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no hello

Do not send "hello" and wait. Chat is not a phone call; there is no line to establish. Ask the question in the first message.

Exhibit A: the slow way

#dev-team2 members
K
Keith2:15 PM
hi
Y
You2:19 PM
hello?
K
Keithis typing…
Time wasted

Four minutes in, the question itself still has not arrived. Keith's "hello" bought him a context switch and nothing else.

or, the fast way:

Exhibit B: sixty seconds, done

#dev-team2 members
D
Dawn2:15 PM
Hey! Do you know what time the team meeting is today?
Y
You2:16 PM
Yep, it's at 3:30 PM!
Answered in 60s

A complete question gets answered the moment it is read. Had I been away, Dawn's answer would still be waiting for her when I returned, with no second round trip.

Don't open with

  • "Hello"
  • "Hi Taufeeq, quick question"
  • "You got a sec?"
  • "ping"

Lead with the ask

  • "Hey! When's the deadline for X?"
  • "Hi, could you send me the report?"
  • "Quick q: what's the login for Y?"

Same greeting. Same warmth. Just with the question attached.

Inspired by nohello.net