Comments on: "Out of Office" Auto-response Email Replies http://philcooke.com/email_auto_response/ Change Revolution Tue, 22 May 2012 02:39:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Tom Glenn http://philcooke.com/email_auto_response/#comment-13566 Tom Glenn Fri, 23 Dec 2011 10:44:00 +0000 http://philcooke.vintom.com/email_auto_response#comment-13566 This post is just plain ridiculous. So your saying having an Out-Of-Office reply on will mean the recipient thinks your unprofessional for not having an assistant to deal with your emails 365 days of the year - or that you can't afford a smart phone? Let's take a look at the first one - not having an assistant. Regardless of whether or not you do have an assistant (and most small business are likely not to), the person sending the email was after a response from YOU not your assistant. Notifying them that YOU specifically will be unable to deal with any requests until your return is a suitable and useful response. As for it indicating you "can't afford a smartphone" - I happen to have an iPhone, but if I am out of the office on holiday for example then I'm OUT of the OFFICE. I don't want or need to reply to emails. I certainly won't be checking emails on my "smartphone" just because I can... As others have mentioned, taking a holiday serves as a good chance to escape work and relax. Sticking an Out-Of-Office message on means I can relax knowing that anyone that wanted to contact me knows they won't get a reply until I return - and if it is particularly urgent they can call me (if I answer that is!!). This post is just plain ridiculous.
So your saying having an Out-Of-Office reply on will mean the recipient thinks your unprofessional for not having an assistant to deal with your emails 365 days of the year – or that you can’t afford a smart phone?

Let’s take a look at the first one – not having an assistant.
Regardless of whether or not you do have an assistant (and most small business are likely not to), the person sending the email was after a response from YOU not your assistant. Notifying them that YOU specifically will be unable to deal with any requests until your return is a suitable and useful response.

As for it indicating you “can’t afford a smartphone” – I happen to have an iPhone, but if I am out of the office on holiday for example then I’m OUT of the OFFICE. I don’t want or need to reply to emails. I certainly won’t be checking emails on my “smartphone” just because I can…

As others have mentioned, taking a holiday serves as a good chance to escape work and relax. Sticking an Out-Of-Office message on means I can relax knowing that anyone that wanted to contact me knows they won’t get a reply until I return – and if it is particularly urgent they can call me (if I answer that is!!).

]]> By: Dontagree http://philcooke.com/email_auto_response/#comment-10499 Dontagree Thu, 30 Dec 2010 21:15:00 +0000 http://philcooke.vintom.com/email_auto_response#comment-10499 I do not agree with you. An autoresponse is a good solution. As if only people WITH an assistant are professionals. You seem to expect people to think that we should be available to them 365 days of the year, only because we have an e-mail address. This way of thinking is old fashioned. Who would not like to know that someone is out of office, on holiday? At least you know that you don't need to wait for a quick answer. I do not agree with you. An autoresponse is a good solution. As if only people WITH an assistant are professionals. You seem to expect people to think that we should be available to them 365 days of the year, only because we have an e-mail address. This way of thinking is old fashioned. Who would not like to know that someone is out of office, on holiday? At least you know that you don’t need to wait for a quick answer.

]]> By: Jane http://philcooke.com/email_auto_response/#comment-6178 Jane Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://philcooke.vintom.com/email_auto_response#comment-6178 As a one man show, I'm actually putting up an auto responder because I'm going to a place that has like zero reception. In the middle of nowhere. My laptop, etc isn't to help me. I want to unplug when I'm on vacation - not sure about you guys... I think it's counter productive to stay in the game while you're away. As a designer, there really isn't any reason to be contacted while on vacation. There really aren't emergencies. I think auto responders still have a place today and aren't really old technology. As a one man show, I’m actually putting up an auto responder because I’m going to a place that has like zero reception. In the middle of nowhere. My laptop, etc isn’t to help me. I want to unplug when I’m on vacation – not sure about you guys… I think it’s counter productive to stay in the game while you’re away.

