Badly written business emails. Infuriating!

[twelveyeargap]

Following on from the thread about teachers making spelling and grammar mistakes; does anyone else get infuriated when they receive a badly written business email? I find it so unprofessional that I feel like not answering. My DH got this from our mortgage broker today.

Dear Mr Twelveyeargap

I trust that you are well.

I have bene trying to get on touch with X (male) at the solicitors to obtain an update on the progress of your purhcase, but have had to leave numerous messages for her and have yet to receive a response.

Please can I kindly ask you to pop me a quick email/call to confirm if any dates have been set for exchange of contracts and completion?

Many thanks and kidn regards

X (first name only, despite us having never met the person)

Frankly, I'm offended. I don't think people should be allowed to get away with that sort of sloppiness in business. That aside, it's not our solicitors job to chase for the broker; his duty is to us and the opposite solicitor so her entire email is moot. PLUS, the brokers have already been told that the vendor is on holiday until Dec 1st.

Am I too pedantic?

That's crap! Never mind all the spelling mistakes - they've clearly split their infinitives!!

Seriously, that is absolute rubbish. Could their work experience/schoolie done this for them and sent it without having it checked by a manager?

It's down to the fact that people are responsible for their own creations, rather than going thru' an admin dept. To be honest, I cringe when I see some of the e-mails sent from this office, but a fast response seems to be more important today, than the quality of the response.

But then I'm an old fusspot!

Doubt it would have been an intern, as it was sent via email. I've had a typed letter from this person before "introducing herself", but it looked like a standard letter. The letter may also have been typed by a secretary who actually knew how to write business correspondance or fear for his/ her job.

I honestly feel like sending these things to senior managers at the company and asking if they think it's acceptable.

Agree with fairyjay. Work for a govt dept, typists all "let go" a few years ago and now all staff are responsible for typing own letters to the public. I cringe at some of the stuff I have seen sent out.

It's part of my job to re-type "draft" letters some of the staff have done. Some of them are jaw droppingly bad

"You was supposd to return that form but you never did"

Translated

"We do not appear to have received your form"

Glad to see admin staff are appreciated! I am a "team support" person or whatever they call me here. I am the only person on the entire desk of 35 who knows how to lay out a business letter. People send me word documents by email and say, "Please print on headed paper." I have to change it all before I print because it's so embarrassing. Some people have even asked me to change things back, like "Oh no, I had the date ABOVE the address" and don't know when to use "yours faithfully" or "yours sincerely". I just end up saying "Oh this company has a standard format I'm supposed to use" or similar so as not to offend.

This is one of the things I am adamant my two teenagers will get to grips with. It is a basic requirement to know how to compile a decent letter, including grammar and spelling.