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Death to 'Reply All'
 

TheKing's picture
O
 
Points)
 on 11/30/12 at 1:30pm
Death to Reply All

We've all been there before.

An Analyst buddy sends a group-wide email. Something about a relevant deal and he wants to be sure that all the MDs know about it. Not to mention, it's almost bonus time and he wants them to know that he knows about it.

"Is he serious with this shit?" you think to yourself. Why not give him a little grief?

So, you shoot off a quick reply. "Way to make me look bad, d*ckhead. Get back to spreading comps."

You chuckle to yourself. Proud of your pithy, yet topical, comment, when suddenly it hits you...

"Oh my God. What I have I done." You hit 'Reply All'

During my three year stint in banking, there were two things that I feared above everything else.

  1. Getting staffed on a "Strategic Alternatives" pitch on a Friday afternoon
  2. Accidentally hitting 'Reply All' on a snarky email to a fellow Analyst

Unfortunately, I had to face Fear #1 on more than one occasion. There's little worse than knowing that you'll have to cancel plans so you can put together a 120 page pitchbook explaining to Boeing why they need to sell a subsidiary, and hire us of course, knowing that there is no chance in hell that it'll ever happen. Literally nothing in banking worse than spending your weekend turning draft after draft of a useless pitchbook.

Hitting 'Reply All' is a close second, and it's something I managed to avoid throughout my entire three years. Looking back, I'm honestly kind of baffled that I never did it. With the sheer amount of email you get every day (make that every hour), you start to fire them off on auto pilot. I had a couple of close calls, but I always managed to check to make sure I didn't hit the dreaded Reply All button when it would've come back to haunt me.

An article last week in Businessweek addresses the 'Reply All' problem. Apparently, email client makers are starting to offer fixes. Microsoft recently released a plugin for Outlook called NoReplyAll, which allows a sender to prevent recipients from responding via 'Reply All'.

A company was founded on the premise that 'Reply All' is a nuisance. Sperry Software, not to be confused with the boat shoe business, sells a simple program that assaults users with an alert every time they hit Reply All to any email. It acts as a failsafe mechanism to prevent any foolish mistakes. And get this, it sells for $14.95 and has allegedly sold hundreds of thousands of copies, making the anti-'Reply All' business a big business to be in.

As I said earlier, I've never made the mistake of hitting Reply All when I shouldn't have, but I heard a story of a third year Analyst who came before me that did and paid for it, big time. He was working on a typical sell-side deal team with an Associate, a VP, and an MD running the show. Over the course of his Analyst stint, he'd become good friends with the Associate, and both of them absolutely hated the VP on the deal. They thought he was completely incompetent and couldn't stand that he didn't seem to do much other than point out the occasional spelling error in a pitch book.

Anyway. The Associate on the deal sends the team an email update about the process. He had been talking to potential buyers of the firm's client and wanted to give a run-down of who looked promising and who was dropping out of the process. The deal was going pretty well and there were a decent number of serious buyers hanging around the hoop. A standard update email for a process that was progressing nicely...until the Analyst wrote a quick reply email. It was short, but brutal. Something along the lines of "Good stuff, let's hope Jimbo [the VP] doesn't f*ck it up for us." As soon as he hit send he realized what he had done and it was too late.

His 'Reply All' mistake cost him big time. His bonus was trimmed and he lost any shot he had at promotion.

Frankly, I felt bad when I heard about it because the VP in question was completely useless and everyone knew it. But that's the way it works when you're at the bottom of the totem pole. If only he had Sperry's Software, he could've avoided the whole thing and might even be a VP by now.

Let that be a lesson to everyone: live in fear of 'Reply All' or pay the consequences.

Check out my WSO Blog
Tags:

Comments

AndyLouis's picture

if you can work in

 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 12:48pm

if you can work in gmail/chrome the undo option is helpful http://support.google.com/mail/bin/answer.py?hl=en...

WSO's COO (Chief Operating Orangutan) | My story | Connect with me on Linkedin.

