I have probably written this before somewhere, but since it bugged me (again) today:
If your e-mail — esp. your business e-mail — has an automatic sig line, please don’t include the sign-off in it. Getting something at the bottom of the e-mail that says, “Regards, Joe Smith,” when it’s clear that the word “Regards” goes out on every single e-mail whether it’s to the CEO, me, or a complaint to some spammer, makes the whole sentiment utterly useless.
Just put your name. Add a personalized sign-off if it really is personalized, not if it’s auto-appended.
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*makes a note not to send ***Dave any email from her Blackberry*
I don’t mind automated sig lines. I don’t mind automated sig lines that include names. And certainly it’s easier to automate stuff with sig lines for handhelds.
But automating a “Regards,” or “Sincerely,” or “Your obedient servant” strikes me like getting form mail. It just irks the hell out of me because I know the person didn’t actually express that sentiment to me.
I suppose it’s because I actually give some thought as to how I sign off real mail or formal business mail. If it’s informal (within the organization), simply signing your name (automated or not) is, to my mind, sufficient. Adding “Regards” is superfluous at best, dehumanizing at worst.
But maybe I’m just being cranky today.
If it’s any consolation, my automated sign off is “Cheers”, which, to be honest, I send to everyone. If I’m sending a letter with a book to someone I’m refering as Mr. So-and-so because I haven’t met him, then he still gets a “Cheers.” Friends, definately. Inter-office, that too. Only people that don’t usually are authors I’m rejected — it just seems too cruel to sign off with “Cheers.”
Which is sort of my point. 🙂
Oh. Right.
As you were, then!