This is excellent advice. I find that recipients of emails (myself included) do not read more than 2 to 3 (short) sentences. I have been making myself go back over emails I receive just to make sure I have read everything.

On the other hand though how about just using basic reading and comprehension skills? It is frustrating how horrible our society is at, like you said, skimming everything beyond the first line, then responding with some totally unrelated, horrific response that required additional messages to clarify or correct. 95% of the time, all of the necessary information is contained in my emails, if people only bothered to read them; and I am not some novelist of an email writer. Yet, I would say, 40% of people ask unnecessary questions or go off on unrelated paths because they did not read what was sent to them.

People should remember, causing nonsensical/unnecessary conversations not only makes you look horribly stupid and lazy, but it also leads to why you “don’t have the time” to compose a proper message. I guess it’s a chicken-and-egg problem, but quintessentially; lazy, stupid emails or responses are nothing more than saying “Thanks for your email, but I am too lazy and stupid to read what you wrote so I will just substituted some wharrgarbl to make your head explode. I bet you can’t make me comprehend; betcha’ can’t” That’s a free Dilbert comic strip for ya … guy who writes Dilberts comic strips.

HR: I could not enter you into the system because you have not filled out all the forms.
Me: What forms have I not filled out yet?
HR: So and so tax form.
Me: I never received that form from you guys.
(I decided to play along)
HR: Well, here it is.
Me: I have filled it out, now what?
HR: You can bring it to me.
Me: Where are you located?
(Her email did not say where she was located or gave a phone number to call)
HR: On the 1st floor.
(We had five different wings in the building)
Me: Where on the first floor?
HR: In wing C.
Me: Where in wing C?
(As in give me the number of the room that you are in)
After not getting a response for 30 minutes, I again emailed her.
Me: Helloooo, what room are you in?

If you counted the number of emails, there were 13 exchanged. That is right, 13. While it could have been solved with just one email. One email in which she could and should have said that I not filled out form so and so, attach the form to the email, tell me where to hand it in, and include a phone number so I could call her.

However from a holistic business standpoint, people who can’t communicate via email throw a wrench in your business processes. “Sue’s” responses on email are about as useful as someone who refused to answer emails in anything other than Klingon. This isn’t a technology issue–it is a communication issue.

If they someone can’t learn to communicate through reading and writing, most jobs that use a computer are probably a poor fit.

@ Mark – You mentioned that the tech did go to Sue’s desk to solve the problem. What information did Sue provide in person that she did not provide via email, or was this a case where “hands-on” by the tech enabled resolution?

Like @Marie, I spend the last 25 years of my career supporting the end users. Many of the issues discussed here are the same issues I encountered in the 70′s and 80′s. For all the advancement in technology, the user community has not changed all that much, and I feel that it is the support community’s responsibility to meet the user’s needs rather than expect the user to improve their tech savvy.

She was asked what folders were missing several times and completely ignored the question. Then she was asked what the folders were used for or what was in them and she still didn’t give any type of response to the question.

The help desk person did eventually walk over to Sue’s desk, but this meant that Sue’s problem cost the company significantly more to fix than it would have coming from someone who could express themselves in writing.

While that is fine if it happens once in a while, the problem here was Sue–not the help desk person. I realize that often it is the help desk side of things that communicates poorly. Someone at the help desk who can’t communicate clearly with normal users via email shouldn’t be in that job either.

Yes, some people don’t use e-mail effectively. When that happens, it’s best not to say, ‘Well, that person doesn’t use e-mail effectively, so too bad for her!’ Rather, best to find another way to communicate.

The help desk person should have picked up the phone or — if possible — wandered over to Sue’s desk.

Yes, I realize this is a post on e-mail, but it’s important to understand that e-mail is not the right medium for all situations or all people.

That “I can’t get to the folders” line was very indicative of some of the calls I took, and when I asked for more details the response was something like “oh, you know, the folders where MY work is”!

On the flip side though I have seen instances of IT depts say changing directory (and folder) structures and not saying a word about it, needless to say resulting in mass confusion!