Have A Great Out of Office Message (UNLESS YOUR COMPANY HAS NO SENSE of PROFESSIONAL HUMOR)

Hi!

You have almost reached Everet.

Thanks for your email. While I know it is inconvenient – I do need to let you know I am not available to answer your emails until July 22nd.

Why?

I've heard tales of places with five foot high mice, giant dogs, and ducks that speak. After years of hearing these tales I'm off to see if they are true (I'm going to Disneyland).

I'm a client and I need to talk to you!
As you know my clients are my priority and I appreciate you to the ends of the world! If you are one of my clients and need immediate help, please contact A---- H---, Director of Career Services, 444-555-1212 or myboss@whereIwork.edu

I'm a student and I need help!
Please see above or wait until I get back. Remember A---- will be busier than normal without me, so don't run into the office screaming and yelling for her because she may be talking to someone else at the same time. Bringing cookies would be a nice touch and a good way to start your conversation.

What is the realistic expectation for a response while you are gone?
None. I understand these giant mice, ducks, and dogs are shy.
I don't want to spook them with beeps and dings from my phone going off while searching for them.

Isn't it going to be weird being unplugged in this digital world?
Yes. Good thing I have several years of practice.

I really do appreciate the time you took to email me. I will respond as quickly as possible. Remember that Outlook only sends an out of office response once – so if you will need this contact information please save it to a document.

Thank you!
Everet

The above was my out of office email for a vacation period at a former employer
(have-great-out-of-office-email-message proof-clever-outbound-messages-do-work).
There was never an issue with the same message for other vacations.
In fact co-workers and clients LOVED it.
It made them WANT TO CALL ME BACK and they told me so.

When I came back from vacation I changed my message back to my usual:

Hi!

You have almost reached Everet.

Thanks for your email. While I know it is inconvenient – I do need to let you know I am not available to answer your emails until (date).

I'm a client and I need to talk to you!

As you know my clients are my priority and I appreciate you to the ends of the world! If you are one of my clients and need immediate help, please contact A---- H---, Director of Career Services, 444-555-1212 or myboss@whereIwork.edu

I'm a student and I need help!
Please see above or wait until I get back. Remember A---- will be busier than normal without me, so don't run into the office screaming and yelling for her because she may be talking to someone else at the same time. Bringing cookies would be a nice touch and a good way to start your conversation. I really do appreciate the time you took to email me. I will respond as quickly as possible. Remember that Outlook only sends an out of office response once – so if you will need this contact information please save it to a document.

Thank you!
Everet
 
Clients appreciated my personalization and humor!
All was right with the world until...a new director was hired.
After a few months on the job, suddenly the director tells me that "someone at corporate has a problem with my email message." I asked who it was and if I can hear it straight from them. The director never came clean with the answer.
My opinion is that no one at corporate had an issue with my message, the new director did.
Rather than ask WHY my message was the way it was and what response it provided, the director just wanted it changed to the same boring message everyone has.
Managers be straight with your people. If you like or hate something say so, don't invent imaginary people and reasons and hide behind them. Your employees may or may not like you for it, but they'll respect you because they will know where they stand.

Eventually I changed my message to the one below:

Stop! Please read this message.
Thanks for your email.

As of ---------,----- Everet is no longer working at --- -------.

I'm a client and I need to talk to you!
As you know my clients are my priority and I appreciate you to the ends of the world! If you are one of my clients and need immediate help, please contact G---- H-----, Director of Career Services, 414-555-1212 or person@forprofitcollege.edu

I'm a student and I need help!
Please see above. Remember G---- will be busier than normal without me, so don't run into the office screaming and yelling for her because she may be talking to someone else at the same time. Bringing cookies would be a nice touch and a good way to start your conversation.

I really do appreciate the time you took to work with me over the years. Remember that Outlook only sends an out of office response once – so if you will need this contact information please save it to a document.

The new director's opinion on my message wasn't  what made me leave, but it was a sign that the culture had changed. Clients love to work with real people. People who are honest to them and themselves.

I have an extrovert personality and wear my heart on my sleeve.

By reading this blog you know I like to have fun and present things in an interesting way with a sense of humor.

Managers and salespeople be yourself.
If you are being told you shouldn't be and it is the core of who you are as a person, maybe look for another home.
Managers when you have someone who is performing and a great fit for the company, maybe pick your battles and put aside what you might not like and let that person keep doing what they are doing (as long of course as it is legal, ethical, and doesn't harm the company). It saves a lot of time and money rather than having to advertise, search, and hire someone else and get them up to speed.

Thanks for reading and listening to my out of office message all these years!
Ev
A Heck of A Nice Guy