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When to Avoid Using E-mail
To successfully accomplish a task, you need to choose the proper tool. Would you ever use a hammer to fix a bicycle chain? Probably not. A hammer is most effective when you are trying to pound in a nail. In the same way, e-mail is a communication tool that also has effective uses and limitations.
There are some situations in which you should avoid using e-mail as a method of communication. When composing e-mail messages, ask yourself how you would react to the contents of the message. You should avoid including the following information in e-mail messages.
Confidential information
Confidentiality is an important issue in many organizations. Most people tend to be less guarded when using e-mail than in telephone conversations because of its informal nature. There is the perception that you can't be "overheard" when using e-mail.
However, once you send a message, you have no control over what the recipient does with it. For example, have you ever forwarded a message to someone else without notifying the original sender? Most people have, and the original sender never knows.
Therefore, because you wouldn't want someone else to share confidential information, you should avoid sending some specific types of confidential information in your e-mail messages, including- information relating to employee/members personnel files
- classified project specifications or developments
- contract negotiations
- client or customer profiles.
If you need to share sensitive or protected information, choose an alternate method of communication.
Emotionally charged statements
Another time you may want to avoid using e-mail is when you are angry or upset. You should never send messages that include emotionally charged statements. It is difficult to convey emotion in an e-mail message. In face-to-face communication, tone of voice carries 38 percent of the meaning in a message and body language approximately 55 percent. You only retain seven percent of the message without face-to-face or verbal communication.
Think about a time when you've misunderstood somebody. Since e-mail messages lack tone, facial expression, and body language, the recipient can easily misinterpret their meaning. You should never deliver bad news in an e-mail message.
Inquiries that demand immediate action
The third type of information you should avoid including in e-mail messages is anything that requires immediate action. Do you respond immediately to every message you receive? You may try to answer messages as soon as possible, but messages can come when you are away from your desk.
In addition, some people don't check their messages regularly. When you send an e-mail message, there is no guarantee that the recipient is available. Also, the recipient is under no obligation to respond immediately. Therefore, if you need information immediately, use the phone or arrange for a face-to-face visit.
Although e-mail is an excellent business tool that can enhance your work, it should not be used in all situations. When you recognize the limitations of e-mail, you will be able to use it more efficiently..
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