Are Your E-mail Reply Time Expectations Unreasonable?

Do you expect those you e-mail to stop everything and respond — like now? Are you one of those folks who after sending an e-mail, if a response is not received within an hour, you pickup the phone and ask “Didn’t you get my e-mail?”

If someone expects a quick reply to an e-mail, should it be stated in the e-mail? Stating you expect a better than prompt response would only be recommended when the topic or e-mail is time sensitive and genuinely that important. Which if that is the case, picking up the phone and calling the person directly in lieu of an e-mail is probably in order. To make an expedited claim with every e-mail (Are you an Return Receipt Abuser too?) dilutes the urgency of your future requests — you have heard about the boy who cried “Wolf!”?

Common courtesy dictates that business e-mails should be responded to in a timely basis. Realizing the fact that “timely” is relative and subjective means you have to manage your expectations. Of course recipients should do their best to respond as soon as they can. However, “timely” can mean different things to different people. For business e-mails, “timely” can be a competitive tool.

For those who have to pick up the phone shortly after sending an e-mail wondering if it was received due to a lack of reply; patience is a virtue. Rather than babysit your requests, why not work on other things and then do a follow-up e-mail the next morning? Proceeding in this manner reflects respect for the other side’s time.

Now that we have all the above on the table, keep in mind that in business “the early bird gets the worm.” Those who respond promptly and professionally will make a positive impression and show those who e-mail them how easy it will be to have business e-mail conversations with you. Delay responding and you risk looking uninterested, unorganized and unprofessional.

What do you do when you really need a response to an e-mail? How soon afterward do you do a follow up e-mail — or pick up the phone?