IT Support Services and Tips by ZONE-X

Get BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express for Free

We’ve always had an impartiality for Blackberry devices as a staple for our corporate business clients with mobile communication needs (some people are just plain faster and more efficient on Blackberry). For those of you integrating Blackberry in the workplace – specifically those with Microsoft Exchange 2003 or newer running in-house servers, you can use Blackberry Enterprise Server Express for FREE – with some minor limitations.

First, you must be running Microsoft Exchange (or Lotus Notes) in order to install the software. Simple enough? Well then check out the excerpt below and fire it up as they lifted all the back-end limits on licensing now.

Connect people via BlackBerry smartphones and ideas get bigger. Progress happens faster. Answers get smarter. So imagine what happens when you give a business the freedom to connect all its employees.

BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express enables businesses of any size to quickly and easily get started with the BlackBerry solution. It provides advanced BlackBerry smartphone features with no additional software or user license fees, and works with any Internet-enabled BlackBerry data plan or a BlackBerry enterprise data plan.
Connect people via BlackBerry smartphones and ideas get bigger. Progress happens faster. Answers get smarter. So imagine what happens when you give a business the freedom to connect all its employees.

BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express enables businesses of any size to quickly and easily get started with the BlackBerry solution. It provides advanced BlackBerry smartphone features with no additional software or user license fees, and works with any Internet-enabled BlackBerry data plan or a BlackBerry enterprise data plan.

Find out how ZONE-X can solve your Small Business IT Support needs: (877) 779-6639

Over the last few months, ZONE-X’s partner data recovery provider, DriveSavers, have a noticed a steady increase in the number of hard drives received at their facility that have severe media damage, making them unrecoverable. While it is difficult to pinpoint the cause of media damage, experience tells us recovery attempts on these drives may have been made using utility software, or perhaps the drive was left running and a minor head slap became major media damage.

In many cases, the customer’s data had been scraped from the hard drive’s platters, turning it into magnetic dust. While it’s a fact that DriveSavers has the highest data recovery success rate, even we have our limits!

As we are fond of saying, “The first data recovery attempt is the best.” Sometimes, it’s the only chance we get if the drive develops media damage during the data recovery process. To minimize the risk of making a bad situation worse, if your customer’s data is valuable or irreplaceable, do not run software utilities.

If for some reason you must attempt a hard drive data recovery, follow these important guidelines to avoid permanent data loss:

• If a hard drive makes any repetitive clicking or grinding, do not attempt a data recovery. The drive may have media damage. Operating the drive in this state will make the situation worse.
• If you connect the hard drive to a computer and it is not recognized in the setup, stop the process. The drive may have a damaged circuit board and should not be swapped with an identical model, as it could remove the bad sector table.
• Avoid utility software that makes changes to the drive’s firmware or bad sector table. This can permanently corrupt the data.
• Avoid home remedies such as placing a hard drive in a freezer. This will create condensation buildup inside the drive mechanism creating further problems.

Find out how ZONE-X can solve your Small Business IT Support needs: (877) 779-6639

Google, or better known as G-this and G-that… I mean honestly, who doesn’t know Google and its astounding market share (NASDAQ: GOOG) and creating billionaires out of anyone standing near or around Stanford University.

They’ve given us wonderful (FREE) tools like (in no particular order):

• G-Mail - the first web based e-mail system to break the 2GB barrier
• Google – the world’s “best” search engine
• Google Maps – a great mapping tool that can show you who’s car is parked in your driveway or with street view, who is in your window
• Google Medical Records – Keep and store your records “safely” online – wow!!!
• Google AdWords – Pay per click advertising with a ton of tools and ease of use features to help drive traffic to your website
• Google AdSense – Ad revenue that you can place on your website and get PAID for your web traffic visitors clicking on ads
• Google Apps – Trying to bust up Microsoft’s monopoly on share/collaboration tools for document editing (Similar to Word), presentation (Similar to PowerPoint), spreadsheets (Similar to Excel), etc.
• Google Toolbar – Appends itself to your Internet Explorer or Firefox browser window to “make searching easier”
• Google Analytics – Free website traffic monitoring, statistics and more for website and e-commerce

No doubt Google has pioneered many advances that make our on-line lives more connected, integrated, and simpler to get where and what we want.

