No Hi

Please don’t say just “Hello”, “Hi” in chat

2020-07-19 10:32:12 you: Hi.
2020-07-19 10:32:15 co-worker: Hello
// Context switching, multiple communications, meeting going on
2020-07-19 10:34:01 you: Do you know how to [...]
2020-07-19 10:35:21 co-worker: [answer]

It’s as if you called someone on the phone and said “Hi” and then put them on hold.

Please do this instead:

2020-07-19 12:32:12 you: Hi. Do you know how to [...]
2020-07-19 12:33:32 co-worker: [answer]

Benefits:

• that you get help minutes sooner.
• you don’t make them wait.
• minimize their context switching.
• minimizes the amount of message notifications on the mobile phone, desktop and so on. You minimize the spam and noise.
• allows you to communicate asynchronously, 1 hr, 1 day later. This is a big benefit while working from home and across the globe.

You’re trying to be polite by not jumping right into the request, like you would do in person or on the phone. But chat app is neither of those things. Typing is much slower than talking. Instead of being polite, you are just making the other person wait for you to phrase your question, which is lost productivity.

The same goes for “Hello — Are you there?”, “Hi Bob — quick question.”, “Do you have a sec ?”, “yt?” and “ping”. Just ask the question!

If you feel it’s sharp to simply say “Hi” and ask the question, you can do something like this:

2020-07-19 10:32:12 you: Hi, if you're not busy I was wondering if I could ask a question.  Do you know how to [...]

If you see that as someone’s status nohello, no-hello, no hello please be aware that you are ignored if you only say “Hello!”, “Hi”