In the past couple of years I've come to the realization that email is becoming ineffective as a business communication medium, delivering a stagnating ROI and generally diluting the value of face to face communication.
There are a number of micro-blogging services for the enterprise that could do a better job, Yammer is one of the most popular:
5 reasons why Yammer can replace email...
1. Context - receive the right information, when you need it.
2. Accessibility - Use it on the web, on your mac, on your PC, iPhone, Blackberry, at home or on the road.
3. Engagement - Flatten out the organisation and allow your team to engage at all levels.
4. Integration - RSS integration provides an opportunity to present and monitor the collective intelligence of your organisation in real time.
5. Transparency - The relative privacy afforded by email is no longer relevant. If its sensitive, say it in person. If it's not share it with everyone.
Of course, this would be impractical for most companies and it doesn't solve the problem of communicating with external parties. Nevertheless, a quiet revolution is underway to disrupt the way we communicate @work.
