6 Must-Follow Business Texting Etiquette Practices

As technology continues to play a bigger role in our careers, it’s important to stay up to date with trending modern tech solutions. Business texting etiquette can be tricky to navigate, but you can excel at it as long as you respect boundaries and understand proper texting etiquette.

Here are six common business texting etiquette practices to do (and not do) for ultimate success in the workplace.

Business Texting Etiquette Tip #1: Do – Respect Employee Boundaries

Holidays are a time for rest, relaxation, and precious time with family. The last thing employees want is to be pestered with work during their earned vacation time. Unless it’s an emergency, don’t message your coworkers if they’re not on shift. Also, be mindful of people’s religious practices and the boundaries they set.

Weekends and off-hours should also remain work-free. Establishing that boundary can help boost worker morale and diminish stress. You can always send a “Have a Good Weekend!” text, but it should never be too long after work has ended.

Business Texting Etiquette Tip #2: Do – Text in A Professional Manner

Regardless of your in-office culture and relationship with coworkers, you should always stay professional when communicating via text. Be sure to not use nicknames or abbreviations like “np” for no problem. Fully spell out the word you intend to say to avoid confusion. The key is to use vocabulary that is easily understandable. Use your office phone line wisely, and don’t text anything you wouldn’t say in front of the CEO.

Business Texting Etiquette Tip #3: Do – Be Mindful of Your Tone

A big hurdle to overcome when texting is establishing your tone. The way we talk does not always transfer the same way over text. Some messages that are meant to be constructive criticism can come off as condescending, full of blame, and add unwelcomed stress to employees. This can happen without intention and harm relationships with coworkers.

A tip to mediate this is to write out your feelings with words before diving into the issue that needs addressing. It’s crucial to remember that start a texting conversation with blunt anger is never productive. Instead you should always ease into a constructive reprimand or conversation as the preferred method of providing feedback. Adding an exclamation point or emoji, when appropriate, can help express the mood you intend to give off through texting.

Business Texting Etiquette Tip #3: Don’t – Cling to Texting to Avoid Phone Calls

It may sound silly, but there is a socio-cultural distinction between texting and phone calls. Some of these rules remain unspoken and just mutually understood. For serious conversations, we know it’s probably best to utilize the call feature for real-time conversation. Texting, although it has many advantages, may limit the dialogue between both parties. For lighter conversation or small task delegating, texting is appropriate. Picking up the phone and making a phone call isn’t as common (or as necessary), but certain situations still require a ring.

Business Texting Etiquette Tip #4: Don’t  –  Text Large Files

Texting can do a lot of good when it comes to connecting employees and bosses. Quick and easy messages are best for texting. For objectives that require sharing documents or large-scale work, we recommend using email for communication. Sending one or two photos can be done via text, but full photosets are best sent over desktop. Knowing when to use your mobile device vs. desk device can save you from experiencing a headache.

Business Texting Etiquette Tip #5: Don’t  –  Change Appointment/Meeting Times Over Text

Traditionally, Zoom meetings and appointments are scheduled by both parties through email. Agreeing upon a time can prove difficult, so having an email thread is a responsible route to take when planning to conduct business over the internet. While texting is great at passing along quick information, we find it best to keep scheduling in the email. Adjusting meeting times requires sharing information with multiple people from different companies simultaneously, which is a task email can do more easily. Reserve texting for more individual or casual messages.

To learn more about TextNEXT, VoiceNEXT’s business SMS solution, contact VoiceNEXT online today.