To do business today, you need Internet access and individual E-mail accounts for every person in your agency. This tool needs to be managed effectively, just like any other communication resource. If it isn't, it can become one of the biggest drains on your time.
To deal with this threat, agency managers must create ways to help users easily sort through or eliminate the glut of junk E-mail. Among the answers are software tools that allow users to handle E-mail abuse, along with clearly written, widely circulated policies that spell out how employees are to use the agency E-mail system. Together, these tools and policies can help protect against wasted bandwidth, filter messages to the appropriate user, scan E-mail for offensive or sensitive materials, and protect against E&O problems.
For policies to work they must be enforced --but be careful not to place so many restrictions on E-mail usage that they hamstring staff from doing their jobs effectively.
But the problem isn't just junk mail. Jokes, chain letters, and personal messages take employees away from work-related tasks. Even official agency E-mail that's poorly written and improperly distributed can reduce productivity. Another drain is the problem of employees storing old E-mail for years or not keeping messages that must be legally documented. Also virus-infested E-mail that's sent to and from the agency can create serious problems.
Anti-spam tools can help, but they're not the only answer. Even more important is the need for a strong electronic communications policy that can help cut down on the E-mail deluge before it begins. It's not enough to develop a policy: you need to update it on a regular basis to keep up with the constant changes in E-mail technology and its possible impact on agency procedures. For example, have you considered how the availability of free Web E-mail services will affect yoursafeguards. Your policy should prohibit employees from using these free services to send agency information.
Let employees know that their E-mail is being monitored. Have a chain of command in place to quickly deal with employees who misuse E-mail. Every new employee should be required to read and sign the E-mail policy and to attend an agency-wide mandatory orientation that reviews the dos and don'ts of proper usage.
Make sure that your E-mail policies fit your agency's culture and business priorities. Understand the business needs of your users so you can create policies that allow you to operate effectively. This means you should get your staff involved in setting E-mail policies.
ERRORS & OMISSIONS
You need to address the potential problems E-mail can cause in an errors and omission (E&O) claim. An improperly phrased E-mail to a client can open up an agency to some thorny E&O issues.
A number of legal cases have shown that deleted E-mails aren't necessarily really deleted. This could become a thorny issue in an E&O suit if an E-mail you thought was deleted shows up as evidence. How long to keep E-mails is a question you need to answer. Should you treat E-mail just like a paper file? Do you know your state requirements for retention of electronic information?
You also need to think about E-mail from clients and carriers. Should you have a 'bounce back' message policy so that the sender knows the E-mail has been received and that policy coverage can't be bound or changed until confirmed by an E-mail from the agency? What are the implications if a client sends an E-mail message that doesn't arrive at the agency and a loss occurs?
E-mail is a vital productivity and communications tool. As with any tool, you need to apply and manage it effectively.