Being a responsible netizen or professional in the Internet age also means leaving useful clues and messages for your email correspondents whenever you will be out of reach temporarily or permanently. Remember that your email correspondents expect you to respond within minutes or, at most, 24 hours of receiving their emails unless specifically stated in the email that you are free to respond much later.
So, professionals are expected to use out-of-office email autoresponders whenever they will be out of reach for a fairly long time.
Let’s put this in context.
Whenever you need to step away from the office and won't be able to respond to emails as quickly as you usually do, it is good practice to create an out-of-office email autoresponder to guide your email correspondents on how to reach you, who else to contact, and/or what to do next.
Setting a proper out-of-office email also puts pressure offyou when you have limited time to respond to emails outside the office. We willlook at a few examples together here:
Examples ofTemporary Out-Of-Office Email Autoresponder
Are you going on leave or vacation, or perhaps you are sickor traveling to remote areas or attending an event that would prevent you fromresponding to emails as fast as you normally do; this set of out-of-officeemail examples will guide you on how to create your own out-of-office emailautoresponder:
1. Temporary Out-of-OfficeEmail for Annual Leave
Good day,I am currently on annual leave and will not be able to attend to any emails. During my absence, please contact the Client Liaison Office in Lisbon. You can reach them on 009-1234567.Inquiries related to refunds and money issues can be forwardeddirectly to Healthcare International Liaison Department via any of the channels below: - [emailprotected] or - Posted to Healthcare International, Private Box 00090, Lisbon. Inquiries about accidents and other emergencies should be sent to: - [emailprotected] or - [emailprotected] Thank you for your patience and understanding.Regards,Elizabeth Thames
2. Temporary Out-of-OfficeEmail for Vacation
Dear sender,Please be aware that I am on vacation till 9 December, 2019. Unfortunately, I will have limited access to my email during my vacation.For urgent matters, send me an SMS or call me on 009-7654321.You can also communicate with my assistant Sophia via her email, [emailprotected], or call her on 009-1234567.Thank you and regards,3. Temporary Out-of-OfficeEmail for Unspecified Purpose
Dear Valued Customer, Thank you for your email.Kindly note that I am currently out of office. If your request is urgent, kindly send your request to [emailprotected]. Our sales team will handle your request promptly.Kind regards,Jacob Robinson4. Temporary Out-of-OfficeEmail for Traveling to Remote Locations
Dear correspondent,Thank you for your email. I am sorry that I am travellingfor work over the next 6 weeks with some brief periods back in Chicago. In themost part, some of this work will be in remote areas and I will respond toemails as quickly as I can.Please contact Robert John at [emailprotected] if you need anything urgently.With best wishes and thanks.5. Temporary Out-of-Office Email for Maternity Leave
Being out-of-office on maternity leave can range from less than 12 weeks to 6 months or more, this is entirely dependent on where you work or live. Considering the time you'll be out of the office, you need to direct people that send in emails to the employee who would be handling your tasks while you're away.
Hello,Thank you for your email. Please note that I will be away on maternity leave from June 18 to January 11. During this period, my accounts will be handled by our assistant sales manager, John Doe. You can reach him at [emailprotected] or call him on 123-456-7890.Regards,Juliet TailorSales Manager6. Temporary Out-of-Office Email on Medical Leave
If you're going to be away on medical leave for an illness or a medical procedure and you're going to be gone for a while recovering, you should add this in your out of office email (if you feel comfortable with it). The reason is so your contacts can accord you the needed privacy to heal. This is entirely optional though, if you don't feel comfortable including it, you can leave it out.
Hello,Thank you for reaching out.I am currently out of the office on medical leave from September 7 to August 1. I'll be checking my emails intermittently, but in case of an emergency, please send an email to [emailprotected] or call her on 123-456-7890.Thank you for understanding.Jaden Kruger 7. Temporary Out-of-Office Email for Holidays
Different companies have different holiday policies. If you're going to be out of office during the holidays, state it in your email.
Hello,Thank you for your email!Season's greetings. I can't to your email now as the office is closed for the holidays. I will not be checking my email from December 22 through January 4.If there's an emergency, please contact me at 123-456-7890. Otherwise, I'll respond to your email as soon as possible when I return.Thank you, Jim Parker.
8. Temporary Out-of-Office Email for Attending a Conference
If you're going to a business conference, state it out in your out of office email. This type of email is also a great way to show your contacts that you're growing and advancing your job.
Hello,Thank you for reaching out! I am out of office attending the National Association of Sale Manager’s conference in Houston, Texas.I'll be checking my emails occasionally, in case of an emergency, please contact my team member, John Doe at [emailprotected] or 123-456-7890Regards,Dorian Emmanuel.9. Out-of-Office with a Promotion
If you are part of the sales team in your organization, out of office emails is a great way to promote your products even while you're out of office.
Hello,Thank you for your email.I am out of office until April 25 and I'll respond to your email as soon as possible upon return. While you're here, please check out our new book, "How to 10X your sales." You can get a copy at Amazon.com.In case of an emergency, please reach out to my colleague. Sandra Sloan at [emailprotected] or 123-456-7890.Regards,Kevin GabrielSales Associate.Examples of PermanentOut-Of-Office Email Autoresponder
This is very useful in situations where you are changing jobs (as an employee) or a former employee has left your company (as an employer or HR manager). Permanent out-of-office emails help to guide correspondents appropriately.
1. Out-of-Office Email for Former Employee—Set by Management
Dear Sender, Thank you for your email. Ms Elizabeth Thames is no longer workingin our company. Her position has been replaced by Ms Jennifer Paul. Her emailis[emailprotected]. You may also contact her at 009-1234567. Kindly send your future inquiriesto our customer service ([emailprotected]). We will attend to your emailpromptly. Thanks & Best regards,The Management of ABC
2. Out-of-Office Email for Former Employee—Set by Employee
Dear sender, Thank you for your email.I am no longer working at Amazon. Jeff Trump has taken up the role of Communications Manager.For matters relating to Amazon communications, please contact Jeff Trump viathe email [emailprotected] or call him on 009-123456.For all other matters, please contact Amazon helpdesk via [emailprotected] or call 009-654321. Thank you.Regards,Jack Robinson
Examples of AcknowledgementEmail Autoresponder
Dear Correspondent,Thank you for writing to Woculus.This is an automated response to acknowledge receipt of your e-mail. We assure you of a prompt response from a member of our customer experience team.You can also contact us via any of the channels below:(a) Visit one of our Woculus customer experience centers (9:00am to 5:00pm, Mondays-Fridays) , and our team will be glad to assist you. (b) Visit our website for more information at www.abc.com. (c) You can reach ourCustomer Support hotline on 009-123456 between 9:00am to 5:00pm,Mondays-Fridays.(d) Facebook Page (@abc)We thank you for your trust and continued patronage.Regards,Customer Experience Team, ABC Limited
Conclusion
You are regarded as a responsible netizen when you imbibe the habit of leaving out-of-office messages. For employers and HR managers, it is worthwhile to teach this practice to your employees. Out-of-office emails show that you are polite and professional, lending credibility to your corporate culture.