Corporate etiquette for company secretaries

Corporate Etiquettes

You never get a second chance to make the first impression!!!

INTRODUCTION

Etiquette has to do with good manners. It’s not so much our own good manners, but making other people feel comfortable by the way we behave.

“The conduct or procedure required by good breeding or authority to be observed in social or official life.”

1. Corporate etiquette

• Client service etiquette
• Phone etiquette
• E-mail etiquette
• Business dress etiquette
• Office space etiquette
• Professional conduct
• Interview etiquette
• Dining etiquette
• Business Card etiquette

2. Client Service Etiquette

• Do not take comments or insult personally
• Never interrupt the client
• Stay focused
• Take responsibility
• Patience really is a virtue
• Remember the Golden Rule
• Ease their pain

3. “Golden Rule”

• Be considerate
•  Abide by the protocol
•  Be friendly
• Practice professionalism

4. Phone Etiquette

Do’s

• • Answer using your name , title and ask how you can help
  • Always leave your phone number and speak slowly
  • Leave a short, detailed message
  • Return calls in a timely manner
  • Smile when you answer the phone

Don’t

• • Eat when you are on phone
  • Put someone on speakerphone
  • Talk with others
  • Say anything that you don’t want the caller to hear
  • Answer the phone if you are not prepared
  • Answer calls when you are in office or in a meeting

5. E-mail Etiquette

• Subject line should be short and specific
• Avoid jargon and abbreviations
• Use short paragraph
• Read for content and grammar before sending
• Be consistent with format
• Think before you hit “send”

Announcement

Dress code for Company secretaries
Dress code for a CS appearing before Judicial/Quasi – Judicial bodies and Tribunals like NCLT – NCLAT, etc.

The council has approved the following Guidelines for Professional Dress Code for Company secretaries to appear before judicial/ quasi-judicial bodies and tribunals like NCLT – NCLAT, SAT etc.:

Members are advised to strictly adhere to the Dress Code prescribed by the Council

(Dr.) Shyam Agrawal, Immediate past President ICSI had adopted traditional attire as its Convocation Dress Code and has decided to do away with the western attire of gowns and caps that students used to adorn so far during the convocation ceremonies. The dress code for The ICSI Convocation is now Kurta Pyjama for boys and saree/suit for girls. The Institute has also introduced a specially designed Angavastra or stole/ Uttariya made of Khadi for its students and is a part of the official dress code for the ceremony.

6. Office space Etiquette

• Don’t interrupt
• Ask permission
• Don’t touch
• Cubicles do have walls

The Company Secretaries Act, 1980:

• Chapter V – Section 21 to 22E
• First Schedule
• Second Schedule

The Company Secretaries (Procedure of Investigations of Professional and Other Misconduct and Conduct of Cases) Rules, 2007

7. Interview Etiquette

Before the Interview

• • Your hair should be clean and combed.
  • Nails should be clean and trimmed.
  • Arrive at least 10 minutes before your interview. The extra minutes will also give time to fill out any forms or applications that might be required.
  • Turn off your cell phone or at least turn onto vibrate mode.
  • Don’t assume that whoever greets you is the receptionist.

During the Interview

• • Make a positive and professional first impression by being assertive and giving a firm handshake to each interviewer and addressing each interviewer by name as he or she is introduced.
  • Reinforce your professionalism and your ability to communicate effectively by speaking clearly and avoiding “uhs”, “you know”, and slang.
  • Use appropriate working. You won’t receive extra points for each work that has more than 10 letters. Use technical terms only when appropriate to the question.

After the Interview

• • Shake each interviewer’s hand and thank each interviewer by name.
  • Send a thank you note as soon after the interview as possible Before the Interview During the Interview After the Interview

8. Dining Etiquette:

• You must wash and dry your Hands before proceeding to eat.
• Unlike western culture, Indian Food is served in one go.
• Proper use of Cutlery
• Use the Right Hand
• Finishing Food
• Leaving the Table

9. Business Card Etiquette

• Never leave your home or office without your cards and plenty of them.
• Keep Them Clean and Secure in a case/holder.
•  Present It With Two Hands & Give the card so the person who is receiving it can read it without having to turn it around.
• Pause to Look at It and Note the logo, the business name or some other piece of information when you receive any Visiting Card . This places value on the card.
• Keep your business cards up to date.
• Don’t write notes to yourself on someone else’s business card during the exchange unless they appear relevant.
• Reciprocate

10. Conclusion

By observing common courtesy and good manners, you can impress not only your boss but everyone around them in the workplace. This will add to your credentials and help you climb up the corporate ladder.