPods, lower your voice – and for heaven’s sake speak respectfully.
Client Meeting
Your clients trust you to keep their information private. By putting the conversation on blast, anyone within earshot can learn their struggles, secrets, etc. So, IF you choose to use a speaker phone (and I don’t recommend it unless you’re in a formal business setting), you MUST TELL THEM and get their approval.
Restaurant
People don’t pay money to go out to dinner and hear your conversations. No, they’ve already chosen their dining companion – and it’s not you. Keep your conversations to yourself – or better yet, invite the person on the other end of the line to join you.
Doctor’s Office
The patients in the waiting room of a doctor’s office are already in their own personal hell. It’s no fun being sick. It’s made worse by having to listen to your conversation. So, end the call before entering the office.
Restroom
This one is just gross. So gross that I can’t believe I even need to address it. But here we go.
Nothing, and I mean nothing you have to say is so important that you can’t pause the conversation to use the facilities.
End the call. Do your business. And then PLEASE, wash your hands before resuming the conversation.
Checkout Line
Did you check out last week’s post? I’ve already addressed how disrespectful it is to chat on the phone while waiting in any line so I’m not going to say much more - except: What’s worse that chatting in line? Chatting for the world to hear. So, lock it down.