Skype is now used on a daily basis for both cheap, if not free, phone calls and instant messaging (IM), however with its screen sharing feature, I’m also able to conduct coaching sessions with clients who are in far-away places. This makes Skype an extremely valuable business tool.
Over the years I have been very active in the social media space and many clients and business contacts I met on either Facebook or Twitter are now Skype contacts. What I’ve found is that I rarely chat to these people in the social media space but makes me extremely available on Skype (which allows for easier communication) but both sides must engage. Skype can cause big interruptions if a few simple suggested etiquette rules aren’t applied.
These are my suggestions to ensure your contacts don’t see you as a Skype pest!
Don’t phone out of the blue
A simple, polite message along the lines of ‘Are you free?’ can allow your contact to decide if the phone call is not going to be a big interruption. Just because they might be online and easily available via Skype, does not mean they are available to drop everything then and there. I don’t know about you but when I am focused on a job and a Skype call comes in, I nearly hit the roof with fright! I guess I could turn the volume down! I know Skype is used liked a phone but it’s not really a phone as it’s ‘within’ the workspace of many.
Hold off hitting the enter button
Think about your communication style and try to turn the many sentences or phrases into a paragraph, reducing the need to hit the enter button. Every time the enter button is hit, it sounds an annoying notification and in quick succession, giving the receiver a sense of urgency – which is often not the case.
Respect the Skype status chosen
If someone has their status marked as Do Not Disturb, this has been set for a reason. Respect it.
I tend to mark my status on Skype as ‘away’ most of the time now. I have too many connections and what I’ve found, is that people are more likely to drop a simple message to check my availability because of it!
Do you have any suggestions you could add to this list?
Hi Kirsty,
completely agree that a message before calling is good etiquette.
I rarely remembering to change the status, so I quite often leave my status as “away” if I’m going to be in and out of the office,
Cheers
Chris
I don’t think I would phone anyone out of the blue Chris, even calls that have been scheduled, I always start with “Are you there?” or “Ready when you are!”. I just think it’s more polite when intruding into someone’s work space.
Kirsty, can’t you just turn Skype off when you aren’t using it? I prefer to set up a Skype time via email. Then just before the meeting time I turn it on and wait for the “are you free?” or do that myself.
Wendy, that would be far too easy and sensible! Actually, I use it heavily with clients/team members who are all over the globe, so whilst I have myself marked ‘Away’, they know I am usually here & it does make organising things so much quicker and easier.
Kirsty, I am new to skype and found this blog very helpful and interesting. Thank you.