Why Microsoft Outlook’s Scheduling Assistant Is A Great Work Productivity Tool – SlashGear

The ability to set an out-of-office message or any other type of automated response to emails coming into your inbox helps streamline productivity and increase workplace transparency among staff members. Setting an out-of-office message isn’t a new concept. Businesses have been deploying this measure for years, and virtually every consumer on the planet has received one while trying to get in touch with someone in the business world.

The ubiquity of the out-of-office auto-reply reveals its utility. While it might be a small annoyance as a customer or client to receive this response immediately after asking an important question or sending follow-up details for an order, complaint, or otherwise, the value is really found internally. When teammates go on vacation, workplace responsibilities can fall through the cracks with ease. One employee who takes care of a certain client’s needs or a subset of the team’s customer requirements can leave an automatic reply that tells clients and other team members how long they will be out and who to contact in the meantime for assistance (via Linkedin).

This feature allows others to understand a treasure trove of information about how to get their issue or requirement resolved without having to wait for the specific person to return. This is also particularly valuable for managing important client accounts. Without an auto-reply, you might inadvertently keep someone waiting for information, leading them to search elsewhere for the service.