Phone 416

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Phone Protocol

We have found that a good rule of thumb when leaving a phone message is to wait for about one buisiness day for a return. If the call is extremely time sensitive, it is not considered bad etiquette to call again, just don't make a habit of it. If you need an immediate reponse, it could show a lack of planning, which reflects poorly upon your team.

One thing to keep in mind is that many people may not spend much time in their office, so a call to their cell phone may be better. It is always a good idea to ask the person at the beginning of the project which number is best to reach them at.

If for some reason you cannot reach your sponsor by either their office or cell phone leave a message and make sure to follow up on it later in that day.

One other thing that is sometimes helpful is to send a followup email after making a call. The followup email should summarize the information from the call, and future work.

Cell phones should be avoided during conference calls.

During conference calls one person should be talking as the representative of the group unless either they cannot answer a specific question or a question is directed specifically to someone else. Additionally, let the sponsor know at the start of the meeting who is present so they know who else they are talking to. In the case where someone else needs to provide input, be sure to identify yourself to your sponsor so it is clear who is speaking.

Calling vendors is an important part of finding the components for your design project. It is a good idea to do some minor research of the company beforehand to gain knowledge of their product line and to have some specific questions ready about the products you are interested in. It is ideal to make the call while in front of a computer with access to the company's website. Keep in mind that a ME 416 project order will more than likely be smaller than many of their typical shipments, so be respectful of the time they are spending with you.