Email can be a great way to communicate if used appropriately. It can also be a disaster. Unlike person-to-person communication, it can be misinterpreted, and read into with other meaning and intention. Read my comment for more…
The Trouble with Email
October 10, 2008 at 10:30 am (General Biz, Technology, Working together)
Tags: client communication, Email etiquette, proper use of email, when not to use email
BizCulture_Stephen said,
October 10, 2008 at 11:45 am
I’ve been using email since 1991. Back then, there was no Web (remember Gopher?!), and email was KING. And, so were books on email etiquette. How do you write an email: formal, informal…do you spell check, use “sincerely” when signing off, etc. This was a serious part of the discussion when anyone started using email for the first time.
Fast forward to today. Many users write as they speak, don’t really care about punctuation and fire off emails without thinking about the consequences. You’ve heard of the email breakup, the email that gets someone fired, the email that is misinterpreted and ends up in a law suit.
Great relationships have started and ended with email. Over the years, I’ve learned a few things to consider when using email:
- if it is a very important issue–especially if it is open to misinterpretation–pick up the phone first (it’s OK to follow up with an email reiterating your conversation)
- Never send an email when you are angry…cool down first, write your email, WAIT A DAY, then edit and send (often you’ll be amazed at what you were about to send)
- Edit your emails. Write your draft, edit, properly punctuate and then send. When I write business emails, I usually edit them two to three times before sending them. If the email is a quick confirmation or note, I don’t spend as much time on it. It is always better to err on the side of a well-written email.
- If the email is an email that may have implications on a contractual agreement or could be used against you…DON’T send it. Pick up the phone. Email is a paper trail that is easy to follow. A conversation will put you in a position to discuss tough situations without compromising you or your company.
I have heard recent rumblings about email etiquette re-emerging. I think it would be welcomed by the corporate world, parents and English teachers…I urge you to comment on this topic
Jennifer Bullock said,
October 14, 2008 at 9:59 am
Publish this piece! This has very valuable information and reminders; as someone who uses email way too much as a main way of communicating due to its quick convenience, I remember in reading your comments and recommendations that communication / understanding each other/ relationship building is not about quick or convenience.