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Back when I started we didn't have email templates for everything | Anonymous Work Confessions - Rigidtalk

Back when I started we didn't have email templates for everything

I've been doing freelance graphic design for about 15 years now... and the thing that keeps getting on my nerves is how people format their work emails. Everyone these days writes like they're sending a text to their friend. No greeting, no signature, just "hey can you make this logo bigger" with zero context. I had a client last Tuesday send me a request that was literally just three words and an attachment. I remember when I first started, people would write out full sentences and say please. It's not about being old fashioned... it's about not having to play 20 questions just to figure out what someone actually wants. Has anyone else noticed this shift with how clients communicate?

2 comments

2 Comments

wren2172mo ago

Oh man, "hey can you make this logo bigger" hit way too close to home. I've noticed this same thing bleeding into everyday life too, not just work stuff. Like when I'm at the grocery store and people are on their phones while checking out, barely grunting at the cashier. Or how people will send a friend a blurry photo with zero explanation and expect you to know what they're talking about. It feels like everyone's in such a hurry that basic politeness and context just got thrown out the window. I get that we're all busy but a simple "hello" and a clear sentence takes like five extra seconds. It's not about being old school, it's about not making the other person do all the heavy lifting in figuring out what you mean.

hugos672mo ago

You're totally right about that grocery store thing, I had a guy last week just hold up his phone screen at me with a picture of a cereal box and grunt, like I was supposed to read his mind and fetch it for him. The extra five seconds to type out "which one do you want" would have saved us both the awkward staring contest we had for a solid minute. Simple words and a little context just makes everything smoother for everyone involved, that's all I'm saying.