Emails are the primary communication method for 95% of American organizations. Even as new technology arises for long-distance correspondence, 69% of workers still prefer email. It’s a simple, professional standard that’s not likely to change anytime soon.
That said, email isn’t perfect. Many of the most pervasive email services belong to large companies, such as Microsoft or Google, though some corporations host their own internal servers. When these services go down, how is your business supposed to stay functional?
Email continuity can ensure it’s business as usual whenever there’s a widespread hiccup. Is your email down? Here’s everything you need to know about the importance of an email continuity service.
1. Why Is My Email Down?
An email service can go down just like a website. If your business outsources their email setup, such as through Microsoft Outlook or Gmail, these services can sometimes drop the ball. Oftentimes they shut down for expected maintenance, whether that includes software or infrastructure updates.
So what does that mean for you? Your business will have to go without email until the services are offline again. Luckily, maintenance takedowns tend to occur during the off hours unless it’s an emergency.
Weather is the most troublesome cause of email service blackouts. Wherever the server is located, inclement weather can cause temporary power outages that knock the system offline. When electricity returns to your office, your email server will still be offline until an employee can navigate the snow and enter the building.
In these situations, it’s not unusual for your email to be down for several days. Lastly, you should know that server equipment doesn’t last forever.
Your email system operates within a web of specialized software and hardware. When something breaks in the pipeline, you’ll lose access to your email until your IT department gets everything online. That could cause a blackout that lasts several days if you have to wait for a part shipment.
2. Why Email Is Critical
It’s easy to underestimate how important email correspondence is to your business. Whether it’s internal memos or outside clients, even a small business may send dozens or even hundreds of emails every single day.
When the email server goes offline, it can throw everything into disarray. Your business will lose productivity as employees struggle to collaborate. Even worse, your clients and vendors will be left in the dark.
This could mean a damaged reputation as you struggle to set up a new line of communication. If the operation of your company relies on these connections, you’ll lose revenue as your employees sit around and wait for a project confirmation.
It’s a disaster waiting to happen.
3. Enlisting an Email Continuity Service
Although an extended email downtime can terrify any business owner, there is good news. Email continuity services can keep your email system online even when the servers are knocked out of commission. Since these services are always on, you won’t even notice when you lose regular email access.
So how does it work? You’ll have access to a snapshot of emails in your inbox. It usually includes about a week’s worth of email, though it varies by company and service.
These services will store inbound email directed to your server until it’s back online. When everything is running once again, the continuity service will queue the emails and deliver them to the proper addresses.
Of course, we haven’t talked about the most important part: Sending and receiving messages. You can do that too. However, you’ll have to access the service’s webmail client to do so.
Your actual email server likely has phishing detection and a potent firewall. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to enjoy these perks until your system is online. For that reason, it’s essential to choose an email continuity service that offers great security and web protection.
4. Incorporating Emails Into a Continuity Plan
Why is it called an email continuity service anyway? Because it’s part of a business continuity plan. These plans are an essential component to businesses of any size.
From office fires to email maintenance, disasters large and small can throw a wrench into the productivity of any business. The trick is to plan for them in advance. Otherwise, you risk being blindsided by unexpected revenue losses.
Naturally, an email continuity service is an important addition to any business continuity plan. But incorporating the service isn’t enough.
Let’s say your email server goes offline due to a storm. It’s a good thing that you have email continuity.
The problem is your staff has absolutely no idea how to make use of it. You’ll have to set everything up on the fly. And if you didn’t test the service beforehand, there’s a good chance that you could run into a few compatibility problems.
The bottom line is email continuity alone cannot prepare your employees or business for an email disruption.
A business continuity plan should always delegate a group of employees who can lead others through the continuity process. It should also test the process regularly to ensure the system addresses the threat.
When you choose an email continuity service, make sure your employees and infrastructure can use it when the time comes.
How Often Is Your Email Down?
Take a moment to consider how often you encountered email difficulties this year. Even without inclement weather, it’s likely your IT team encountered some issues. A few hours of downtime is all it takes to throw off an entire day’s worth of productivity.
Avoid having your email down by taking advantage of an email continuity service. For a small monthly price, you can save thousands of dollars and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with an effective business continuity plan.
Want to keep your business running its best? Search our site and discover more ways to safeguard your company.
