colliemommie | I'm...umm, like a professional 'n' stuff

Rant Warning

I fail to understand why women in my age group (mid-twenties to early thirties), who are ostensibly professionals, cannot be bothered to speak like professionals on the phone. Voices get whispery, pitch goes up, and all the insecure high-school girl mannerism slip in. The "umm"s, the "like"s, the "guys", and I actually just heard a cube-neighbor say "cool".

On the phone. At work. To a client. "oh cool!"

Now, if I had just put a several-million-dollars-yearly, nation-wide corporate signage account into the hands of this company and, in particular, this young woman, I would be far from reassured by this. To me, that is not professional behavior, and I would be severely taken aback if I was spoken to in that way by one of my subcontractors.

Why is professional vocabulary considered less vital to projecting the right image and maintaining the proper tone than dress? Most of our clients will never see us, will never know that we wear business attire every day. But they will speak to us on the phone frequently, and how can be ask them to treat us professionally and with respect when we do not present in a way that makes it clear we are professional?

The "cool" girl also has been known to complain that, for some reason "people don't take me seriously". Installers call her "sweetie" and don't return calls the same day. Clients ask to speak to her co-workers instead of her. I wonder why. If I was an installer, I wouldn't put her calls at the top of my list either...she hasn't done anything to encourage me to take her seriously!

Anyone who cannot behave in a professional manner has no room to grouse when they are not treated like a professional. So, stop whining. And stop making every statement as though it is a question, while you're at it.

(end rant)