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Oreos's picture

I am shit scared of Bcc'ing

HF
(Neanderthal, 2,450
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 2:51pm

I am shit scared of Bcc'ing

OMS's picture

i just hit "CTR: + R" so I

PE
(King Kong, 1,886
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 2:56pm

i just hit "CTR: + R" so I never have to use my mouse unless I really do need to Reply All but I'm sure there is a keyboard shortcut for that as well.

rufiolove's picture

OMS: i just hit "CTR: + R" so

IB
(Neanderthal, 3,355
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 3:06pm
OMS:

i just hit "CTR: + R" so I never have to use my mouse unless I really do need to Reply All but I'm sure there is a keyboard shortcut for that as well.

This is what I do as well (I use "Right click button + R" and the shortcut for Reply All is "Rt. Click + L"). I'm still always paranoid about replying to all with the snarky email. That's why I try not to use it at all. If I am going to write a snarky email I try to compose one from scratch and then add recipients post facto...

1/2 of the WSO Bash Brothers
"Licensed to Ill It"
We all know Bro J did it...

Oreos's picture

to be fair, you're rarely

HF
(Neanderthal, 2,450
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 3:10pm

to be fair, you're rarely gunna reply back a cuntish email to the guy who sent it out to start with, hence, editing of recipients is a prerequisite

IBDTed's picture

Reply all shortcut is Ctrl +

ST
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 3:19pm

Reply all shortcut is Ctrl + Shift + R

Ron Paul's picture

wait didnt hova already kill

 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 3:33pm

wait didnt hova already kill autoreply in '09? or was it autotune

neilol's picture

I've ALMOST done it to a

IB
(Orangutan, 251
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 3:36pm

I've ALMOST done it to a client before. Literally had the email typed out with something like "Is this guy f*cking serious?"

Somehow saved myself in time

Going Concern's picture

I think there's an easier

(King Kong, 1,694
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 3:36pm

I think there's an easier solution than wacky keyboard shortcuts and expensive soft-ware. Just keep your snarky subtext-infused slander outside the email realm and you don't have to worry about anything. Chat is fine, so is face-to-face communication like a person. I think you banker bros need to get more zzzz's.

And I think it's gonna be a long, long, time

eleutheros's picture

Or maybe control your urges

IB
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 3:38pm

Or maybe control your urges to shoot off snarky replies...

SirTradesaLot's picture

I've seen some ugly stuff

 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 3:41pm

I've seen some ugly stuff with 'Reply All' before. I've seen even worse stuff from e-mails getting forwarded. Never put anything in e-mail you wouldn't want shown on the front page of the WSJ. Paranoid is the preferred MO.

Turbo leverage for capital explosion -- BD Capital

My WSO Blog

Oreos's picture

eleutheros: Or maybe control

HF
(Neanderthal, 2,450
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 3:43pm
eleutheros:

Or maybe control your urges to shoot off snarky replies...

you have no idea how necessary emails like these are. honestly, it's great stress relief, you can't just take your mate aside, find a spare meeting room for one dickish comment that you wanted to get off your chest...

chat doesn't work as your wordy referencing of the stupid email loses the punch that an email has

asiamoney's picture

Going Concern: I think

(King Kong, 1,117
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 3:50pm
Going Concern:

I think there's an easier solution than wacky keyboard shortcuts and expensive soft-ware. Just keep your snarky subtext-infused slander outside the email realm and you don't have to worry about anything. Chat is fine, so is face-to-face communication like a person...

Going Concern's picture

Oreos: chat doesn't work as

(King Kong, 1,694
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 3:51pm
Oreos:

chat doesn't work as your wordy referencing of the stupid email loses the punch that an email has

When you punch too hard too fast too often you hurt your hand. You might also have to expend effort washing off drops of blood and bits of teeth and gum tissue wedged between your fingers.

And I think it's gonna be a long, long, time

BTbanker's picture

Has anyone "accidentally" hit

IB
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 3:58pm

Has anyone "accidentally" hit reply all and commented the MD on his dashing good looks and discussed how excited you were to start working on the pitch book?

