lack of signature lines on work emails

[CivicFan]

I've been reading Sarah Palin's emails when she was the governor and the lack of signature lines on her and others' emails is maddening.

Throughout my career I have come across this situation a number of times. Organizations do not have a policy about this and it's left to the whim of the employees to put signature lines if they have the computer skills to do so. Some people will go as low as using some fancy font.

Argh.

 

[Tempest]

It's a good think I don't e-mail with you!

 

[wallyuwl]

So the 14 line email signature is a good thing?

 

[CivicFan]

Six lines would suffice in most cases:

Name
title, organization
street address
city, state zip
telephone, fax
company website, sender's email

 

[rationull]

Originally Posted By: Tempest
It's a good think I don't e-mail with you!

Same here

I don't have a sig set on my work email, and it has nothing to do with having the computer skills to do it. It's just not that useful for me since most of my emails are all internal anyway. I can see it being useful in some situations, but I just tend to put in whatever information I think needs to be there based on context.

 

[123Saab]

Originally Posted By: CivicFan
I've been reading Sarah Palin's emails when she was the governor

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: CivicFan
Six lines would suffice in most cases:

Name
title, organization
street address
city, state zip
telephone, fax
company website, sender's email

Few more lines will be better:

Home Address

Home Phone

Credit card account number, expiration date and 3-digit VCC code.

Bank account number

 

[scurvy]

Originally Posted By: CivicFan
the lack of signature lines on her and others' emails is maddening.

Most clients are set up to not append a signature when replying. Other than that I really think having a signature is a personal thing and not at all required. Especially if someone has emailed me, they already have the best venue to contact me.

Originally Posted By: CivicFan
Six lines would suffice in most cases

IMO you're about twice as long as you should be.

Full name, title
Company, street address
Telephone number(s)

They already know your email address (because you emailed them) so there's no need to include that. The company's website isn't your contact details so that shouldn't get included. And fax machine number... really, you're already using email. Don't resort to the '70s. And the screen is typically much wider than your sig, don't be afraid to put multiple things on each line. This style makes me insane:

J. Random Fluffernutter
HejazCo International
(a wholly owned subsidiary of MegloEvilCorp)
Blue Island Sales Office
Lower Cook County Widget Inspection Division
Grand Poobah, Frobnitz Refrobbination Team
209581039582345 West Shebang Street
Rochester, New York
12345-6789
USA
North America
Earth
Solar System
(that stuff orbiting the sun)

Telephone: (123) 456 - 7890 extension Baa baa black sheep have you any wool
Fax: (098) 765 - 4321
Cell: (2534) 2350892344 - 24[578924047812904782p
Alternate Fax: (230589) 1348971-14[38904
Home Office: 2071904825713[57349085
Telex: 20395813489071298347209587190
Car phone: 2578931045739046539057801234957
GPS Coordinates for homing pigeon: 20.95829048,-20.59820318509285
Email Address: [email protected]

SAV AN TREE, DUN PRINT EMAIL UNLESS YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE POINT OF ELECTRONIC MAIL

THIS EMAIL MAY CONTAIN PROPRIETARY OR CONFI ok you get the idea SIX MORE LINES OF WORTHLESS LEGALESE TACKED ON BY THE EMAIL SERVER FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON

Especially when it's in 19 point purple comic sans (or times new roman, even worse), includes the company logo as an inline bitmap and the Mr. Fluffernutter put the entire message in the subject line.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: scurvy
And fax machine number... really, you're already using email. Don't resort to the '70s.


Depending on the industry/company, sometimes a fax number is needed. I hate faxing and greatly prefer email, but some of the vendors I deal with are the complete opposite. Some will NOT process a purchase order unless it is placed via fax! It drives me nuts. I have a fax number in my signature simply to satisfy such companies, not because I want to go watch the fax machine flash "please remove unsupport device, "warming up," "near end cartridge life," "processing," "awaiting redial," or any of its other usual [censored].

At the very least, you need your name/title, company/location, and an alternate contact (usually phone). I deal with a lot of different manufacturers, customers, vendors, coworkers, etc. daily. I don't have the time to figure out who someone is who sent me a one line email with no signature. It's much more likely to be deleted or ignored.

My company has locations across the country and we frequently transfer parts from shop to shop. I had one guy who I've never dealt with before request a part transfer from me earlier this week. No signature, no contact info, nothing. All I had was his email and the part number he wanted. It took additional time and back and forth emailing to carry out a very basic day to day task all because he didn't have a signature in his email. Turns out the guy is a manager too.

Long signatures are a little annoying, but not as annoying as no signature.

 

[Cup of Joe]

Originally Posted By: CivicFan
Six lines would suffice in most cases:

Name
title, organization
street address
city, state zip
telephone, fax
company website, sender's email


I leave off the website and email. If you received my email then you have my email address. For internal email everyone should be checking global. Some have a link to a survey in place of a website or email.

Your signature line should read the same as your business card.
Name and title if applicable.
Address
Contact information.

 

[crinkles]

gets really annoyting with internal emails.

joe blow down the corridor whom i've worked with for 10 years don't care what my job title, address or phone is.

 

[Bob Woods]

Doesn't the info in the from block work? it does for me.

 

[PandaBear]

In the age of email with who sent what from the reply quotes, why do we still need signature line other than for decoration reason?

 

[dparm]

Should be no more than four lines (name, title, company, one phone number) on the "initial" message, and just two after that (name and phone). Outlook supports this feature.

 

[Shannow]

A lot of times, printed e-mails are handed down for action and/or filing, so the original e-mail address isn't available to be typed back in on future correspondence.

Mine reads
Quote:
Regards
Name
Position Title (oft important in contractual stuff)
Phone a), b), mobile
Fax - many forms and quotes have to be faxed back
e-mail addy - contains company name anyway.

 

[crinkles]

I make a point of not including my mobile # on my signature!

 

[Cup of Joe]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
A lot of times, printed e-mails are handed down for action and/or filing, so the original e-mail address isn't available to be typed back in on future correspondence.

Mine reads
Quote:
Regards
Name
Position Title (oft important in contractual stuff)
Phone a), b), mobile
Fax - many forms and quotes have to be faxed back
e-mail addy - contains company name anyway.


Bingo!

Allot of mine are printed and filed along with contracts.