First, do not complain the next day about this situation… Instead, ask yourself whether the question was sufficiently clear to permit somebody to give you the answer without having to cover 3–4 possible scenarios? After 3–4 days, send a new email restating the problem; try to give additional information or describe the problem from a different angle.

Questions which start by something like

  • "I am desperate, I must remit my term paper tomorrow"
  • "I do not have time to do this macro, could somebody do it for me?"

are not likely to draw much sympathy.