"A man generally has two reasons for doing anything. One that sounds good, and the real one." - J.P. Morgan

Oreos's picture

Going Concern: Oreos: chat

HF
(Neanderthal, 2,450
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 4:04pm
TheKing's picture

Eh, I think a snarky email is

O
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 4:06pm

Check out my WSO Blog

Going Concern's picture

TheKing: Eh, I think a snarky

(King Kong, 1,694
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 4:45pm

And I think it's gonna be a long, long, time

Champs46's picture

The threat of the reply all

 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 4:47pm
frgna's picture

Oreos: Going

O
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 4:53pm

if you like it then you shoulda put a banana on it

TheKing's picture

Going Concern: TheKing: Eh,

O
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 5:00pm

Check out my WSO Blog

Oreos's picture

wow, someone in this thread

HF
(Neanderthal, 2,450
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 5:05pm
Going Concern's picture

TheKing: Going

(King Kong, 1,694
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 5:09pm

And I think it's gonna be a long, long, time

rogersterling59's picture

Going Concern: TheKing: Eh,

AM
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 5:52pm

I would agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong.

EPS's picture

BTbanker: Has anyone

CF
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 5:57pm

Impossible is nothing

Scott Irish's picture

Please remove me from this

O
(Orangutan, 369
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 5:59pm
Going Concern's picture

rogersterling59: Going

(King Kong, 1,694
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 7:17pm

And I think it's gonna be a long, long, time

Magilla's picture

Going Concern: TheKing: Eh,

(Monkey, 37
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 7:15pm
Going Concern's picture

Magilla: Going

(King Kong, 1,694
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 7:23pm

And I think it's gonna be a long, long, time

SirTradesaLot's picture

Magilla: Going

 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 7:23pm

Turbo leverage for capital explosion -- BD Capital

My WSO Blog

rogersterling59's picture

Going

AM
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 7:36pm

I would agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong.

Going Concern's picture

rogersterling59: Going

(King Kong, 1,694
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 7:39pm

And I think it's gonna be a long, long, time

Going Concern's picture

rogersterling59: Going

(King Kong, 1,694
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 7:52pm

And I think it's gonna be a long, long, time

rogersterling59's picture

Going

AM
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 7:56pm

I would agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong.

Going Concern's picture

rogersterling59: But anyways,

(King Kong, 1,694
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 7:59pm

And I think it's gonna be a long, long, time

Magilla's picture

I just posted a new thread in

(Monkey, 37
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 8:23pm
BTbanker's picture

We have to encourage a return

IB
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 8:35pm

"A man generally has two reasons for doing anything. One that sounds good, and the real one." - J.P. Morgan

snakeplissken's picture

Not nearly as bad as some of

CF
(Orangutan, 335
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 8:37pm

Remember, once you're inside you're on your own.
Oh, you mean I can't count on you?
No.
Good!

Going Concern's picture

BTbanker: We have to

(King Kong, 1,694
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 8:40pm

And I think it's gonna be a long, long, time

BTbanker's picture

Going Concern: BTbanker: We

IB
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 8:59pm

"A man generally has two reasons for doing anything. One that sounds good, and the real one." - J.P. Morgan

bonks's picture

Hmm, I've never had this

CO
(Orangutan, 316
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 9:15pm

Nothing short of everything will really do.

fifteen's picture

2 secretaries from different

O
 
Points)
 on 11/27/12 at 9:54pm
samoanboy's picture

During my very early days in

PE
(Gorilla, 506
 
Points)
 on 11/28/12 at 3:46am
General Disarray's picture

http://news.msn.com/pop-cultu

IB
 
Points)
 on 11/28/12 at 7:37pm
monkeyDD's picture

samoanboy: ''AHH scary

(Monkey, 55
 
Points)
 on 11/29/12 at 5:05am
lefty270's picture

Why is this a conversation?

PE
(Monkey, 36
 
Points)
 on 11/30/12 at 1:40pm
happypantsmcgee's picture

Interoffice IM was invented

O
(Almost Human, 9,621
 
Points)
 on 11/30/12 at 3:01pm

If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses - Henry Ford

JulianRobertson's picture

Besides reply-all, why would

IA
 
Points)
 on 11/30/12 at 3:06pm
sonibubu's picture

happypantsmcgee: Interoffice

AM
(Baboon, 172
 
Points)
 on 11/30/12 at 3:31pm
SirTradesaLot's picture

Appropriate

 
Points)
 on 12/1/12 at 2:33pm

Turbo leverage for capital explosion -- BD Capital

My WSO Blog

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