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Adelaide Business Email Essentials:
Choosing the Right Provider and Best Practices
Adelaide Business Email Essentials:
Choosing the Right Provider and Best Practices
Introduction to FTP
Communication is vital to the success of any business in Adelaide. Whether it’s to send updates on a project to coworkers or inform customers of a new product or limited offer, email is still one of the best ways to communicate with them. After all, 77% of B2B buyers claim email is still their preferred choice of contact since it allows for 1 on 1 communication and has clear records of past conversations. This makes reliable email services essential for businesses of all sizes. Fortunately, there's a range of business email hosting providers in Adelaide offering solutions tailored to any industry.
Selecting the right email provider is a critical decision that can significantly impact your organisation’s efficiency, security, and professional image. With a multitude of options available, the choice can be overwhelming.
In this blog, we’ll explore the top email providers in the market, delve into the criteria of how you should evaluate an email hosting provider, and discuss the best practices any business can do to ensure safe and efficient email communication with its customers and employees.
Factors to Consider Before Choosing an Email Hosting Provider
Before you look at the best email providers for Adelaide businesses, the first thing you should do is understand the essential factors you’ll need to consider from an email hosting provider. Even if you’ve invested in this service in the past, this will allow you to make an informed decision and select a provider that perfectly suits your needs.
Security
One of the core reasons why anyone searches for top email hosting services in Adelaide is for the security they can provide. Not only do emails contain sensitive information about your business, but emails have also become a hotbed for hackers to launch cyber-attacks. To keep you and your employees safe, here’s a list of security features you should look for:
- Encryption
This security feature is the process of converting readable data into a scrambled format known as ciphertext, ensuring that your emails are only readable by the intended recipient. Think of it like locking a message in a safe. The encryption is the lock, and the decryption key is the key to open it.
- Spam and virus protection
At this point, this feature is a standard in almost every email hosting provider. Where a reliable email hosting solution for Adelaide businesses can differentiate itself from its competition is the efficiency of its spam and virus protection mechanisms. A quality email hosting provider should regularly update their security software and utilise complex algorithms that will thoroughly inspect every email to ensure no suspicious activity goes undetected.
- Two-Factor Authentication
This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of verification in addition to inputting your password when logging in.
Uptime
Email is the backbone of a business’s daily operations. In the event a crisis comes along, your email hosting provider should be readily available to troubleshoot any issue to limit downtime.
While it can be hard to decipher how reliable a provider’s uptime is, the best way you can gauge is by checking online reviews and asking whether the provider has multiple data centres and backup systems. If so, this gives you an idea that they can be trusted to ensure continuous service in case of sudden hardware failure or issues with the performance of a computer.
Storage space and data recovery
In case of a breach or data loss in your email security systems, having an email hosting provider that provides considerable storage space will ensure that emails are stored in a place where they can easily be recovered and restored. Another factor you should consider in terms of storage space is the amount of memory they can provide. Some email hosting providers will offer scalable solutions that allow you to upgrade storage as needed.
User interface
The user interface of an email platform can play a huge role in the productivity of your employees. A well-designed interface can make it easier to manage emails, organise folders, and access features that contribute to a positive work experience.
An underrated factor that most businesses fail to consider when choosing an email suite provider that you should prioritise is how mobile-friendly and compatible an email suite provider is. A tool that’s highly compatible with the phone will make it easier for employees to stay connected while on the go.
Custom domain names
This factor is important to maintain a professional image whenever your employee communicates with a customer or potential client.
Instead of having a business email that goes “yourname@gmail.com,” an email that goes by “yourname@yourbusiness.com” projects a more professional image that customers will trust and makes you easily searchable whenever they want to send you an email.
Since this feature is also common among business email hosting providers in Adelaide, one way you can narrow down your options is by asking how much they charge per user, the number of free users on a given plan, and the maximum number of custom emails they can provide.
