How would you feel?

lookingglass · Jan 25, 2007

If you got an e-mail from your insurance company and it had a contraction in it?

Let me give you an example:

Mr Smith I'd like to share the following information with you:

Thanks everyone!

kittylover4ever · Jan 25, 2007

I'm a ditz Heather........not understanding what your saying........

lookingglass · Jan 25, 2007

Originally Posted by kittylover4ever

I'm a ditz Heather........not understanding what your saying........

In formal writing it's considered inappropriate to use contractions. I was wondering if people found that if they got an e-mail from a big company with a contraction in it if they would find it odd.

epona · Jan 25, 2007

It wouldn't bother me. I wouldn't expect to see it in a legal document, but I'm quite happy to see less formal writing otherwise, as long as the meaning is clear it's not a problem.

crazyforinfo · Jan 25, 2007

If I never gave permission to the insurance company in the past to email me then I would be upset. Most companies are working this way b/c it saves on paper and time.

bella713 · Jan 25, 2007

Misspellings is what would bother me.

epona · Jan 25, 2007

Originally Posted by crazyforinfo

If I never gave permission to the insurance company in the past to email me then I would be upset.

Well that part's true enough for me as well! If it was unsolicited mail it would go straight in the bin regardless of contraction

lookingglass · Jan 25, 2007

Originally Posted by Epona

Well that part's true enough for me as well! If it was unsolicited mail it would go straight in the bin regardless of contraction

Sorry, it would be in response to something that you e-mailed them. Not just junk mail.

reesespbc · Jan 25, 2007

It probabliy would seem a bit weird but not entirely bother me. Now if the email started off with "Hey Mr. Smith, How's it going!?" I'd be leary.

gingersmom · Jan 25, 2007

Since the advent of email, the rules have relaxed a bit. I use contractions in writing to clients all the time, and no one has ever complained - and I have a degree in communications.

I would be more inclined to be upset if there are typos and/or misspellings.

lokismum · Jan 25, 2007

It wouldn't bother me in an email. However, I agree that it's not proper format for business letters or anything legal.

lookingglass · Jan 25, 2007

Thanks guys!

This is a debate that's been raging in my office.

trouts mom · Jan 25, 2007

Originally Posted by Bella713

Misspellings is what would bother me.

I wouldn't care in this case your referring to.

jennyr · Jan 25, 2007

Email etiquette is still being established on all sorts of levels. It would bother the hell out of me to have that in a proper letter, but in an email, well, I would probably think they were a bit sloppy but accept it. But I don't like that kind of chatty approach much from companies.

pushylady · Jan 25, 2007

Email tends to be much less formal. And certain contractions sound better to me than others. It's the spelling mistakes, poor grammar and lack of capitalisation that bug me.

hilda>^..^< · Jan 25, 2007

True, emails have made everything much less formal so it wouldn't bother me so much. Now if you got an actual letter from them in your mail, then it would be different. However, it would be the typos that would bother me...especially with all the 'spellcheck'-ing that is available! Geeze!

Hilda >^..^<

arlyn · Jan 25, 2007

I don't believe email is considered formal, therefore, I would not be put off.
I would, however, not like to see this on official letterhead correspondance or legal documents.

emily_325 · Jan 25, 2007

It might make me raise an eyebrow, but I realize that a lot of people do not realize that that is not proper business communication.

If you think THAT's bad, check out the response email I got from the company that sold me my piece of crap cat tree:

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...1&postcount=44

I was embarassed for the woman that sent it!

lookingglass · Jan 25, 2007

Originally Posted by emily_325

It might make me raise an eyebrow, but I realize that a lot of people do not realize that that is not proper business communication.

If you think THAT's bad, check out the response email I got from the company that sold me my piece of crap cat tree:

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...1&postcount=44

I was embarassed for the woman that sent it!

That responce was just crazy!

arlyn · Jan 25, 2007

Originally Posted by emily_325

It might make me raise an eyebrow, but I realize that a lot of people do not realize that that is not proper business communication.

If you think THAT's bad, check out the response email I got from the company that sold me my piece of crap cat tree:

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...1&postcount=44

I was embarassed for the woman that sent it!

In your case, I think the woman is probably not a native English speaker, at least that's the impression I got from reading her email to you.

How would you feel?

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