Rules for replying to urgent email requests - !

Many email users are flooded with more messages than they are able to reply to in a timely fashion, if at all. When it is determined that a particular correspondence requires a priority response (!), there are important guidelines one should follow to produce an effective reply. Simply producing some sort of reply may not be sufficient. The following are some of these which will insure having optimal results.

Replying to urgent requests, some rules

1.   Be proactive to avoid critical email

2.   Maintain consistency in replies

3.   Follow "Netiquette" guidelines

4.   Keep promises

5.   Follow up on completed actions to verify that an "urgent" matter has been properly addressed

6.   Stay on target

7.   Keep messages brief

8.   If apologies are required, do so quickly

9.   Make sure of facts

10.  Keep "marked" messages and replies marked until all issues are resolved.