JOBSFind a jobRecruiter directoryPopular jobsPopular searchesBrowse locationsCareer adviceHelpContact usContact a REED officeAdvertise a jobCOURSESContact usFind a courseView all subjectsUniversity coursesDiscount coursesFree coursesCorporate trainingCareer guidesAdvertise a courseMORE FROM reed.co.ukAbout usWork with usLove MondaysFor developersPress officeREEDReed Group ServicesTempzone: timesheets & holidayAuthorise timesheetsReed GlobalReed in PartnershipCareers with REEDJames Reed – Official SiteKeep Britain Working Learn how to answer 101 of the most common questions now. Buy James Reed's latest book »
Terms of UseAbout the BBCPrivacy PolicyCookiesAccessibility HelpParental GuidanceContact the BBCGet Personalised NewslettersCopyright © 2021 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.
.
Image Source: https://onepoint21jigawatts.tumblr.com/post/61059236581/day-1-favorite-movie-field-of-dreams-1989
If I got an OoO just to tell me to have a good day, I would find that person and throw water on their computer. They’re obviously not qualified to operate one.
As 2020 winds down, lots of people (us included) will be out of the office celebrating the holidays with family and friends. Here are some really funny, clever and snarky out-of-office messages sent this year, courtesy of HubSpot Blogs (full article here).
This OoO has to be in the tech sector. I can see something like this as an (internal only) OoO at my workplace. I actually kinda love it. Yes it’s wordy but it also makes the recipient take a beat and consider the importance of their issue and where to go if needed. It will also cut down on interruptions to the “catch-all” person in the standard OoO, which is generally the Admin. I have always hated being the go-to on people’s OoOs. I spent more time trying to find info on what Urgent Emailer insisted was URGENT than I did doing any actual work. And the urgency was never really necessary.
My workplace is super strict about out of office replies. We have 3 scripts we are allowed to use; and we are only allowed to change our name, job title, and return to office date. If you veer off script, management will have IT turn off your out of office as it does not comply with their standards. They are also super strict with messages on our voicemails, again with the option of using 2 scripts and changing your name, job title, and return to office date.
If you’re anything like I am, you probably fall into team two. That doesn’t leave a lot of time to get creative. But if you plan ahead, you might be able to craft some hilarity.
I might sound nitpicky but the language is important. “Might” or “may be” or “slower than usual” are vague and don’t offer the sender all that much information about when you’re really going to respond to them. Worse, they do a horrible job of protecting the time of the email receiver who, as the responder notes, is not in the office! Such a responder implies that, not only will the vacationer reply to the email, but they may not even miss a beat. They may be slow to respond, but they also might not.
Please leave your name, phone number, and a short message and I'll be sure to return your call. Hi, this is [your name] at [X company]. I am unavailable at the moment, but please leave your name, phone number, and the reason you’re calling, and I’ll call you right back. Hi, you’ve called [your name] at [X company].
Check out how easy it is to set up this essential process with your email account in this video I’ve posted to my YouTube channel.
But nope, we’ve created a world where “I have a dentist appointment and won’t be in until 10 today” is cause for alarm.
Both your customers and your employees need to know how long your business will be shut down for the holidays. Provide notice well in advance. Depending on the types of services you offer, you may need to start notifying customers as early as a month out. It would be best if you were to provide these important notifications at least two weeks before the holiday shutdown. Employees should also be reminded regularly that the company will not be open during those important days.
“I am out of the office until X date. Your email has been deleted unread. If it is still important, please resend it after my return.”
B037 Wasserstein Hall (WCC)1585 Massachusetts AvenueCambridge, MA02138Phone: 617-495-0722Hours: 8:00am - 5:30pm M-FHLS Services Hub Using OWA: Login to your mailbox by going to outlook.office365.com On the menu bar on the right-hand side, click on the gear icon and then click Automatic Replies (Note: The window can appear two different ways depending on the browser and if the screen is done loading) Select “Send automatic replies” Enter in your desired automatic reply message. You can also select “Send replies only during this time period” and set the start and end times if you’d like to set a specific time frame Optionally, if you would also like your automatic replies to be sent to people outside your organization, select “Send automatic reply messages to senders outside my organization” and then type the response you want to send while you are out of the office. Click OK at the top of the screen when you are finished Outlook for Windows: Open Outlook Click on the File tab in the upper left-hand corner, then select Automatic Replies (Out of Office) on the next screen. Select “Send automatic replies” Enter in your desired automatic reply message. You can also select “Only send during this time range:” and set your start and end times if you’d like to set a specific time frame. Optionally, if you’d like your automatic replies to be sent to people outside your organization, select the Outside My Organization (On) tab and then type the response you want to send while you are out of the office. Check “Send automatic replies for account
Here’s one example out in the world, which jumpstarted me thinking about this topic:
3. We do holidays our own way. When you hear the name Black Friday, what’s the first thing that comes to your mind? It’s probably one of the following: discounts, sales, or free shipping.