Now, here is where Google begins to scare me:

• Postini – Google has bought Postini, the world’s largest e-mail filtering service for junk mail and viruses. Many small, medium and large (i.e. Fortune 500) companies use Postini. It allows junk and virus laden e-mail to be filtered at Postini’s server farm before it gets delivered to the company’s mail servers – which for those non-techie types is a HUGE lifesaver!
• Grand Central – Google has bought Grand Central which is (currently an invite only) a service that gives you a phone number “for life”. With this phone number, you get some new and amazing call handling capabilities. It allows you to give an individual profile to your friends and family, giving them a unique ring tone, greeting, and a behind-the-scenes way to reach you anywhere at anytime. If you want Grandma to be able to reach you at home, the office, the cell phone or the hotel in Taipei where you are staying she only has to call one number, your Grand Central number, and it will find you. You can even record a special greeting just for Grandma – “Hi Grandma, I am running around at work in Taipei, if I don’t answer just leave me a message and I will call you right back”. You can also send those telemarketers off to the virtual cyber trash can by blocking their number – sending to voicemail or playing the “disconnected number” tone/message.
• G-Drive – Not yet announced at the time of this writing, but supposedly in the works. Google wants to offer an on-line storage/backup service (similar to X-drive, Carbonite, Mozy, etc.) that will allow you to backup your computer and files on their servers – keeping it safe from theft or computer crashes.
• Android (G-Phone) – Google announced a development platform for a new cell phone (whether the phone or the software) called Android.

Why does this scare me? Simply put, Google has its hands in so much of what we do on-line – and will do. And is slowly creeping into the non-traditional tech (telephone) that used to be quite secure from prying eyes/ears.

With the above, Google will be able to:

• See 100% of what we search for – Using Google Search Engine and Google Toolbar
• See 100% of what people who visit our website are looking for – Using Google AdSense/Analytics
• See 100% of what we want to sell on-line – Using Google AdWords
• See 100% of our ailments, medical records, births, deaths, etc – Using Google Medical Records
• See 100% of who calls us, and what messages they leave us – Using Grand Central & Android (G-Phone)
• See 100% of who e-mails us, its content, how often, etc – Using Postini
• See 100% of what files we have stored on our computer – Using G-drive

Now, whether Google will actually use or harvest this information and create individual profiles on each citizen of the world – who knows. Save that for the conspiracy theorists… My gut reaction is that Google is spreading itself into so many small niches of my life. I feel anxious that every Saturday some guy up in Google HQ decides to pull up my harvested profile and have some buddies over for a good chuckle – reviewing the entire week of phone calls, e-mails, web searches and files that I have created. Wouldn’t it be nice to be so important that it actually occurred? Maybe it does.

With the Department of Homeland security wanting more information from more citizens, maybe they should just embed themselves in the corporate culture of Google. With so much access to so much information, Google seems to be the best place to get information. Maybe the big “G” stands for Government? Careful now, Big Brother is watching!

Find out how ZONE-X can solve your Small Business IT Support needs: (877) 779-6639

Adobe Acrobat Error: “The Disk you were saving to or the disk used for temporary files is full”

We recently had a bit of a brain teaser… Adobe Acrobat would not allow a client to save a file to a specific subfolder. Obviously it smelled like a permissions error… Checked all that, no problems. Created some new folders called “TEST” and the client was able to save the Adobe PDF file to that folder – no problems. But when we tried a folder 2-3 levels deeper, the same error message kept coming up.

So, after some sleuthing around the Internet, we stumbled upon a simple explanation: Adobe Acrobat Reader cannot process document titles that exceed 100 characters.

