I’m a paid up subscriber to the new email service that I wrote about last week. I’m on the lists for custom domains and work accounts.

My personal mail has gone from needy and demanding, to chilled and supportive. I have no notifications switched on, and when I check for new mail, HEY mostly, tells me “Nothing new for you”. Even though I’ve received 30 messages, they have all slipped into the Feed or The Paper Trail. Similar to many other users, I’ve found that I’m reading more newsletters. I read, in the feed, when it suits me, rather than hurriedly scanning and archiving, in a rush to hit inbox zero.

Reply Later works really well for me – at one point in the day, I can focus and reply, and get all those mails responded to in a non-disruptive flash.

Much of this functionality was available to me elsewhere, if I chose to think it through and set it up, but HEY has spelt out to me workflows, and the rationale behind them. I’m settling in, and now, using other clients feels unwieldy and awkward.

Tweaks and bug-fixes are coming thick and fast across all platforms. An altogether delightful experience so far.

My manifesto for HEY for Work

Well, if HEY can have a manifesto, so can I.

Separation.

For too long, all manner of communication has been piling up in my e-mail client. A thread about a golf trip sitting side by side with a Nero’s Notes customer support issue, and a detailed investigation of money laundering for Lime. I want all of those mails – but on my terms. I don’t want to triage all of them in the same visit. So – I worry, when I read about unified inboxes.

It may be that separation can be achieved with a funky account switching function. I’m betting those clever folk at Basecamp will work it out, and on the evidence so far, I imagine their solution will be better than mine.

I would like the accounts to be separate and visibly so. A visual cue as to what mode I’m in (Formal Corporate / Friendly webshop / Personal) is incredibly helpful.

Signatures

These are a legal requirement for UK entities, of which I have two. I’m all for reducing the clutter, but not to the extent that I’m breaking the law.

Timed Send

Sometimes I schedule an hour at the weekend to clear email. HEY has the excellent Focus and Reply feature for that. But…I don’t want my replies to go out on a Sunday afternoon. I want to schedule them.

Now, assuming they deliver all this, how am I going to tell Clare that her Nero’s e-mail is going to be radically different?