Although there are many new methods of communication, it would be incorrect to say that email technology is not an essential part of the operations of project-based organisations. In fact, for some, it is the only method of correspondence.
With everything happening in the world at the moment, more and more people will be absent from the office due to sickness or remote working. Remote working has been a growing trend for years now (up 173% since 2005 according to Global Workplace Analytics). The benefits have been well documented - improved staff retention, greater efficiencies, lower commuting costs and lower levels of stress. Now, with COVID-19 pushing businesses to encourage employees to work remotely, and sickness rates rising, meetings and day-to-day work are changing.
This means that others may take on more work to ensure continuity. The problem with this is that information may be locked away into individual’s inboxes, which causes a delay in replying to client’s queries/issues, an inconsistent flow of information across the business, and added stress on employee's to meet the expectation of the client. In short, information collaboration and visibility has become critical for business continuity.
This can affect the delivery of work as rushed jobs usually end in disaster, especially those using inaccurate information. Although delays are inevitable, businesses are still expected to be prepared in advance for when these issues arise.
To avoid GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) issues and invading one’s privacy, employers do not have access to an employee’s inbox. But what do you do if an employee is absent for a prolonged period, or if that person is working from home long-term, and you need quick access to information stored in their inboxes for business continuity?
- Do you contact your IT team and gain access to their Outlook?
- Do you ring the employee on their personal line and request for information?
- Do you ask the client to resend the email to your email ID instead?
Going through with any of the above, does not only mean the company reputation is on the line, which you may have worked for years to build, but your employee can lawfully sue you for accessing their inbox without their permission. Additionally, it's embarrassing try to explain to a client why you can't quickly give them an update on their project as you are waiting for your colleague to get back to you.
Bad service -> Unsatisfied Client -> Negative word of mouth = decrease in company value/reputation.
How can Mail Manager help?
Using machine learning and AI, our system allows you to file emails to a shared central location in order to make your life easier when searching for project information - correspondence, contracts, approvals and so on.
There are many positive impacts for using Mail Manager:
- There will be improved productivity as a user is able to retrieve an email that has been filed using our powerful search tool within half a second.
- Employees can take leave when they are ill and not feel guilty about it. Additionally, Mail Manager helps connect disparate departments and those working from home.
- Directors get peace of mind when staff are absent as they have control over project correspondence and information visibility.
In the video below, Lucy Prior talks about the information lost when someone leaves the company, which can be applied when someone is ill or simply on holiday.
See how important filing emails are. Click on the link to try us out!
