Ganesh SrinivasanGanesh PMO (PMP, PMI-SP, ITIL-F)| MNC BankChennai, India
Hi members,
Can you please help me with some strategies / hints your using for getting faster reply for your emails.
Appreciate your kind reply.
Thank you
-Ganesh Saving Changes...
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saurabh mahajanPMP, ITIL, PRINCE2| vodafonePune, Maharashtra, India
Its difficult to device a plan for such issue.
1) However, some preemptive steps can be to formalize to set responsibility for the delay in subsequent action if response to email in not received in stipulated time.
2) Having SLA's. So if SLA is breached an RCA can state the reason as no response on mail, which further will constitute a process improvement plan for email communication.
3) Using alternative to emails,like chat on OCS,Lync
4) Clear Subject line of the mail, or established norms, as to giving priority to mails with specific subject line, flag, etc. Saving Changes...
It is not only annoying if mails are not answered, but also might put the project at risk if responses come in too late.
- I experienced that keeping mails short helps a lot to get people read mails and answer sooner.
- Addionally, I only use the "to" recipients for those who really have to dos. To keep people informed I use the "cc" line, thus recipients can instantly determine whether there are action items for them or not.
- Moreover, I try to keep data where it belongs to declutter mails. That means sending only the link to a file that remains on the file server or in the webspace you're collaborating in. It helps to get all the updates on files or data and clears your text from all that stuff focussing on what you have to say.
- Last but not least, I always try to be as explicit as necessary, e.g. I kindly ask for feedback "until [Day, Time] to be able to incorporate input" before doing whatever is next. Quite often this works. :)
Generally, you might discuss an agreement (company or project team) that ensures that mails get answered within XX hours or days. Higher priorities should be submitted via faster channels such as instant messaging, phone calls, or F2F.
I hope that helps. Good luck! Saving Changes...
Ganesh SrinivasanGanesh PMO (PMP, PMI-SP, ITIL-F)| MNC BankChennai, India
Hi Christina,
Thanks for your practical highlights on getting the reply faster.
As being PMO, i'm getting very late response from PM, sometimes i'm using face to face approach to expediate. Since PM's focus on Techinical Deliverables, always PMO deliverables takes lesser priority.
Any guidance to handle this, would be highly appreciated.
Hi Sarabh,
Thank you very much for your kind points, very much helpful.
Saving Changes...
Some other thoughts to add - if you have an action or response you need by a certain date, adding "request by [date]" in the subject line of the email. Also, putting the most important information at the very beginning of the body of the email (Request your review and response by [date]). Agree that keeping the body of the email as short as possible can help. Saving Changes...
Michael AdamsSolutions Architect| LANLLos Alamos, Nm, United States
Hi Ganesh, Christina and Saurabh hit some important points.
I'll add another vote for keep the email short, and add that putting action items or questions into bullet point and numbered item formats is very helpful. Additionally, be sure to explicitly request action, and define your expectation. Example...
"Hello, thanks for attending today's meeting. As promised I'm emailing everyone with three questions. It is important that you take a few minutes and respond to these questions no later than ...."
If I'm using outlook, I mark the email as high priority and set a date/time for followup (usually a day before response is due). If I haven't heard back, I email and/or call to request a response.
This may seem like a lot of work, but a PM's job is 90% communication, and when people realize that I'll start emailing and calling them to get the feedback I need, they typically don't let it wait in the future...they take the request seriously. Saving Changes...
Your PMs need to understand (and accept) that reporting and delivering to you is also part of the "real work" and thus part of their job.
An internal agreement on PMO deliverables could be (re-) established by pointing out the reasons and the benefit for PMs within. They need to understand why to do what. Maybe they need to know that if they do not reply or provide you with the stuff needed you'll have to exclude them / their projects from management / board reports.
What consequences do they have to face when not delivering to you?
Product Operations Program ManagerBarcelona, Cataluña, Spain
Very insightful tips already.
If the information that you need is quite urgent (24 hours to get an answer) I would rather use phone/Skype, followbed by an email which repeats the main points of the phone conversation just held.
Make sure that you state that you need an answer by that date/time (and only use the email URGENT button feature when it is really urgent - I have found that some people ALWAYS use the urgency feature which then loses all its meaning/power).
If the date/time arrives and have not gotten an answer yet, forward the very same email adding the text "Friendly Reminder".
If no answer yet, then it is time to call.
Unfortunately, people get dozens of emails a day (private, business) and sometimes it is not trivial to make ours stick out. It could also be that it gets "lost" among all other emails.
I am big fan of using the phone when emails fail as a communication tool.
Best regards,
Eduard Saving Changes...
Anzor MisabishviliProject Manager| TD BankCherry Hill, Nj, United States
I think the other responders have provided great insights on this specific question. On a related note, while I often use the phone to follow-up on urgent e-mails, I still ask the person to put their response in writing (respond via e-mail) even if they provided the required response over the phone.
Everyone receives hundreds of emails each day. Small bytes of information flow in and out of everyone's brains and it's pretty easy to forget the response provided/received. When it's put into writing, it's possible to dig it up and refresh your memory. It's critical to maintain a well-organized email inbox. Saving Changes...
Henry HattenrathProject Consultant| Tectonic Engineering MSA LLCNew York, Ny, United States
Ganesh
To add to the suggestions on faster Email responses and poor Email responses from PM to PMO:
- The Email subject line must be appropriate, searchable and directly related to the first paragraph in the body, such as "Request for Input on Topics from Project Meeting"
- If Email is a technical review, the generator should provide cursory comments with the request, which shows interest and it assists recipients return comment more quickly.
- For recurring non-responses from PM to Email from PMO, the direct approach in understanding the PM resistance is needed by the PMO.
NOTE: The "High Important" flag on Emails may actually have the reverse affect.
Henry Saving Changes...
Ganesh SrinivasanGanesh PMO (PMP, PMI-SP, ITIL-F)| MNC BankChennai, India
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