Cell phone users show lack of courtesy - Your Life - Brief Article

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), May, 2003

While the use of mobile phones has grown in popularity over the past few years, the level of courtesy among cell phone users has dwindled, suggests a survey of executives by Accountemps, a temporary staffing service for accounting, finance, and bookkeeping professionals. Sixty-three percent of respondents felt cell phone users are less polite than they were three years ago.

Executives also weighed in on the appropriate places to conduct business on mobile phones, with 64% believing it was okay to talk on the phone while driving and 58% maintaining that taking calls while riding public transportation is acceptable. The biggest blunders are accepting a call during a meeting or while dining in a restaurant, according to 94 and 91% of executives, respectively. Other places considered off-limits include sporting events (72%), the golf course (64%), and malls and supermarkets (58%).

"Cell phones are a valuable business tool because they allow clients to contact you even when you're traveling," argues Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps. "But work-related calls should be conducted in private--for reasons of both courtesy and confidentiality." He offers these tips for raising your cell phone courtesy quotient:

Speak in a low voice. The tendency is to talk more loudly on cell phones, so be mindful of this and avoid being a disruption to others.

Set your cell phone ringer on low or vibrate mode. In some places, such as meetings and conferences, it's best to turn the sound off altogether.

Use your cell phone in private. If you receive an important call, find an out-of-the-way place to talk.

Keep your conversation brief. Tell the caller you will get back to him or her when you find a more-suitable place to talk.

Limit your cell phone use to essential calls. Work-related calls that are not critical can wait until you return to the office.