Presentation for office assistants in counselling and health practitioners' offices. Please note that video clips and illustrations were removed to honour copy and distribution rights. The Association for Supportive Counsellors and Holistic Practitioners (ASCHP) are committed to assist member to professionalize their practices and their services to their clients and the community. Information about Dr Barbara Louw is available on www.barbaralouw.com. More detail about ASCHP is available on www.aschp.net and prospectus about our Continuous Professional Development (CPD) program is available om www.aschp-cpd.co.za.

1. Business Etiquette
& Professionalism
Dr. Barbara Louw
CEO Inter Trauma Nexus & Aquilla Advisors

2. Programme for the day
 Customer service
 Business etiquette
 Etiquette for business correspondence
 Working together
Aquilla Advisors 2018 - Wellness4Wholeness

3. Understanding your
customers
 The specific service niche
 Characteristics of the services you provide
 Understanding the customer
 How do your customers see you?
Aquilla Advisors 2018 - Wellness4Wholeness

4. Be part of a winning team
 Customer service problems
 Using the team as a resource for improving
service
 Turning customer problems into opportunities
Aquilla Advisors 2018 - Wellness4Wholeness

5. Regular services check-up
 Service audit
 Customer feedback
 Colleague feedback
Aquilla Advisors 2018 - Wellness4Wholeness

6. What is business etiquette?
Aquilla Advisors 2018 - Wellness4Wholeness

7. The Golden Rule of
Communication in the
workplace
Communicate in a way that you are not
misunderstood.
Aquilla Advisors 2018 - Wellness4Wholeness

8. Principles of impeccable
work behaviour
 Basic guidelines
 Be kind
 Don’t be noisy
 Don’t ignore the phone
 Don’t ignore email
 No bickering
 Closing the day
 Follow up on all outstanding/incomplete matters
 Inbox must be empty
 Tidy desk and wash dishes
Aquilla Advisors 2018 - Wellness4Wholeness

9. Meeting people
 When you are the receptionist
 Introduce yourself
 Smile and be kind
 Make eye contact
 Speak clearly
 Make a note of the correct name and number
 When you are inside the “Inside office”
 Be discrete
 Be mindful
 Introducing people
 Always speak clearly
 Saying “good bye”
Aquilla Advisors 2018 - Wellness4Wholeness

10. Telephone etiquette
Always smile when speaking over the phone (Use a mirror)
 Answering your phone
 Within 3 rings
 Professional greeting
 Speak clearly
 Write down a name and number as soon as possible
 Screening calls
 Be polite and honest
 Take a message, with name and number – always!
 Making & Returning calls
 Pre-plan why you phone (Make notes)
 Professional introduction
 Speak clearly and make sure you are speaking to the correct person.
Aquilla Advisors 2018 - Wellness4Wholeness

11. Meetings
 Planning meetings
 Understand the purpose
 Identify all role players and appropriate venue
 Compile and communicate purpose and agenda
 Realistic time frames
 Organize logistics
 Attending meetings
 Be on time, dress appropriately
 Participate and stick to agenda
 Take notes
 Leaving meetings
 Never sneak out
 Greet the host/chair person
Aquilla Advisors 2018 - Wellness4Wholeness

12. Etiquette for business
correspondence –
Inside the company
 Be kind and respectful
 Communicate clearly
 Always add your name to communicate coming
from you
 No passive aggressive behaviour!
Aquilla Advisors 2018 - Wellness4Wholeness

13. Etiquette for business
correspondence –
 Never pretend to be someone else in
correspondence!
 Never use someone else’s signature!
 Always use your own name only
 Indicate if you are writing on behalf of someone else
 Be cordial, especially when communicating in writing
Aquilla Advisors 2018 - Wellness4Wholeness

14. Etiquette for business
correspondence –
To the outside world
 Salutation
 Signature block
 Copy notation
 Postscript
Aquilla Advisors 2018 - Wellness4Wholeness

15. Working together-
manage your mind
 What makes people different?
 Who do you influence?
 The devastating effect of passive aggressive
behaviour.
 Other unprofessional tendencies
Aquilla Advisors 2018 - Wellness4Wholeness

16. Working together –
Managing your words
 Common sense isn’t common
 How words work
 Bridging barriers
Aquilla Advisors 2018 - Wellness4Wholeness

17. Working together –
Managing the unspoken
 Making time
 Making space
 Talking sense
 Beauty in the workplace
Aquilla Advisors 2018 - Wellness4Wholeness

18. Working together –
Taking action
Aquilla Advisors 2018 - Wellness4Wholeness

19. Your eBook
Aquilla Advisors 2018 - Wellness4Wholeness