A site visitor was curious and pondered: "Is it bad netiquette to "correct" others' netiquette? I did so recently, as politely as possible, and tried to explain this to two of my friends, who either didn't understand or chose to ignore it, as they continue to do the same thing. Do I give up on … [Read more...]
How to Handle No Netiquette E-mailers
Some onliners are quite bold in the anonymity being behind this screen offers. Those who are uniformed with lack of attention to detail do not hesitate to spew their opinions that many times are not based in fact or reality. What do you do when you are the recipient of an e-mail with this tone? As … [Read more...]
Ban Opinionated Signature Files?
A concerned site visitor writes: I've read your section on netiquette as it pertains to sig files, but I wonder if you could give me your opinion on the following. On a music mailing-list I'm on, someone has, as a sig, a two sentence statement that is political in nature. At least it's only 2 lines … [Read more...]
Why Was Netiquette Invented?
This week a site visitor e-mailed asking why I felt the "need" to invent Netiquette (giving me way too much credit) and who was I to tell anyone what to do. I'm not "telling anyone what to do." I am making suggestions on how to use technology properly while integrating a bit of courtesy along the … [Read more...]
Email Etiquette Applies to Both Customers and Customer Service
With the upcoming Holidays comes an opportunity to reflect the best-of-breed customer service. Customers also can impact the customer service they receive by virtue of their requests. With both sides having a desire for positive results, let's go over the basics from both angles, shall … [Read more...]
5 Essential Elements of Every Email
With every email you have the opportunity to communicate with clarity. The onus is on you as the author to ensure that the intent and tone you wish to relay is what comes across to those you email. With every email you also run the risk of being misunderstood or giving a less than positive … [Read more...]
If You Don’t Know Them; Don’t E-mail Them!
Here is a hypothetical situation I get asked about quite often. Let's say someone has something of interest (usually of interest only to those who e-mail me this type of question) to share with all those names/e-mail addresses visibly displayed in the To: field. Even if you don't know these folks … [Read more...]
E-mail Etiquette = Courtesy and Politeness
Much of what I type and write about in regard to E-mail Etiquette, if you think about it, really boils down to being polite and reflecting courtesy for others. The formal definition of etiquette is "rules governing socially acceptable behavior." Being we live in an "all about me" culture, that … [Read more...]