Telephone tittle tattle

I was in a meeting earlier this week when everybody got out their mobile telephones and put them on the table in front of them.  That struck me as rather amusing.  Then I noticed that two of them had two phones – although I guess the second mobile communication device might have been a blackberry, blueberry or raspberry – presumably with a Bluetooth.

Whatever happened to mobile phone etiquette where you switched the damn things off in a meeting?  That would be my first business phone system decision.  No mobile phones. Life existed before mobile phones and I am sure it will continue if we manage to switch them off occasionally.

But when it comes to business they are rather useful.  Your business phone system can seamlessly divert incoming calls to your phone while you are fishing.  So the illusion that you are actually doing some work can be preserved – even when you are not.

Other important options with a business phone system are the myriad of features on the phone that so few people know how to use.  And they leave little for a receptionist to do any more – because your business phone can show you who is calling – and divert all those cold calls to messaging – where you can’t listen to them because you can’t remember how to access them and have mislaid the instructions.

One aspect of business telephones that would make sense is not to use them.  In an era where we all work on computers it seems logical to use Skype for more than international calls.  You can even see the person you are speaking to on a video link if you require.  So you might get a few extra clues about whether your contact is bluffing.  |

Maybe that is a core [art of your business telephone service. = free calls. Ally that to fast internet and you have a pretty good business communications service.  The trouble is we’d still be relying on British Telecom