Without it requests seem cold, demanding, rude, disrespectful. Friends and clients do notice! So please say “please”!
I cringe when folks ask me to go out of my way for them while failing to utter “please” somewhere along the line. Am I their servant? No! Say “please”! And most definitely say “thank you” if I decide to still help you. Especially when “please” was never used.
They say you teach people to how to treat you. But do we really have to teach adults to say “please”? Didn’t we learn this while growing up? Was it that long ago that we’ve forgotten? Don’t we even teach our own children “please” and “thank you”? So please all requesters out there say “please” when asking another to help you! Particularly if it’s a last minute request. Particularly if it will really take them out of their way. Particularly if you really want their help!
Particularly in emails! Particularly in text messages!
Email etiquette: you definitely have to include “please” and “thank you” in an email.
Text etiquette: Same thing. Very important. The receiver of your request can’t read your tone or understand the context of your situation. Without “please” and “thank you”, you just sound blunt and rude. Even if you didn’t mean to.
Let’s compare:
Incoming text asking you to work last minute:
“Can you work tonight” (ummm I think I don’t want to)
“Please can you work tonight?” or “Can you work tonight please?” (ummmm ok I will…)
People who you communicate with, be they friends, clients, or relatives, deserve to feel valued and respected. If they don’t you may find your requests denied or even unanswered. Friendships may go south and clients will definitely move on to another business.
Review how you speak with friends, clients and employees. Adding “please” cannot possibly be too much trouble. If it is then that’s your prerogative but don’t be surprised when you lose clients and friends. Unfortunately many of your relatives will have to just put up with you. But perhaps you learned your rudeness from them and they will not notice anyway?
This last few months I have communicated with several representatives of a business who failed to include “please” in their written communication. The result is a decreasing sense of respect toward this business on my part. Very sad because I had held them in very high regard previously. Will I end my relationship with this business? It is a possibility. Their loss. I feel disrespected. I don’t want to pay to be disrespected! And guess what they are not the only business in town!
Business 101: don’t disrespect the clients who have invested a lot of their hard earned dollars in your venture. Their dollars can stop coming your way at any moment.
So remember the magic word ~ PLEASE!
microyogi 