From TNPC issue #4.09...

TNPC Primer - Email Basics Part 3

by T.J. Lee
May 3, 2001

In this concluding piece on email basics I'd like to touch on something that I think is critical to using email successfully, and I'm not talking about the mechanics of using your email client program.

TNPCer Deb O. wrote me with a very good question about email. She wonders when it's appropriate to email someone a polite "thank you" when that person previously responded quickly to a business query.

Now, I'm a big believer in politeness but you have to take the business "conversation" context into account. If you get an email from a technical support center or address where it's not certain that the individual that responded to you initially will receive your response (say like info@primeconsulting.com) I would forgo a thank-you as it will just add to the email clutter on the Internet. But if you are confident that the person who helped you would indeed receive your message I would certainly send them a message thanking them for their help and the speedy response.

More to the point is to make sure that your message, be it only a simple "thank-you", has some actual content. Email is quick and this is both a great quality and a decided drawback. We tend to hit a few keys and click the Send button, ready or not! Consider the following two responses to someone who has helped you with a problem in a timely manner:

"Thanks!"

"Thanks for your prompt help. Customer service will make or break a company and I am very thankful for your efforts to rectify my problem."

The former is quickly deleted, the latter is forwarded on to the boss and will get the recipient some favorable notice.

My point is that not every message you receive has to be responded to. There's a frightful amount of email clutter choking inboxes across the Internet and we should, each of us, try diligently not to consciously contribute to the problem. And not everyone is desperate to get that forwarded joke of the day, chain letter, funny graphic, or top ten list. Naturally, if someone has done a truly exemplary job, then let your heart be your guide, write a detailed note, and request that your note be forward to the right person up the line.

Second, if you are going to type an email, be it even a simple thank-you, endeavor to put some content into the message so that the recipient will be pleased to receive it. I get a lot of messages in my inbox that have no salutation, no punctuation, are all lower case, and consist of run-on, stream-of-consciousness sentences that take a great deal of effort and study to discern the point. Often there's just no time to ferret out the meaning and these messages hit the bit bucket.

Take the time to collect your thoughts and put them in order before hitting the Send key. Use spell-check (most all the popular email clients have one), complete sentences, and type your name at the end by way of a closing. These little things go a long way toward putting your message in a good light on the recipient's screen.

As TNPCer Jay B. aptly put it, "I am constantly dismayed and amazed at the misspellings, garbled words, poorly constructed sentences, and all of the other possible goofs that could so easily be caught by just taking a moment to reread what has been written. Such a policy not only makes the writer look better, but it also shows consideration for the reader."

Taking a moment to reread your message may keep you out of other problems as well. Email can be a very impersonal medium and the speed at which it lets you react to something can result in a message that may be taken as a "flame". Reread your message before you hit Send and make sure the recipient won't take your comments in an unfavorable manner (unless that is, indeed, your explicit intent).

Speaking of "thank-yous" I'd like to thank all the TNPCers who emailed me with their comments regarding this topic. There were far too many for me to respond to individually but I appreciate the feedback just the same.

You can reach T.J. Lee at:
mailto:tj_lee@TheNakedPC.com

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