email etiquette

[HiCrunchy]

Is it okay to respond to an email with the person's first name or nickname if that is how they signed their reply to their initial email?

 

Or is it best to always go formal unless otherwise instructed?

[alphamale]

Is it okay to respond to an email with the person's first name or nickname if that is how they signed their reply to their initial email?

 

Or is it best to always go formal unless otherwise instructed?

use the name they signed in their initial email

[HiCrunchy]

that's what i thought, but then my boss told me that that is too inform if I have never met the person in person.

 

I didn't think that was the case, but I was just curious.

[Mr.Me]

There's not much worse than a highly polished email that sounds like a highly political correct speech.

 

Just be cool and and add some personality to it. No need for jokes and memes and all that crap. Just act like your a human like the rest of us.

[Triggs1126]

I firmly agree with using the name they signed their email with. It's clear that they would like that to be their preferred method to be addressed.

[d0nnivain]

You can't go wrong being too formal in business. In a letter you would write Dear Surname not Hello first name. An email should not be different.

 

 

If the recipient wants you to call them something else they will let you know. Until you are invited to use a first name, don' t do it; never use a nickname.

 

 

I got a series of business emails from a colleague today. We have known each other for 25 years. It was still addressed Dear Ms. D0nnivain & signed with his full name & title even though we call each other D0nni & Joe when we speak.

[GorillaTheater]

I got a series of business emails from a colleague today. We have known each other for 25 years. It was still addressed Dear Ms. D0nnivain & signed with his full name & title even though we call each other D0nni & Joe when we speak.

 

 

You stuffy northerners. Around here we're like "yo, Judge" and "'sup, Bubba".

[alsudduth]

I use the name in their email signature, unless I've been introduced to them as something else, or we have built a personal relationship.

 

I have one vendor that I work with that I've become pretty close friends with, and regardless of the email subject we usually say something like "Hey Girl!" or even "Hey Babe!" (unless of course it's a more professional subject with executives cc'd)

[Maggie4]

But people do not sign their names the way they are formally addressed. So you can't go by that.

The guy you should be addressing as Mr Smith, is not going to sign himself "Mr Smith". If he signs himself John Smith, you still do not write "Hi John Smith".

[d0nnivain]

I use the name in their email signature, unless I've been introduced to them as something else, or we have built a personal relationship.

 

I have one vendor that I work with that I've become pretty close friends with, and regardless of the email subject we usually say something like "Hey Girl!" or even "Hey Babe!" (unless of course it's a more professional subject with executives cc'd)

 

 

You are treading on very thin ice in this political climate by calling somebody at work Babe.

[CautiouslyOptimistic]

You are treading on very thin ice in this political climate by calling somebody at work Babe.

 

She's a female, though, so it's probably ok. I'm assuming they are also both heterosexual?

[JuneL]

But it may sound condescending, like when you call a junior co-worker "dear".

 

She's a female, though, so it's probably ok. I'm assuming they are also both heterosexual?

[d0nnivain]

She's a female, though, so it's probably ok. I'm assuming they are also both heterosexual?

 

 

Sexual harassment & discrimination are not gender specific. Both genders can be victims.

 

 

Crossing boundaries & being too casual at work is a bad plan. Maintaining appropriate boundaries protects everybody & therefore should be encouraged.

[CautiouslyOptimistic]

Sexual harassment & discrimination are not gender specific. Both genders can be victims.

 

 

Crossing boundaries & being too casual at work is a bad plan. Maintaining appropriate boundaries protects everybody & therefore should be encouraged.

 

Eh....you can still develop strong friendships in the workplace. Some of my very best girlfriends are former colleagues and they wouldn't bad an eye if I said "hey girlfriend" or even "hey babe" if that was a word I would normally say (it isn't). Totally depends on the culture of the workplace in my opinion. You have to not be a dum dum about it .

[d0nnivain]

I am not disputing the fact that people can form strong friendships at work. I am saying that writing "hey babe" in a work email that discusses work subjects or even simply uses a work ISP or domain name D0nnivain @ workcompany.com is inappropriate. How two people greet each other in their off hours or through their personal e-mail is entirely up to them.

[RecentChange]

I would say it probably depends on the industry as well.

 

I am in law / commercial real estate, and there can certainly be some egos and formality. I use proper names, for instance Christopher instead of "Chris" unless I have a long standing relationship with someone.

[Space Ritual]

I guess I need to brush up on this thread.

 

Addressing people in Email as Mr. Asshat or Miss Jizztard apparently is not the way to go.

 

Ooops!