Trying to find the right email service provider (ESP for short) is like finding a shoe that fits you perfectly. Sure, it’s possible to walk a mile in shoes that are too small or too big for you, but you’ll have a much easier time having the right fit on. In bad cases, you might even suffer consequences, like hurting your legs or tripping.
Think of this as an analogy — you being your company, and the shoe is your ESP. In this article, you’ll find the help you need to avoid any complications related to your email provider. The tips below focus on key points you need to pay attention to when choosing the perfect ESP for your business.
What is an ESP?
An email service provider, ESP for short, is a service that houses your email inbox, incoming and outgoing emails, spam, and drafts. This is where you’ll communicate with clients, coworkers, and more. Some ESPs also offer more functionality, such as calendars, meetings, and even notes.
Today, there are millions of providers to choose from, so it can be an overwhelming and hard choice that you need to make. With giants like Google’s Gmail, Microsoft’s Outlook, and Apple’s iCloud Mail dominating the market, many providers go unnoticed. However, we have some tips to follow before hopping on to any large provider’s service.
Do your own research using our guidelines below, and make an educated decision that fits your needs and your business.
Choose the right ESP for your business
Use the following guidelines to choose the right ESP for your business:
Check security
(Vector by Freepik)
Keeping your data secure should be your #1 priority, whether personal or business-related. It’s been determined in a study done by Hotspot that 53% of people who send emails with the sensitive information attached lose these emails. This can lead to horrible consequences if your email ends up in the wrong hands.
Sure. There are preventative measures you can take to ensure your emails are safe even in the event of getting lost. However, your ESP must stand its ground on its own when it comes to security. Do your research and keep this in mind when making your choice.
Value the features you need
Not all ESPs come with the same built-in features. We made a list of must-have features that your business needs in order to efficiently handle email communications. If the ESP you were thinking of using lacks any of these, rethink your choice.
- Templates
- Tracking
- Automation
- 2FA Login
- Encryption
Think about your budget
This tip goes out to small to medium sized businesses. Always remember that having a great ESP doesn’t require you to blow half of your profits on it. There are plenty of budget-friendly or even free ESPs you can choose from to get started.
While it sounds nice to have heaps of email marketing tools with advanced functionality, these requirements often cost up to tens of thousands of dollars. Yes, on an enterprise-level this is very much worth it. However, your business might not need all these extra tools — and especially not the training that comes along with it.
Make a choice between low, medium, or enterprise-level providers depending on the status of your business. Make sure that you utilize most, if not all tools provided by the ESP to get the best value out of your choice.
Consider customer service options
Never neglect to look at ESP’s customer service options. If something goes wrong or you need assistance with a feature, you should be able to get help from the provider ASAP. Here are some things you should check related to the help an ESP provides to their users:
- Online knowledge base
- Get connected with a rep via email or over the phone
- Quick response times (both email and phone)
- Online chat feature (optional but very useful)
- A form to report bugs, ask questions or send feedback
- Resources to help customers succeed with the service
If an ESP has most of these tools and services available to help you, they’re definitely a good choice when it comes to customer service. However, if they lack multiple of these options, you really need to think again about your choice.
Final thoughts
If you need any further help, don’t be afraid to reach out to our customer service team, available 24/7 to assist you. Return to us for more informative articles all related to productivity and modern day technology!
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