Match cancellation - email etiquette?

Tomm0

Maybe best not read on if you're not interested in petty golfing spats...



I just received this email from my brother, and was wondering what you all thought about the etiquette for notifying your partners if you can't make a game?

Clearly, I'm biased in favour of my brother, but the good thing about the entire thing being on email is that you can judge from the same info as me, as well as the two people involved...

(names changed & email addresses removed to protect the innocent...)



Bro

Just to keep you in the picture, have seriously fallen out with Bill xxxxx.

We had great difficulty fixing up a mixed box match with them and eventually settled on a week last Sunday. On the Thursday or Friday before I emailed them to check what time as that hadn't been confirmed. Bill replied saying they couldn't do it. Quite when he was planning to tell us I don't know, so I was already a bit hacked off.

We then rearranged for yesterday at 6.00, as follows : -


Hi Ade,

Monday is ok ,

see you there 6pm

regards

bill & tania

---

Original Message

---

From: Ade
To: bill
Cc: tania ; Paula
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009 10:52 PM
Subject: Re: Sunday


In a message dated 17/07/2009 09:50:46 GMT Standard Time,
bill:
'sorry, can`t play Sunday, either next Friday or any evening,'

Buggr - we were counting on Sunday as Paula and my diaries don't gell for the next 3 weeks!

We are available as our first choice on Friday 31st, as early in the day as you like, which is peculiar as neither of us like playing mornings.

Our only other option is 6.00 on Monday 20th - should get round ok, but neither of us fantastically keen for that day.

Over to you 2!

Ade


We duly turned up, and when they didn't at 6.15 I rang Tania to find out what was happening. She said she hadn't been well and they had decided she couldn't play, and was profusely apologetic that Bill hadn't let me know.

When we got home, there was an email from Bill timed at 1.15 -

Hi Ade,

not tonight josephine, Tania is not very well so we`ll take another date please,

regards

bill

I wasn't best pleased, and responded

In a message dated 20/07/2009 13:15:37 GMT Standard Time, bill writes:
'not tonight josephine, Toni is not very well so we`ll take another date please,'

A phone call would have been nice

Bill's retort ; -

Hi Ade,

In business here I deal with quite a large amount of correspondence, by phone, text and e-mail.

Current business practice dictates that you would normally reply in the mode that you received, ie if by phone then you would return the call, same by text and e-mail.

Golf colleagues and friends normally text especially with the weather fluctuating.

You sent your e-mail 9-38 am which indicates that you are in busines hours and using e-mail in your daily routine!

I therefore replied at 13.15 which you would have picked up after lunch.

If you are an e-mail part timer it`s not my fault.

I suggest either text, phone or get yourself a blackberry,,,, simple.

LOL

Bill

My turn : -


In a message dated 21/07/2009 08:47:29 GMT Standard Time, bill writes:

'If you are an e-mail part timer it`s not my fault.

I suggest either text, phone or get yourself a blackberry,,,, simple.'

This wasn't business. You are in the wrong and I suggest you apologise - even more simple.

Then buy me beer

Ade

Response : -

No apology necessary, if you feel like that then cancel the match, and remove this mail address from your computer,

bill

My response : -

Done




So, what do you guys think? Is 'Bill' right in effectively saying that you shouldn't arrange a game by email if you may not pick up an on the day cancellation by email?

Cheers

Tomm0

Flan45

Bill sounds like a gob****e to me, when he hadn't received a reply to his email by 3 pm and he has your brothers number the least he could have done was called.

alcon1984

ya Bill sounds like a bit of a penis.

Id be well pissed if I was waiten on the coarse for some1 to show like that.

If I had plans & decided I couldnt make it id make sure to let the other person know the story asap. Id prob txt first & if no reply within an hour or so id ring. Even if you dont get through they will see the missed calls and then the txt.

Myksyk

If you're cancelling a match you have to make sure the person knows, not HOPE that they know. "If you're an email part-timer ..." how thick is that? Seriously.

jampotjim

I love the way it ends... Sounds like a conversation between my 8 year old daughter & her friends...

If it is a official club match say it to the commitee and let them deal with the issue, It has been shown that the match has been canceled on 1 side a few times which should lead to them being booted..

OilBeefHooked2

Quick answer is yes Bill is right.
His email was dated and timed @ 1.15. If you neglected to check your mail then tough and tbh you have no valid reason to be annoyed, he gave you plenty of notice.

Tomm0

Hmmm, 4-1 to 'Ade' so far then. Am quite surprised at the '1' to be honest.

I think the idea that "Current business practice dictates that you would normally reply in the mode that you received" absolutely doesn't apply same day cancellations - what happens if he'd made an appointment by post!?

If he'd been meeting an important client would he have just sent an email?

Many people only check their personal email from their home PCs - the idea that an etiquette has built up around Blackberries and the like, which have only been widely available a couple of years, is laughable.

I should have added that Ade & Bill know each other well. Bill knows that Ade's job takes him to various locations and away from his PC. He almost certainly knew that Ade doesn't own a Blackberry.
Ade was communicating from his personal email address.