Error Message:
“The document could not be saved. The disk you were saving to or the disk used for temporary files is full. Free some space on this disk and try again, or save to a different disk.”

The solution is to shrink the folder structure (or rather the characters contained therein) so as to get the character limit to be less than 100 (or so) characters.

Find out how ZONE-X can solve your Small Business IT Support needs: (877) 779-6639

We receive a great deal of questions from our clients about the safety and security of their customer data. While a layered approach always seems to be the best practice, we find that most of our clients make assumptions about certain methods of communication – especially e-mail and electronic faxing. We at ZONE-X felt compelled to share our insight on one of the many misconceptions that is prevalent in current times.

What is electronic faxing (E-Faxing)?

Electronic faxing, or E-Faxing, is a method used to convert traditional faxes into electronic format (either TIFF, JPG, GIF, or PDF) that can be accessed via a computer. Most times it is subscription based, meaning you pay an outside or 3rd party service provider to utilize the service. Rather than relying on a physical device to receive your fax and transfer it to paper, E-Faxing can deliver a document that will show up on your computer screen. Not only is this a great time saver, but it is a great resource to make an effort towards “going green” by conserving paper, electricity and eliminating an extra device to maintain.

If I am the only person who receives the E-Fax, isn’t it secure?

A common misconception is that something that can only be seen on your computer screen is safe from prying eyes. Most people feel that as long as no person can physically see the item on their computer screen, then it is safe from unwarranted access. Nothing could be further from the truth. Everything that is carried over your company network, let alone the Internet, can be accessed by a clever individual. Assume that anything that opens up very easily, or can be accessed by a few clicks, is more than likely an insecure data source or document. Here’s why…

Why is my E-Fax not safe & secure?

Most electronic faxing occurs with the help of an outside service. Some of the popular services are J2, E-Fax, and FaxMicro. All offer different levels of service, depending on your specific needs. But there is a common link – they all primarily use e-mail to deliver the faxes to your computer. This is where that warm fuzzy feeling starts to fade. With a traditional telephone line, it would require direct physical access to either the receiver or the sender’s telephone line (at the building or inside the office) for someone to intercept a fax communication. E-Faxing is secure up until the point it becomes an e-mail message and is delivered to your inbox across the Internet.

Why is this an issue?

As a result of the fact that faxes are held with high regard to be legally binding documents (by faxing a signature, you can be held liable for most legally binding transactions), you can easily see the need to safeguard the information contained therein. But, as most people (at unfortunately) do not understand, e-mail is one of the most INSECURE methods of communication on the Internet. It is the non-physical counterpart to sending a postcard through the postal service. Anyone who wants is able to read your postcard (and you will never know). Just the same, anyone who wants, and has the technical ability, can read your e-mail. As such is the case, they have access to all that juicy information contained within each and every e-mail you feel is a one-way link to your intended recipient – and we mean ALL OF IT!

This basic fact arises – E-mail is insecure; therefore anything received via e-mail is insecure.

With the exception of encrypted e-mail (certificate/key based encryption), 100% of your private communications via e-mail are in fact… NOT PRIVATE. If someone really, really, really wants to take a peek at those personal photos, videos, or E-Faxes you are sending as attachments, they CAN and they WILL.

Should I use E-Faxing for my fax needs?

The answer is YES and NO – as it depends on your specific situation. If you have a duty to your customer to protect their private data/information that is a regular part of what you receive via fax, then you should absolutely NOT USE an E-Faxing service. If you only receive basic documentation and nothing exceptionally personal, private, or copyrighted, then using E-Faxing is a great tool. There are methods to receive E-Faxes to a device at your office, which does not traverse the Internet. This is much more secure than using a 3rd party service. However, that crafty co-worker who wants to steal your business leads may simply access your files and see what is in that E-Fax – but corporate theft is a different topic all together.

