3 Reasons to Turn Off Your Generic Email Auto-Response

Emily Williams
Published: 06/26/2012
Posted by: RET Staff

Those of you who turn on a temporary auto-response when you're on vacation, one that alerts recipients to your absence and directs them to an alternative resource – I'm not talking to you. I AM talking to those of you who have a generic email auto-response at all times. You know, the kind that goes out whenever you receive an email and says something like, "Thanks for your email! I'll get back to you as soon as I'm able."

If you fall into the latter category, I have something very important to say: it's probably time to turn it off. I recommend this not out of selfish reasons, but for your own good. "Why?" you might ask. Great question; I'll tell you.

1) Your email auto-response serves absolutely no purpose.
What purpose is that generic auto-response serving? Does it address the sender's question/request/etc.? Does it provide anything of value at all (short of telling the sender that you now have email in your inbox)? Nope. It's just annoying, which brings us to my second point.