Advantages of Email in Business

Email is a standard tool used in businesses around the world for rapid communication. Since email first emerged as a business tool, companies have increased productivity, decreased costs and found new marketing venues. From collaborated group work to encouraging management messages, the advantages of email in business can be seen in small and large organizations.

Rapid Communication

Email communications blaze through the Internet with amazing speed. This speed allows businesses to work at a faster pace and communicate more effectively, even in large organizations. Executives are able to receive almost real-time status updates and can therefore make well-informed decisions. Email can also be used to rapidly disseminate information to multiple employees at the same time.

Decreased Cost

One of the biggest business advantages of using email in business is the cost savings. The overhead to maintain an email system is relatively low. Small businesses can utilize free online email services for no cost beyond their computer and Internet connection expenses. The decreased costs for businesses can be seen in their postage usage, telephony expenses and even travel expenses.

Decreased Layers of Management

Email effectively decreases the layers of management because everyone in a company can email the company president with ideas, suggestions or comments. Management can obtain opinions from the front lines of their business, which helps them stay in touch with the day-to-day operations and field experiences of their employees. Suggestions and ideas received from those at lower levels of the business organization can help spur innovation and create new revenue streams for the business. Management can also take advantage of the ease of spreading encouragement and business updates to all employees simultaneously.

Data Transfer

Before email was available, the transfer of data was a time consuming and tedious task. Information was stored in large files or in large documents and then shipped to the place where data was needed. The built-in delay with this process caused businesses to use old data to make decisions and hampered management's ability to understand the real-time status of the business. Now data transfer can occur rapidly, with little down time on information.

Security

Email is a more secure method of communication than letters or faxes. Letters or faxes can be intercepted fairly easily at a business since a physical movement of the information must occur. Faxes with sensitive information can inadvertently be left on a fax machine if the recipient is not aware of when the fax is sent. Emails can create a record of the information in a safe environment that is easily backed up for future use.

Marketing

Email allows a business to reach customers in a more economical and expedient manner. Businesses can answer customer questions quickly, which increases customer loyalty. Marketing and advertisements can be sent to a select customer base or a widespread group of potential clients. This speedy dissemination of marketing materials increases sales and decreases the time between the start of a marketing campaign and customer purchases.

Collaboration

Email allows for more teamwork in problem solving and business processes. Representatives from various departments and functional areas can participate in helping advance the business. Businesses can use emails sent to all team members as an ongoing dialogue without having to meet in face-to-face meetings. Targeted emails can be sent for review to functional areas such as information technology for feasibility of ideas generated by other departments.