Did you just WhatsApp your list of grocery needs to the store close by? Or did you send a text message with a list of instructions to your junior? Both are quite common occurrences in today’s context; very different from how things were few months ago. While texting using various platforms is becoming the norm for business, let’s see whether we are being polite and displaying that we are full of etiquette when we send such messages.
01.Don’t Leave People on ‘Seen’
When you use WhatsApp, the sender knows whether you have read the message or not by the two blue ticks. If you do not have sufficient time to respond or know that you will not be able to action the request, try not to read the message. If you do read the message and you need time, say so. Your response should go within at least thirty minutes of reading the message.
Though people cannot know whether you have read their traditional text messages (SMS), ideally you should reply immediately. In both these cases, you are likely to forget the request or the note if you do not respond quickly.
02.Choose Your Emojis Wisely
Did you just get a stay safe message with a knife at the end of it? Or did you send out a message with bad news and add a face that is crying happy tears? Well, first tip would be, don’t use emojis until you have mastered their meaning. Refer this emoji guide, ( https://emojipedia.org/people/ ) if you want to fit in soon. Also, don’t take offence if someone has used a wrong emoji; but break it to them gently and send them the link to this article and save them from further embarrassment. 😊
03.Cut Out the Riddles and Get to the Point
Emojis help to add some emotion and personality to a message. They compensate for the lack of vocal variety, facial expressions and gestures. However, one should not send only emojis in a message, expecting the recipient to decipher the code. Only emoji messages are good for riddles, but not to get your point across. There are a few exceptions such as the thumbs up 👍, which means you like the other person’s idea or that you are in agreement.
04.Abbreviate Carefully
Some people are fluent in text lingo while others are not and some are adept at figuring things out, while others are not. Honestly. it does not reflect their intelligence, so stop making it look that way. Instead, be clear about what you are saying. As a communicator, it is your primary responsibility to get your message across properly.
LMK ur POV, TIA – does this even remotely convey ‘Let me know your point of view, thanks in advance’ to you? Great!
I know many people who would not read it that way!
05.Speed Matters
Text messages, WhatsApps and Viber messages are for quick messaging and should not be treated the same way as an email. You cannot go on for a solid four hours without checking your messages; unless it is your day off or you have an emergency.
06.Be Mindful of What Would be Read
If you are using WhatsApp, swipe to the right and refer to the exact conversation from the list of messages when you need to say something specific. Read your message and the immediate previous message from the other party before hitting the send button. See whether your message can be misunderstood or misinterpreted in any way and choose words carefully. Let’s not have an important business relationship ruined over poorly chosen words.
07.Handling Group Chats
If you are in a group chat and you are directing your message at one person, enter the ‘@’ sign followed by the intended recipient’s name and type out your message. Avoid confusing everyone and if there is going to be a long debate with one person, switch the conversation to one on one from the group – AFTER telling the others that you are switching. Also, be mindful on the objective of the group prior to sharing any content.
The idea of good communication is to understand the intended message and be understood as intended. If you intentionally communicate ambiguously your efforts are in vain. If you confuse people, it does not show your sophistication, it shows only your lack of knowledge about the audience. If you are sloppy about your communication, it reflects poorly on your personality. We wish you luck in Whatsapping and texting in style with utmost professionalism.
Till I return with ‘Full of Etiquette’ next week, stay safe!
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Praveeni Jayasekera is the Founder and Editor of fullofetiquette.com; she is a regular advocate on the subject. She is an ACMA, CGMA; holds a BSc. Economics and Management; PG in IT and Diploma in Social Sciences. She is employed full time in the capacity of Chief Operating Officer at CL Synergy (Private) Limited; a Sri Lankan freight forwarding company. She is an ardent fan of the written word and has compiled content for numerous websites for search engine optimization (SEO) purposes, corporate profiles and blogs. She has experience in training corporate professionals on customer service and business etiquette. She conducts coaching sessions on etiquette for school children every now and then.
