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Managing Emails Effectively: follow-up session

September 23, 2016

Agenda

1. Examples

2. Basic email writing usage and conventions

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Live Example 1

Customer email:

Thanks for removing the duplicates. While doing so, the team also removed the page numbers for each article. I have fixed this, but please tell them to be more careful in future.

Additionally, the book-in team has once again failed to key in the CTA received dates during the process—something I have mentioned more than once. Please rectify this at once and update whatever documentation you might have regarding book-in procedures to reflect that this is something that needs to be done.

The pagination sheet is attached. Please note that there is a web version PDF of RUSS 12109 that should be used for EDs as it contains colour figures.

Please upload EDs by 29 August 2016. Thank you very much.

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Example response 1

Thanks for removing the duplicates. While doing so, the team also removed the page numbers for each article. I have fixed this, but please tell them to be more careful in future. [Aptara]: Thanks for bringing this issue in our attention. We apologize for the error that happened during the process. We have noted the concern and updated the team for the error.Additionally, the book-in team has once again failed to key in the CTA received dates during the process—something I have mentioned more than once. Please rectify this at once and update whatever documentation you might have regarding book-in procedures to reflect that this is something that needs to be done. [Aptara]: This was mentioned in our process document, but mistakenly skipped from our end. Now, we have added one more check to ensure that this doesn’t happen again in future deliveries.The pagination sheet is attached. Please note that there is a web version PDF of RUSS 12109 that should be used for EDs as it contains colour figures. Please upload EDs by 29 August 2016. Thank you very much.[Aptara]: As per provided pagination sheet, we are using web version PDF for EDs and upload them by 29th August. Also please confirm shall we follow the same rule for all the future EDs.

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Feedback

1. Couple of problems with usage of words, otherwise OK.2. Do not use terms like sorry and apologize readily until and unless there is major

crises. Milder terms like ‘I understand your concern’ or ‘regret’ can be used. 3. Replace ‘doesn’t happen again’ ‘ with ‘does not repeat’.4. Replace ‘shall we’ with ‘if we need to’.5. For the below:

Thanks for bringing this issue in our attention. We apologize for the error that happened during the process. We have noted the concern and updated the team for the error.Use:I understand your concern. This is an inadvertent miss at our end. We have updated our team to pay careful attention while doing this type of task and added this point in our checklist for future reference.

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Example response 2

Thanks for removing the duplicates. While doing so, the team also removed the page numbers for each article. I have fixed this, but please tell them to be more careful in future. Aptara: Thanks for bring this issue to our attention, we are regret for the inconvenience. We have noted the feedback and updated to our production team. Hope it will not happen in upcoming deliveries.Additionally, the book-in team has once again failed to key in the CTA received dates during the process—something I have mentioned more than once. Please rectify this at once and update whatever documentation you might have regarding book-in procedures to reflect that this is something that needs to be done. Aptara: This is our mistake, we have added in our specification. We will fix this and resupply.The pagination sheet is attached. Please note that there is a web version PDF of RUSS 12109 that should be used for EDs as it contains colour figures. Please upload EDs by 29 August 2016. Thank you very much.Aptara: we have noted the desire change and will deliver the title on said date.

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Feedback

1. Couple of incorrect usage of words.2. Replace ‘we are regret for the inconvenience’ with ‘we regret the inconvenience’3. Use slightly polite tone when accepting errors.4. Use re-conciliatory and re-assuring tone when detailing the corrective action.5. For the below:

‘We have noted the desire change and will deliver the title on said date’.Use:We have noted this point and will deliver the title by said date.

6. For the below:This is our mistake, we have added in our specification. We will fix this and resupply.Use:This is an inadvertent miss from our end. We have updated our team to pay careful attention while doing this task. We assure you that this type of error will not be repeated in future as we have added this point in our checklist.

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Live Example 2

Customer email:Please let us know the MAXIMUM and MINIMUM sizes for images to avoid you having to compress them. If you compress our images and we get poor quality results, it is important that you tell us what you need – we cannot guess.

Response: Generally we are not changing the images that we received from client. However in exception cases where we need to modify that could be a cases for readable text or the images that available more than 4 MP, Previously 3.2 MP and size more than 5 MB. So if we received an images within 4 Mega Pixel and under 5 MB size then we will not change anything. Also except size limitation if they will provide us an image less than 600 Height and 800 width then it could be best to use and it will show fine over devices. However in reflwable epub no fixed size available as this is depends of images.

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Example of an effective response

Usually we do not change the image specs and retain whatever image we receive in the source. However, there are minimal cases wherein the images are not perfectly rendered in the output device (at the final QC stage). In such cases, we do need to modify the image to sync and render properly. The images you supply should be less than 600 pixels height and 800 pixels width to render perfectly and avoid us doing the modification.As per the Apple specs, images should be within 4 megapixel and under 5 megapixel size.Let me know if any questions.

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Business email writing usage & conventions

1. Use of the word concern2. Use of sorry, apology and alternate words to use3. Use of word wrong and incorrect4. Opening: Use of Hi and Dear and alternatives5. Closing: Use of different kinds of terms 6. To and CC fields in emails and their use7. Use of comma before word which8. Different options available to highlight points in an email9. Use of color shading10. Use of advise / advice11. Use of word revert 12. Use of apostrophe words (didn’t, doesn’t etc.)13. Use of words like issue and alternatives14. Use of informal tone15. Use of words like Web, Internet16. Email conventions over mobile phones

Thank you