Transcript Business Email Writing - VU Offshore students and research

Communication Protocols
and Practices
Email Etiquette &
Importance of electronic
communication in 21st
Century China
Mary Jane Denton and Tim Koster
The ability to communicate effectively
in the workplace is essential
The Importance of
Electronic
Communication in
China
Tim Koster
In China for our work, we sometimes need
to send communications or files between:
 Our students
 Our classes
 Our team-members
 Our local staff colleagues
 The several offices within our college
 The four partner sites around China
 Between Australia and China
 Between all the countries where we all come from
Electronic Communication is integral in achieving
this communication effectively and efficiently, but
as we all know, there are several challenges to
using it in China.
Challenges We’ve Faced
 Our Hotmail, Yahoo, and Gmail accounts sometimes
don’t work, or are very slow to work.
 Internet in China is sometimes unreliable – therefore we
can’t always rely on email!
Furthermore:
 By the early 2010s, we realised that our Chinese
students don’t really use email!
 In around 2013 we switched to QQ and QQ email to
communicate messages effectively to students.
 But by 2015, WeChat was and continues to dominate
the electronic communication field in China. Our
students don’t really use QQ anymore!
WeChat: Advantages and
Disadvantages
 Communication is instant and reliable.
 WeChat supports voice, video, and sending files quickly
in China (compared to other similar services).
 All our students and local colleagues use it!
However:
 Communication is instant and sometimes intrusive.
 We need to be careful with what we post through the
integrated social media functions of WeChat.
To consider:
 Compared to other platforms (such as email, WeChat is
very informal; be careful of tone and language used.
Email will always remain the
standard, because:
 Our communication occurs across several countries
every single day, with all of us as participants.
 Emails can and sometimes need to be archived – IMs
through WeChat don’t last forever.
 Integrated email functionality, such as calendars and
scheduling make it an essential work-tool.
However, consider some of the challenges listed earlier,
and always consider how to efficiently communicate in
cases where email cannot be easily used.
Email Etiquette &
Importance of
electronic
communication in
21st Century China
Mary Jane Denton
What do you think is wrong
with this subject line?
VERY
What do you think is
wrong with this email?
Email basics
Know your audience
When to use email
Tips for effective emails
The subject line
Language focus
Using tone effectively
Check list for writing
 Clear, concise and polite language is
important for successful communication in
the workplace.
 Short and simple sentences
 Avoiding unnecessary repetition
 Strong verbs
 Using bullet points
What do your emails say
about you?
Appropriateness is the key to knowing
your audience, appropriateness of
language, content and tone.
When to use email
 Even though email is quick and easy to use,
sometimes another form of communication might
be more suitable.
 Email is not an instant messenger – even
though we fire off emails, we must still compose
them to reduce the number of emails.
 Think about your message and the purpose it is
meant to achieve.
 Maybe a phone call, text or WeChat would be
better.
The right tone in emails
 Your communication is can be passed
on to anyone within or external to the
organization.
 Everyone responds to a polite positive
tone. Criticism, rudeness or negativity will
lead to reader resistance.
 Show politeness and be positive
whenever possible.
Tips to think about for effective emails
Think before you write and plan your
message.
Keep your language clear and concise.
If your message is long, give a summary at
the start.
You are accountable for what you write.
Always write your message as if your boss
were going to read it.
More tips to think about
Do not send angry messages.
Don't type your message in
capitals
Why?
Even more things to think about
 When replying keeping the
subject line the same
 To: , CC: , and BCC: - when to use
each.
 When to use Reply, or Reply All?
 Acknowledging the receipt of
emails
e.g.: got it
In conclusion
 Acknowledging the receipt of an email
promptly
 Keeping emails with the same subject
 Replying within 24 hours where possible
 Think before you write
 Plan your message
 What do your emails and your email
etiquette say about you?
The end
Thank you
 Email me for a folder with some
examples of emails and further
information
[email protected]