Email etiquette

[papayahed]

I email somebody and ask for information

they respond with said information

I reply with "Thanks".

Is the "thank you" reply necessary? I personally think it's just one more email to clog up the system and prefer not to get it. However, I feel bad when I don't send it and I always wind up sending the completely useless and time consuming "Thanks".

Thoughts?

[Lioness_Heart]

I think it is necessary: it doesn't take that long, and if it was face-to-face, there would be no question about saying thank-you. Perhaps I'm being old-fashioned... but I don't think that the Internet should be an excuse to be rude.

[Virgil]

What's the big clog? It's just a matter of hitting delete once someone has read it. People used to send thank you notes by snail mail. I tend to reply with a thank you. I can't see the harm or the cost.

[motherhubbard]

when I send he information I like to know that it was received. I say send the thanks.

[Shalot]

I don't know - it depends on the situation. I email a lot at work. I have to get info from people - that's my job, and part of their duty is to respond with the info in a timely manner. If I said thanks everytime I got an email response like that, I'd never get anything done. So, instead, I send my email, and then I end it with "~ Thanks"

Yesterday, I got two thank you emails from a manager. It was a routine request. First, he thanked me for sending it. Then, he thanked me for handling it. I didn't feel like it was necessary, but it was kind of amusing.

But, I have sent thank you's at times where the person responded super quick and I was getting kind of irritated with all the ignored approval requests etc, and this one person was right on the ball so I told her I appreciated it. And then, she apparently appreciated being appreciated.

I think a good, sincere thank you is in order every once in a while. We should tell people thank you, and sometimes, it is nice to be thanked.

[Niamh]

I always send a thanks or cheers back. I think its polite and shows your appriciation for them taking the time to help etc.

[Dori]

Learn to be resourceful by saying "thanks in advance." ;)

[jgweed]

People who say "thanks in advance" are at least being up front by telling you that they won't thank you later. It really depends, I would think, about the amount of work involved for the other person; if the request is routine and simple, then a thanks is not really needed (especially if part of their job). But someone who has gone out of their way, responded quickly, or has "gone the extra mile" deserves both thanks and recognition for what they have provided.
Thanks in advance for reading this.
John

[Virgil]

To be honest, I always get a little irked when I see a "thanks in advance." What if can't or don't want to help? :lol: Really, it's like whoever is asking isn't asking but telling me I must. ;)

[Dori]

"I would be much obliged if you [insert task here]" perhaps is a better phrase. When I say "thanks in advance" I usually thank the person again anyway. :p

[Niamh]

To be honest, I always get a little irked when I see a "thanks in advance." What if can't or don't want to help? :lol: Really, it's like whoever is asking isn't asking but telling me I must. ;)

Couldnt agree more. And it makes you feel down right guilty if you have to tell them you couldnt help. I dont like Thanks in advance. Its too presumptuous.

[papayahed]

oh, it's a big clog. I clear out my inbox and before i know it - Bam! a gazillion more emails.

I personally don't need the thanks, I know the the respondant appreiciates the effort, but on the other hand I feel weird if i don't send the thanks - It's a vicious cycle. Perhaps I can get a jauggernaut going to abolish the "thanks" email.

[Virgil]

oh, it's a big clog. I clear out my inbox and before i know it - Bam! a gazillion more emails.

I personally don't need the thanks, I know the the respondant appreiciates the effort, but on the other hand I feel weird if i don't send the thanks - It's a vicious cycle. Perhaps I can get a jauggernaut going to abolish the "thanks" email.

You sound like the grinch. :D :D :p

[Dark Muse]

As the resident misanthrope I would say the thank you is not absolutely nesscassiary, and I think it would be petty for a person to get offended becasue someone did not e-mail them a thank you.

If someone e-mailed me asking for something and I than returned the e-mail with what they wanted, I would not automaticaly exepect to here back from them again, and would not give it a second thought if they did not thank me for it.

