1. C O A L I T I O N Corner Coalition Corner: Business training tools for HR staff, real estate licensees and other service professionals in the relocation and real estate industries E-mail Etiquette *Many tips and suggestions compiled courtesy of www.emailreplies.com © 2005, Employee Relocation Council/Worldwide ERC ® Coalition

2. C O A L I T I O N Corner Program objectives This program supplements an editorial feature in Worldwide ERC ® ’s Mobility magazine This segment will: –Review some of the ways in which e-mail is used in relocation transactions –Provide a number of “dos and don’ts” when it comes to using e-mail as a business tool

3. C O A L I T I O N Corner Introduction In any given relocation transaction, many people can be in touch via e-mail: HR professionals Real estate licensees Relocation management company counselors Appraisers Home inspectors Household goods shippers, and, of course, Transferees! Individuals have different skill and comfort levels with technology, and different communication styles Add in multiple time zones, regional customs and industry practices, and it’s easy to see why a few generally accepted e-mail guidelines are necessary

4. C O A L I T I O N Corner Regardless of what industry you represent: Handle the initial meeting with any new contact or client in person or by phone (personal touch), then follow up with e-mail (opportunity to reiterate facts and put expectations, requirements, service orders, etc. in writing) Clarify up-front if the other party prefers e-mail, phone, or fax communications, and be mindful to adhere to those preferences Check e-mail and voicemail messages regularly and reply as promptly as possible As relocations can create high stress and emotion, keep in mind that many times, a phone call is better than an e-mail A few general suggestions…

5. C O A L I T I O N Corner E-mail Etiquette… Be brief (sentences of 15-20 words or less) –Use short paragraphs and blank lines between each one –When making points, number or mark them as separate Answer/pre-empt questions –Double check to be sure you’ve answered all questions, and try to pre-empt further ones Use the spell-checking option and remember to proofread –Not only do mistakes give a bad impression, it’s also important to convey the message properly –E-mails with no full stops or commas are difficult to read, and can sometimes even change the meaning of the text Make it personal –E-mails should be personally addressed, and include customized content

6. C O A L I T I O N Corner E-mail Etiquette… Answer swiftly –Preferably within the same working day or within at least 24 hours Be careful with attachments –Can annoy recipients and even bring down e-mail systems –Only send those that are productive and relevant, and try to compress them whenever possible –Always check for viruses! Don’t overuse high priority –It tends to diminish functionality –Even if a message has high priority, it comes across as slightly aggressive if flagged as such Don’t write in CAPITALS –IT SEEMS AS IF YOU ARE SHOUTING!

7. C O A L I T I O N Corner E-mail Etiquette… Leave the message thread –When replying, include the original mail by using the “reply” button vs. the “new mail” option –Saves the recipient time and frustration in looking for related e-mails Take care with abbreviations and emoticons –Generally not appropriate for business e-mail –Abbreviations such as BTW (by the way) might not be understood –Same goes for emoticons, such as the smiley :-) –Rule of thumb: if you’re not sure whether your recipient knows what it means, it’s better not to use it!

8. C O A L I T I O N Corner E-mail Etiquette… Be careful with formatting –Recipients might not be able to view it, or might see different fonts than you had intended –When using colors, make sure it’s easy to read on backgrounds –Be aware that your recipient might only be able to receive plain text vs. HTML Do not discuss confidential information –Personal, confidential information is best left out of e-mails when possible –When unavoidable, ensure the transmission is secure Use meaningful subject lines –Try to use a subject that is brief, but descriptive, and meaningful to you and the recipient

9. C O A L I T I O N Corner E-mail Etiquette… And finally… Never send or forward e-mails containing libelous, defamatory, offensive, racist or obscene remarks By sending or even forwarding such material, you and your company risk not only offending a client, but also legal implications