So e$-$mail programs can be tricky about the reply all button. The same scenario can play out when texting. You accidently send a message to a group when it was meant for one person OR you send it out to the wrong person.

This can be devastating, embarrassing, and$/$or incriminating when messages fall into the hands of the wrong person or persons. If this happens to an employee in the workplace what should the employee do to mitigate the damage that such a mistake can cause?

Alice hits Reply ALL when responding to the e$-$mail message below. She intended to reply to JUST her friend, Luanne, who was also on the e$-$mail.

Below is the e$-$mail that was initially sent from Alice's boss Marion to all employees.

Good Morning,

It has come to my attention that certain employees have been using the copier excessively. This copier is leased, and has a maximum copy limited each month which we are exceeding by over one thousand copies. Please remember large print orders must be sent to our main office.

If the overuse of the copier does not cease, I will be forced to implement individual user accounts.

Thank you for your cooperation in this manner.

Marion

Office Manager

Alice's response which was met for Luanne ONLY but was distributed to all employees and Marion her boss.

"Give me a break. Seriously, this woman has nothing better to do than worry about how many copies we run a day. She needs to concentrate on sales, advertising, and just plain do her job, and leave mundane things like the copier to her precious assistant. This woman needs to get a life. What a control freak... next she will be monitoring toilet paper use."

Part I $-$ Research and Best Practices $-$ Cite ALL resources

$1.$ Use the Internet to research best practices as when to use Reply ALL and BCC $($Blind Carbon Copy$).$ List a minimum for two best practices

$2.$ Read the e$-$mail exchange above involving an employee, her boss, and other employees in the organization. Research recommendations as to what an employee should do when they accidently send out e$-$mail to unintended recipients. How do you apologize, how do you mend the fences with the one you have offended.

$3.$ Research and list four best practices to use to minimize the likelihood of sending e$-$mails to the wrong recipients.

$4.$ Prepare a written apology to your boss. State what channel you would use to communicate this apology. Post your apology response for classmate review.

Part II $$ Discussion Engagement with your Classmates:

Post your answers to ITEMS $14($above$)$ to the Discussion Forum

Review ALL other student apologies. Critique each of the three apologies and give feedback to each of the students. Address the following in your feedback

Evaluate the content and tone of the message on a scale of $1$ to $5.$ Five being the most effective at defusing the situation and $1$ being the least effective.

State what you liked about the apology.

State what needs to be improved

Comment as to how effective the apology will be at minimizing the negative impact on the working relationship between Alice and Marion her boss.

Proofread and comment on the channel of communication, format, punctuation and grammar