Effective email communications with a

customer

Key factors of a successful project

• Interested customer• Interested engineer• Effective communications

Email or IMUse emails for:• Offers.• Documents sharing.• Any important updates.

Use IM for:• Quick questions.• Long conversations. Always save your chat log when you finish if you

talked about high priority things.

1 mail = 1 goalPossible goals:• To get an answer.• To inform somebody.• To make someone to do something.

From whom you want it?

Email problems• Your letters aren’t read.• Your letters are read but are not replied.• Addressed guys has replied, but don't do anything afterwards.• They do something, but not things that

have been asked.• They do a great work, but too late.

Escalation

Civility= Respect• Don't you mind if .....• It would be great if you....• Will you be able to ...?• Could you please ....?• Did you have a chance to look at ... ?• Please feel free...• Please let us know your thoughts about....• Please let me know if I missed something.• What do you think?

Examples: Civility = RespectBad:I can’t implement playlist functionality without your API routes completed and we’ll fail Friday’s deadline.Good:It would be great if you complete your API routes by Friday, then I’ll have playlist functionality implemented by Friday’s deadline.

Bad:Your instruction is unclear and I can’t integrate that module now.Good:Unfortunately I can’t integrate that module now, because I’m not sure that I understand your instruction correctly.

Tips and tricks• Use #tags or [brackets] in subject.• Small and big signatures.• 30 seconds save your life . Configure your email delayed sending.• Reply All is your friend.• Message body should be as short as possible.• Long instructions should be shared as an attached document.