In fact, there is someone who I have been helping out with some stuff, and he will send me e-mails asking questions about things, and I answer them, and he does not than reply with any thank you, but he is not trying to be rude, and I do not take it as such, I know he does apperciate my help without needing a thank you every single time.

[Dori]

As the resident misanthrope I would say the thank you is not absolutely nesscassiary, and I think it would be petty for a person to get offended becasue someone did not e-mail them a thank you.

If someone e-mailed me asking for something and I than returned the e-mail with what they wanted, I would not automaticaly exepect to here back from them again, and would not give it a second thought if they did not thank me for it.

In fact, there is someone who I have been helping out with some stuff, and he will send me e-mails asking questions about things, and I answer them, and he does not than reply with any thank you, but he is not trying to be rude, and I do not take it as such, I know he does apperciate my help without needing a thank you every single time.

Didn't your mother teach you any manners? :p

[papayahed]

As the resident misanthrope I would say the thank you is not absolutely nesscassiary, and I think it would be petty for a person to get offended becasue someone did not e-mail them a thank you.

If someone e-mailed me asking for something and I than returned the e-mail with what they wanted, I would not automaticaly exepect to here back from them again, and would not give it a second thought if they did not thank me for it.

In fact, there is someone who I have been helping out with some stuff, and he will send me e-mails asking questions about things, and I answer them, and he does not than reply with any thank you, but he is not trying to be rude, and I do not take it as such, I know he does apperciate my help without needing a thank you every single time.

I feel a ground swell forming....:D

[Dark Muse]

Didn't your mother teach you any manners? :p

I have selective manners, I have manners only will I genuinely mean it, but I am not going to be fakely polite about every little thing.

The way I see it, if someone gets thier feelings hurt cause I do not e-mail them "thank you" that is thier issue to work out for being too over sensitive.

[mickitaz]

Okay, here is my area of expertise.. I am a customer service consultant for an insurance company. My main job function is to answer internet email inquiries from our members. The email is generated by the member's question (s).

Generally, I answer the member's question, and end my email with a thank you.. or please let us know if there is anything else we can help you with. It really depends on the subject content. I would say 75% of the time, the member will respond with a simple "thank you".

While not all of the other representatives reply in the same manner, I will not follow up with a "you're welcome". Same experiences in personal emails.

I think general etiquette is to include gratitude in the final ending of the overall message. If you are the one sending the email, it should be included BEFORE you get the reply. No matter what the answer or response... it is just curtousy.. kinda like holding open a door.

[papayahed]

What????? I'm trying to abolish the "thanks" email and you want to add a "your welcome" email?

[sprinks]

I don't get that so much in emails as I do with text messages. And when it's emails for some reason I don't feel as guilty if I don't send one... Perhaps it's just because I don't use them as often.
But with text messages... I don't know. I tend to feel obliged to send one or else it feels like I've left the conversation hanging and haven't finished it.

[Dori]

I have selective manners, I have manners only will I genuinely mean it, but I am not going to be fakely polite about every little thing.

The way I see it, if someone gets thier feelings hurt cause I do not e-mail them "thank you" that is thier issue to work out for being too over sensitive.

Over sensitive? I expect a thank you (or any sign of gratitude) when I go out of my way to help another person. Though I'm not onw to apologize for accidents...I'm odd that way.

[Weisinheimer]

Over sensitive? I expect a thank you (or any sign of gratitude) when I go out of my way to help another person. Though I'm not onw to apologize for accidents...I'm odd that way.

So you're saying that you would be offended if you didn't receive the "thanks" email?
I personally think they're unnecessary most of the time. I certainly wouldn't care if someone didn't send a thanks. I don't really like it when I get alot of those. It's not a big deal, but I'd rather not recieve them, so most of the time I don't send them. If I'm asking a question, I always end the email with a "thanks".

[Pensive]

when I send he information I like to know that it was received. I say send the thanks.

Exactly. I second that.

