第1762期:很多人在外企半辈子也没学会这一点

其实我早就发现了,只不过最近几年发现得更频繁——你发出邮件后常常泥牛入海无声无息,一个水花都没有。

很多外企的人不懂得一条基本的邮件礼仪: acknowledgment  

收到别人的email后,你需要做的第一件事是让发件人知道你收到了,let the email sender know you’ve received it. 这个动作在英文中称为 acknowledgement (of receiving the emails).

如果这封邮件是问你一个具体问题,你有现成的答案,那就别磨叽,直接reply with your answer.

如果这封邮件说的事情比较复杂,你需要时间去研究整理,那就马上告诉对方你会晚点答复。

常用句型

  • Hi (Recipient’s name), I can acknowledge receipt of (whatever it is that you have received). Thank you for sending it to me. I’ll be in touch with my response shortly.
  • Acknowledge promptly that you received a message. If no particular response is required, just say “thanks.”

我有很多同事不懂这一点,在邮件这件事上表现得像条死鱼,很烦人。

也有一些同事很懂这一点,哪怕我给他们的邮件不是问题,只是FYI(for your information),他们也会回一个简单的邮件说:Well noted. Thank you.

Acknowledgement还有一个常见意思是“致谢”、“鸣谢”,几乎每一本书的前面都有,作者用来感谢那些帮助他完成写书的助手和朋友的。但今天讲的acknowledgement 指的是 acknowledgement of receipt. 很多人在外企收发了半辈子email也没学会这一点。

小结今天的内容

Business email etiquette – Acknowledge what you received.

Reply — No matter what, as soon as you receive an email. Don’t play cool. You are not dead.