Email etiquette

Nowadays, it is very rare to see anyone writing with a pen or pencil (other than students). Writing has become a rare thing. I was invited to attend a lecture on Handwriting analysis in the IIMB alumni association monthly meeting. The lecturer, who is running a Handwriting Analysis institute asked the members present to write a paragraph with a pen. He then analyzed two of the handwriting and gave a quick analysis of the persons on their emotions, traits etc., I asked him a question - "where in the world people write, especially in corporate world". To which he answered the inner conscious of an individual remains and can be found in the handwriting analysis. He also added that there is nothing called a "GOOD" or a "BAD" handwriting. It is only LEGIBLE or ILLEGIBLE handwriting. So, the handwriting may change, but the characteristics of the handwriting will not change.

But our writing habit has gone and we live in 'e-Mail' world. When my aunt asked why i am not writing letters to her, I told it is better to create a mail id for her and her son can read out the mail to her. Even the personal touch of signing appreciation letters, signing greeting cards, signing a note of thanks etc., are now done through e-mails. Whoever you may be, you will now have a mail id and a mobile number to be identified, if not people are not others will not even look at us.

With emails being THE mode of communication, either personal or official, there are some etiquette that are necessary to portray the individual's stature. These are the basic things, which were ignored in current fast world. Some examples are :

the - da
This - dis
Your - UR
You are - U R
Tomorrow - tmrw
welcome - wc

Corporates, especially BPOs, KPOs train their employees on how to write / respond to an email. It is very critical, as it carries the image or the organisation. The mail should be responded quickly, unlike the usual snail mail. There should be present all the parts of a normal letter (address / salutation, body of the letter, conclusion, signature etc.,)

The email should be short and crisp. If it is lengthier, then use headers with bullet points or write a document and attach it to the mail. Do not use BOLD or RED colour font, unless you need to emphasize a particluar point or convey a deadline. Before sending the mail, do a spell check!

I came across a site, which explains how to send effective email replies. Click here for the page

Guide training to your team members on the email writing technique, as it reflects your team's image to the outside world.

Cheers,
Gopal