In today’s business world it is clear that the most important
tool that a business can have is email. Given that fact, it is
incredible to think that some businesses still use a free email
service. The reason for my concern lies within that “fine
print”. I know that the “fine print” is often overlooked by most
people, that is why it is called the “fine print”, but it is
still important. All, and I mean ALL, free email services are in
control of the email service provider and not the business that
is using them. All free email services include a provision in
the user agreement that states that they can terminate an
account at any time! That means your saved emails, your address
book, your inbox and your sent box are theirs for the taking. In
an instant without warning your company can lose everything.

Is that really the type of business you want to run? Free email
serves it purpose. It allows people to socialize for free and
ads traffic to the email provider’s site. Not to mention that
when you tell people your email address and it is not your own,
you are advertising for another company. Do you really want to
advertise for someone else’s company or for your company? Free
email service should not be what your business is dependant on.

There is a cheap alternative. A business can hire a company to
host and setup their email. These services put the power back in
your hands. As long as you pay the bill, your service will
continue. That is a guarantee that every company needs. The best
part of all is the fact that these services often cost less then
ten dollars a month with a small startup fee. Most of these
service providers do not require that you purchase a website,
just a domain name.

No business should be using a free email service, period. The
cost to have your own email service is far less than you think,
and the costs of not having it are far greater than you ever
considered.

Please do not take my word for it. Ask yourself a few questions.
Would AOL, Microsoft or Yahoo lose money on email service? Did
you read every word of the service agreement you signed when you
registered for your free email account? Here are the words you
may have missed:

Yahoo!

You agree that Yahoo! may, under certain
circumstances and without prior notice, immediately terminate
your Yahoo! account, any associated email address, and access to
the Service

Microsoft

Microsoft reserves the right, in its sole
discretion, to terminate your access to any or all MSN
Sites/Services and the related services or any portion thereof
at any time, without notice.

America Online

America Online reserves the right, in its sole
discretion, to terminate your access to all or part of this
site, with or without notice.

Find an email service provider for your business before it is
too late!