Email has become vital to business communication and operations. Today, more than 90 per cent of workers cannot function as effectively, or at all, without email. Although widely used as a business tool, many uses of email within the workplace are not always for business purposes. Here are seven steps for determining acceptable use and how to implement a policy in your company.
So, with the popularity of email and the Internet, how can organizations determine appropriate use for business purposes? What are the risks associated with the receipt and dissemination of unsecured, potentially harmful information? How can organizations ensure the productivity gains expected from this technology?
What's at risk?
Email and the Internet can be used to transmit, store or receive unwanted, discriminatory, abusive, obscene, legal or otherwise inappropriate content. This can cause offense to staff and customers, and result in not only costly lawsuits but also criminal prosecution. Without encryption, highly confidential information is also at risk. Data such as company trade secrets, new product design plans and sensitive customer or employee information can be distributed internally or externally.And this can cost organizations millions of dollars in lost revenue as well as customers.
While content security and encryption solutions are important; education of staff is critical. An Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) helps to educate all staff on the correct and secure approach to messaging and browsing.
Acceptable Use - Education is Key
One of the first steps for any organization looking to implement an acceptable use policy is to inform employees of their responsibilities and rights regarding the use of company network resources.
Email and web access are business tools and it is important that staff know that there is no privacy for anything created, stored, sent or received on their computers. Staff education and written policy provides a number of benefits, including:
Limited liability if you face litigation over staff misuse
An enforceable Acceptable Use Policy
Voluntary compliance (keep in mind that no filtering technology provides 100% security)
Heightened awareness to prevent accidental virus intrusions or confidentiality breaches
So what should an acceptable use policy look like?
Seven steps of acceptable use:
1. Allow limited personal use of the Internet and email.
2. Outline what is acceptable and what is not; while preserving company culture.
3. Be consistent with enforcement and setting precedents.
4. All email should be identified with a recognized name or email address - avoid spoofing.
5. Copyright - inform staff on copyright issues relating to email or Internet documents - it all belongs to the company, and the company is liable.
6. Monitoring and enforcement as well as timeframes need to be clearly stated in the policy.
7. Reserve the right to monitor all messages/files on the company network.
How can you enforce all of this?
A comprehensive secure email and Internet management solution that integrates content filtering, compliance, secure messaging and archiving for businesses is required. Our solutions protect networks, business assets and employees from incoming, outgoing and internal email and Internet content threats. An organization can restrict, block, copy, archive and automatically manage the sending and receiving of content. This can help prevent time-wasting, high bandwidth eating and unsecured attachments from being sent around the organization.
We work with companies of all sizes to assure their web and email is in compliance with their policy. Our solutions are state of the art, quick to implement, cost effective and provide the comfort to know your data is secure. Visit our website for actual case studies www.enclavedata.com .
You have the responsibility for your company's email, with the right secured gateway you can now also have the control to assure compliance and protect your company's assets.
Too often, people forget they're anonymous in the internet world. Your friends and colleagues might know you as being a tireless worker, a great friend and loving parent, but I don't know that. To me, you're just a font. You're a font in an email, or in a forum post. If you give me access to your website, then you're whatever impression the website creates. But largely, you're anonymous. So if you want to establish trust in your internet business dealings, make it your goal to paint a professional image via email.
I'm an article directory owner, so I'm constantly combing the web for possible clients and cohorts. Recently I've encountered some internet personalities who have left me scratching my head in puzzlement. Might we have had a fruitful business relationship? I'll never know, because within days of crossing paths, they managed to display one of the "Scary Seven" - that is, the seven quickest ways to scare people away by email. Let's review them now.
Scare Tactic 1. Send an email from a cryptic address. There's nothing that says 'unprofessional' like an email inquiry from "Binky24" or "Shanaynay_7". Email addresses like this strike me as being one of two things: 1. someone young and foolish, or 2. a spammer. I understand if you don't have a website up and running yet; after all, as a writer, many people contact me to help them get their businesses started. But at the very least, reveal your first and last name. Provide contact information, and a brief background. If no one knows who you are, it's not likely they'll do business with you.
Scare Tactic 2. Send an email that contains virtually no information. Yesterday I responded to a post on Craigslist that requested an editor. In my email, I gave my name, contact info, a little background information and directed the potential client to my website. I asked a few questions about their needs. In response, I got one line, and a very uninformative one at that. Do you see why I don't plan to contact this person again?
Scare Tactic 3. Send too many emails! Want to make people think you have absolutely zero going on? Then send someone a barrage of email after having just met. I recently got an onslaught of emails from a potential client - NINE in total, over the course of a day. YIKES! This is a busy world. People don't have time to pore through your information. Organize your thoughts, and send in ONE email- maybe two, max.
Scare Tactic 4. Send emails of a personal nature. Never, EVER send email jokes or personal anecdotes to someone you plan on doing business with over the internet. I don't care how promising the initial phone conversation was or how "friendly" they seem. This behavior screams unprofessional, and can even be a bit disturbing. Many marketers swap information, and this is fine. But it should be done in moderation. There's a fine line between helpful information exchange and email harassment. Don't cross it.
Scare Tactic 5. Send out a group email, and forget to blind copy. I recently signed on to work for a company that contracts out writers. I liked the spirit in which business was being conducted and the site owner's honest approach. But there is such a thing as too much honesty. The first project came through via email - and I could see the name of EVERY writer who was competing with me for work! Not only does this have trouble written all over it, but no one wants their email address shared. A Privacy Policy is the hallmark of a real business. Implement one, and assure people their information is safe with your company.
Scare Tactic 6. Send an email that you haven't proofread. We're all in a hurry, it's true. But haste makes waste! If you request information on "barbecue girls," you might just get some unexpected feedback! Double-checking your message can ensure that the recipient can respond properly. Ultimately, you'll get an answer to the question you asked - and not one you didn't.
Scare Tactic 7. Send an email that's either too enthusiastic, or too austere. People are people - and I've encountered personalities from both ends of the spectrum. Those who are "SO EXCITED" to make your acquaintance that they CAN'T STOP SHOUTING!!" and those who apparently are so wrapped up in themselves that they can't spare a courteous hello. My advice: take the middle ground. Keep it friendly yet professional, and don't go to extremes in your correspondence.
Don't want to frighten people away with your email? Then avoid the "Scary Seven!" Above all, discuss the who, what, when, where, how and why of your message, and be sure to include any information that will help your future colleague get to know you better - a website link, some articles you've written, your resume, etc. Don't be overly pushy on email, and avoid over- or under-communicating. In time, you'll get the feel for the type of emails people respond to. And once that happens, you're on your way to cultivating fruitful internet business relationships!
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Dan Schutte has sinced written about articles on various topics from web development, Computers and The Internet and Legal Matters. Dan Schutte is President of , specializing in messaging security, web content filtering, anti-spam softwar. Dan Schutte's top article generates over 4400 views. to your Favourites.
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