Technology ROI (Part 1)

The return on investment in communication and information technology is largely determined by how effectively these technologies are used by employees (the human factor), which often boils down to practical and obvious, yet often overlooked, guidelines and best practices.

This is the first part of a series of posts to provide some simple yet powerful tips that can be readily and inexpensively adapted by organizations to optimize the impact technology can have in an organization and in the service to customers.

E-mail best practices

• E-mail etiquette and protocol

  • E-mail is best used for distribution/documentation purposes – not great for dialog

  • E-mails should be addressed to a specific person – not generically to a group

  • If lots of back-and-forth is going on via e-mail, engage by phone instead

  • Accept/reject meeting invitations in timely manner

• Inbox management

  • Have a system for making sure e-mails are addressed in a timely manner ( ie.  color code priority e-mails; have no more than 10 items in inbox by end of day)

  • If unable to address an e-mail request immediately, respond within 4 hours with a commitment of when request will be accomplished

  • If a commitment timeline is not going to be met, notify others before original commitment deadline with new deadline

• Always take the high road

  • No snarky e-mails

  • Always give others the benefit of the doubt

  • Be quick to admit mistakes

  • Be slow to take credit and quick to give others credit

  • Show gratefulness / send thank-you notes or messages