Scalability
As your business grows, the requirements you’ll need from an email hosting provider will evolve. While it can be hard to predict the future early, be sure to ask ahead if your preferred email hosting provider has any flexible plans and user management tools to make it easier to add or remove employees as your team size changes over time.
Cost
Cost is always a major consideration in every tool, but it shouldn’t be the only one. If the hosting provider has a good reputation and ticks all the boxes for your business needs, spending a few extra dollars shouldn’t hurt. Compare the different pricing plans each suite has to offer and always be aware of any hidden fees, such as charges for additional storage or extra features.
By carefully considering these factors, you can select an email hosting provider that meets your specific needs, ensuring a secure, reliable, and efficient email experience.
What Are the Best Email Providers for Businesses in Adelaide?
Now that you have an idea of the different factors you should consider before investing in a productivity suite for your business, the next problem is choosing from the different options available in the market. As a hub for diverse industries, crowdsourcing from colleagues in Adelaide or reading online reviews won’t be enough to find a suite that can solve your business needs.
To narrow down your options, here are four of the best email providers for Adelaide businesses, highlighting each suite’s unique features and benefits
1. Google Workspace (formerly G Suite)
Google Workspace is a comprehensive suite of cloud-based productivity tools that is highly popular among businesses of all sizes. It combines a robust email service with a host of collaboration tools, making it a top choice for many organisations. It comes in four different business plans: Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus, and Enterprise.
Here are some of its core features:
Gmail
As a product launched by Google, one of its primary benefits is access to Gmail, one of the most reliable and user-friendly email services that has more than 28% of the market share in all email clients in the world. It provides ample storage of 30GB per user (which can be upgraded), spam filtering, easy integration with other Google services (docs, sheets, slides, drive, etc.), and support for custom domains.
Security
Google Workspace is known for its robust security features, including two-step verification, advanced phishing protection, and regular security updates to ensure any sensitive business information is free from cyber threats.
Why should you choose Google Workspace over other email hosting providers in Adelaide?
Google Workspace is ideal for businesses that need a reliable and secure email service combined with powerful collaboration tools. Its user-friendly interface and extensive integration capabilities make it a top choice for businesses looking to enhance productivity and streamline communication.
2. Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365)
Microsoft 365 is another leading email provider that offers a comprehensive suite of productivity tools similar to Google. Only this time, it integrates with Microsoft Office applications. The suite also has four different business plans to choose from: Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Microsoft 365 Business Standard, Microsoft 365 Business Premium, and Microsoft 365 Apps for business.
Some of the features you can expect include:
Outlook
If Google Workspace has Gmail, Microsoft 365 has Outlook, a powerful email client with features like calendar integration, task management, and advanced search capabilities. Outlook supports custom domains and offers 50GB of mailbox storage per user.
Why should you choose Microsoft 365 over other email hosting providers in Adelaide?
Microsoft 365 is ideal for businesses that rely on Microsoft Office applications and need a robust email service with strong security and compliance features.
3. Zoho Mail
While Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 are two of the biggest names in the email industry, Zoho Mail offers a unique blend of affordability and comprehensive features that could be a game changer for any small or medium-sized business. As the suite continues to develop, Zoho Mail offers three plans for businesses: Mail Lite, Mail Premium, and Workplace.
Email features
Zoho Mail supports custom domains, providing a professional appearance for your business. It includes features like email recall, eDiscovery, and offline mode.
More opportunities for collaboration with coworkers
Aside from having its host of suites like docs, sheets, and PowerPoint, Zoho has a “Stream” feature that gives users the power to mention colleagues within emails, create notes, and share emails directly.
Why should you choose Zoho Mail over other email hosting providers in Adelaide?
As a tool that boasts a comprehensive suite of collaboration tools and robust security features at an affordable price, it makes a compelling choice for small to medium-sized businesses in Adelaide.
4. FastMail
As an email hosting company that started its operations in Melbourne, Australia, FastMail is an independent email provider known for its speed, reliability, and privacy-focused approach. It is a great choice for businesses that prioritise data security and user privacy. It comes in three different pricing plans: Basic, Standard, and Professional.
