I'm often asked if we need to include 'Thanks and Regards' at the end of our e-mails. One lady wrote to me recently saying:

"As you suggested, I am trying to drop the use of 'Regards' and 'Thank you' at the end of my
e-mails. However, I still receive replies that carry these words. I feel so abrupt, rude and arrogant when I don't respond the same way. Oh I feel so guilty, please help! Do you think my message here is too rigid and abrupt? It looks strange with no 'Dear Mr .....' and no 'Yours sincerely' at the end."

Thank you for your email together with your list of questions. I attach the visit programme and the location map.

We look forward to meeting your team soon.

Rafe'ah

Shirley Says: Don't feel guilty. Your writing is good, but I do feel you need a 'Hello (name)' or 'Hi (name)' at the beginning. This is just for courtesy and it's also good for the recipient to see his/her name in the salutation as it's clarification that the message is to them and it is not just a cc.

Your message is polite and courteous, casual too, so you do not need to say 'Thanks and Regards' at the end. These words are used just as habit by most people. I always suggest to my workshop participants that if they want to say 'Thank you' at the end they should say 'Thank you' for something, ie 'for your understanding', 'for your patience', 'for your help', 'for your co-operation', or whatever - but there doesn't seem much point to me in just saying 'Thank you'.

As for 'Yours sincerely', you certainly don't need this at the end of an e-mail - this is used on letters only. Your message ended with a nice closing sentence and with your name - it's fine! Let's hope more people start dropping the 'Thanks and Regards', and even more annoying, the 'Tnks & Rgds'. Ooooh, now that really does annoy me!!

Thanks to Rafe'ah in Singapore for this question, which is now on the FAQ section on my website. If you have any questions, please write to me at shirley@shirleytaylor.com.

I was talking to Ricky Lien recently and he told me he'd bought a folding bike from Speedmatrix. He'd seen the fabulous bikes at ASSAP 2006 - the Asian Summit for Secretaries and Admin Professionals - so he decided to invest. So if you're around the East Coast Park, and you see Ricky on his bike, do shout out a friendly 'hello'.

Speedmatrix were one of the sponsors of ASSAP 2006 in May, and they did a great demonstration of their folding bikes. If you are called upon to suggest ideas for prizes at your company's Annual Dinner & Dance, why not suggest one of these great bikes? They would surely be a popular prize!

You'll find full details on Speedmatrix website - www.speedmatrix.com.sg - including all the contact numbers.

Many thanks to Elsie Tan for writing to me after last month's newsletter. Elsie said:

"Dear Shirley, Your articles are so lively and wonderful. I love reading them."

Thanks for taking the time to write, Elsie. I love hearing from my readers, so please feel free to give me any feedback or let me know what you'd like to see in Shirley Says.

It's always sad to say goodbye to good friends. Here are David, Annette and their new baby Jeremy, who are leaving Singapore in October. They are heading for a new life in Doha, Qatar, so it will be a new challenge and lots of new experiences for them. I'll miss your smiling faces, and of course Trotsky too!