Huh. This is a rare column from you that I disagree with almost entirely. I guess to start with what I think you get right, there's no need to apologize for being out of office, and no one should feel obligated to deal with anything other than a legitimate emergency (which are, in most fields, truly rare) while on vacation or while taking time off.
My fav is the one I got that was “I’ve retired and I won’t be checking this account EVER AGAIN!”
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Apologies, but I am currently knee deep in sushi and shrines on the other side of the world in Japan. I will be back to the usual tea and crumpets when I return to the office on [DAY OF WEEK], [DATE]. If you have an urgent query about [BUSINESS] before then, please don’t hesitate to contact [NAME] in my absence. [EMAIL]. Thanks so much.
13. "Hello, you've reached [company]. If you're looking for information on [X], please check out our [Facebook page, company website, etc.] If you want to know more about [Y], take a look at [Z page on our site, our YouTube channel, etc.] Still have more questions, or just want to chat with our team? Leave your name and number, and we'll return your call straight away."
I guess I generally dislike ones where the person is actually around but just might take longer than usual to answer emails (except in public-facing inboxes, etc.) I understand that if I’m using email, you might not respond right away.
I could see the benefit if someone needed to ask something before they left. It seems courteous?
You can set the ‘favourites’ phone calls to pass through the DND but does this also apply to their text messages or only their phone calls?
We're talking about engagement here. Do you have a webinar clients can watch in case they miss your face or want to hear your voice? Do you have a special going for new clients or referrals? Do you have a hot new blog post you wrote just before stepping out? Tell your people to click on that!
If you are planning to head out on vacation or step away from your office for a few days- creating an out of office autoresponder email message is essential (and even more important for email
A. All faculty and staff are encouraged to leave their work areas clean, including taking food home. Also, please close all windows and doors, and shut down computers, monitors, printers and other similar equipment (except LAN servers and network devices). Portable space heaters, coffee pots, fans, radios and other non-essential equipment should be turned off and unplugged. If you notice any water fixtures that are leaking or dripping, or any other maintenance issues, please contact Facilities at [email protected] as far in advance of winter break as possible so these issues may be addressed appropriately.
Ta-da, you are done! You are one step closer to your vacation. Remember, just because you are away, it doesn’t mean you cannot make someone’s day with a funky OOO email!
Start with a friendly greeting. Skip the "Greetings," "Salutations," "Dear sir/madam." These are far too stuffy and robotic. Instead, start off your response with a simple "Hi" or Hello.
Above a certain level in my agency managers have to designate an official delegate when they’re out, which can easily result in out of office messages like what you’ve listed. Not the most elegant, but clear and useful!
Website: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/360033863991-Sharing-and-controlling-access-to-a-voicemail-inbox
I kept it even though I received it four years ago because it made me laugh so much!
If your request is urgent, please send your request to [contact name] at [contact email].