Everybody is busy at this time of year but it’s not too long before you’ll be able to take a well earned break from your business and enjoy some festive cheer.
But before you leave the office remember that it’s important to leave an out of office message (phone and email) for your customers to keep them in the loop.
Here are 3 tips to help you follow the correct out of office etiquette
3 Tips To Get Out of Office Messages Right Over The Holiday Season
1. Automate Your Message
Even though it’s your holiday shutdown period, people still need to know when they can reach you or if someone else is available to help them. So whether you’re recording your voicemail or setting up an email reply to let people know about your out of office movements you MUST remember to automate the message. It’s important that customers receive a response straight away so that you keep them in the loop.
2. Include a Return Date
An important part of out of office etiquette is to let people know when you’ll be back in the office. It’s a good idea to list the exact day, date and time and ask people to leave a message in your inbox or on your voicemail with the promise that you will get in touch as soon as you return. Better still – direct them to someone else in your team or business who can handle customer enquiries in your absence.
3. Be Professional
If you’re in holiday mode then it might be tempting to have a bit of fun or joke around, but nobody will appreciate a flippant out of office message. Remember, you are still representing your business and brand with this communication piece and it’s important that your customers know that just because you’re away doesn’t mean you don’t care. It’s best to keep things simple and maintain professionalism at all times.
Finally, when you get back to business in the New Year, work will no doubt be hectic. But a crucial part of correct out of office etiquette is remembering to turn it off as soon as you return. It’s a good idea to set yourself a reminder so that you don’t forget!
