Appropriate email response time?
I'm not saying I disagree with you. I think it's insane as well, but unfortunately the response you just gave could very well leave you looking for another job. The work is more important than a night's sleep to most people here, we work into the late hours and are on call almost 24/7. This is how large NYC law firms work. It's part of the reason so many people don't last in NYC.
I see what you're saying. NYC is a fast paced environment. I get that.
That said, if somebody were to call me at 2am, it would be a different story. But, if you are sending me an email expecting a response at that time, then sorry, it can wait. What the hell needs to be accomplished at 2am that can't wait until the firm opens? If it truly garners an immediate response, then call.
My Garage
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 13,386
Likes: 11
From: NY
I see what you're saying. NYC is a fast paced environment. I get that.
That said, if somebody were to call me at 2am, it would be a different story. But, if you are sending me an email expecting a response at that time, then sorry, it can wait. What the hell needs to be accomplished at 2am that can't wait until the firm opens? If it truly garners an immediate response, then call.
That said, if somebody were to call me at 2am, it would be a different story. But, if you are sending me an email expecting a response at that time, then sorry, it can wait. What the hell needs to be accomplished at 2am that can't wait until the firm opens? If it truly garners an immediate response, then call.
You received the e-mail at 9 PM on Wednesday. If you weren't "on the clock" at 9 PM, I wouldn't consider receipt of that e-mail until the start of business.
If we say that's roughly 8 AM Thursday, a response at 7:30 AM Friday is completely reasonable in my opinion.
I agree with others that if an urgent response is needed other communication should be used (aka, pick up the phone).
If we say that's roughly 8 AM Thursday, a response at 7:30 AM Friday is completely reasonable in my opinion.
I agree with others that if an urgent response is needed other communication should be used (aka, pick up the phone).
Luckily where I am now I can completely disconnect when I leave the office. I do not miss needing to be available... that's for sure. My wife is, but she is the boss, so that kind of changes it a bit.
But yeah, regardless, I think you're fine...
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 25,967
Likes: 2,685
From: Jersey
Set an auto reply to all messages...
Please note, if I have not responded to your email within 8 hours it was deemed not urgent. If I have not responded to your email within 24 hours it was deemed useless babble.
Please note, if I have not responded to your email within 8 hours it was deemed not urgent. If I have not responded to your email within 24 hours it was deemed useless babble.
I agree that you didn't do anything wrong, but doesn't your outlook receive all your office phone messages as well..? So you didn't receive any work related calls or emails all of Thursday..? That would be a big problem for me..
I cannot tell you how often I say this. We have 5 people in our customer service department at this facility and they will send e-mails for everything and never call people.
I often get this comment from some of them....I sent an e-mail 2 days ago and got no response.
Or this one....I send an e-mail, got an out of office and now I don't know what to do.
DID YOU CALL?
No.
It pisses me off.
Long story short. Wednesday at 9pm I receive an email asking if I'm available to do some training in the middle of June. I replied Friday morning around 7:30am when I got into my office apologizing for the late reply and that I was available.
No response from the sender. However by noon, my department head is all on my shit about my late response. Somehow it made it to him, whether it was said nonchalantly or really tripping out, he found out about it. We have one person on vacation and another on bereavement due to his mother's passing, both are my back ups and vice versa so I had to take on their workload.
So in all honesty, I just didn't open up my outlook (it actually didn't even cross my mind I just wanted to get my tasks done) and the email didn't make it to my droid, some emails slip through the cracks.
It felt great to be disconnected and get a lot of my work and my co-worker's work out of the way so at least I didn't have to come in yesterday or today.
My question to you is, what is an appropriate response time for inquiries and non-emergency emails?
I strive for 24 hours or less. Sometimes (such as this incident) it didn't happen.
No response from the sender. However by noon, my department head is all on my shit about my late response. Somehow it made it to him, whether it was said nonchalantly or really tripping out, he found out about it. We have one person on vacation and another on bereavement due to his mother's passing, both are my back ups and vice versa so I had to take on their workload.
So in all honesty, I just didn't open up my outlook (it actually didn't even cross my mind I just wanted to get my tasks done) and the email didn't make it to my droid, some emails slip through the cracks.
It felt great to be disconnected and get a lot of my work and my co-worker's work out of the way so at least I didn't have to come in yesterday or today.
My question to you is, what is an appropriate response time for inquiries and non-emergency emails?
I strive for 24 hours or less. Sometimes (such as this incident) it didn't happen.
That all said....the reason you gave for not responding is week at best. Sorry, but if you have office e-mail, then you at least need to open it up if you are in the office. I would probably not give that excuse to anyone. I'm sure it felt great to get tasks done but your boss probably felt that responding to e-mails was one of your tasks.
Moderator
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 29,869
Likes: 3,489
A lot of people have their heads up their asses.
A coworker of mine who was recently transferred to the wholesale side was sick as hell (she showed increasingly worse symptoms the past couple of days) and could barely speak, so she had to stay at home. A corporate higher-up asked her boss why she couldn't come in and suggested that she be demoted since she couldn't be relied on
She can barely speak and her primary job is to take phone calls, you shitfuck.
A coworker of mine who was recently transferred to the wholesale side was sick as hell (she showed increasingly worse symptoms the past couple of days) and could barely speak, so she had to stay at home. A corporate higher-up asked her boss why she couldn't come in and suggested that she be demoted since she couldn't be relied on
She can barely speak and her primary job is to take phone calls, you shitfuck.
My Garage
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 13,386
Likes: 11
From: NY
A lot of people have their heads up their asses.
A coworker of mine who was recently transferred to the wholesale side was sick as hell (she showed increasingly worse symptoms the past couple of days) and could barely speak, so she had to stay at home. A corporate higher-up asked her boss why she couldn't come in and suggested that she be demoted since she couldn't be relied on
She can barely speak and her primary job is to take phone calls, you shitfuck.
A coworker of mine who was recently transferred to the wholesale side was sick as hell (she showed increasingly worse symptoms the past couple of days) and could barely speak, so she had to stay at home. A corporate higher-up asked her boss why she couldn't come in and suggested that she be demoted since she couldn't be relied on
She can barely speak and her primary job is to take phone calls, you shitfuck.
Not sure I understand what you are getting at. Are you saying that being in different time zones makes email more convenient or that because they are awake in another time zone, I should be too? Either way, my comment still stands. If you can log on to your computer to send an urgent email, you can pick the phone to make an urgent call.
My Garage
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 13,386
Likes: 11
From: NY
Not sure I understand what you are getting at. Are you saying that being in different time zones makes email more convenient or that because they are awake in another time zone, I should be too? Either way, my comment still stands. If you can log on to your computer to send an urgent email, you can pick the phone to make an urgent call.
I'm not trying to be tough or make it seem like most couldn't handle what I do, I actually hate it, but it costs a lot of money to live where I live and I need to pay the bills somehow.
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