Is email going by the wayside as texting becomes the preferred method of communicating?Yes and no. What are the advantages of email vs. texting? Sure, texting is faster and great for soliciting an immediate response. Certainly the younger generation prefers it, but for most business purposes, email is still the communications tool of choice. As businesses adapt to technological change and generational differences in the workforce, policies should be updated to ensure business communications are professional and secure.
On average, a typical corporate user sends and receives about 110 messages daily, according to Ving. So, yes, it’s still relevant. Email as a communications tool for business makes sense for a variety of reasons. It provides a more formal, professional format than instant messages. Email can be accessed from multiple devices, including a desktop; it allows for the attachment of a variety of documents; it can be printed easily; and it provides a record of correspondence.
There are downsides. Email messages are competing with all the other emails waiting in a recipient’s inbox to be opened, making them more likely to be overlooked. For workers who receive a large volume of email, it may pose a time-management issue. Most importantly email offers a door to security breaches. More than 90% of cyberattacks start with a spear phishing email. Business email compromise scams have exposed more than $3 billion to loss.
While texting addresses the issue of speed and urgency, which can be useful if workers need to relay information to colleagues or to a client immediately, it can be intrusive if misused or overused. Texting is seen as more personal form of communication that may not always be appropriate for business matters. The brevity used may lack appropriate professionalism. Texting also is not immune to cybercriminals’ ploys.
While texting is popular, especially for younger workers, email is still the communications method of choice for business. With some 294 billion emails sent each day, it’s wise to have an office email policy that addresses the use of this age-old technology. Be sure to check out our E-Book that offers guidelines for an effective business email policy. If you have more questions about email vs. texting, feel free to drop us a line.