Responding to Emails.

[Brad]

A constant complaint I have with some people (not here) is that they don’t reply to business emails or do it weeks later.  I just saw this article in the Times and it summarizes my position exactly 

No, You Can’t Ignore Email. It’s Rude.

However, there are two sides to any argument and here is the other one. 

Why I Didn’t Answer Your Email

In my view, with which some may disagree, the last column is a cop out. During my business life, there were some emails I couldn’t get to until late at night but I’d get to them or I’d send the sender a brief note saying I’d respond the next day.

 

Edited February 16, 2019 by Brad

[ejp626]

I think it depends on context.  If the email is about something related to work, and it actually requires a response on my part (not just a FYI), then I will answer it, and virtually always the same day.

If it is a completely unsolicited fishing expedition (and I'm getting more and more of these through Linked In, though I didn't think they were supposed to release direct contact info unless you had accepted a connection), then I ignore them.  I've gotten some odd requests for career advice or to set up a meeting to talk about GIS solutions or whatever.  If the person persists (and few do), then I write back and say I don't respond to unsolicited emails.  Maybe if I was in "business" or "sales" then I would take a different approach, but I am not.

[Brad]

Completely agree that it should be related to work. I was hammered a few times by my boss about responding promptly to emails before I learned the lesson and also learned the lesson that you should be courteous.