Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Email language

It is the world of information technologies, people send sms more than dialing the numbers. However, I always find it very irritating when someone writes the email as if they are writing the sms.

To me, email is an easy communication that replaces the business letters / fax / memos / announcements etc. Therefore, it is not tolerable for me to receive things like these:

1. Pls be inform that.... / Plz b inform tt (short forms, grammar is wrong)
2. Can u do me a favor? (short forms)
3. V r currently veli bz wif the work. (short forms, spelling mistakes)
4. Can u imaging the consiquence? (short form, spelling and grammar mistakes)
5. The goods hv been send out 2u oredi. (mixture of short forms and grammar mistakes)

There are more than these, I can't pick all of them. I find that unforgivable for someone who type these out conciously. Email is not a chat box or sms, especially business related emails. It should be treated with basic level of profession. I bet they don't write like this when they apply for jobs, else the HR is definitely an idiot.

Another thing that made me shout are those people who cannot form a proper sentence, or saying two things in one sentence.

e.g.:
1. He followed me halfway there and also i took the pic of tat shitty guy. <-- who is who?

2. The conversation below is cropped from a chain of emails...

A: "I want your original DO, we have not receive it."
B: "We can't give you the original DO, it must be kept for our own record. Can I give you the certified true copy?"
A: "No no, we have the DO, original one. You send me the original DO." <--is this a plain comment, or a demand?
B:"Huh? What do you want now? Do you mean we don't need to supply the DO anymore?"
A:"Yes, I still need your DO."

3. We cannot provide this item. <-- erm... hello? Do you mean you don't have it? Or you don't want to provide? Or It is impossible to provide? WTH?!

4. Again, cropped from a chain of emails:
A: Your dwgs are not according to our standards and specifications.
B: May we know your standards and specifications, in order to change our drawings accordingly?
A: Your dwgs are not the same as our previous orders.
B: The previous orders are different models, therefore the drawings are different.
A: You should follow those previous dwgs. Some of the things that showed in previous dwgs are not in this one.
B: May we ask which items have we missed?
A: e.g. you dont' have the material list, pressure ratings not given etc.
B: The material list is on the right side of the drawing, the pressure rating is already indicated by the international codes in the drawing.
A: I still don't accept your drawings.
B: I will escalate your concern to our higher management.

Well, to say two things in a sentence, it is quite common at times. But when it comes to business communications, I just hope that these people can be a little bit more specific with their requests, and know what they want to say...

Else I can only go home so worn out, and can't type my blog properly... (this is why my blog is always so disjointed, mistakes all over.... :p)

No comments: