Demeanor in the Business Workplace

Demeanor

What is demeanor? Demeanor is classified as behavior, as far as a person’s bodily attitude or outward behavior (Oxford, 2001, 64/202). A person with friendly demeanor may seem assertive or firm, whereas a person with reserved demeanor may seem submissive or obedient. A goal should always be achieved when dealing with customers, and that goal is to assist them with their needs in any situation. Different people with different demeanors do this in different ways, which should always be remembered. Neither of these demeanors are considered unjust because both will give the same end result, with the experience being different.

Attitude and behavior make demeanor. Therefore, friendly demeanor people may seem assertive, will have a positive attitude, a smile on their face, and the willingness to help. Reserved demeanor people may seem submissive, will have a neutral attitude, a smile on their face, and the willingness to help also. Positive attitudes create an environment of warmth and cooperation; whereas neutral attitudes create an environment of welcoming and independence. For example, a person with a positive attitude may greet a customer with, “Hi, how are you?”; whereas a person with a neutral attitude may greet a customer by simply saying, “Hi”. That little extra personal interest could make a person feel welcomed or offended, depending upon the positive or neutral attitude of the customer (Terrill, 2007).

Demeanor can often be recognized by attitude and behavior. A customer service representative can read a customer’s demeanor by the way that a person acts and carries oneself into an office, if a person has a friendly demeanor. By asking, “How are you?” to the customer, it’s considered having a positive attitude; if the customer shares the same attitude, they will often return the question and possibly make a little conversation. An assertive person might also ask the customer, “How can I help you?”. When the customer says what they...