When a user of a messaging system, e.g., electronic mail, is out of the office for a period of time, the user typically activates an automated reply function. The automated reply function automatically sends a reply in response to each message that is received in the user's messaging account. The automated reply typically includes text indicating when the user will be back in the office and able to respond to the message that triggered the automated reply.
In some cases, the user is out of the office for longer than anticipated without access to the messaging system. As the date noted in the automated reply comes and goes, people attempting to contact the absent user that previously received an automated reply expect some sort of follow-up action to occur based upon the assumption that the absent user is back in the office.
When no follow-up action occurs, people may become frustrated by the lack of action while remaining unaware that the absent user is still not in the office. Further, when one sends a further message to the absent user, the same automated reply may be received in response, which now includes incorrect and out-of-date information. Alternatively, no further automated message is sent. In either case, the person trying to contact the absent user may interpret the lack of action or contact that the absent user is choosing not to respond when in fact the absent user is unable to respond.