There is no doubt that when used properly, e-mail is a great business tool. But, like any tool, the way the workman wields it makes all the difference.
So says Tony McManus, MD of McManus Consulting, adding that firing off an e-mail is no guarantee that the message has been received, understood - most importantly - and that the required action has been taken.
"When we put expediency ahead of efficiency by simply hitting 'send' and hoping for the best, we do ourselves and our business a grave disservice."
McManus stresses that the careless use of e-mails leads to poor communication and can result in negative impacts to relationships and business. E-mail communication should not be used as a primary form of communication, but to confirm or re-enforce a message.
"In some organisations, there is a culture of sending e-mails all the time and once it's sent, the responsibility shifts to the other person, says McManus This is highly contentious and may result in things 'falling through the cracks' because the e-mail was neither received nor understood."
He points out that for e-mails to be effective, employees need to learn to use e-mail as a communication strategy and when it's appropriate.
"Education, good business writing skills and data security training are needed for the effective use of e-mails in organisations."
Heino Gevers, a security specialist at Mimecast, says there is always a chance that e-mail could threaten a company's security.
"With many employees having access to vast quantities of personal and company information both in and away from the office, the chances of a data leak or the theft of the device remains," he explains.
Similarly, McManus believes that encryption and tracking tools can be added as a safety measure.
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