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E-mail is a quick and easy way to communicate. As it only takes a moment to reply to messages, it is even more important to reply promptly.* E-mail messages tend to be informal, but, as with any other
written message, it may well be read by someone other than the peron for whom it was addressed. Keep that in mind when writing when using e-mail.
* many organisations have introduced a ‘reply to e-mail correspondence within 24 hours’ policy.
Be careful about how and what you write!
One problem with e-mails is that people tend to write them quickly and send them off without too much thought and consideration. There are 3 main problems with this attitude:
- the writer is still representing the company /organisation where they work. A slovenly written e-mail with, for example, a lot of spelling mistakes or a lot of slang, may reflect badly on the company.
- e-mails are legal documents, in the same way that a fax is a legal document. They should therefore be treated with a little more respect.
- Silly mistakes could cause you to lose the respect of the reader. Even worse, it may cause you to lose the respect of the company. Look at the example given below. This is a sentece from a genuine
e-mail that Simon received as part of an ongoing business correspondence:
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