DXBtoDOH

What are your standard salutations / openings?

Hello XXXX? Dear XXXX? Hi? Yo mate?

As for closings? Which is it?

I've just realised I despise 'kind regards' as a closing. There's something daft about it. 'Kind' in an email to someone you don't know and have never met?

On the other hand, sincerely seems fussy and old fashioned and overly formal, while 'thank you / thanks' is juvenile and let's not even get into that absolutely awful 'thank you in advance' that's too often employed these days.

What's the best closing if you really want to say 'piss off'?

jam25mack

In work for me its 'Hi' for a colleague I know.... or to someone who I am wanting something from.... otherwise its just their first name.

Sign off as 'Regards'. As for 'Thanks in advance', I do very occasionally if I am asking a favour of someone.

For non work it could be 'Ho, Sup, Yo, Oy' or many others!

al dente

For unknown prof:
Dear Sir/ Madam
Yours faithfully

For formal person:
Dear xxx
Yours sincerely/ Regards

Colleague:
Hi
Regards/ Best

Mate:
Hola/ yo
Much love/ speak soon/ my initial with an x

IKnowNothing

Best,

IKnowNothing

scrubbedexpat141

Hi or just first name,

'Thanks' if asked for something
'Kind Regards' otherwise.

If I want to say piss off - I just put nothing. I just finish the sentence and hit send....They know.

DXBtoDOH

Yeah.....good strategy. No closings says much in the right context.

scrubbedexpat141

But it's out of 'character' for my emails, which makes the point firmer I think.

I have

Other option is, when pissed off:

Big_Show

Had this discussion with some friends back home the other day - turns out we all use "Kind regards" when we want to say "***** you and your entire family" but don't want to get fired...

Bahtatboy

Although I usually do "Best regards", and if it's a close-enough colleague I may go with "Hi / Cheers".


Best what? I find that inane.

Meow

I've always thought that it doesn't make sense. As you say, best what?

Kind regards

Meow

IKnowNothing

Oh but it means so much, depending on the content of the email, both positive and negative. If the recipient can't get it, mor fool them.

Best,

IKN

Pulaski

This^, in most cases, except I don't use "kind".

For a friend I might conclude "Take care,".

livinginnyc

I used to use "kind regards" all the time before someone mentioned this to me, so I switched to a mix of -

- Best,
- Best wishes,
- You're a star (if someone did something good),
- Lets discuss (if someone did something bad),
- Sincerely or no sign-off (F YOU),

For starting an email -

Hi/Hello.etc .etc (emailing a boss/someone I'm not familiar with),
Team: (group email to my team. Bit pretentious).
Straight into the message no welcome (someone I know/carrying on a conversation).

Starting an email with <firstname>, I've always seen as slightly cold and/or wanting to convey authority, so I typically only use it if i've been upset with the recipient, even if they may not know that.

Millhouse

I love all the passive aggression. reader probably doesn't even notice in this region.

I've taken on the Arab way when it comes to emails and I try to avoid them at all cost. They should only be used for 1) distributing information, 2) covering your arse, or 3) thank yous

As such ... I'm almost always a Hi ..Cheers.

I never expect a reply to emails and nor do I want them usually given the sole purposes I use them for.


Edit - I also try not to read them outside of hours - afterall no one ever sends good news by email. If there is a problem that needs more immediate solving then WhatsApp or the phone is the way. Emails requiring a respons can wait until the next day. It's a very hard discipline to enforce and I'm not perfect at it... But improving.

scrubbedexpat141

Good point, I sometimes drop the Kind, but not normally.

I turn mine off sometimes - easily done on the iphone and bliss really. Problem is (like you) on a Friday so much of my work is still happening.

But as you say, if it's important they can ring or text. I wouldn't respond to anyone outside the organisation on whatsapp.
Also - what is it with people using Linkedin as a tool to contact you? Get to ****. You've emailed me before, just because I haven't replied don't send me a message on Linkedin - which do you think I look at more?