Stowe Boyd's post about instant messaging etiquette struck a nerve with me. I use IM quite a bit with my clients, or I have in the past. Unfortunately, most clients have seen this as a way to contact me at any time (regardless of what I say my status is) and get angry when I'm not available.
These are ways to mis-use instant messages courtesy of Anne Zelenka:
Disregard any presence indicators your colleagues use such as busy or away.
Clients know I am usually in front of my computer all day. I use messages like "Not available", "On a Phone Call", and "Away" when I need to concentrate on what I am doing. During this time I do not respond to IMs. A certain few of my clients will telephone me if I don't respond to an IM right away. While I love to talk to clients, much of what I do requires undivided attention - remember, the project you are interrupting could be yours!
Never check whether a person has time to chat. If he’s online and reachable, he’s all yours!
Just a simple line: do you have time to chat? If I don't, please don't get offended - I always offer a time that we can get together online or on the phone to chat.
Don’t set your own presence indicators when you’re busy or away from the computer.
Hey, sometimes I forget to set my indicator. If I don't answer, don't have a fit. As Stowe says: "...IMs can always be ignored, so people shouldn't get their feelings hurt if someone theoretically available really isn't, or doesn't want to be."
Expect that IM conversations will always be like phone conversations, with a definite goodbye at the end. But when you do pause, expect instantaneous replies.
IM in the business world is intended for brief, need to know, information. When you find out what you need to know - go away.
