I do this because my industry’s norm is that people check their email on vacation, at least once or twice, but I don’t do it. I don’t have work email on my phone so it’s technically true.
And while it may seem like a simple thing, if your out-of-office message is unclear or incomplete, it can cause problems while you’re out and when you return.
.
Out of office messages differ depending on whether you are sending them within or outside the company. The language you use and the information you provide can also depend on the workplace environment. Here are three out of office message examples that illustrate these differences.
I do typically come back to hundreds of emails, and I prioritize what to read – things from my boss/leadership are first, followed by communication from my direct reports. I also sort them by conversation thread and read the end of them first, which reduces the burden.
8x8 & COVID-19: Protecting Our Business and YoursContact Center Inbound Calling Performance Issues
9. Office Closed for Christmas. Use this template for Christmas holidays. Hi (specify the Name field id), Our office will remain closed for Christmas. We assure you that all your emails will be answered as soon as we return to the office.
“Many people reveal details about their personal lives in an OOO — like where and when they’re traveling,” Tim Sadler, CEO of Tessian, explains in an email interview. “Whether done on social media or in an auto-reply message on email, this arms hackers with the information they need to either craft a convincing email targeted at the OOO employee or impersonate the person who is on vacation and target one of their colleagues.”
Who says an autoresponder needs to be impersonal? You can use your OOO message to continue building a relationship with present and potential customers by showing off the knowledge and products you have to offer. You can include a case study, a downloadable to your latest report, or a link to an excellent blog post you published. Not only does this further your credibility, but it also allays the feelings of frustration customers might feel while not being able to reach you.
Mac? Well, he clearly works hard and plays hard. Which is totally on-brand with the vibe that Marriott's Moxy hotels exude. In summary? Points for being young and able to dance the night away. Double (mid-life adult) points for staying on brand while doing so.
That said, be careful with messages that are this curt. Make sure you're familiar enough with your audience — and your boss, for that matter — to know that this sort of out-of-office message will be met with a snicker, and not with annoyance.
Front is helping COVID-19 responders communicate better and faster. Find out how one such team, Covid Act Now, is helping leaders decide when to reopen.
AlphavilleMarkets DataCapital MarketsCommoditiesCurrenciesEquitiesFund ManagementTradingMoral MoneyETF HubCryptocurrenciesClimate
It’s possible I might quote from some responses to this in an upcoming column, so please note if you don’t want me to do that with yours!
I'm out of the office enjoying the holidays until [date]. I'll respond as quickly as I can when the festivities are over and I'm back at my desk. If your request is urgent, please reach out to my colleague, [name], at [email], for assistance.
I found the link…and they gave the incorrect sign to the person who approved it for printing as a gift when he retired! https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/man-responsible-welsh-translation-gaffe-15214716.amp
I’d then check off all that applied—people would laugh each time they saw it bc I’m such a predictable nerd, one or both of the first two lines was almost always checked off…and usually both!
Note: Not all email clients show animated gifs. Some may show only the first slide.