I am confused & concerned… What should I do now?

At ZONE-X, we are problem solvers. Send us a brief message with your specific issue. We can help you find a solution or walk you through your concerns until you arrive at a 100% satisfactory resolution.

Find out how ZONE-X can solve your Small Business IT Support needs: (877) 779-6639

One of the most often encountered questions we receive:

Is Our Business Ready for a Server-based Network?

Many small business owners are reluctant to interrupt operations and invest the time needed to switch the companies’ computers from a peer-to-peer (P2P) network to a server-based one. While the fears of down time may be understandable, these entrepreneurs are ultimately compromising their businesses.

Why? By moving from P2P to a server-based network, small business owners should discover that the long-term gains in efficiency, productivity and, ultimately, profitability, will far exceed any short-term losses that could be incurred by making the switch.

Small Business Networking

A P2P network allows employees to share content files – anything from audio, video, data or any file in digital format – between their computers. In a P2P, the computers, or nodes, essentially act as both servers and client systems, allowing employees to pull files from different computers connected to the network.

At first glance, P2P seems to be a viable solution for budget-conscious small businesses. But the reality is much different. The fundamental problem with P2P is that it drastically reduces the processing speed of each node. This is because each computer in a P2P must act as a both a repository for information and workstation. For example, while you are working on a document from your computer, one of your employees may be retrieving a different file also stored on your computer. As a result, your computer slows down to fulfill both requests.

A server-based network instantly wipes out this headache, because the server – and not individual computers – is the information hub. As a result, your company can realize dramatic improvements in efficiency, productivity – and the bottom line – in the short term and well down the road.

Server Purpose and Set Up

Because they are designed to be considerably faster than P2P networks, server-based networks would seem to be the obvious choice for businesses of all sizes. But for years, many small businesses have been intimidated by servers, believing them to be expensive and challenging to set up, maintain and support. Today, however, server technology is affordable and within reach of smaller companies.

For example, Megan Duckett, founder of Sew What?, Inc. — a company in Rancho Dominguez, Calif. that produces custom-made curtains, drapes and stage settings for concerts tours, theaters and other special events – recently upgraded her server-based network to allow her business to keep up with rapidly growing customer demand. After installing a server, Duckett and her staff saw immediate productivity improvements.

“Our Web site helped our business grow more than 75 percent in 2006 and managing all of the business it generates requires a lot of storage – from global customer information to thousands of drapery and fabric images to QuickBooks files,” said Duckett. “With the power and scalability of our new server, we still have plenty of room to grow and soon will be able to host our Web site in-house. I never dreamed that the tiny business I started on my kitchen table would grow into the global business we have today.”

Benefit

Beyond the ability to provide dramatically faster processing speeds than P2P networks, server-based networks offer a wide range of business benefits, including one advantage that small businesses are increasingly coveting: the ability to better manage security of information and store all business-critical information in one repository.

Because the goal of many companies is to grow, small businesses are looking for technology that can grow with them. Servers that are affordable – yet fully scalable – can do exactly that. In fact, it’s not unusual for a company to begin with only a handful of employees and grow to dozens, using the same server along the way.

Because the goal of many companies is to grow, small businesses are looking for technology that can grow with them. Servers that are affordable – yet fully scalable – can do exactly that. In fact, it’s not unusual for a company to begin with only a handful of employees and grow to dozens, using the same server along the way.

• File and printer sharing
• Increased e-mail limits and shared calendars
• Desktop faxing
• Remote Access & Remote Workers
• Internet and intranet access
• Improved multi-level firewall security
• Simplified management
• Flexibility to add additional servers

These and other potential benefits explain why small businesses are increasingly beginning with – or switching from P2P networks to – server-based networks.

Servers are built to manage data from multiple users at the same time. While one person is saving files another person could be retrieving files at the same time.

