Isn't it amazing how much cells phones affect so many parts of our lives?

Cell phones have really changed our lives haven't they?  My husband was gone for two weeks to complete his last Doctoral module in Southern California.  He would call every morning and then in the evenings.  It is important to check in with each other especially during our time of traveling to make sure to keep our family life going and keep the communication lines open for all.  My son and I were home running the business.  We put the cell phone on the "speaker mode" and continued our various activities and carried on. We could talk to him while we took our daily walk, have dinner or relax on our patio eating our cool Popsicles while he shared his daily adventures. 

It seems just like yesterday how different it was to communicate with each other during these times of traveling and being apart.  It seems like yesterday,  if you were gone you could leave a message on the answering machine before we had voice mail.  Sometimes it would be hard to catch each other and have a live conversation.  

Even, when my husband I were dating, he would send me a letter and before there was Priority Mail or Fed Ex.  It  seemed to take forever to hear any news.  Sometimes, I wonder, if that was not all that bad.  It caused a person to wait in earnest.  It increased your patience and your enthusiasm to get a letter and read then reread to make sure you did not miss anything in between the lines.  Simpler life, simpler times for sure.  The statistics are staggering on how many people have cell phones and how young kids start using them.

Is there is a Family Cell Phone Etiquette and Business Cell Phone Etiquette out there somewhere?  

If I ever go visit anyone in our extended family, we usually put our phone on vibrate or turn them off.  Some of our family members do not do that unfortunately.  I personally think it is rude when someone gets a call and everyone has to stop talking when someone gets a cell phone call.  I usually leave the room and either go outside or another room if I get a call.  I don't think it is in good manners to do that to other members and interrupt the rare family conversations we have with our extended families. 

Thoughts and Questions Regarding Business Cell Phone Etiquette:

It is interesting that sometimes having access to your Cell Phones, can "make or break the deal" in business.  However, I wonder how much of our daily lives get interrupted when you are with a client and they do not turn their cell phone off. 

I heard a speaker once talk about Cell Phone Courtesy before his appointments.  He informs the client at the beginning of the meeting, "Since, I value your time and I have cleared my schedule for our consultation/appointment, I am going to turn off my phone."  Then he asks if they would do the same.  They usually do.  However he shared that he has had a couple of people that did not and kept getting calls.  He stood up and told them, "Apparently you are not ready to do business.  When you are serious and want to do business then give me a call and we will reschedule."  I know sometimes we are waiting for information that is critical.  But, I am wondering what would happen if we did turn off our phones during a consultation and then checked our voice mails after our appointment.  Aside from an emergency like a woman getting ready to deliver a baby, someone having surgery, or other life crisis, can't the cell phones be turned off?  Isn't it a common courtesy to turn your cell phone off during an appointment? 

What about you?  What kind of policies have you found that work the best for you as you do business with a client at a consultation.  How do you handle asking them to turn off their cell phones along with yours?  I am just curious what has worked for the rest of you? 

© 2008 Irene Woodworth