As a designer, there really isn’t any reason to be contacted while on vacation. There really aren’t emergencies.

I think auto responders still have a place today and aren’t really old technology.

]]> By: Rodney Olsen http://philcooke.com/email_auto_response/#comment-6179 Rodney Olsen Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://philcooke.vintom.com/email_auto_response#comment-6179 What are your thoughts about using such messages while on holiday? The last thing we want to do is to train people to expect us to be available to them 365 days of the year. What are your thoughts about using such messages while on holiday? The last thing we want to do is to train people to expect us to be available to them 365 days of the year.

]]> By: mjb http://philcooke.com/email_auto_response/#comment-6180 mjb Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://philcooke.vintom.com/email_auto_response#comment-6180 <p>While annoying, even more so is the guy (cough cough me) who leaves the message on for two or three days after returning. Speaking of unstaffed and anti-technology.</p><p> </p> While annoying, even more so is the guy (cough cough me) who leaves the message on for two or three days after returning. Speaking of unstaffed and anti-technology.

 

]]> By: Aweaver3 http://philcooke.com/email_auto_response/#comment-6181 Aweaver3 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://philcooke.vintom.com/email_auto_response#comment-6181 <p>I admit I'm disappointed when I receive an out of office reply to an email that I'm looking to get a quick response from. But I'd rather know that the person is going to be away and may not have access to email while they're gone. Then I just check back on the date they gave. As good as technology is, sometimes depending where you are while traveling you may not have access to your email. But I like your solution Phil - "If it's important, text or call."</p> Allen Paul Weaver III author, Transition: Breaking Through the Barriers www.allenpaulweaveriii.com www.transitionunleashed.com I admit I’m disappointed when I receive an out of office reply to an email that I’m looking to get a quick response from. But I’d rather know that the person is going to be away and may not have access to email while they’re gone. Then I just check back on the date they gave. As good as technology is, sometimes depending where you are while traveling you may not have access to your email. But I like your solution Phil – “If it’s important, text or call.”

Allen Paul Weaver III
author, Transition: Breaking Through the Barriers
http://www.allenpaulweaveriii.com
http://www.transitionunleashed.com

]]> By: Mary Hutchinson http://philcooke.com/email_auto_response/#comment-6182 Mary Hutchinson Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://philcooke.vintom.com/email_auto_response#comment-6182 <p>I am sort of noted for returning emails very quickly -- so therefore when I know I can not check emails for four hours or more (I am on a plane, in a client meeting, or the rare vacation) I do use it.</p><p>I do know what you mean...but given I do not have a personal assistant, it's the right thing to do.</p> I am sort of noted for returning emails very quickly — so therefore when I know I can not check emails for four hours or more (I am on a plane, in a client meeting, or the rare vacation) I do use it.

I do know what you mean…but given I do not have a personal assistant, it's the right thing to do.

]]> By: Linda http://philcooke.com/email_auto_response/#comment-6183 Linda Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://philcooke.vintom.com/email_auto_response#comment-6183 <p>You obviously don't live in my world. Personal assistant??? Nothing even close. What I do have is a lot of email requiring a response or action or something. I also don't have a position where the world will fall apart if I am out of communication for a few days. I think that people appreciate the Out of Office assistant because it tells them: when I will be back; and who to contact for help if it can't wait.</p><p>I agree that we don't want to get to the place where we are on call 24/7. That's not good for anyone, and I see far too much of that. What does that say to those at home?</p> You obviously don't live in my world. Personal assistant??? Nothing even close. What I do have is a lot of email requiring a response or action or something. I also don't have a position where the world will fall apart if I am out of communication for a few days. I think that people appreciate the Out of Office assistant because it tells them: when I will be back; and who to contact for help if it can't wait.

I agree that we don't want to get to the place where we are on call 24/7. That's not good for anyone, and I see far too much of that. What does that say to those at home?

