Do you know important chats should be in an email?
Updated by Tiago Araújo [SSW] 7 months ago. See history
Understand that IM is distracting so use it judiciously.
Dealing with external clients
During the course of an IM chat with a client or manager, an action or a piece of work may be required. It's highly important that such chats are copied from the chat and pasted into an email.
For example:
"As per our IM conversation, I will XXX."
When you copy and paste a IM conversation into an email remember the following:
- Who are you sending the email to? Is there any private information that should not be shared with the group?
- Have you asked for permission to copy the IM conversation into an email? The other party may not want to share it in an email
- Does the conversation add value to the email or can it be left out?
- If you decide to copy the conversation then make sure you make it readable by snipping out just the important information
- Don't forget to Cc relevant parties.
Dealing internally
If you get an internal IM that should be an email, don't simply convert it into in an email as above - be a standard watchdog and let the other person know that they should send emails instead of instant messages:
"Hi {{ COLLEAGUE }}, next time an email would have been less distracting and more appropriate.
For things like this - that are clearly tasks, and require a 'done' - please send an email straight away as per ssw.com.au/rules/important-chats-should-be-in-an-email"
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