Power Washing and Roof Cleaning Forum

BlueRidge · Approved Exterior Cleaner

Email Etiquette

Zach Maynard · Approved Exterior Cleaner

It bothers me as well!
I type my emails like an old fashioned letter.

waxman18324 · Founding Member Rest in Peace

Old school is always the way to go.

Hank

Maverick Contracting · Approved Exterior Cleaner

Zach Maynard wrote:
It bothers me as well!
I type my emails like an old fashioned letter.

Me too.

Use a typewriter, then take a picture, scan the photo of the letter and email that.

All kidding aside it irks me too and even worse i see my young sales people do it to customers esp in handwritten on site estimates. "Ur" instead of "your" (roof). Drives me nuts

Bryan P · Approved Exterior Cleaner

Dear Brett,

I completely agree with your statement regarding email etiquette. I believe that texting (Don't #5) has ruined email and most of the problems come from people who email from their phones.

Sincerely,
Bryan

Fred W · Guru

So.....IKR!

I completely agree. I think it makes us look stupid on a consistent basis. I've considered correcting people on these forums at times but never have. Never really considered it on Facebook because....well.

I am very guilty of starting out as "So" and I overuse the dot, dot, dot...................................................

BlueRidge · Approved Exterior Cleaner

Bryan P wrote:
Dear Brett,

I completely agree with your statement regarding email etiquette. I believe that texting (Don't #5) has ruined email and most of the problems come from people who email from their phones.

Sincerely,
Bryan

Funny! But perfect!

Maverick Contracting · Approved Exterior Cleaner

IKR?
I KANT REED?

Seriously though, irk is a real word. Its in the dictionary...

-- Edited by Maverick Contracting on Saturday 8th of July 2017 07:25:21 PM

Fred W · Guru

About two years ago my kids got phones and started texting. Then they started with the word shortening. I would get a text and have to ask "What does IDK mean?"

One day I received a text and had to ask my kids "What does HOW mean?" My son dropped his head in disgust as my daughter said "Um, Dad....it means how....." Wife laughing in the background as I still didn't get it!

Jeff Wible · Approved Exterior Cleaner

My take on this is,..I'm not perfect,.but I do try and write properly,...and that is all that can be expected of me,..or me expect from anyone. If you start correcting adults,..whether it be online or in "real" life,....on basic grammar ,..you'll not only look like a pompous ass and "above it all",....,..but you'll also get people not wanting to interact or participate for fear of being ridiculed for something that is irrelevant to the point of any given conversation. What I can't get behind is those who purposely spell with text style writing,...simply because they know better than that. Even when I text,..I do my best to spell and use proper punctuation, etc, etc,..

*I type the way I speak,.. like starting sentences with "improper" words,.....and if that is incorrect,..well too bad!!

Jeff

-- Edited by Jeff Wible on Monday 10th of July 2017 05:35:13 AM

Liberty SoftWash · PWS Vender

Well my take is I don't speak well and can't spell but I can clean the shit out of something.

Fred W · Guru

Jeff and Eric nailed it....:}

BlueRidge · Approved Exterior Cleaner

I will not correct adults as Jeff suggested. It's just not a good idea! My only reason for posting this is to remind us to do our best as we are corresponding with our customers. Every little bit helps. Spell check has made my life much easier!

Liberty SoftWash · PWS Vender

I live for spell check.

Jeff Wible · Approved Exterior Cleaner

I agree Brett,..I try to not sound "stupid" when talking to customers,.(Or anyone for that matter),.....whether it be by e-mail or in person. I sometime use words and hope I used it in the proper context,.Ha, Ha,...then I'd come home and check out the word and make sure I used it properly. But,..I also think a broad vocabulary is a good thing,..so I don't want to limit myself to common words. I sometimes talk too much and have all kinds of words flying.

* Sometimes after my spiel,..I will tell the customer,.."I've said this so much I'm beginning to believe it myself"

Jeff

DirtyRoofcom · Approved Exterior Cleaner

Im guilty. I treat email as text and am not always being formal and proper when going back and forth with a customer. Its actually a waste of their time as well as mine when I have to start every email with

"Good Morning MR. Smith,"

and end it with

"Thank you
Erik Baumer
123-456-7890
Dirty-roof.com"

First email I'll be proper but when were going back and forth with questions and scheduling i don't have the time and I'd bet neither do they.

I believe 100% in being professional but they should be hiring me because of my ability to service their needs and get their project done correctly and efficiently not because I won them over with my exceptional email correspondence.

I wont abbreviate words but short and to the point is where its at. And i text all the time

-- Edited by DirtyRoofcom on Thursday 13th of July 2017 11:37:39 AM

Zach Maynard · Approved Exterior Cleaner

I use formalities in my email every time, unless I have built up a friendly relationship with them. I think it's important personally, image is everything. If you are being formal but all of your competitors aren't than that can send a good message.