Email Etiquette - Why is it important?
Email has overtaken the most common forms of conversation via businesses and their clients. “88 percent of all Internet users in the US use email. This makes email the most popular Internet activity” (http://www.effective-time-management-strategies.com/email-etiquette.html).
A user can access the companies webpage at any hour of the day and send them an email. Many companies will reply to you that day, or within the next day. Since information is so easily available at a users fingertips, there are still some rules for sending a proper email.
- Remember that an actual person will be handling your complaint and to be nice. No matter how angry you are, be mindful that there is a small chance it was the support persons fault.
- Be sure you are including all relevant details that are needed to understand your request or point of view. Generalities can many times cause confusion and unnecessary emails in the future asking for clarification.
- Be sure the Subject: field accurately reflects the content of your email. If you are communicating with someone who receives hundreds of emails per day, the subject line tells the recipient what they need to know right away.
- Always end your emails with “Thank you,” “Sincerely,” “Best regards” - something!
- If you are using a joint email address, sign your name at the bottom so not to be confused with the name attached to the email.
- Before getting upset because you think someone didn’t respond, check to see if their reply was sent to your Trash or Junk folder.
- People frequently request an immediate response via email. Be mindful that many people have meetings, go on trips or do not check their email every 10 minutes. Keep in mind business hours of the company in which you are emailing.
- Do not yell, swear or threaten the person on the other end of the email. They will not appreciate it. Remember, you get more bees with honey than vinegar.
- Be sure to actually read the response of the person in which you inquired answers. No one likes having to retype the same information again or write “see previous email” because the recipient skimmed their response.
- Before completing a Web site’s Contact form; make an effort to review the site to be sure the information you seek is not already available. Most of the time, companies will have a FAQ section.
It is important to remember your email is communicating not just the message, but who you are. Like all communications, email is remembered and usually saved in an archive if ever needed again. With some care your email will be remembered for the good reasons, not the bad.
When it comes down to it, companies want to keep you a loyal and happy customer. They want you to tell their friends and spread the word about how much you love their product. While all of these tips may take a little more time and effort, it makes it worth it (for both you and the company) in the end.
