E-MAIL – ETIQUETTE AND EXCELLENCE
Ever since Sabeer Bhatia had invented the E-mail, the snail mail had taken the back seat! Here is how to brush up one’s basic code and etiquette of E-mail manners?
Gone are the days when people used to visit post offices to drop a letter which reached the recipient the next day or more than that, depending on the distance it has to travel. E-mail, besides saving money and our time, is incredibly quicker than lightning and there is no chance of them going astray. However, a good E-mail has certain code of principle and ethics.
- To begin with, like ordinary letters, incorporate the salutations as, dear friend/sir/madam/uncle/ aunty and so on.
- Never forget to mention the subject in the respective column. It is a must.
- Address the recipient correctly.
- Ensure that your mail is error free.
- Do not use ‘2B’ in lieu of ‘to be/ a short, so-called fancy form. It is like aborting a child in the womb. It takes some time for the reader to screw up his/ her mind to decipher them. And it is irritating, too.
- Some people type/key the mail all in capital letters. Experts say that it is irksome to the recipient, like bawling inside a library.
- At the same time, avoid using all lower case letters.
- Be brief, use simple language and drive home the message.
- The reader cannot afford to spend more time to read your mail. So, be brief.
- Ensure that it does not cross the boundary, or otherwise the sentences would get jumbled.
- The maximum length of a mail is not to exceed 8 to 10 lines. Split into 3 or 4 paragraphs for clarity sake.
- E-mails are like rifle shooting. Once sent, it stays sent. So, read and reread your mail before sending it.
- Close the mail with the usual formalities rather than ending it abruptly.
- Never get carried away if you receive a mail saying that you have won a lottery and that to deposit the prize money, you must credit some money against ‘service’ charges. Mostly Nigerians staying in India indulge in these kinds of crimes.
- Do not take for granted any proposals pertaining to marriages vide E-mail.
- After you have finished sending or checking your mail, promptly sign off. Beware of hackers. They may misuse yours.
- Do not store your bank A/c numbers, telephone numbers, ATM and credit cards detail in your
- Keep all your secret, including mail ID, password, etc. in a safe place.
- Be wary of the latest cyber crime news appearing in the papers. Follow the guidelines given by the cyber cell police and stay tuned.
- Protect your online reputation at all costs.