eMail Tips and Etiquette

Here are the main points to keep in mind.

1) Use a Descriptive Subject Line - dapat yung subject ay descriptive nung nilalaman ng eMails. So if you're receiving forwarded eMails and you need to reply to it, make sure that the subject is still related to the contents of your reply. Kung sa iyong reply ay medyo naiba yung topic o mayroon kang item na nais i-emphasize sa eMail, it is suggested that you modify the subject so that it would be descriptive of your thoughts or reply in the eMail. In this way, makakapag-save ito ng time and efforts ng readers dahil made-determine niya agad kung saan patungkol yung eMail through the subject, and he will not go to the motion of opening and reading every eMails in his/her Inbox.

2) Be Courteous and Respectful - this is self-explanatory, but very, very important. Sa eMail kasi (or in any other forms of correspondences) yung facial expressions and gestures ng sumusulat ay di nakikita nung readers, kung kaya't minsan nami-misconstrued ng bumabasa ang nais nating tukuyin. Akala nila, tayo'y galit na, pero di naman. O kaya'y maaaring ang dating natin sa mambabasa ay "mahangin", o "brutal", bagamat di naman, simply because of our use of inappropriate words.

Also note that if we use a capital, bold RED letters, we can be construed by readers as fuming mad and would burst out anytime. In short, using capital, bold RED letter means galit ka. Pag CAPITAL letters naman, it means you're putting emphasis to what you're saying (writing).

3) Avoid "Heat Of The Moment" Messages - what does this mean? Ibig sabihin, huminga ka muna ng malalim, mag-isip ng makasampu (o isandaang) beses bago sumagot sa eMails kung medyo ma-emosyonal ang eMail o medyo tumataas ang iyong high blood. Wag agad sagot ng sagot. Mag-esep-esep muna. In fact, kung pwedeng iwasang sumagot, mas mainam kung di naman talaga dapat. Sabi nga, "wise is the man who knows how to keep his big mouth shut up".

4) Don't Delay - Reply Promptly - Eto naman yung mga may time element involved o urgency. Dapat daw sagutin agad, kung di rin naman bisi. O kaya'y kung di maide-deliver agad yung requirements na hinihingi or nire-request, a reply to the sender that an appropriate action is being done on the request would be a lot better than a total disregard nor dilly-dallying from our end. Dapat malaman nung sender ng eMail na natanggap mo yung eMail nya kahit na nga di mo pa masagot agad o maibigay yung requirement na kailangan.

5) Avoid "Reply-to-All" - this is one important "to-do" item na dapat natin laging tatandaan. Kung di naman kailangang malaman ng lahat ang sagot mo sa eMail, mas makakabuting ang eMail reply mo ay naka-address lang sa mismong sender. If you click the "Reply-to-All" button kasi, di lang yung sender ang makaka-receive, kungdi maging yung naka-cc ay makaka-receive din ng sagot mo. Kung di naman concern yung mga naka-cc sa iyong reply, maiinis pa sila. So, mas mabuting sa sender ka lang mag-reply. Therefore, ang gagamitin mong button is "Reply" and not the "Reply-to-All".

ONCE MORE, BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU REPLY ALL TO A MESSAGE. Remember, you may reply to thousands of people by a simple click.

6) Avoid Forwarding Chain Letters - this is a big NO, NO... especially sa trabaho o sa office, at kahit na nga sa personal eMails. Chain letters profit no one but just a waste of time and monies. You better believe me.

Yun lamang po. Hope this simple but vital info / tips help.