This is a wonderful example why you shouldn’t use automated patterns to
generate e-mail adresses for example. In this case, a german company has
faced severe problems and moch more worse: The email system there seems
not to accept any changes to that generated addresss…

The result is funny on the one hand but also embarrassing on the other. Especially when it comes to representation of the company. But what are we talking about anyway?

Have a look at the following image first:

Translated:

Hello Support,

thank you that you did set up my email address so quickly.

Eventhough it seems to look funny, I still cannot see any reasonable way to represent our
company in an appropriate manner with the E-Mail-address arsch@hoga—-.de

Please change this ASAP!!!

Many thanks in advance,

Arnold Schmidt

—-

Hello, Mr. Schmidt,

our system generates the E-Mail-addresses automatically from the given initials of the name.

Unfortunately we cannot change this behaviour.

…and when I say “Unfortunately” I say so by any means! :-((((

Greetings,

Volkan Tzenkastatis, votze@hoga—-.de

—-

The user of this email address “arsch@hoga—-.de” seems not to be very happy with the given address which is obviously generated off the pattern <2 letters first name><3 letters last name>@domain – fatal, if you then have a name like the new employee and the support employee!

“Arsch” (ass) isn’t much harmonizing as well as the aberration “Votze” (cock)!

However I ask myself two questions:

– Why on earth don’t they have a plausibility filter that excludes such “bad” words
– Why doesn’t the email system allow address changes anyways?

And finally some conclusion: Serious companies always use <first name>.<last name>@domain as E-Mail pattern which saves you from such embarrassments and also gives every employee to represent their company in full shape. The usage of such shortcodes may be more practicak when it’s internal only and the company is small.