How to ….. write a polite reminder email

Pietro is a project manager at a major food and beverage company. Last Wednesday Pietro emailed his colleague Ray in the United States requesting him to update the Key Progress Report. Pietro cannot complete the full report without this information and needs a reply ASAP. His colleague hasn't responded yet and Pietro is not sure if the email even got to him. What can Pietro do? 

 
It is likely that you have at some time found yourself in a similar situation; you need to write an email to remind someone who has not answered you that they need to do something. The language you should use to write a polite reminder email should ideally be respectful and assertive.

Be sure to

· specify the response you want, and to include any call to action you expect, such as a phone call or follow-up appointment.

· Consider who you are writing to: is your colleague American or British? Generally Americans prefer direct language, while the British prefer diplomatic language (see article British Communication Styles).

· Include or forward the original      email to the original recipient  and write a suitable subject line: e.g. Polite Reminder: Key Progress Report feedback needed / Please provide your feedback etc.

· Write a soft reminder implicit that you understand that they might be busy. Here you don’t actively demand that they do something immediately, you just ask them when they will be able to do it.

In the section below are some examples, varying in tone and formality, which you can use as a template

Hello Ray,

Have you had time to look into this? Can you let me know when you will be able to do it?

Kind Regards,

Pietro

Hello Ray

I’m just emailing to check you got the Key Progress Report I sent you on the 7th of May. I have to complete the report for the Senior Users and I can’t do that until I receive your feedback. Can you please tell me when you'll be able to look at it for me?

Kind regards,

Pietro

Dear Ray,

I am following up on the email I sent on May 7th regarding your feedback for the the Key Progress Report. I need to send the complete report to the Senior Users by Thursday and would ask you to please reply, confirming the details of the assignment. You can also reach me at 355 631 4671 should you need any help.

Respectfully yours,

Pietro

Dear Ray,

This is with regards to the Key Progress Report email sent 7th May.  We have still not received a response from you. Please send us the desired data by Monday EOD.

Please let us know if you require any assistance from our end.

Regards,

Pietro