Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Life
  • Health
  • Environment
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion
  • Science
  • Religion
  • History
  • Feature
  • Expat Corner

Business etiquette: What to do when you don't know how to pronounce a person's name

by Daily Sabah with DPA

ISTANBUL Mar 30, 2020 - 10:05 am GMT+3
With more and more of us making business calls instead of holding meetings, it can be especially hard to hear someone's name correctly on the phone. (iStock Photo)
With more and more of us making business calls instead of holding meetings, it can be especially hard to hear someone's name correctly on the phone. (iStock Photo)
by Daily Sabah with DPA Mar 30, 2020 10:05 am
RECOMMENDED
Ölüdeniz beach, Fethiye, Turkey. (Shutterstock Photo)

Lost in blue: 10 must-see spots in Turkey's Fethiye

Fethiye

It can happen to anyone during a business call: the person on the other end of the line speaks indistinctly, or the line is crackly, and you don't clearly hear their name. Times of self-isolation when you are not face-to-face and only communicate via phone or laggy video chat can make it particularly hard to make out some letters as well. But what should you do in such a situation?

Asking "What was your name again?" can be rather awkward, as it often sounds like you've simply forgotten. Imme Vogelsang, a business etiquette trainer and image consultant says it's better to say something like, "I didn't quite catch your name. Could you please repeat it?" Of course, most of us know the feeling when you ask a person this question five times and still don't manage to understand.

The name could simply just be hard to retain or more likely, you may not know how to spell it. In this case, follow-up with an email or a letter to save yourself from embarrassment. Don't hesitate to have the person spell their name for you; just be sincere and apologetic.

It can be mortifying to mispronounce someone's name during your initial business contact, be it over the phone or in person. To avoid getting it wrong, Vogelsang suggests checking with the person's head office first.

Gender mix-ups are another potential pitfall, particularly in formal emails where you have to address a person as Mr. or Mrs. This is especially true for unisex names like Charlie or Jamie, or Turkish names such as Deniz, Derya, Ege or Eren.

"Everyone feels a bit offended by an incorrect form of address," said Vogelsang, but added that nowadays an online search can almost always clear up any uncertainly.

If you have a gender-neutral name yourself, you can precede it with "Mr." or "Ms." and your surname in email correspondence to avoid possible confusion, she advises. And if your name is often mispronounced, she says it might not be worth correcting every time.

"If it's just a single contact, pointing out the mispronunciation may not be so important," she remarks.

But if you do correct the person, it's better to do so immediately and not after you've been in contact for a while. Otherwise, the person might think they sent you emails with your name written incorrectly.

And you should place the blame on yourself: "Sorry, I apparently didn't pronounce my name clearly."

RECOMMENDED
Ölüdeniz beach, Fethiye, Turkey. (Shutterstock Photo)

Lost in blue: 10 must-see spots in Turkey's Fethiye

Fethiye
  • shortlink copied
  • RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    work from home business etiquette professional life contacts email
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    Greek naval forces conducted routine patrol missions around the Mediterranean island of Kastellorizo, one of the easternmost islands in Greece, which is just 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from the southern coast of Kaş, Türkiye, Dec. 30, 2022. (Reuters Photo)

    Türkiye will not stand by as Greece threatens security: Erdoğan

    türkiye-greece-relations
    Far-right extremist Rasmus Paludan rants before burning the Quran, in Copenhagen, Denmark, Jan. 27, 2023. (AP Photo)

    Norway cancels Quran burning after reaction from Türkiye

    QURAN-BURNING

    TRNC foundation slams Greek Cypriot move to turn tekke into tavern

    turkish-republic-of-northern-cyprus

    Türkiye summons envoys of 9 countries to express dismay over closure

    TURKIYE-EUROPE-RELATIONS
    Kaş
    Top diving spots in Turkey
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021