Has there ever been a greater tool for the business world than e-mail? Forgetting paper clips and three-hole punches, the ability to send a written report around the world in an instant-well, you've got to admit that's pretty cool. Unfortunately, as you may have noticed, not every e-mail message you send or receive is an important business report. There's a lot of 'chaff' on your e-mail server. Some of your mail is more important than others, but you're not always sure which is the wheat and which isn't.

Snail mail is easy to figure out; you can start by eliminating anything that had a bulk mail rate and go from there-those with a first-class stamp move to the top of the pile. You may be able to do the same with your e-mail by quickly discerning who sent the message or what the subject matter is, but usually you're at the e-mailer's mercy, especially with spammers and their tricks (“Re: The information you requested”) adding to the pile.

Sorting through your e-mail isn't usually a big deal for an individual, even the ones who receive 20 or 30 messages a day. But call centers are another story-they can take in two or three thousand from hundreds of customers? Can your e-mail system handle all these messages? Can your call center reps respond to them in a timely manner, or do they still think of 48-hour turnaround as acceptable?