Business – Page 11 – Everyday Courtesy

Great responses to "I'm looking forward to it" are: "Me too!", "See you then," "Glad to hear it," "Wish I could say the same," or an indifferent "Okay." It all depends on context, timing, and intention. Learning how to say the right thing in a business and private context is important. Everything runs on relationships and connections. While in private sessions, you can get away with dodgy, witty replies, in business contexts, you have to keep things official so there is no mistaking who is the boss and who is not. So, depending on the setting, timing, and intention, here is how you may respond to “Looking forward to it“. Say you look forward to it as well How about using their words in your reply? “I look forward to it as well“ works just fine in both formal and informal contexts. Instead of scratching your head on what phrases to use, just let them know you are anticipating as well. It is a great way to bring the topic to an end and reinforces the set plan. “I look forward to seeing you again“ If you have not seen your friend for a long time and they’ve just agreed to a get-together, you can express your excitement by saying “I am looking forward to seeing you again“ or “it will be good to see you again“. Don’t just say “see ya“ or “see you then“. Let your friend know how much you are excited about another meeting opportunity. This phrase works fine in business settings too, especially when a meeting comes to an end and there are promises of a future get-together, tell the other person you look forward to seeing them again. “Me too“ A simple “Me too!“ reply is used to show feelings are mutual. For example, suppose you have proposed to do something for your friend and they say they are looking forward to it. In that case, you answer “Me too“ to convey your happiness that they are enthusiastic about your plan and that it’s going to be great! “Me too“ is suitable in both formal and informal contexts. It is a friendly and familiar expression that the other person will understand immediately; the only con is everyone uses it. “I wish I could say the same“ If you are not feeling enthusiastic about the plan express your disappointments politely with “I wish I could say the same“. This shows the other person that while you would love to attend the event, you’ve got other commitments This is where timing comes in. If the date and time they are proposing do not work for you, express your regrets and let them down easily using the above phrase. The only con is they may ask you why you are not eager for their plan, so be ready with a brief explanation just in case. “See you then/yeah sure/ see you there“ You can also tell them “See you then“ or “yeah sure“. These conclusive phrases are the best way to bring the topic to an end especially if you have agreed on a hard deadline. “See you then/there“ is a great way to reply if you have set the time and place to meet. It can be used in face-to-face conversations, on the telephone, texting, or communicating through email. It helps to reinforce your plans and end the conversation on an aggregable note. When to say “See you then“ vs “See you there“? It all depends on what details you’ve agreed on. If you’ve decided on a specific location, use “see you there“, but if it’s time you’ve agreed on, “see you then“ is better. And if it’s both a time and place, either phrase will work just fine. “See ya/cheers“ or “That’s awesome “ In what context did they say they are looking forward to it? If it’s said in informal situations, “see ya/cheers“ is a more appropriate and even friendlier reply than “see you then/there“. These can be used in telephone conversations, letters, texts, email communication, or even when face to face, just to ensure the context is not formal. “Good to hear that“ “Good to hear that“ just shows that you are happy that the other person is looking forward to what you’ve proposed, especially if you were not sure they were going to agree to your plan. You can also say, “Glad to hear that“. There’s no difference at all. Both phrases express the same sentiment that you are happy the other person is enthusiastic about your idea. “Happy to hear that“ will also work just fine if you want to make things even more personal. “Good/glad to hear that“ and “happy to hear that“ are suitable for both business and private contexts whether talking face to face or through other channels of communication. “Okay/Likewise/Same“ Now, “Okay/Likewise/Same“ are the best classic phrases to cut off someone who is bugging you with plans you are not very enthusiastic about. Express your disinterest with a simple “okay“ or if you want to hurt their feelings you can just say “K“. “Okay“ and “k“ are great ways to politely tell someone to back off without going into much detail. If they are wiser, they will take it as an indication that you don’t care and leave you alone. “Likewise“ can be used to indicate you are not too excited unless you follow it with something friendly. You can use the phrases in both formal and informal conversations. But just know the other person is going to sense your indifference and perhaps won’t take it too kindly if they are the sensitive type. A simple nod and smile A simple nod and smile work great if you are only making small talk. For example, they do an impressive trick, and the conversation goes like this: You: “Wow, that is some mad skill. How did you do that -maybe you could teach it to me someday? “ Friend: “Looking forward to it.“ You: Smile and nod Alternatively, you could also follow through after getting a positive response from your friend and set plans. You could say something like, “Glad to hear that. When can I get my first lesson?“ that is, if you were serious about it. See! It’s not hard to show politeness in both private and business contexts. Mostly, when someone says they are looking forward to something, it shows they are excited and eager about something in the near future. Depending on your motivation towards the event, you can reply using either of the above phrases. What if it’s your boss saying they are looking forward to seeing your work? If your boss says he/she is looking forward to seeing your work, you can reply by saying “Thank you very much. I appreciate the opportunity you are giving me“. If it all goes well, they may say how they are looking forward to seeing more of your work in the future. Bosses rarely have the time for narratives and stories, keep things brief and concise, that is unless you want to ask for more resources and is when you can tell them how the job is going and create an environment where you can ask for more tasks, time, etc. Even so, keep your stories short; this is not the time for the “dog ate my homework“ kind of excuse. You will be sad when your boss discovers you’ve been wasting his/her time. Now, what if their intention is not good? While in most cases, people say they are looking forward to something great, the phrase can also be used as a smart reply to a bluff you just made. For example, if you have just promised to school someone and they just reply, “Looking forward to it“ you should be very worried, my friend. Especially in sports competitions or any other context involving a beat down between arch-rivals, take that reply seriously. I mean, here is a person you have just promised a good a** beating, and they just say they are waiting for you. It’s time to ask yourself what is it they think they know that you don’t know? Perhaps you’ve just made the biggest mistake of your life. If you had promised them a physical fight, back off with a joke. You better know you can back your claims before you go around town making them. Telling someone in a professional way that you are looking forward to work with them The best way to inform someone that you are looking forward to working with them is to adjust the expression to the formality of the situation, to be genuine, and to show your enthusiasm. Work situations and expectations can vary, and while some circumstances require us to be conventional and somber, other positions allow (and even expect) us to be candid and outspoken. Consider the difference, for example, between a kindergarten staff and a cancer research team. While the kindergarten would appreciate a demonstration of enthusiasm for clients and the environment, the second might prefer a statement of dedication, commitment, and confidentiality. Phrases that establish courtesy, dedication, and seriousness of intent include: "I’d like to thank you very much for this opportunity and to express how much I’m looking forward to working with you." "I appreciate the opportunity you’ve given me to work here, and I very much look forward to learning from you." "I’d like to extend my gratitude to you for allowing me a chance to work here, and I’m looking forward to working with you and the staff." "Please allow me to express how much it means to me to be able to work with you. I’ve been hoping for this for a long time." Phrases that express enthusiasm, energy, and passion include: "I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to working with you and getting involved here." "I can’t believe I’m getting an opportunity to work with you, and I’m so excited about it." "I just want to say that I’m really looking forward to working with you." "I want to say that this opportunity means so much to me, and I can’t wait to start working with you." The difference in these phrases is in the tone they use rather than the words. The first sentences are formal and polite, while still being genuine. The second expressions are energetic and warm, while still expressing genuine commitment. It is useful to be able to distinguish between the two and to apply them to the situation in which they are most appropriate. After-Thought? The phrase “Looking forward to it” is usually a conversation-ending sentence, so keep your reply short and to the point, unless you are trying to follow through and make plans, don’t go on talking about the topic for long.