How many times have you sent a message to someone and ZAP, this comes back: "I am currently out of the office for the remainder of this week. If you need immediate assistance in my absence, you may contact Jane Doe at . . . Blah blah blah

Automatic responses like that make them sound just that – – – blah. First of all, they should kill stilted phrases like "remainder of the week," "immediate assistance," "to insure prompt action" and "in my absence." Who talks like that? And, horrors, "This is an automatically generated response." That adds insult (of your intelligence) to injury.

So, next time you'll be out of the office, try something like, "I'm sorry I couldn't receive your message. I won't be here the rest of the week but, if you need anything in a hurry while I'm away, Jane will be happy to help you." After you let them know how to contact Jane, end on a friendly note, perhaps: "I look forward to responding to you when I return."

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