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work email
Posted: December 12 14, 9:57 am
by go birds
i just received 6 emails in my inbox where the parties were doing nothing but exchanging pleasantries ("please"/"thank you"/etc).
Thanks for CCing me on these VERY important emails.
Am i the only one who does reply with "thank you" unless it's absolutely warranted?
Re: work email
Posted: December 12 14, 10:42 am
by jim
go birds wrote:i just received 6 emails in my inbox where the parties were doing nothing but exchanging pleasantries ("please"/"thank you"/etc).
Thanks for CCing me on these VERY important emails.
Am i the only one who does reply with "thank you" unless it's absolutely warranted?
I don't CC everyone for stuff like that. Thank you's are usually appreciated by the recipient, but I don't need to let everyone else know.
One of the most useful training classes I have ever taken was a class on how to write effectively (especially email).
http://curryyoung.com/2013/
The women is hilarious for one, she kept saying "Every time a word is saved, an angel gets it's wings" (ala It's a Wonderful Life). She would say that when she showing an example that rambled on and didn't get to the point fast enough. Studies show that by the 3rd sentence of written text people stop reading - so you have to use basic language and get to the point.
I've read some posts here in GRB land that could follow that advice, I'm sure there is good stuff in some of those posts but I really do find myself drifting off by about the 3rd sentence. If you didn't grab my attention by then, I'm out.
Re: work email
Posted: December 12 14, 11:00 am
by go birds
Yea that's my philosophy on email--short sweet and to the point. It probably comes off as cold sometimes, but im doing you a favor by not wasting your time!
I currently have 6700 emails in my INBOX and im willing to bet roughly 1000 of them are of the "thanks" variety.
Really the only time "thanks" is warranted, imo, is when corresponding with clients and i'd venture to guess most of them don't care either way, but i always do any way.
Now, when its intraoffice, i'm not replying "thank you" to your "yea ill get it taken care of".
Also that link doesnt work me for some reason.
Re: work email
Posted: December 12 14, 11:29 am
by jim
Depends I guess. I'm a boss, so "Thanks" I think means a little more than if it's just a peer. It can also close the loop. But it just depends, I totally get what you are saying and definitely am all for reducing email chatter. I'm still pretty old fashioned, I'll often get off my butt and walk down the hall to actually tell someone something rather than send an email. It pisses me off to no end when I see people sitting within shouting distance of each other having a long email thread.
Re: work email
Posted: December 12 14, 12:53 pm
by IMADreamer
I appreciate short and to the point emails. Replies of thank you are completely unnecessary. Reply all is almost always stupid as well. Back when I still made tombstones I was a part of this big industry email group and someone would send out some big email about something someone messed up. It would inevitably turn into some political discussion and I'd get dozens of emails in a reply all. Idiots.
Re: work email
Posted: December 12 14, 3:26 pm
by lukethedrifter
Someone gets some white out from supply, she sends them an email and cc's me, of course. It's maddening. I will be fixing this problem.
Re: work email
Posted: December 12 14, 3:29 pm
by MrCrowesGarden
I'll send one thank you email (never in a reply all) as my way of saying "message received."
Re: work email
Posted: December 12 14, 8:06 pm
by Gashouse
Thank you for posting about this. It was very considerate.
I hope you have a nice weekend!
Re: work email
Posted: December 16 14, 3:41 pm
by CT Defector
I only send a "thank you" if someone has really done something for me, or put in a lot of effort, not just for replying to my email. What I hate is when I then get a "you're welcome".
Re: work email
Posted: December 16 14, 4:18 pm
by Freed Roger
My work email is not bad. But it must be so bad for others, that it has [expletive] ruined non-work email.
case in point - a group I was treasurer for. I'd send a financial and very brief summary by email. Stupid dumbasses don't read their emails and when we'd have an inefficient long-ass meeting in person, they'd ask all the questions I'd already answered on email