Yes believe it or not some companies and small businesses are basically forced to use free email services because they are normally on “pay as you go” internet. So what is the importance of e-mail and e-mail rules when it comes to receiving and sending e-mail?

Well for most new or young businesses that are trying to set-up a supply-chain cannot reach the supplier because the e-mail rules will automatically block any “free” e-mail account regardless if it is spam or a real future customer.

Lately I find this to be the norm. Students cannot reach or contact colleges because there mails are blocked and then they have to make costly phone-calls and basically get no-ware fast! So is it to protect people from spam or is it lazy IT work?

Well being from an IT background it is just damn lazy to block any and all e-mails coming from “free” mail servers. Basically you as a business ARE losing money because a lot of customers cannot reach you and will not phone you “thanks heavy phone bills” and more importantly if your IT staff is just blocking “free” accounts it is time for some retraining. Mail rules is not brain surgery! Hell you can just Google it and set it up! Even a simple screening process can make your e-mail system more effective.

In the end your business is about making money, and if people or the public has difficulty in contacting YOU! Then you can be sure they wrote you off as a possible “supplier or service provider” thus YOU lose money! Think about it...

Also if I can give a single tip for ALL business and companies. Specify if you do business with the public or only with other business this will allow for clarity. Also if applicable include an accessible pricelist! This will make inquiries easier for the client in question.

It is simple things like e-mail rules and badly designed information pages on the internet that IS costing your company money. Fact is you have a internet webpage to make your products and services more accessible to the public put if it is short on information and the person cannot get in contact it is game-over. YOU lose money both on your webpage and you are losing customers at the same time.