Ever send someone an email and get a canned reply saying they aren’t there? I receive these quite often, but I don’t understand why the response time is so inconsistent. Presumably, you configure your email program to send the response automatically whenever an email comes in during the period you’re out. If the whole thing […]

Here are some of the dumbest places that a manufacturer or repair center can place a sticker: – Directly on the screen, so they can spoil the elegant user interface by making you view it through a layer of sticky residue. – Right on the battery cover or access door and stretching onto the neighboring […]

Whenever I talk to someone who has only been speaking English for a few years, I’m pleasantly surprised at how clearly they communicate. Sure, they’re often self-conscious about their speech, but their limited knowledge of fancy words and sentence structure tends to make them very easy to understand. I think this phenomenon has useful implications […]

It’s nice that many companies have created programs to benefit non-profits, such as matching the donations made by their employees or holding events where the proceeds go to charity. But sometimes the fundraising tactics can get out of hand. Here’s a few signs that you’ve gone too far: – You added a line to your […]

On the average, I would say that writing a truly clear document takes 2-4 times as long as making a mediocre one. In other words, the difference between “good enough” and “really great” is 100% to 300% more time invested. Is it worth it? I think so. But when I think about the crap that […]

I write a lot of blog posts on my BlackBerry, which works out pretty well. WordPress provides a mobile site with the basic posting features, although you can’t do stuff like edit old posts or retrieve a draft. Given the limited intent of the mobile version, that’s fine with me. But one thing drives me […]

1.) “Thanks for taking the time to report this problem” (even if you already knew about it) 2.) “We’ll look into the issue and will give you a status update within two days” (so they know when to expect a response) 3.) “A few other customers told us about the problem, but it’s helpful to […]

A friend of mine works in the TV industry. He recently applied for a job at a new station, and they said he was their top choice for the opening, with a final decision to be made in a few weeks. Each time he spoke to them prior to the decision date, they confirmed that […]