The secrets of the email....

[eighthobstruction]

Having just had an exchange with a couple of institutions, I was lead to analyse the email as a thing that can; by its character, be easily ignored and remain secret from those in authority. Having phoned and emailed a general email address of the institution, and got no answer from anyone who had any pro-action or authority, I took to writing letters addressed to people in higher authority- whereas I had failed to get their email address'. Only then did I begin to get some movement by the project manager.
Once a letter would arrive, be read and left open on a desk , or be held up "does anyone know anything about this", or be seen by a passing senior manager, questions asked ref action etc. The letter even if filed away was open to public office scrutiny, and might be stumbled upon. Whereas the email remains secret locked in a micro chip, blocked from office public scrutiny. easily forgotten, easily hidden, easy to ignore....

[Richard Tarleton]

You're right, a letter can be much more effective. But not in green ink, there's a special pile for those.....

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I agree. On receipt of a letter, someone has to make an effort.
However, these can be ignored too, in which case, I send a second letter on A3 paper. That usually does the trick.

[Cockney Sparrow]

.......a second letter on A3 paper. That usually does the trick.

In all my years as a bureaucrat and dealing with them as a customer, I'd never come across this - brilliant! (I did once send Readers Digest a brick, using their prepaid postage label, to get them to take me off their mailing list...)

[Nick Armstrong]

n all my years as a bureaucrat and dealing with them as a customer, I'd never come across this - brilliant! (I did once send Readers Digest a brick, using their prepaid postage label, to get them to take me off their mailing list...)

Love the brick gambit.... but what's the advantage of the A3 follow-up letter... Just to attract attention?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Love the brick gambit.... but what's the advantage of the A3 follow-up letter... Just to attract attention?

Just to attract attention!

And I love the brick idea too.

[french frank]

Certainly true in my experience: an email goes to one specific person. It may even be fielded by a PA or 'correspondence manager' so that it doesn't actually get read by the person to whom it's been sent. If they are of sufficiently low status to access their own emails it won't be read by anyone who really counts at all; and may just be handed down to someone even lower in the hierarchy.

All this, of course, is with a certain kind of email - the kind that is a nuisance to them where their only goal is to outwit you or tire you out ...

Letters are always better, though sometimes only marginally.

[Serial_Apologist]

IME emails are better than phone calls for getting the council to eg repair a street light or collect unwanteds.

[eighthobstruction]

Ah yes, but when WE send an email we attempt to enlighten the world not just SE London....<teese>

[french frank]

IME emails are better than phone calls for getting the council to eg repair a street light or collect unwanteds.

Presumably the council has set up a website where some of the problems can be reported? I've used Bristol's website twice recently and, without knowing the exact time that my notification was dealt with, I do know that it was some time within 24 hours - and an acknowledgement gave a precise time (e.g. 11.12pm) by which it would be done - but I didn't go purposely to check

[Serial_Apologist]

Ah yes, but when WE send an email we attempt to enlighten the world not just SE London....<teese>

You don't really think I'm that modest, do you???

[Serial_Apologist]

Presumably the council has set up a website where some of the problems can be reported? I've used Bristol's website twice recently and, without knowing the exact time that my notification was dealt with, I do know that it was some time within 24 hours - and an acknowledgement gave a precise time (e.g. 11.12pm) by which it would be done - but I didn't go purposely to check

That's right for here too, more-or-less; it's usually a stated day, though sometimes Southwark council do phone me up with details as to day and time of collection, for instance.

(Off-topic but I hope everyone looking in on here is sharing our good news of a further non-increase in Council Tax. Third year running here, I think!)

[jean]

(I don't think that's good news at all.)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

(I don't think that's good news at all.)

It's very good news for the selfish and uncaring.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

and those with no dosh eh .....