I got an email today.
I read it twice.
Not because it was so interesting.
Because it was so confusing.
And it wasn’t written by a student.
It was written by a successful corporate businesswoman!
How To Write An Email
Let’s turn this lemon into lemonade.
All this week, I’ll cut up this woman’s email and serve it to you in bite-size and tasty (non-vegan) writing lessons.
Sound like fun?
Let’s get started!
The email is below.
Your homework: In one or two sentences, what is this woman trying to say? Help her!
You can click the button below to share your answer on the blog.
And some background information: Her company rents work space. I’m a customer. And her company is bankrupt.
Cheers,
Mr. Vig
In the second half of 2023, (her company) announced its plan to renegotiate substantially all of our global leases to find sustainable economic terms that are more aligned to today’s market conditions. This will enable our business to best serve you, our members, long into the future.
We have made significant progress since we started this process, and we are delighted to announce today that we have officially completed our lease negotiation work in Prague.
We are truly grateful for your patience as we navigated this process, and for your continued trust and loyalty. As we move forward, we remain focused on investing in the spaces and services that you value the most, to ensure we continue delivering best-in-class member experiences.
As always, our Community team and account managers are available to answer any questions you may have. We deeply value each of our members and are thankful that you have chosen to be part of our community. We look forward to building on our relationship with you as (her company) continues to serve as a leading workplace community.
I read your email a couple of times but I couldn’t recognise what we have to do ?
I read twice and I didnt understand too much. Maybe the company changed some conditions regarding to your lease and wanted to inform you about new process…..??? I am really not sure😅
I admit that I have no clue what first 3 paragraphs mean. Ower all, I understand that the company wants to significantly rise your lease (as they always do “globally” – maybe around the globe? ) In the last paragraph they ask you to become a member of their company, simply to prevent them to go bankrupt… 🤔😏😁…or maybe to have some other close relationship with you ???
What a mess, it is not clear. I feel that you can expect increasing fee. Sorry to say that.
My sentences could be the next:
1. The company already announced his plan to renegotiate their global leases according to today’s market conditions.
2. We have finished our lease negotiation work in Prague.
3.We thank you for your patience, trust and loyalty.
4. The members of our team and account managers are available to answer any questions you may have.
I think this letter mean: ” “Dear Customer – Thank you for staying with us during our difficult economic situation. Unfortunately, we need to increase the service fee for offer best service”
But I believe that there was new price list too?
She wanted to inform you/their members that their process in company have made progress and they have completed their lease negotiation work in Prague by sustainable economic plan and conditions, btw which we dont know because she didnt wrote😀 and she hopes that you will be still their member, actaually a customer. 😜
I agree. This is also my opinion.
This email is kind of “beating around the bush” no ?
Hi Mr Vig,
I am surprised that You do not understand this woman, because it is so simple. It is just corporate bullshit, and nothing more.
I’m really exhausted after reading this email
Don’t fall into the trap!!
In Poland it may be called speech grass. Babble.
Sorry, for you Mr. Vig but I think they tried renegotiate the new terms for the contract with you.
Watch out from scams!!!
The Company probable modified its terms of lease, to offer the most contemporary services or similar at affordable price for its customers (members). Sustainable is the second term for most contemporary.
Isn’t this a way to prepare the unsuspecting tenant for a planned rent increase?
Sorry, too demanding.
I don’t understand received email. Dosn’t matter how many times had read. She had infomed about some changes, she would like that you are still stay as the customer.
If the company already have had a bankrupt, then no more cooperation or comunication with the company directly. All steps must be done according to agreement requriments, and might be communication with would appoint insolvency administrator, if applicable or via court.
Try: they have renegociated the contract for the office they rent to MrVig (and others) in Prague. No ideas what the changes are but there will be less services than before (whilst ensuring that everything wil remain the same)
I am not sure what she is talking about.Something about company and improvement.Inviting you to cooperate ????
Reading this email I recognize the Italian writing style !
She is not sorry. Something she’s given you before won’t work anymore. She wants give you something. I do not know what it is.
First: an e-mail should be short.
Second: It is too complicated, as if the author tried to hide the facts (bankrupt) behind the long sentences. They try to convince me, the customer, to stay with them in the future, they promise everything, e.g. they will spend more money on the modernisation of their buildings they rent.
Exactly, I agree with you, Krisztina. It is some kind of “speech art” to say something unpleasant und uncertain wrapped into golden paper.
Hi!” Let’s turn this lemon into lemonade.” It is a metaphor and wisdom: the life brings good and bad. The lemon is sour, not good. If you give some sugar and make lemonade it will be better. Question is, do you know this recipe and take it? All them same in wich life side. Cheers!
This letter is misundersting for me 🙁
Unfortunately, I have no experience reading official emails in English. So… this lemon is too sour (raw) for me. Sounds like I need a lawyer to help me understand.
What she is probably trying to say is: “There were rumors that we are bankrupt and you may lose your money and probably demand a refund. No no no! Do not believe these rumors! We have renegotiated our agreements with big real estate owners and the business is as usual.
That means a disaster. Commercial language to say nothing. Customers be careful. More expensive services , sure, and if you have the possibility dont pay in advance
I read it 3 times and I don’t know what she meant.
It looks as if she is saying goodbye to her client, but at the same time she is writing about good future relationships with clients.
So i do not know.
Or does it only stop renting in Prague?
She’s bankrupt and maybe would like you to become a member…
He does not speak concretely and clearly, to the point. Official sauces…
Excuse me.
I really don’t know.
Dear…
We would like to inform you about the current state of the company and the changes that are planned for the purpose of further development (something like that)
One or two more sentences and the businesswoman is 👍🤩
I think they have very high hopes that you will be able to understand their current difficult situation and continue to be their client, despite the serious economic difficulties in their company.
I think this women is trying to say that she would like to change your lease. And she can tell you a new price.
I think I am not able to help her in english, but starting at the end of email, I understand that business depend from both, customer and farm, so I can help her in this way, she will give me work and I help her to develop business and, of course, I will rent a space in a wework location, what you think?
I have read the email several times and I get the impression that the company has some kind of problem. They talk too vaguely and long about what they did to keep us as customers, but what to expect as customers we don’t know. Most likely this is related to increased fees.
Hi Ryan,
In my opinion she was trying to say:
Hello sir,
for your continued trust and loyalty, we are investing in the spaces and services that you value the most. We will inform your about the step we have planned and you can ask to us many questions you may have.
Thank you for your trust, at the bottom you can find our contacts and more informations about our evolution in the services dedicated for you.
Sincerely, name of the businesswoman
I think the relationship between the firm and the customers have changed and this woman try to explain
In this e-mail, there are mostly only personal pronouns, so it is impossible to understand what it is specifically about.
She wants to thank her loyal customets and let them know about businesd updates
Her company is bankrupt, so how could she write “We remain focused on investing in the spaces”. She can’t spend money investing in her company.
What I understood from the email, is that they (The Company) are renegotiating the values charged for the rent of the spaces, they have also concluded this process in Prague.
They thank you for your patience while they are driving this process and if you have any questions, you can contact them.
For me is an informative email, with a lot of buzzwords and well structured, but with no real “juice” in the information provided. Perhaps they also want to renegotiate with you the value you are paying 🙂