If you change the way you talk when you're doing business, then you are. The term's been coined by ntl:Telewest Business, which pinpointed the London and south east accent as the most universally accepted in the world of commerce.

Around two-thirds of people admitted they altered their voice at work, with the under-30s most likely to do so.

Despite masking their accents, the Accent Factor report found people generally liked their regional twang. The east of England was the only area where people didn't think they had the "warmest" accent in the UK.