Having a server-based network is also a great way to help ensure reliability. One way servers accomplish this is by having multiple internal hard drives. For instance, if you get a server with two hard drives you can have a mirror setup where the data that you save to the server is being copied to both hard drives. If one hard drives happens to fail then the other hard drive keeps the server running and has all of your files intact and accessible.

Another way a server can help ensure reliability is through the use of multiple power supplies which are available. On a personal computer, if your power supply goes out, you’re pretty much down. However, if a server has redundant power supplies and one of them goes out, the other power supply will take over ensure continuous activity.

Types of Servers

Because every business is different, we offer various servers to meet the needs of our customers. Tower servers can deliver key features crucial to small businesses and remote facilities. They provide high performance in free-standing formats in with rich, highly configurable solutions. The latest chipset technologies can boost versatility, helping make them extremely reliable for even the most complex business needs.

Rack servers are reliable, space-saving solutions designed for expandability. These servers are capable for a range of performance and scalability requirements for different businesses. They help you protect your mission-critical business applications and make the most efficient use of your server space.

Support & Guidance Offered

To help decide which servers provide the type of benefits you need to meet the unique business goals of your company, please use the link below to find out more information.

Find out how ZONE-X can solve your Small Business IT Support needs: (877) 779-6639

Woe is the foe…

Is it possible that the residential VOIP pioneer, Vonage, could end up slipping down the proverbial drain? Analysts are warning that it appears to be the case… Warnings and speculation about Vonage’s ability to keep their financial issues in check abound on the Internet. Financial analysts saw it coming from day 1 – shortly after their initial IPO filing. Once everyone found out how much money Vonage was spending on its marketing campaigns (TV, Internet, radio, etc.), nobody thought it would be possible to sustain. I guess they were right!

Here is a great article about the woes of Vonage from PCWorld:

Vonage Could Go Bankrupt, Analyst Warns
Vonage’s IPO woes and patent troubles lead some to doubt its viability, advise investors to sell. – Denise Pappalardo, Network World

Vonage’s lackluster IPO and ongoing patent troubles are leading some financial analysts to speculate about the company’s long-term viability.
Citigroup Analyst Michael Rollins said earlier this week that Vonage may go bankrupt by 2009 and urged investors to sell shares, according to a story in The Boston Globe . Citigroup is one of the managers of Vonage’s IPO.

So, in the essence of free choice and a free market, we make the following suggestion: SWITCH, and SWITCH NOW!

After testing several of the larger VOIP providers, we are siding with VIA Talk. After careful review of some of the top players, VIA Talk has outshined in several key categories.

It is our best advice that going with VIA Talk will provide you with the same features and functionality of Vonage, except at a better service level. Better customer service (as we all know how bad Vonage’s customer service personnel have been), more features (anonymous call blocking – incoming calls; SIP phone cabilities – use with softphone or SIP device for free; and much more). You can check out the additional features here at the VIA Talk website. If you are currently using a SIP based phone or phone service, VIA Talk allows you to BYOD (bring your own device) at no additional charge – it actually costs less to do it this way!

Even though Vonage may make it out of the patent lawsuits, the damage has been done. It is now time for the other VOIP providers to shine on in the sunlight – no longer hiding in the shadows.

If you end up using VIA Talk, drop us a line. We want to hear about your experience!

Find out how ZONE-X can solve your Small Business IT Support needs: (877) 779-6639

Vonage Could Go Bankrupt, Analyst Warns
Vonage’s IPO woes and patent troubles lead some to doubt its viability, advise investors to sell.
Denise Pappalardo, Network World

Vonage’s lackluster IPO and ongoing patent troubles are leading some financial analysts to speculate about the company’s long-term viability.
Citigroup Analyst Michael Rollins said earlier this week that Vonage may go bankrupt by 2009 and urged investors to sell shares, according to a story in The Boston Globe . Citigroup is one of the managers of Vonage’s IPO.
Read Entire Article By Clicking Here

So, in the essence of free choice and a free market, we make the following suggestion: SWITCH, and SWITCH NOW!

