Discussion on:

How consultants can stay sane in an IM-crazed world

Ken,
Ken,
Thank you for taking the time to sum up the various issues that come up with IM happy clients. I agree completely with your tips and underlying premise.

Here's my .05 on the unsolicited voice call conundrum: At SJN Sales, our policy is to take any incoming client IM, or email for that matter, as a request for communication. In that light, we make phone calls, reply via email, or (for me rarely) reply by IM, assuming that the client is inviting a response and that it is up to the recipient what communications method will allow us to best serve the client. For the occasional client who seems truly IM addicted, I IM that I've left a comprehensive voicemail or email so Mr. IM will know I've responded in a timely fashion, using the method I think best suits the circumstance.

Excellent thread, couldn't agree more. Luckily few of my clients IM me but those who do I IM back. Quite a few use Skype but for clients it seems to be "one off" (e.g. like a conference call) whereas for Partners we use Skype quite frequently. (Although just because Skype SAYS they are "online" they are not necessarily, their computer may be turned on and their Skype logged in but THEY may not actually be there.)

For IMPORTANT messages, believe it or not, I backup to PC and keep the log with full Date and Time, just in case of that bump on the horizon!

Elsewhere, I have to admit I initiate an IM message sometimes for really time critical communications where I believe my Client is IM savy but couldn't give any rules for this, it is just a gut feeling that they will be open to such communications. This however is ONLY ever really for thins like "Hi, hope you are well. I am in town today, any chance to meet at xx pm. Cheers, Keith" or "Hi, running 30 mins late in traffic, be there soon. Hope that is ok. Cheers, Keith".

ALL really critical communications (and certainly any attachments) will ONLY go by email, but yes I will also send an IM saying the email was sent if that is particularly a very time critical or urgent mail/attachments.

Looking forward to more posts.

Cheers -- IM code...

"Aside from the basic etiquette of business IM always initiating a thread with a greeting as opposed to a request, and so on I have found these four tips helpful in keeping communication channels open without letting them get out of control."

Perhaps if I were receiving IMs from outside my organization, I might welcome a greeting. However, when someone within the organization IMs me, I immediately know that he/she wants application support. Rather than waste my time and theirs asking me how I am (they really don't care), I'd prefer that they just launch into the reason for their message (I know full well that they are not making a social call).

Hey Ken! You mention IM etiquette. Perhaps, it would be worthy of a blog?