People will often reply thanks for asking when you ask about their health or some issue of concern. As long as you’re not prying, you’ll usually receive this expression of gratitude.
This article will explain how you can respond to this expression of appreciation.
Say You’re Welcome
Saying you’re welcome is the easiest way to respond when someone says thanks for asking. You’re welcome is a standard response to any form of thanks in most countries where English is the spoken language.
By saying you’re welcome, it’s understood that you were glad to provide support in some way.
So, you could say:
“You’re welcome, Jackie.”
“You’re welcome, Karen.”
“You’re welcome, Thomas. Anytime.”
You might not always want to say you’re welcome in that situation. However, there are many other ways to express your feelings. So, you could use phrases that have the same meaning as you’re welcome.
For example, you could reply:
“Don’t mention it at all, Carla.”
“No worries, Tim.”
Say You’re Happy to Support Them
When the person to who you’re replying is a friend, family member, or colleague, you can let them know that you’re happy to lend support when they may not have time to do a task.
Even if it’s through finding another person who can offer 30 minutes of assistance to make their life easier, you’re available to journey along with them. Even an expression of concern can remind someone who is struggling that other people care about them.
You can use the opportunity to reaffirm that you are concerned about the other person’s welfare. Let them know that you want the best for them.
You could reply:
“Sure thing John. I’m glad to be here for you.”
“Anytime, Mary. I’m glad to lend support where I can.”
“You’ve got it, Juanita. I’m here to help in any way I can.”
Affirm That You’re Glad They’re Doing Well
If the person says that they’re doing well or their situation is going well, you can express how you feel about that. Let them know that you’re happy for them.
So, consider saying:
“I’m happy to hear that, Jen.”
“I’m glad that you’re feeling better, Tom.”
“It’s good to know that everything is okay now, Melissa.”
You can also emphasize that you’re happy the situation is turning out well. This would be appropriate in a case where the person gives you some details on how the situation is developing.
For example, if you know that a colleague was having difficulty with a technical aspect of their work and you asked how it was progressing, they would be likely to give you a few updates. Then, they would say thanks for asking.
In that case, you could say that you’re happy that the technical issues are being worked out or give some other similar response.
For example, you could say:
“I’m glad that the issues are being sorted out, Carlos. Thanks for your patience!“
“I’m glad that you’re not having the same problems with the network, Janine.”
“That’s good, Yuri. Sometimes switching networks does produce good results.”
Express Empathy
You won’t always understand exactly how another person is feeling. However, showing a little empathy can help a coworker to feel that they’re part of a team. That strengthens your organization. [1]
Be careful about how you express empathy. But don’t let fear of offense prevent you from saying a kind word if you really think it might be helpful in that situation.
For example, you could say:
“I’m glad you got that sorted out, Luca. It can be really irritating when the system crashes like that.”
“I’m glad to hear that everything worked out, Daniela. I’m glad that my contact was able to help you. I’ve been in that situation before and it was really a struggle.”
“That’s good, Simone. I know that those technical problems can be frustrating.”
Ask a Follow-Up Question
Sometimes you’ll realize that it’s necessary to ask a follow-up question. For example, if it appears that a situation is not being resolved speedily enough you might ask a question that gives you more information.
This is perfectly understandable if you’re asking about a work-related matter.
For example, if you’re checking on a colleague’s progress with a client and they don’t appear to have made as much head away as they would have hoped, you could ask further questions that give you more information about the situation.
For example, you could say:
“Have you spoken to them about the different shipping options that we have available?”
“How do they feel about the new device?”
“Do they seem enthusiastic about it?”
“Do they need any more information to make a decision about buying?”
All of these questions provide you with information that can help you to help them. Asking how they’re doing can lead to benefits for them.
If you need to ask more questions to reach a solution, ensure that a person is comfortable with you doing so. Sometimes individuals prefer to solve problems on their own.
Offer Help
If you ask an additional question to ensure that they’re okay and the person doesn’t seem completely comfortable, you could consider offering help. However, always tread carefully with that.
You don’t want to overstep your boundaries. Sometimes a person doesn’t want you to physically step into their situation. However, they appreciate a listening ear.
The solutions that they would develop might be different from those that you would. However, that doesn’t mean that they wouldn’t be equally or even more effective.
It’s important to give each person space to work out the routes to solving a problem that works best for them.
If it seems that you might be able to help you could ask:
“I have a contact who uses a shipping company that specializes in that type of product. Would you like me to get in touch with them on your behalf?”
“I have a tool that’s just right for the plan that you have in mind. I could make it available to you over the weekend. Would that help you in any way?”
“I know a software developer who has worked on similar projects before. Would you like them to have a look at the code and see if they can make adjustments to make it more suitable for your needs?”
References:
[1] https://knowledge.insead.edu/leadership-organisations/why-empathy-makes-stronger-organisations
Sophie Hammond is a journalist, psychologist, and freelance speechwriter for people in politics and business. She lives on the edge of the Rocky Mountains with her dog and a lifetime supply of books. When she’s not writing, she can be found wandering through nature or journaling at a coffee shop.