Let me explain...

Like I said, I can't make this stuff up...
Yesterday, a newer one of the brilliant staff approached me to discuss a late order. Her trainer, it seems, told her to email the company telling them they had better get their act together and fix this mess because the customer is "royally pissed off". We're not supposed to use such terrible language in the workplace, so this woman decided to come talk to us instead of emailing, since her trainer was telling her that the point wouldn't come across unless she used that phrase. She was worried someone would take offense and she would be written up for an inappropriate email. I emailed her supervisor about it for her so she wouldn't feel as if she were telling on her trainer. This is what I got in response. "

"Team,

Please make sure that when you are sending emails internally or externally you keep it professional at all times.  We want to make our points but we need to keep it calm with our customers and our internal departments.  Please refrain from bolding text, tons of explanation marks, etc.   If you are not getting the answers you need in a timely fashion or feel like you are getting ignored by other departments, please see me on those and I will address with them and their manager."

I know this sounds like a normal response, but what you may have missed is the fact that she used the word "explanation" instead of "exclamation". I went to her office to alert her privately that her email included a spelling error that may have caused some giggles when it was supposed to be a serious matter. "Hey, you used explanation mark instead of exclamation. I just wanted you to be aware in case anyone brought it up."

"What are you talking about, Pete? It's explanation, like when you have to explain something extra to someone about what you just said. I'll use smaller words for you next time," she laughed.

Now, she said that last part in a joking manner, but this is one of my struggles. How the hell do you even respond to something like that? I just smiled and walked out of her office and wrote this little entry. We all make spelling errors that our spell check won't necessarily catch from time to time, but to back it up like you're very certain of your stupidity is just hilarious. I guess the entire world deals with these types of people and issues, but the lack of intelligence seems to be much more prevalent in my company than others.

Oh well, fantasy football draft tomorrow and again on Sunday!