RACHEL DUCKER, of Apparition Marketing and Design, says minding one’s manners costs nothing and can achieve a great deal

I BELIEVE that having respectable manners is just as important within business as it is in everyday life.

Acquiring good manners will not cost you a penny, but it could help you to gain an awful lot in return.

Decent manners play a big part in your fundamental business strategy. It is not just a case of being “nice” but also about taking care of your overall way of behaving, which includes demonstrating respect towards other people.

Many of these aspects help to make a memorable first impression, which helps to gain trust so that lasting relationships can be created.

I’ve often heard it said that manners are “lost’” amongst the younger generation. As a young person myself all I can say is this: There is no excuse for bad manners; it is something which is learnt, not what we inherit at birth.

Recently I had the pleasure of appearing on a popular Channel Five TV chat show, where the “topic of the day” was about this particular subject.

What I expressed during the interview was that I believe that having good manners usually starts from an early age and initially comes either via your parents or grandparents.

I am not comfortable working with others who are not courteous and polite. You would not put up with ill-mannered people in life in general, so why should you in business?

With growing levels of competition it is important to distinguish yourself and your company from the crowd. Showing a correct code of behaviour as well as politeness never hurts and could be the defining area that helps swing a particular job or project your way.

On the contrary an example of bad manners within business might include, not replying to an email, failing to return a call, or missing or being late for a meeting, which essentially indicates that you can’t really be bothered. In this case a relationship would probably break down or there would be no relationship at all.

I asked a group of my friends associated in business what their thoughts were about this subject. They all agreed that manners were essential within today’s business world. The best response I had back was “people buy people”, which I believe to be so true.

I recently had a noticeable experience of bad manners when I encountered a situation with a freelancer who I had previously hired.

Some time had passed since we last communicated and, because of this, the person was automatically abrupt and rude. They moaned about me not using their services, insulted me with swear words and acted in a very unprofessional manner, which reminded me of why I had stopped out-sourcing to them in the first place.

Thankfully not all people are like this, there are so many people who are kind and helpful and want to go the extra mile to assist other people to succeed in business. However it is also important for us as young entrepreneurs to show willing as well.

As the old saying goes “it’s your attitude, which ultimately determines your altitude.”

n What’s your view? Get in touch with Rachel Ducker via email to mail@woadb.co.uk