Writing Emails & Applying Appropriate Etiquette
""Create effective email communications & enhanced etiquette for improved customer relations""
Overall Aim:
The aim of the workshop is to help staff develop a greater understanding of the importance of communicating effectively with customers using email, whilst applying first-rate business etiquette. Participants will learn the essential skills required to converse with customers in a professional and competent manner in order to portray a professional image, write quality emails and ensure customer satisfaction.
Who Should Attend:
A practical and interactive full-day programme, the course is designed for staff, who communicate with both internal and external customers daily using electronic mail – includes general staff in customer service, technical support, administration, reception, sales, accounts amongst others.
Objectives
After completing the workshop, each participant will be able to:
- Manage email as an effective communications tool to ensure customer satisfaction
- Identify the strengths and limitations of using email to communicate with customers
- Learn to reduce the stress of email & recognise time wasting activities
- Manage email interruptions, improve efficiencies and the instinct to respond quickly to emails
- Use various features and develop disciplines for managing email
- Instil confidence with customers by generating personalised and professional emails
- Apply highly developed business English for all non-verbal customer communications
- Write concise, well-structured emails using the right language, content and style
- Apply proper business etiquette with punctuation and grammar
- Be mindful of the use of abbreviations and emoticons
- Send emails to the right people, using copy and blind copy functions appropriately
- Keep emails relevant and easy to follow with related subjects, signatures & notifications
- Reply to customers courteously and professionally with the right tone and level of urgency
- Show confidentially and discretion when sending attachments or forwarding emails
- Follow company email policies, avoid legal and copyright issues, viruses and spam emails
Workshop Content:
- Email in our lives today – when it’s appropriate to email or not
- The advantages and disadvantages of email as a communications tool
- Reduce the stress of emails & get more out of the day
- Tips for handling large volumes of email and staying focused & organised
- Manage emails effectively using key features
- Apply the right behaviour for interacting with customers & when to avoid information overload
- Know your audience, define your objective, apply the right approach & structure to your writing
- Create concise emails with essential business English - grammar, punctuation, spell check
- Sending emails with relevant subject headings and acceptable formatting
- Write clearly and persuasively to attract customers and maintain interest
- The use of abbreviations, emoticons, textese and slang in emails
- Send, copy and blind-copy – the does and don’ts
- Keep customers informed with appropriate signatures, notifications & out of office responses
- Good protocol for responding to emails, managing flames, anger and quick responses
- Impact of forwarding emails & sending attachments –copyright, confidentiality & permission
- Legal implications for unwarranted email behaviour – libel, offensive and defamatory emails
Training method:
The training will take the form of a one-day workshop, with group discussions, feedback and exercises based on individual/group needs. Each participant will receive a workshop manual.