The business world is constantly changing and adapting to keep up with the fast moving technological advances.
Probably one of the most influential technological developments in the last 20 years has been the development and use of email.
Email has revolutionised how we communicate on a day-to-day basis is business. However, as with most technological and business advancements, there are pros and cons.
Advantages
One of the main advantages of email is the ease in which a message can be sent, day or night, with a click of a button from anywhere in the world.
You no longer need to do business with someone who is in the same city let alone country, all because of email.
The cost effectiveness of email is paramount, majority of businesses have computers. The use of stationary is almost eliminated, making email a cheaper and greener option for companies.
Emails allow businesses to communicate with multiple people in one email saving time and money, eliminating repetition and the unreliability and confusion that occurs with conference calls.
Sending business documents has never been easier by attaching large numbers of documents to emails. This means that when conducting business everyone involved can be kept fully “in the loop” ensuring everyone receives the same information at the same time.
Using emails in business can ultimately mean that business can be done more efficiently and in some cases quicker, saving time and ultimately money.
Disadvantages
By conducting business through email you can lose the personal interaction that is sometimes needed in business, and can in some cases make business transactions cold and impersonal.
Personal meetings are where names are put with faces and ultimately strong relationships/friendships are born.
There is the danger that email communication can also be seen as informal and therefore the language used can be somewhat relaxed. This could give the wrong impression when conducting business, consequently affecting the overall image of the company conducting business – due to misinterpretation of wording or assumption of tone.
And let’s not forget about confidentiality of sensitive information. How many times have you or a colleague sent an email to the wrong person unintentionally? Sending an email to the wrong person could potentially be damaging to all parties involved.
Email is a highly effective tool for communication, and we have to keep in mind that any form of technology and/or communication has its good and bad points. As long as we are aware of the pitfalls then email is an acceptable way of conducting business.
It is also worth noting that you are required by law to include certain details of your company in business correspondence, if sending business correspondence by email you will need to include this information within your email, normally in the footer.
We must remember that even though the door of opportunity for business can be opened by email and lots can be achieved this way, sometimes the greatest way to conduct business is through face-to-face meetings.