After testing several of the larger VOIP providers, we are siding with VIA Talk (click here for more info)

It is our best advice that going with VIA Talk will provide you with the same features and functionality of Vonage, except at a better service level. Better customer service (as we all know how bad Vonage’s customer service personnel have been), more features (anonymous call blocking – incoming calls; SIP phone cabilities – use with softphone or SIP device for free; and much more). You can check out the additional features here at the VIA Talk website.

If you end up using them, drop us a line. We want to hear about your experience!

ZoNE-X

We have been getting a ton of questions from clients and website visitors about Microsoft’s latest operating system, Windows Vista. The new operating system is trying to replace Windows XP as the new standard in the PC workspace. The big question, SHOULD I UPGRADE? Here’s our opinion on the  matter…

Most consumer users are using PC’s bought in the last 2-3 years. Windows XP represented a very broad usability specification in terms of what kind of power needed to be implemented to run it, and run it well. Systems ranging from under 1Ghz and 256MB of memory were able to make it crawl, but to get Windows XP running well, something above 1Ghz and 512MB of RAM were essential. Windows Vista is the most demanding operating system in the world. They have offered system specifications that aren’t too far off from what most of consumers are using. However, is it absolutely necessary to upgrade hardware in order to use Windows Vista? You bet, and here’s why…

Windows Vista claims to be able to run with the following minimum specifications:

Microsoft Vista Home Basic

• 800-megahertz (MHz) 32-bit (x86) processor or 800-MHz 64-bit (x64) processor
• 52 megabytes (MB) of system memory
• DirectX 9-class graphics card
• 32 MB of graphics memory
• 20-gigabyte (GB) hard disk that has 15 GB of free hard disk space
• Internal or external DVD drive
• Internet access capability
• Audio output capability

Microsoft Vista Home Premium, Microsoft Vista Business, Microsoft Vista Enterprise, and Microsoft Vista Ultimate

• 1-gigahertz (GHz) 32-bit (x86) processor or 1-GHz 64-bit (x64) processor
• 1 GB of system memory
• Windows Aero-capable graphics card
• 128 MB of graphics memory
• 40-GB hard disk that has 15 GB of free hard disk space (the 15GB of free space provides room for temporary file storage during the install or upgrade.)
• Internal or external DVD drive
• Internet access capability
• Audio output capability

These are some pretty beefy requirements, especially since most of us will need to completely upgrade our hardware to facilitate the ability run the OS. Not to mention, the hardware upgrade costs are just one facet of the big picture… Don’t forget how much this new version of Windows will cost… Nearly double the price of the most powerful version of Windows XP – Windows XP Professional (Retail for $200). Windows Vista Ultimate will tip the charts at $400 (MSRP). This will knock out the budget of any small business wishing to jump to the next level of Microsoft product offerings.

Our suggestion is this… WAIT! Just give it some time. As Vista is released to market (which has still yet not OFFICALLY happened), you will start to hear the hype and news about its actual usage. Bugs, updates, patches, incompatibilities will begin to surface (as they already have). Stay strong, sit back, and let things take their course. I would venture to say that Windows Vista will be ripe and ready by Summer 2007. Byt then, Quad-core processors will have pushed the price of dual-core down a bit. Memory is always volatile, so you can’t predict the expenditure on RAM… And hard drives simply continue to amass volume on a monthly basis.

When the time comes, our suggestion on hardware would be:

• Processor: 2.0Ghz Dual-core (Core Duo Intel)
• Memory: 1-2GB (If you can afford an extra gig, GET IT!)
• Hard Drive: Due to volume of the OS by itself, home users should plan 300GB or more, Business 150GB or more
• Drives: DVD+R/W (Don’t wait for HD or Blu-Ray)
• Vista: Get the best bang for your buck – Home users should get Vista Home Premium; Business users should get Vista Business (unless video/photo editing or storage is in your line of work – then get Ultimate).

