Out of Office Replies

How to do this effectively

Whether we’re away from our offices frequently or for more than a day on  occasion, it’s essential that we set up up an “Out of Office”  autoresponder message to react to emails we receive from customers and  prospects.  It’s even more essential that this is done correctly.

Most autoresponder messages are pretty terse, such as:  “I’m currently away, and will reply to your message when I return.”

Although this is better than nothing, here are some tips on how to make this more effective:

• Include Your Return Date.
  One  immediate change you can make for instant improvement is setting  expectations about the date you’ll return. This will stop your contacts  wondering what’s going on (or not!), and sending you follow-up emails  for the rest of your break.

• If you”ll be away for more than a week, set the date one day later than your planned return date.
  This  will give you some flexibility to catch up on all your emails. You can  even impress those contacts who receive a reply from you earlier than  expected.

• State Your Reasons for Being Away.
  There’s  a huge difference between a holiday and a work-related trip. If the  latter, it’s natural that there’ll be an expectation that you’ll at  least be contactable some of the time while away. By stating that you’re  on annual leave reminds your contacts that you have a life, and  typically shields you from telephone follow-ups during this time.
  If  the reason for your absence is something that can enhance your image,  such as attending a conference or a specialised training course, include  this information. It shows your contacts that you’re proactive in the  industry, and creates a talking point when you’re next in touch.

• Delegate Your Role.
  This is really important. Nobody wants to feel like there’s no other contact point for them in  your organization. Give the names, positions, and contact details for  each person that your contacts can speak to. A good example of this  would be: “For sales enquiries, please contact Bob Smith on 1234 5678 or  bob@email-address, or for technical enquiries, please contact Laura  Myer on 7654 3218 or laura@email-address.”
  Be sure to check in with  these contacts when you return. You may just find that some of the  queries in your inbox have already been sorted out — reducing that  post-break workload.

• Keep It Brief.
  Nobody  likes reading a novel-length email, particularly if it’s an  autoresponse. Keep it short and to the facts, and you’ll know that your  contacts have read the whole email, instead of just the first paragraph.

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