Faxes should always include your contact information, date, and number of pages included. They should not be sent unsolicited - it wastes the other person s paper and ties up the line. Since you are not able to see other participant s body language and nonverbal clues, you will have to compensate for this disadvantage by communicating very clearly. Be aware of unintentionally interrupting someone or failing to address or include attendees because you can t see them. And finally, don t put anyone on speakerphone until you have asked his or her permission to do so.
Cell phones can be a lifesaver for many professionals.
Unfortunately, if you are using a cell phone, you are most likely outside your office and may be preoccupied with driving, catching a flight, or some other activity and probably not giving your full attention to your caller. Be sensitive to the fact that your listener may not be interested in a play by play of traffic or the other events you are experiencing during your call. Even if you have impeccable social graces, you will inevitably have a professional blunder at some point. State your apology like you mean it and then move on. Making too big an issue of your mistake only magnifies the damage and makes the recipient more uncomfortable.