Speakerphone Etiquette 9

[Sparweb]

I thought I'd take a poll of the etiquette of using the speakerphone in cubicle office spaces.
While I would agree that it can be annoying if used frequently, at high volume, or needlessly, I find that it is useful in some cases. If some folks disagree with me, I'd like to hear their opinions. Who does use it, who doesn't, when it is OK?

If anyone is interested, here is a specific situation when I do use speaker, roughly once a week, even if it could be bothersome to others in neighboring cubicles.

I use speakerphone when I need to call in to a remote office and discuss complicated subjects, especially when others from my office need to listen in and take part in the discussion, and this will often involve using my computer for on-screen demonstration through my software (they will share my screen and see what I'm showing them, and vice-versa). Headphones only help if I'm the only one listening on this end, but often there are 2-3 others beside me taking part. They pull up a chair and we can all chime in when needed.

Obviously, this would be a good use for a boardroom, however the boardrooms at my company are usually booked, and more to the point, the software I need is not installed on the computers in the boardrooms (3D CAD, finite-element analysis, etc.). My other option is to remotely log in to my workstation computer from the boardroom computer. This is painfully slow, both to get set up every time and to use (mouse lag). So I usually gain nothing in computer power when using a boardroom. So, I'm back to speakerphone at my desk.

Some of you may suspect that I have a problem with the IT department of my company - this is true. If I get a couple of good suggestions from the group, I will see about making changes to the equipment we use and how to convince the IT guy that he should waste spend his time doing it.


STF

 

[jayrod12]

VE1BLL Every single phone in our office has the speakerphone. I didn't realize some offices regulated it.

 

[monkeydog]

Where I work, it was a mixed bag.
About 7-10 years ago, all speakerphones were removed from the cube farms, only allowing offices with doors to have a speaker phone.
That was a good change.
Now if we can train the office dwellers to close their door when on the speaker phone ... no one else in the office, just the offender - loud talker with the speaker on loud.

 

[LittleInch]

monkeydog - I used to get up and go and close the door. Cue puzzled office dweller emerging after his call to ask " Was that too loud", to be met by the answer - YES.

In many offices even that doesn't always work as the ceiling void is very thin and office partitions only go so far up to the ceiling tiles.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[JNieman]

I do agree with the general anti-speakerphone responses but I do find the variety of "sensitivity" to be interesting.

I think the context of the workplace is the main driver. If working in laboratory conditions, or windowless cube farms with nothing louder than a copy machine... phone speech can be quite disturbing, I suppose.

There's quite a lot in the engineering world that isn't in such "sterile" conditions, where such sensitivity would be laughable. I'm somewhere in-between the two extremes these days, but I do find the dichotomy amusing. The more sensitive folk seem to purport this should be an obvious law of simple human courtesy. I do not think most responses were written with consideration of the diversity of the audience on this site. The diversity is one thing I value for this forum.

Sorry, not really a productive response, but more of a Monday morning observation.

 

[SkipVought]

<slightly off topic>

I'm appalled by phone etiquette in general especially when it relates to mobile phones. Like conversations in restroom stalls, a phone call in a public setting many times elicits an immediate response with a vocal volume that seems to ignore the people in close proximity. I realize that this thread is focused on the office, but the culture at large seems to have placed phone conversations in public as a right without abridgment.

</slightly off topic>

Skip,
[sub]
Just traded in my OLD subtlety...
for a NUance![/sub]

 

[Kirsten]

People don't know exactly how loud they are, so give them a way to measure it. Use a decibel meter or record them. Call it a Team Building exercise. Ha! Have everyone do it so no one is singled out.

 

[MacGyverS2000]

Consider using a throat microphone and convincing people to lower their voices significantly.

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[1gibson]

I just remembered seeing a device a few years ago that records sound and plays it back louder, with a short delay. It confuses people so they stop talking or lower their voice. If you set it up right they may just think it's feedback from the speakerphone and either turn it down or pick up the receiver.

 

[SkipVought]

@1gibson, what a tease. You gotta come up with the product name that broadcasts as such.

Skip,
[sub]
Just traded in my OLD subtlety...
for a NUance![/sub]

 

[1gibson]

"SpeechJammer"

A few articles from 2012, not really anything since based on a quick search.

 

[VEBill]

'Instant Karma Machine', for noisy neighbors. Repeats loud sounds back at them three times. There are several versions described on YouTube.

--

Some of our colleagues are infamous for loud-talking into their speakerphone (from their office, with the door open). If they called someone nearby, it caused an interesting stereo delay effect. One could cover up one's handset mic and yell the answer back through the air, to embed a not-so-subtle point about speakerphone etiquette into the response.

 

[MikeHalloran]

My first real job involved sweeping floors, holding a survey rod, and minor drafting for a civil engineer, whose office was in the basement of a 16th century church. The drafting area was in the open space on the floor above where pews had been once upon a time. Think large-ish wooden structure, sturdy but squeaky.

The first rule I had to learn was that when The Boss was present, everyone spoke in a very low voice, and avoided moving furniture or making any sort of noise. ... which was a real shame because the chief drafter whistled beautifully, and would fill the whole place with glorious sound when The Boss was out.

The Boss also spoke loudly enough on the phone so that most of his conversations were easily heard anywhere in the building. Of course nothing else happened while he was on the phone, but it was his phone, and his building...







Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[Korichnevijgigant]

"Some of our colleagues are infamous for loud-talking into their speakerphone (from their office, with the door open). If they called someone nearby, it caused an interesting stereo delay effect."

That is the WORST!

At a previous job, I was in a building with the mechanical team on one side and the electrical team on the other side. Well we had our manager in the corner, and they had their manager in the opposite corner.

The "interesting stereo delay" happened regularly as both would call in to the same conference call and of course be on speakerphone with the door open....

 

[controlsdude]

I would get a head set with a microphone that plugs into your phone. Working in cubes over years I use music with earphones to keep the background noise down from everyone.

 

[Sparweb]

I didn't think this thread would live this long.

Now I have a peeve of my own. Noisy people!

This morning we were all in a boardroom using speakerphone politely the way you're supposed to for a conference call, four others on the other line...
Then the senior engineer started taking something apart right beside the phone. The device was the subject of the discussion, but I could tell that the folks on the other end didn't appreciate the noise and the clattering of parts on his desk. I reached over to set it aside so that our guests could hear what the others were saying, but he was determined to test fit the cover in his hands over and over and over and over...

How can people not know that they are making noise??!?!?
Hasn't everyone been subjected to the crying baby in the movie theater, the phone call from the night club, the conversation with 4 people talking all at once?

I can't imagine how I would explain this to someone without insulting their intelligence.

STF

 

[MacGyverS2000]

Engineers are great at ignoring all else once they have a problem in their hands... I wouldn't think it rude if someone quietly called my attention to my disassembly process.

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[KENAT]

Mute the phone your end then point out to your colleauge 'Hey sr. Engineer I think the sound from what you're doing is making it hard for them to hear us' or similar.

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