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O P I N I O N
“As hard as it is to believe – because it has been used as a business tool for so long – people in the AEC business still don’t understand basic email etiquette.” Lack of email etiquette is still a problem
E mail. As hard as it is to believe – because it has been used as a business tool for so long – people in the AEC business still don’t understand basic email etiquette. It is a great communication device, but more than that, using it properly is critical to client service and relationships inside and outside the firm. Because it is so important to individual success in the business world, I usually devote a half hour or so each semester to this topic for my entrepreneurship students.
Mark Zweig
“We all get WAY too many emails from inside and outside of the firm. The problem is compounded by overuse of the ‘reply to all’ button. This may take a periodic reminder from you, the boss, to make sure ‘reply to all’ isn’t abused.”
Here are some “rules” I like to live by: 1) When someone in your firm gets an inbound email inquiry regarding a problem, and that person re- sponds and copies you in on the conversation so you can deal with the issue, do NOT cut that person out when you reply. This is one of my greatest frustra- tions as someone who often gets these inquiries. The person replying doesn’t include me in their response. When that happens, I don’t know if the in- quirer has had their question or concern addressed. But once the email string gets down to logistics, or going back and forth about what time of the day you will meet someone for lunch, it IS OK to cut me out. I don’t need an extra 10 emails in my inbox about whether someone likes sushi or BBQ. 2) Likewise, when someone refers a client to you for
a new project, and you make a proposal to them, first send the draft proposal to the person who gave you the referral so they can review it and comment.
See MARK ZWEIG, page 4
THE ZWEIG LETTER September 16, 2019, ISSUE 1312
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