Email communications are a vital part of how modern CNC machine shops stay connected and aligned in the 21st century. But as inboxes fill up and email threads multiply, poor email habits can actually hinder the very productivity they’re meant to support.
Whether you’re reaching out to prospects, current customers, or internal staff, communicating effectively is crucial to the success of your shop.
The Potential Pitfalls of a Cluttered Inbox
Before digital communication took over, shop owners kept physical filing cabinets that were (hopefully!) somewhat organized. In today’s culture of online paper trails, a messy email inbox doesn’t take up physical space, but it clutters your mental space instead.
Logging into a sea of emails every morning can desensitize your brain from what’s relevant and high-priority. If you’re starting your day by seeing dozens of irrelevant emails clogging your inbox, it can be easy to overlook the one that truly matters, like a time-sensitive message from a customer or supplier. To combat that, we suggest:
- Setting aside time once a month to unsubscribe from irrelevant mailing lists. What makes a mailing list irrelevant? If you haven’t opened the last few emails, there’s a good chance they’re not pertinent to your business.
- Use folders or labels to sort and prioritize emails. Many shops organized physical folders by customer in the days before email, and we highly recommend sorting your inbox in the same way. Additionally, label or filter high-priority emails from customers or managers to ensure they’re highlighted, so they don’t stay abandoned in your inbox.
Email Etiquette: Who Really Needs to Be Included?
One of the most common sources of email overload is copying people on threads they don’t need to be a part of. In the context of machine shop organization, think of your email list the same way you’d staff a meeting: only include people who have a clear purpose in the discussion.
Internal Communication
- Be considerate of teammates’ workloads. If you’d like to alert a team member of something that isn’t urgent and you can see they’re currently overwhelmed with work, sending an email may be the respectful choice, as it sends the message without interrupting their flow.
- If someone’s role in a discussion ends, don’t hesitate to remove them from the chain. Or, better yet, start a new email thread that excludes them.
External Communication
- Always ask yourself: “Is this message necessary?” and “Is there a clear reason for them to be included in this message?”
- Treat external email communications with even more care; they are a direct reflection of your professionalism and your business. If you start sending your customers lots of emails without rhyme or reason, you might accidentally turn into the boy who cried wolf.
Approaching email communications purposefully is critical in machine shop management.
Use the Right Tool for the Right Message
While email is great for documentation and tracking discussions, it’s not always the fastest or most effective way to communicate.
- For time-sensitive issues or urgent production questions, we suggest picking up the phone or using a direct message platform.
- Avoid marking every email as “high priority.” Doing so dilutes the urgency of truly critical messages.
How you respond to the nuances of communication across teams, departments, and even time zones can make or break a business relationship. Remember that everyone has their own unique preferences for communication, so don’t hesitate to ask about them.
Email with Purpose
Transparent and straightforward communication should be a non-negotiable in your machine shop business plan. And in today’s digital world, email communications should enhance, not hinder, your operations. Be intentional, be respectful, and always be improving.
Want to learn more tricks of the trade? Consider joining NTMA for more best practices!