Here’s a rundown on some of its features:
FastMail offers custom domain support, 100GB of storage, and features like email aliases and advanced filtering. Furthermore, Fastmail features a wide range of flexible pricing plans that range from 12 months to 36 months.
Security
FastMail doesn’t play around when it comes to its security. To ensure emails are always protected, the tool integrated several key measures, including two-factor authentication, robust encryption, and limited data collection and sharing.
Why should you choose Fast Mail over other email hosting providers in Adelaide?
While FastMail offers similar features and pricing to other email hosting providers, it has an edge over the likes of Google, Microsoft, and Zoho with how it protects its user’s data.
Best Practices for Secure and Efficient Business Email Communication
In most cases, a business that provides IT services like IDSN can do more than enough to secure your data and handle day-to-day IT operations. However, it's crucial that you and your employees still adhere to different email safety practices for an added layer of security and efficient communication.
Develop a clear email policy
A clear email policy is important to make sure all members of an organisation know what they can and can not send on an email. Early on, you should be able to define what constitutes appropriate and inappropriate language in an email. This includes prohibiting the use of company email for personal matters, avoiding unprofessional language, and adhering to company standards in communication.
An example of a policy you can have is to require encryption for emails containing sensitive data and outline retention policies for storing and archiving emails.
Educate employees on email security
As PC systems and laptops continue to innovate, so do the different methods hackers try to infiltrate your data. One of the more common techniques they use is to disguise themselves as a large corporation in hopes of deceiving you into revealing sensitive information or clicking suspicious links.
To train your employees to identify phishing emails, teach them to check for signs such as unfamiliar email addresses and suspicious links or attachments. Once one of your employees does recognise a phishing email, encourage them to forward suspicious emails to one of the members of your IT team.
This way, they can immediately monitor any suspicious network activity and update systems to ensure it won’t happen again. If your business doesn’t have secure email hosting in Adelaide, IDSN can be your partner to transform your organisation with highly-rated technology services and creative IT solutions.
Frequently update passwords
Cyber hackers are constantly developing new techniques to crack your account. By periodically changing passwords, you enhance the security of online accounts as it's also common for users to have the same password across different sites. To ensure employees adhere to this safety practice, set up an automated system that sends prompts to update passwords at every certain period.
Optimise email organisation and management
With all the emails that get sent every day, it can be hard to keep everything organised in a cloud. For easier tracking, organise emails by project, client, or topic. To make it more specific, you can take it a step further and sort incoming emails into appropriate folders based on criteria such as sender, subject line, or keywords. By having a standardised folder structure that all employees can follow, it ensures consistency across the organisation.
Ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements
Business email hosting providers in Adelaide are familiar with international regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This includes obtaining necessary consent, providing transparency about data usage, and implementing appropriate security measures.
In Australia, there’s an added core of principles known as the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) that guide agencies on what they’re permitted to do as they collect, store, and use personal information. Another federal law in place to ensure the safety of locals online is the Privacy Act 1988. This law covers various aspects of handling personal information, such as data collection, use, disclosure, and individual rights.
Archive old emails
To store emails securely and facilitate easy retrieval, have archiving tools in place that integrate seamlessly with different Adelaide email hosting solutions. Establish clear retention policies based on legal and business requirements, specify how long emails should be kept, and the process for securely deleting emails that are no longer needed.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right email provider is a pivotal step in ensuring secure and efficient business communication. With different options available, it’s important to consider factors like security, scalability, and compliance before you make a decision.
At IDSN, we understand the complexities involved in selecting an email service provider. By entrusting your IT services with us, you gain access to unparalleled support and customised solutions geared towards operational efficiency and security. When it comes to hacks, nobody is safe. Don’t leave your business vulnerable to different cyber attacks and only make changes once it’s too late.
Contact us today to discover how we can help streamline your email management and protect your business’s digital assets.