We've got all 5-star reviews on G2 Crowd - here
You go on vacation, the emails pile up at home. We feel your pain. While 82% of us check email while on vacation (wow!), your first day back from vacation shouldn’t be spent sorting through a mountain of email.
80% of us use automated OOO messages - even for one-day vacations! Let’s take a look at why that is...
At their core, OOO replies are a courtesy for those trying to reach you. Especially if you are in customer-facing roles (i.e. Sales or Customer Success), these messages can be critical to winning and retaining business.
In theory, OOOs also allow you to fully unplug from your email, by telling people not to expect a response. You don’t want someone who is trying to reach you to think you’re simply being unresponsive - when you’re lying on a beach, caravaning in Yellowstone, or going to a family reunion. These polite, automated messages bring peace of mind; you know that people who need a reply will either reset expectations or reach one of your colleagues.
However, an OOO message shouldn’t be a crutch. If you are concerned that someone might need you urgently, that might be an indicator of a bigger problem. We should all strive to build teams and processes that run like clockwork when we are away.
Here’s a dirty little secret. SDRs not-so-secretly love getting your OOO in response to an email. It gives them information such as:
When you send an OOO response that includes information about who is covering for you, a classic SDR play is to:
Heck, there are even well-documented tactics that say the best time to email prospects is Thanksgiving week!
Here’s my recommendation, so that you return from vacation to a clean, peaceful inbox:
Wouldn’t it be nice to return from vacation and retain all of those good vacation feelings?