Dear LPG,

They say that good comes out of bad sometimes and, even though the year is not over yet, when looking at the thing that in my estimation has to be the worst to come out of 2020 for the whole world, Covid-19 has forced some of us to learn some new skills as it has swept through our lives.

One of the more positive effects must be the fact that many of us older people who would have never bothered with technology of any sort before being forced to stay in our own homes, have crossed that divide to a greater or lesser extent.  In a world and a year when so few were allowed to get together and so many spent so much more time alone, it will be interesting to see how history records the statistics surrounding the number of pensioners that have learned a little more about computers, tablets and particularly video calling during 2020.  

We older people all learned the basic rules of eating properly around the table when we were young, and there are many other customary codes of polite behaviour our parents have taught us to live by, and that have stuck with us throughout our whole lives but, with all that extra lockdown time on my hands I found that having a visual chat with many of my friends now and then is another thing that I have learnt to do more successfully.

I recently found that there is quite a lot of information about the etiquette of telephone calling. The main points which are included being, make sure that your equipment is working, make sure you are not chewing, pre-occupied or multitasking, and one that I think that most of us already know, smile when you are talking because, for some reason, you can actually hear a telephone smile. The rules are often aimed at call centre operators and other professionals, but they are worth reading even if after all these months, you are still a bit of an amateur. I have also found some newer hints for video and conference calling online.

I have to say that there are a few that have been missed in my opinion. So I would like to add just three additions for us older ones. 

Firstly, remember if you are trying to contact someone from the other side of the world, to take note of what time it is where they are.  Those who have family and friends in foreign parts most probably learnt that little gem during the ‘Coronavirus‘ months, if not before.

Secondly, for those who have friends who have forgotten extra rule number one; if you are woken by the phone in the middle of the night, be mindful of what you look like before you press the video button (remember that most of the video calling apps have an audio answer option too).

The third and most important one I have added for a very dear aunt of mine who insists on answering video calls and then instinctively putting the phone to her ear.  If, like her, you are compelled to put the phone to your ear, and you regularly get the ‘answer’ and ‘answer with video’ buttons mixed up, make sure that your ears are clean.  They are not the best parts of the anatomy to see in great detail at any time of the day!

CL, Penge

 CL left us a few examples, though predominately  geared at professionals, of communication etiquette to take a look at…

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