When is it appropriate to use acronyms and emotions in business communication?

Answer 1

ACRONYMS

Acronyms and other common alphabetized abbreviations are a common practice. In 'proper' use, the first reference of the title is spelled out completely, followed by the abbreviation afterwards in parentheses. Thereafter it is appropriate to use just the abbreviation.

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Example. "Regarding the Regional Electric Plan (REP) it is necessary to consider the input of all REP employees before changing our course of action."

NOTE: Acronym letter groups form a word that can be pronounced, like NATO or SNAFU. Those examples were formed from the first letters of each word, as is ASAP.

Sometimes a group of letters is picked out for the abbreviation such as the military term ALCON (for all concerned) or CENTCOM for Central Command.

Alphabetized abbreviations that do not form a word which can be pronounced, so the letters are just read one-by-one, like UPS (pronounced U P S ) for United Parcel Service. Or USPS for United States Postal Service.

Some business examples: CFO (Chief Financial Officer), CPA (Certified Public Accountant) and FOB (Freight on Board). GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and HR for Human Resources. INC for Incorporated.

Some abbreviations are only meant to be used in writing, not spoken, such as Assoc (For Association or Associate) or CO for company or County. Or the miltary CPL and LT for Corporal and Lieutenant. (Though "L-T" is sometimes spoken but probably not to address a lieutenant directly.

EMOTICONS and NETSPEAK are not appropriate for business.

Emoticons are the charming 'mood' graphics like these -- :-} (silly grin) or

(・_・;) for flop sweat that were once made only with keyboard symbols, but now can be little GIF graphic files of all manner and kind (can't include graphics here).

NetSpeak/ ChatSpeak/ internet slang are 'shorthand 'words' -- (LOL, BRB, WTG (Laughing out loud, be right back, and way to go, respectively. Some are combined with letters, like CUL8TR for 'see you later'

Both Emoticons and ChatSpeak are primarily for electronic communications on a personal level, i.e., in chat rooms or emails. People are now also using them in their personal correspondence and for Texting. But they are never appropriate IMPO (in my personal opinion at the business level.

And by that last sentence one can deduce the opinion that this wonderful Q&A world of Answers.com is considered an informal setting, though one should always ask and answer honesty and seriously. (again IMPO).