Besides, as Ade says, it's not business, it's golf. Surely you'd want to give the guy who's been cancelled on as much time as possible to make other arrangements, maybe find other people to play? You can't possibly expect everyone to always check email within a couple of hours can you?


For what it's worth, my opinion is that Bill cocked up by not following up his email after an hour or two without reply, but hey, everyone cocks up. What amazes me is that after learning that Ade and Paula had turned up (surely the acid test of whether he's succeeded in letting them know!) that he didn't just say 'Really sorry mate, I should've called'.

Oh well.

Don't know what he's going to about the match - I guess it will have to go to committee if Bill doesn't concede. I'll let you know...

soundsham

"current business practice" its a game of golf ffs,like babies the whole lot of ye and that bill seems a right to55er.....imo

why cant ye ring each other or at least text,anyone can be away from their computer,surely ye all carry mobiles.

bugs the sh1t out of me why people who have difficulties playing matchplay games during the week enter the competitions......

Tomm0

jampotjim wrote: »

I love the way it ends... Sounds like a conversation between my 8 year old daughter & her friends...

My Bro's just forwarded me the email exchanges that have continued today - you'd bollock your 8 year old daughter for being immature if she wrote some of the stuff, which is along the lines of "You're bald" - "Yeah well you're fat". Seriously.

It's fantastic. My brother is mid fifties and Bill is apparently around 10 years older. I love it!

ThunderCat

Bills a gobshyte and i've never liked that wife of his!!

"Current business practice suggests........" best line ever. It's also current business practice to draw up legal contracts when engaging in business with another party so whats next? A sworn affidavit from ade and bill saying the day and date of the game?? I thought golf was meant to be a bit of fun and anyway it's bill who is clearly in the wrong. Any futher matches between them should be arranged by a phone call and only a phone call. If one of them cancels, it should be through a phone call, or else a carrier pigeon.:D

Tomm0

ThunderCat wrote: »

Any futher matches between them should be arranged by a phone call and only a phone call.
n.:D

If you'd read the recent emails between them you wouldn't put much money on any further sporting engagements between them.

Unless duelling is classed as a sport?

ThunderCat

Tomm0 wrote: »

If you'd read the recent emails between them you wouldn't put much money on any further sporting engagements between them.

Unless duelling is classed as a sport?

They should have a nearest to the pin contest and the loser is the one who apologies.

To be honest though, if I was your brother I wouldnt be too cut up about it all because Bill doesnt sound like the type of bloke id wanna play golf with anyway.

Myksyk

Golf Duel required. Stand at 150 yards. Choose your club. Two shots each. If neither can hit the other they probably wouldn't have progressed much in the competition anyway.

retiefgoosen!

"You're bald" - "Yeah well you're fat".

Laughing my arse off here.

ThunderCat

Myksyk wrote: »

Golf Duel required. Stand at 150 yards. Choose your club. Two shots each. If neither can hit the other they probably wouldn't have progressed much in the competition anyway.

Is that not the same as trying to hit the ball within 2 feet of the pin from 150 yards?? So if they don't manage to do it they are shyte?? Im in trouble so, it's not often im able to do that!!:)

Tomm0

ThunderCat wrote: »

Is that not the same as trying to hit the ball within 2 feet of the pin from 150 yards?? So if they don't manage to do it they are shyte?? Im in trouble so, it's not often im able to do that!!:)

I'd be in trouble with a putter at 30 feet.

Think I'd better buy a Blackberry before I start entering any tournaments.

Myksyk

ThunderCat wrote: »

Is that not the same as trying to hit the ball within 2 feet of the pin from 150 yards?? So if they don't manage to do it they are shyte?? Im in trouble so, it's not often im able to do that!!:)

No, it's just trying to get it on line from 150. In fact the faster it's going past the 'pin' the better. I will grant it would still be difficult so let's place them in at 75 yards ... or as they're obviously fat and/or bald ... 40 yards!

ThunderCat

Myksyk wrote: »

No, it's just trying to get it on line from 150. In fact the faster it's going past the 'pin' the better. I will grant it would still be difficult so let's place them in at 75 yards ... or as they're obviously fat and/or bald ... 40 yards!

Hahahaha, excellent stuff. Better yet, you could put them in a driving net and they could drive the ball at each other from 5 yards out! Its a bit harsh I know but it's current business practice so I hear.

soundsham

nice club to be joined i'd say with members like this.....:rolleyes:and throws toys from pram

wouldn't you just get your people to speak to my people arrange the time and place and cut out all the hassles pfff!!

f22

Jaysus, it's like being back in primary school again. Embarassing even reading it!

scout353

If these were friends then I'd hate to see how Bill treats his business colleagues!

What a gobsh*te!

Common decency would suggest you would make sure that your message has been received - unless they are living by the first tee!!!!!!!

PeterJamesDoyle

Handbags at the ready.

retiefgoosen!

PeterJamesDoyle wrote: »

Handbags at the ready.

Sometimes my imagination is just evil hehe