You need an e-mail policy
Mar 12, 2003
It is amazing how in this era of information, organisations have not realised the importance of e-mail communications. Most organisations have no policy on how to use the e-mail or deal with it professionally.
Surfing with Vincent Mugaba
SOMEONE wrote in to inquire as to whether he should change to freenet or stick with his present Internet Service Provider.
There are advantages to both paid and free services, but it finally boils down to personal priorities. An issue the inquirer raised that set me thinking was on having a respectable e-mail facility.
It is amazing how in this era of information, organisations have not realised the importance of e-mail communications. Most organisations have no policy on how to use the e-mail or deal with it professionally.
The e-mail is quick, cheap and easy to use, thus saving time and money. Yet these are the very reasons for its pitfalls. When mishandled, e-mail can be costly in terms of money, reputation, confidentiality and productivity. The e-mail is more than just a communication tool; it is one of the best business tools. It will get into anyone’s e-mail box and thus can make or destroy you.
Teach your employees how to send effective e-mail and timely replies. It may help to have standard templates to certain queries, creating uniformity. This will give your communications a professional touch, and better standing among your clients.
Sending out e-mail with a signature opens an opportunity to give extra information about the organisation. The signature may show your address, telephone number, and website address if you have one.
Telephone directories are slow in reflecting change of address, e-mail saves you the trouble.
Often this can be done through the mailing programme, which works well for small organisations. Individuals in large organisations however, may fail to use this. An effective method is to attach the signature automatically at the mail server. In that way, all outgoing mail is “signed†automatically.
This however, has legal ramifications because the organisation is responsible for all information that goes out or comes in.
Signed company e-mail is like using the company’s headed paper. When an employee abuses the service, the company could be liable.
One way of getting around this is to use a “disclaimer.†The disclaimer text should be automatically pasted onto all outgoing company e-mail. In the disclaimer, the organisation should clearly spell out its responsibility as well as the responsibility of the individual employee and the consequences of the abuse of the service.
Very few local organisations use disclaimers and yet their e-mail systems are used for private communication.
Disclaimers absolve the company of any liability. You have heard on FM stations, someone say before or during a programme that the views are not necessary those of the FM station or its management. That is a disclaimer.
More importantly though, a disclaimer protects your organisation’s reputation. Employees often use company e-mail for private communication, many times with innocent subject lines. When one opens such mail however, the content may not be as innocent as it appears.
One high-ranking parastatal official in Kampala is known for sending out such e-mail from the company mailer. You can imagine in what esteem people hold this company.
Confidentiality is another issue that the e-mail policy should address. Because employees have access to the organisation network, there is information that can go through their computers out of the company.
Company secrets can accidentally be send out by writing the wrong address in the “To†field or clicking “Reply to all,†when you intend to forward mail to one person.
Employees should know what to do if such things happen.
vmugaba@newvision.co.ug
SOMEONE wrote in to inquire as to whether he should change to freenet or stick with his present Internet Service Provider.
There are advantages to both paid and free services, but it finally boils down to personal priorities. An issue the inquirer raised that set me thinking was on having a respectable e-mail facility.
It is amazing how in this era of information, organisations have not realised the importance of e-mail communications. Most organisations have no policy on how to use the e-mail or deal with it professionally.
The e-mail is quick, cheap and easy to use, thus saving time and money. Yet these are the very reasons for its pitfalls. When mishandled, e-mail can be costly in terms of money, reputation, confidentiality and productivity. The e-mail is more than just a communication tool; it is one of the best business tools. It will get into anyone’s e-mail box and thus can make or destroy you.
Teach your employees how to send effective e-mail and timely replies. It may help to have standard templates to certain queries, creating uniformity. This will give your communications a professional touch, and better standing among your clients.
Sending out e-mail with a signature opens an opportunity to give extra information about the organisation. The signature may show your address, telephone number, and website address if you have one.
Telephone directories are slow in reflecting change of address, e-mail saves you the trouble.
Often this can be done through the mailing programme, which works well for small organisations. Individuals in large organisations however, may fail to use this. An effective method is to attach the signature automatically at the mail server. In that way, all outgoing mail is “signed†automatically.
This however, has legal ramifications because the organisation is responsible for all information that goes out or comes in.
Signed company e-mail is like using the company’s headed paper. When an employee abuses the service, the company could be liable.
One way of getting around this is to use a “disclaimer.†The disclaimer text should be automatically pasted onto all outgoing company e-mail. In the disclaimer, the organisation should clearly spell out its responsibility as well as the responsibility of the individual employee and the consequences of the abuse of the service.
Very few local organisations use disclaimers and yet their e-mail systems are used for private communication.
Disclaimers absolve the company of any liability. You have heard on FM stations, someone say before or during a programme that the views are not necessary those of the FM station or its management. That is a disclaimer.
More importantly though, a disclaimer protects your organisation’s reputation. Employees often use company e-mail for private communication, many times with innocent subject lines. When one opens such mail however, the content may not be as innocent as it appears.
One high-ranking parastatal official in Kampala is known for sending out such e-mail from the company mailer. You can imagine in what esteem people hold this company.
Confidentiality is another issue that the e-mail policy should address. Because employees have access to the organisation network, there is information that can go through their computers out of the company.
Company secrets can accidentally be send out by writing the wrong address in the “To†field or clicking “Reply to all,†when you intend to forward mail to one person.
Employees should know what to do if such things happen.
vmugaba@newvision.co.ug