smallbusiness.co.uk: Helping your business think big

Nine in ten office workers may use email instead of other communication methods to secure an audit trail, according to research carried out by voice and data communications provider Inter-Tel, despite the majority of people believing face-to-face meetings and phone calls enhance business relations.

The increased use of email, instead of more real-time methods of communication, shows how important office workers feel it is to have a record of past conversations. However, overuse of this method of communication could be detrimental to your working relationships.

Duncan Miller, a director at Inter-Tel, says: ‘Business professionals need to step out of their email comfort zone. In an increasingly compliance-focused world, it seems business professionals use email all the more when they require an audit trail, as admitted to by 96 per cent in our research, to cover their backs.’

In addition, the research showed that 64 per cent of respondents estimate that 80 per cent of their communication is done via email, even when an audit trail isn’t required.

‘Today, communications packages are equally compliance-friendly, with phone calls being recorded and instant messenger conversations being logged, for example. Workers need to make the most of this,’ Miller continues.

‘Good business practice, which inevitably involves speaking and meeting with your business partners, suppliers and customers, can be damaged by the overuse of email. Providing workers with flexibility in their communication methods, while ensuring the audit trail is guaranteed, will strike the right balance with all parties.’

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