Such communication has made correspondence less formal. What was previously considered unacceptable in business correspondence has now become acceptable, if not the norm. However, the rules of business correspondence have not been abolished, so they need to be known in order to avoid unpleasant situations from time to time and not appear ignorant. What is the etiquette of business correspondence in the modern business world, what to remember when corresponding with a stranger - was found out by the job search website Login Casino Work.
12 rules of business correspondence
Make the subject of the correspondence as clear as possible
The subject line should be concise and informative. The recipient should immediately understand what the email is about so that they can easily find the necessary email among many others if needed later. If the request is urgent, the date should be indicated in the subject line of the business correspondence. For example, "Create a cover design by Tuesday, June 1, 2021." This will allow the recipient to immediately pay attention to it and schedule it accordingly.
Follow language norms
Do not rush to send an email, even if the question is extremely urgent. Take a few minutes to check the text of the business letter for grammatical errors and punctuation. Of course, if you are not a philologist, it is unlikely that you can completely avoid mistakes, but at least you can avoid those that are immediately noticeable. Otherwise, you may be considered careless, illiterate, or someone who does not respect other people's time.
Use the recipient's name
Try to address the person using the form of the name they introduced themselves with when you first met. Do not call Oksana "Kseniya" or John "Ivan."
Make the letter structured, use paragraphs
If the letter needs to discuss multiple topics, divide the text into paragraphs. Each paragraph can be numbered or accompanied by a corresponding heading. Present information clearly, logically, and visually understandable, without jumping between topics. If the letter is chaotic, the recipient may postpone it to consider it more carefully later, and may even forget about it. Remember that business correspondence is one of the ways to solve important business issues, and time is highly valued in the business world.
Respect personal boundaries
This means that you should not make assumptions about the thoughts and feelings of the interlocutor, nor decide for them what they find pleasant or unpleasant. Remember to respect the personal boundaries of the person who will be reading your letter.
Properly format attachments
Very often, business letters in commercial work contain documents such as commercial proposals, sample contracts, price lists, and the like. If you intend to send an attachment along with the letter, indicate this in the body of the email. Busy people sometimes have to check their emails from mobile phones, and in that format, the recipient may simply overlook the attachment or may not be able to open it.
Express requests politely
Another thing that the rules of business correspondence deem unacceptable is manipulation with the aim of gaining a specific advantage. It is prohibited to pressurize someone by appealing to their sense of responsibility or conscience, flatter their ego, or make them feel guilty. For example, if you need a favor from a colleague at work, state directly and politely what you need. Manipulating the fact that your colleague should help you because she is a "wonderful specialist" or a "helpful person" is an inappropriate tactic. Such things are immediately noticeable and can elicit a reaction contrary to what was expected.
Critique and express approval for work, not personality
Remember that a business letter is a process of business and commercial communication between different individuals. Under no circumstances should you make personal attacks. If a designer has performed a task poorly, write honestly that the layout they proposed was not well-received by users. Using words such as "amateur," "incompetent," or "profoundly unskilled" would be unnecessary. The use of profanity is absolutely unacceptable.
The prohibition on personal attacks applies not only to criticism but also to praise. It is enough to sincerely thank someone for a well-executed job or a decision made if you are communicating with management. Calling your boss "the wisest person among all" would be inappropriate, even if they have a great sense of humor.
Refrain from discussing third parties in correspondence. The chain of discussion may reach the person being talked about and complicate relationships within the team. Write only about things that you can easily say to the person face-to-face.
Apologize sincerely and offer compensation commensurate with the damages incurred
The business Ukrainian language often requires an apology letter, and its writing should also be correct. Unfortunately, mistakes happen to everyone. Sometimes it's our fault, sometimes it's due to third parties, and sometimes circumstances simply align that way. When receiving an angry letter from a client that contains insults or rudeness, it is not advisable to respond in the same tone. Even if you try to mask the rudeness with deliberate politeness or irony, the recipient will sense it. A great way out of the situation would be a well-thought-out response and an explanation of the situation. The tone of the explanation should be calm, even, and without unnecessary emotions. If you are not at fault, there is no need to apologize and justify yourself.
If you are at fault in the situation, it is appropriate to apologize and offer compensation, a solution that would satisfy your business partner, client, supplier, and so on. Consider several options that you can propose, such as a discount, a service covered by the company, or a gift.
The ability to apologize and accept apologies characterizes a person as a rational and moderate individual who is capable of making mature decisions and prioritizing business interests over their own emotions.
Urgent matters are better addressed in person or over the phone
If the matter is urgent and requires immediate resolution, it would be appropriate to make a phone call. If it involves a colleague at work, you can meet in person. As a book on business correspondence suggests, it is customary to respond to letters from acquaintances within a day. Letters from strangers can wait for a response for a week. Now imagine a situation where you need to resolve an issue urgently, but the person is unaware of it and calmly attends to their own affairs. Sometimes people, instead of making a phone call, start sending message after message, demanding an immediate response. This should not be done. It is better to make one phone call and quickly discuss everything without irritating the person.
Making a phone call and discussing matters in person is also advisable when dealing with a complex document that involves contentious issues. It's better to agree on everything in one conversation rather than wasting time on lengthy correspondence. If the document needs to be sent by mail, specify the key points in the message that you would like to discuss and arrange a phone call in advance.
It is considered inappropriate to send emails after the end of the workday if you have not agreed on it in advance.
How to approach writing emails to unfamiliar individuals?
For many, writing an email to an unfamiliar person can be a real challenge. For example, a job seeker comes across interesting job openings in Dnipro and believes they are the ideal candidate for one of them. The advertisement provides an email address to which they should send a letter and resume. Occasionally, you may come across information on the internet suggesting that in such cases, you should first grab the recipient's attention before explaining the purpose of your contact.
However, this approach is not suitable for business correspondence. It is better to write calmly and honestly about seeing the advertisement, expressing your interest, and wanting to learn more about the vacancy. Mention the online publication that caught your interest. This will demonstrate your interest in their work. If you are writing to someone based on the recommendation of mutual acquaintances, you can mention them as well. Make sure to introduce yourself and sign off with your full name so that the recipient knows how to address you when replying to your email.
Sometimes it is appropriate to give compliments to the person you are exchanging work-related messages with. Make them sincere, from the heart, and do not overstep boundaries.
Pay attention to your email address
Everyone enjoys joking from time to time, but leave the jokes for friends and family. In professional communication, it is better to stick to formality. It's good to have an email address that includes your last name and first name, either in full or abbreviated form. It is not advisable to choose an account for your work email with a name like [email protected]. Upon receiving a message from such an email, the recipient may think it's a joke, prank, or spam that doesn't require a response.
By following these simple rules of addressing emails and communicating via email, you will make an impression as a decent, responsible, knowledgeable, and balanced individual.
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