[Dori]

So you're saying that you would be offended if you didn't receive the "thanks" email?
I personally think they're unnecessary most of the time. I certainly wouldn't care if someone didn't send a thanks. I don't really like it when I get alot of those. It's not a big deal, but I'd rather not recieve them, so most of the time I don't send them. If I'm asking a question, I always end the email with a "thanks".

Most of the time I help a person on a forum. I rarely use e-mail (not counting PMs). Take this instance: http://www.fyodordostoevsky.com/yabbse/index.php?board=5;action=display;threadid=810. For such things, I wouldn't necessarily be offended, but less likely to help should they further require my assistance. So really, it's in the best interest of whomever I'm helping to place thanks where it is due. :D

[papayahed]

Most of the time I help a person on a forum. I rarely use e-mail (not counting PMs). Take this instance: http://www.fyodordostoevsky.com/yabbse/index.php?board=5;action=display;threadid=810. For such things, I wouldn't necessarily be offended, but less likely to help should they further require my assistance. So really, it's in the best interest of whomever I'm helping to place thanks where it is due. :D


erm, not really the same thing.


It's my job to answer certain questions or provide information so basically I am being thanked for doing my job. The only thanks I need is that paycheck every two weeks.

I made a rule that I would limit my inbox to 600 emails (at work), 2 weeks later I have double that, a good deal of it is crap and the useless "Thanks" email.:crash:

Come on people!!! Are you with me? Ban the "thank you" emails!!!!

[sprinks]

Hmm.... perhaps it should be banned in a work context, but I think on a personal correspondance level, it's different. I can understand your frustration... I'll keep in mind to not send unnecessary thank you emails to work related things (not that I work yet :lol:) but I think on a personal level, I'll still send them to friends and family that help.

[kelby_lake]

The thanks email is only useful as it shows that the person has recieved and read your email. I would rather they sent that then not reply at all.

[Dori]

Is it so wrong to be thankful?! I'm currently employed as a janitor. I feel horribly bad for your having to clean out your inbox while I'm scrapping gum and scrubbing toilets. :rolleyes: Please, I think you're taking too much for granted. How unfortunate you must be for people to thank you for your services.

[Weisinheimer]

A few ppl have mentioned the fact that the "thanks" lets the person know they recieved the email. I guess that makes sense, though I usually just assume they got it, or they'll ask again.

[Dark Muse]

erm, not really the same thing.


It's my job to answer certain questions or provide information so basically I am being thanked for doing my job. The only thanks I need is that paycheck every two weeks.

I made a rule that I would limit my inbox to 600 emails (at work), 2 weeks later I have double that, a good deal of it is crap and the useless "Thanks" email.:crash:

Come on people!!! Are you with me? Ban the "thank you" emails!!!!

I am totally on boared with that. I think it is silly to thank a person for doing what they are being paid to do.

[papayahed]

I feel horribly bad for your having to clean out your inbox

Thank you for your concern.:D

[Dori]

I am totally on boared with that. I think it is silly to thank a person for doing what they are being paid to do.

Why?!

[Dark Muse]

Becasue they are not really doing me a personal favor, they are doing it because it is what they are getting paid to do. As Papay said thier pay check is thier thanks

[Virgil]

when I send he information I like to know that it was received. I say send the thanks.


Exactly. I second that.

I third it. To not acknowledge it would leave things hanging for me. And plus, if I didn't get a thank you I might be less inclined to do it again in the future. That's the way I feel.

[papayahed]

I third it. To not acknowledge it would leave things hanging for me. And plus, if I didn't get a thank you I might be less inclined to do it again in the future. That's the way I feel.


Wait, so if a coworker asked you for information to complete a project you wouldn't give it to them because they didn't say "thank you"?

[Weisinheimer]

I don't think it's about not showing gratitude. I thank ppl for doing what they get paid for all the time, (waitress, cashier etc). It's about being courteous. I think that in some cases, it's more courteous not send a pointless one word email.

[Virgil]

Wait, so if a coworker asked you for information to complete a project you wouldn't give it to them because they didn't say "thank you"?

To complete my project yes, to complete his project, maybe, maybe not. :D