How to avoid embarrassing email mistakes

Receiving and replying to emails is often a big part of many people’s day job. In this always-switched-on digital age many folks refuse to pick up the phone to a colleague or visit a shop, opting instead to send a message through cyberspace.

This means if you’re aiming for a top role from jobs24.com, you need to be at the top of your game when it comes to emails.

Here are our top five tips to help you avoid those embarrassing hiccups.

Include a greeting

Whether it’s customers seeking advice about products and services or clients negotiating business transactions, everyone likes to get a speedy response. Cutting to the chase for them is great but not addressing someone by name in every single email can come across as curt or even rude. And make sure to spell the person’s name correctly and with the proper title.

Check the recipient

Oops! You wanted to forward an email to your manager but instead you hit the reply button – but not before adding a few less than flattering comments before hitting the send button. Always check the recipient box before firing off an email. If it’s too late, see our next top tip!

Send an apology

We’re only human and everyone can make a mistake. But the best thing you can do is to very quickly fess up! Admitting your error, correcting it and sending an apology shows not only honesty and accountability but it will make you much more human to your customer or client.

Focus only on solutions

There may well be a very funny story why a delivery ended up in Wales rather than Wolverhampton but what makes a customer smile is telling them how you’ve already rescued and re-routed their order. When drafting any email, bear in mind the customer has only one desire: to have business taken care of.

Don’t be overly familiar

Starting off an email by addressing someone by their first name is a big no-no. This may be fine if, over a series of emails, it’s perfectly clear the customer is okay with being called Dave. Otherwise stick to Dear Mr Brown. It keeps everything business-like and professional.

For the latest vacancies get on to jobs24.com…then send an error-free email to your potential new employer!

Posted on June 26, 2018