Remember, nobody got hurt by waiting for the next bus. Sit tight, it is not going to pass you by. Just wait until they get all the kinks worked out.

What does your e-mail say about you as a manager?

A lot, says David A. Owens, clinical professor of management at Vanderbilt University’s Owen School of Management. It provides a window into your workplace status, work habits, stress levels, even your personality, he says.

Owens is an organizational behavior guru who can analyze an anonymous piece of e-mail and tell you the sender’s likely corporate rank and seniority level.

“Higher status” managerial e-mails have a level of formality, tone and lack of detail that is less apparent at mid-management levels and below, he says. Cheesy quotes, smiley faces and joke mails are more prevalent at lower management levels, where correspondence is more task-based and e-mailers allow themselves to let off steam.

E-mail is an extremely valuable communication channel for today’s managers, but it can be abused if used carelessly or too much, Owens says. Here are 10 basic tips for better e-mail use and management.

1. Use e-mail as one channel of communication, but not your only one. It’s fast and easy. It can document discussions. It enables high-impact messages to be sent around the world with the click of a mouse. But it also misleads bosses into thinking they can manage large groups of people through regular group e-mails, Owens says. Use e-mail wisely, but don’t manage your company through it. You won’t reach everybody you need to reach and your presence won’t be felt.
2. Keep it short and sweet and don’t allow e-mail threads longer than a football field. Know that e-mails longer than one screen-full often aren’t read right away; they get shoved to the end of the day or the next morning. Know also when it’s time to put down the mouse and go talk to someone, or pick up the phone. There comes a point when further e-mailing eats up time unnecessarily.
3. De-code your messages as much as possible. Say what you really want to have happen. Start with the subject line: Make it clear and compelling (and be willing to change it when the subject in a thread changes). Be certain about who really needs to be on the “to:” and the “cc:” line. Be clear about action items and priorities. Spell them out, as lists or bulleted items. Include a response button or some other mechanism if you must know that everyone has read and understood your message.
4. Encourage people to respond with questions. That’s akin to keeping your office door open.
5. Save your wrath for face-to-face meetings. “Flame mails,” or e-mails dripping with criticism or venom, often backfire. Terse e-mails, because they are not accompanied by the writer’s facial expression or body language, can easily come across more harsh than intended. You control the message — and the emotions on the other end — much better by delivering it in person or over the phone.
6. Likewise, inject humor, but keep emoticons, smiley faces and joke mails to a minimum. The smiley faces do help clarify when you are being facetious. But too many facetious mails will erode at your attempts to write serious ones. What about joke e-mails? Some companies forbid them. Send them or pass them on at your own risk, Owens says. There is usually more downside than upside, but everybody needs a good laugh now and then. Again, too many joke mails will erode your attempts to send serious ones.
7. Consider setting a 5-minute buffer between when you send and when it goes out. Both Owens and Maureen Dolan Rosen, a human resources consultant, see value in managers being able to retract poorly written messages before they even go out. “A 5-minute rule won’t hurt anyone,” Owens says. In Microsoft Outlook, you can delay the delivery of messages for a specified time through the “Rules Wizard.” If you’re angry when you’re about to write, take a step further. Get up and walk around or do something else before you write the mail.
8. Work in time each day to answer your e-mails, or get help. If you can’t keep up during a normal day, build time into your work day or delegate some of the responsibility. When is it too late to respond to someone? Never. Just make sure you have a good explanation.
9. If you can’t write e-mails effectively, get some training. Or at least get help from a secretary or subordinate. E-mail should have some role in your communication with employees, partners and others — there is really no valid reason to avoid it. But know that any remote workers and others who don’t see you regularly may judge you largely on your e-mails.
10. Use spell-check — and a thesaurus. Avoid typos and mangled sentences. They make you look bad. Avoid cliches, too.

Find out how ZONE-X can solve your Small Business IT Support needs: (877) 779-6639