E-MAIL

With the rise of distributed computing, Web technology, and groupware, E-mail has become a mainstay of business communications. Just about anywhere in the world, people can send and receive electronic messages, creating a global village in the truest sense.

E-mail offers several benefits. It communicates information quickly and efficiently and keeps communication open, even when senders and receivers are separated by great distances. It also allows people to budget their time (e.g., setting aside time to read, create, and send messages). However, the downsides to E-mail are its tendency toward information overload, spam (unwanted messages), and wading through superfluous messages.

for Using E-mail

• Establish a set time each day to send and generate messages.
• Read or create the most important message first.
• Delete any unnecessary messages.
• Include source and destination when creating messages.
• When creating messages, practice principles of good business writing (e.g., clarity, conciseness, logic).
• Make backup copies of important E-mail messages.
• Respond to messages within a reasonable time (e.g., within twenty-four hours).