]]> By: Tin http://philcooke.com/email_auto_response/#comment-6184 Tin Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://philcooke.vintom.com/email_auto_response#comment-6184 <p><strong>***OUT OF OFFICE REPLY: BLOG NOT RECEIVED***</strong></p><p>It's Tuesday after a holiday weekend. Your blog was seen but not assimilated mentally. I will be spending the day slurping coffee and trying to remember what I was working on last Friday.</p><p>If this is an emergency blog you may contact my supervisor...but please don't.</p> ***OUT OF OFFICE REPLY: BLOG NOT RECEIVED***

It's Tuesday after a holiday weekend. Your blog was seen but not assimilated mentally. I will be spending the day slurping coffee and trying to remember what I was working on last Friday.

If this is an emergency blog you may contact my supervisor…but please don't.

]]> By: Jarrod Skeggs http://philcooke.com/email_auto_response/#comment-6185 Jarrod Skeggs Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://philcooke.vintom.com/email_auto_response#comment-6185 <p>I own and operate an Apple Consulting firm and we provide outsourced Apple/Macintosh IT support for several hundred clients. One of our most common service requests is related to use of the ancient, "Out of Office" auto reply message. Because there are so many "Automated" and "Unattended" email messages sent every day, many people who are "Out of Office" end up with thousands of emails upon their return and usually exceed their server storage limits. What happens is that they receive an email from an "Unattended" email address and when their email reply's with the "Out of Office" message, that unattended email address automatically reply's with a message to let them know that the box is unattended and that no one will be reading their email message....and thus, the never ending email loop cycle begins. Worse yet, in most cases, folks typically have their email forwarded to someone else in the office so that if anything is truly "Urgent", that person can respond in a timely manner. So, that person too ends up getting thousands of unnecessary emails. We bill quite a bit of time every month attending to this one issue and it costs businesses of all sizes significant profit.</p><p>As a rule, we advise clients to have absent or vacationing personnel email attended by a colleague through the use of forwarding that email to said colleague. If you are a "One Man/One Woman Shop" then you owe it to yourself and your clients to own a reliable Smart Phone, (You might guess we recommend the Apple iPhone), so that you can attend to your email while absent from the office. The bottom line is that an investment in such a device will pay for itself by avoiding this one problem alone whether you pay an IT firm to fix it or whether you have to sift through the thousands of emails on your own time.</p><p>Don't use "Out of Office" replies. They are too troublesome. </p> I own and operate an Apple Consulting firm and we provide outsourced Apple/Macintosh IT support for several hundred clients. One of our most common service requests is related to use of the ancient, "Out of Office" auto reply message. Because there are so many "Automated" and "Unattended" email messages sent every day, many people who are "Out of Office" end up with thousands of emails upon their return and usually exceed their server storage limits. What happens is that they receive an email from an "Unattended" email address and when their email reply's with the "Out of Office" message, that unattended email address automatically reply's with a message to let them know that the box is unattended and that no one will be reading their email message….and thus, the never ending email loop cycle begins. Worse yet, in most cases, folks typically have their email forwarded to someone else in the office so that if anything is truly "Urgent", that person can respond in a timely manner. So, that person too ends up getting thousands of unnecessary emails. We bill quite a bit of time every month attending to this one issue and it costs businesses of all sizes significant profit.

As a rule, we advise clients to have absent or vacationing personnel email attended by a colleague through the use of forwarding that email to said colleague. If you are a "One Man/One Woman Shop" then you owe it to yourself and your clients to own a reliable Smart Phone, (You might guess we recommend the Apple iPhone), so that you can attend to your email while absent from the office. The bottom line is that an investment in such a device will pay for itself by avoiding this one problem alone whether you pay an IT firm to fix it or whether you have to sift through the thousands of emails on your own time.

Don't use "Out of Office" replies. They are too troublesome. 

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