How Email Miscommunications Could Impact Your Business

Many businesses send and receive hundreds of emails every day. This type of communication is vital regarding ongoing operations. However, large volumes can easily lead to unintentional mistakes. The problem is that these errors could be more serious than they may appear. Let’s take a look at how a misdirected email can impact the operations of a business. We can then discuss how to eliminate these mistakes.

Why Might an Error Occur?

Many misdirected emails result from human error. Perhaps the recipient address is misspelled. Similar domain names can also lead to problems. Overworked employees can easily fall victim to these two scenarios.

Another concern involves the email autocomplete. Most servers will automatically complete an email address if it exists within the system. Unfortunately, the sender might not be aware of this oversight before sending the message. This is even more relevant when dealing with hundreds of emails per day.

Many communication errors are innocent in nature. However, the implications can be serious. What risks do these scenarios potentially pose?

How Can Email Miscommunications Impact Your Business?

Email errors can lead to a drop in operational efficiency. Companies already grappling with a heavy workload could experience issues. Employees required to re-send emails will also spend more time correcting such situations. They may also become distracted from other responsibilities.

There are also some more concerning possibilities. Internal security is a perfect example. What would happen if the message contained sensitive information? Business emails transmit data such as:

• Payment information
• Personal client details (such as a telephone number or login information)
• Proprietary product descriptions
• Employee contact information

This could result in data being sent to the wrong employee or department. However, what if this same information happened to be received by a third party unrelated to the company? A serious data breach may occur.

GDPR regulations seek to address these situations. Unfortunately, companies could suffer as a result. Violations may result in stiff fines. Errors could also result in a loss of customer confidence.

What Steps Can be Taken?

Many generic email servers have difficulty detecting errors. They often lack the required security protocols. Even more advanced Data Loss Prevention systems may fall short of the mark. Traditional DLP techniques could be part of the problem.

Businesses require more advanced platforms. These intuitive systems are equipped with many “smart” tools. Such tools can help to detect errors as they occur. They will help to address complex data-sharing requirements.

Modern DLP systems will also require very little oversight. This helps to take the burden off of in-house administrators. The good news is that these bundles take the guesswork out of the equation.

Staying One Step Ahead of the Curve

Does your business suffer from email communication issues? If so, a more proactive approach is needed. Data integrity is a serious concern in these modern times. Adopting the latest DLP techniques is the best way to avoid unintentional errors.