Email: Old But Not Obsolete (Interview With CEO Paul Holland)

The role of email in our personal and professional lives cannot be overstated. From its inception to its current ubiquitous status, email has had a fascinating journey. But where is it headed, especially with the rise of other communication platforms?

To delve deeper into these questions, we sat down with our CEO, Paul Holland. Paul sheds light on the past, present, and future of email.

Key Takeaways

• Understand the persistent relevance of email in a digital era dominated by diverse communication platforms.
• Examine the challenges and advancements in email security, and their significance in modern communication.
• Discover how emerging technologies like AI are revolutionising email communication for enhanced efficiency and security.

Interview Summary

Q: There have been many predictions about the decline of email. What are your thoughts on this?

A: The death of email has been proclaimed from various quarters in the past. Yet, here we are today, witnessing the continually increasing numbers of email usage. It's quite challenging to imagine life before and after email.

Gmail, for instance, was launched in 2004, and it's fascinating to see how its volumes have surged in the subsequent 19 years.

Q: How does email compare to other communication mediums in terms of volume?

A: There's no other medium in the world that matches the communication volume of email. Even when you consider the various messaging apps available, email remains the dominant communication medium.

Its usage is predicted to rise even further. The COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, led to a surge in email communication due to the need for distanced interactions.

Currently, around 320 to 330 billion emails are sent and received daily, and this number is expected to grow significantly in the coming years.

Q: How integral has email become in our daily lives?

A: It's hard to envision a life without email, especially now that it's a staple on our desktops and is integrated into our daily interactions.

Email can be polarising; people can love and hate it almost simultaneously. However, its longevity is undeniable.

Our customers, for instance, retain their email addresses longer than other communication forms, even longer than their postal addresses. The future of email looks promising, as most market experts predict.

Q: Can you shed some light on the origins of email and its evolution?

A: Email was primarily introduced for the education and defence sectors. Its original intent was public information sharing between institutions, which later evolved into a broader medium for open information exchange.

While its immediacy and convenience are unparalleled, inherent security risks persist. It was designed for sharing, not for protection. This gap led to the creation of solutions like ours to address the original challenges and adapt to the evolving internet landscape.

Q: How has the role of email evolved in our personal and professional lives?

A: Email has become an integral part of various facets of our lives, not just for information gathering. It's used for banking, interacting with service providers, seeking advice, and virtually every aspect of our personal lives.

Consequently, security has become paramount, which is why solutions like Mailock exist.

Q: How do you see the future of email, especially with the rise of other communication platforms?

A: The so-called "death of email" has been a topic of discussion for a while. Yet, its relevance remains. I recall a conversation with my son as he was entering university.

He questioned the significance of email, but upon his arrival, he was immediately issued an email address. This anecdote underscores the enduring nature of email. Changing the email habits of adults and businesses, both in the UK and globally, is a monumental task.

Email's future is secure, with increased usage and the challenges that come with it.

Q: How does email fit into the business communication landscape, especially with the rise of messaging apps?

A: Email is synonymous with business interactions and consumer-business communications.

While messaging apps are suitable for brief conversations or group chats, they align more with fluid, conversational exchanges. However, businesses need to control their messaging for security and regulatory reasons.

This control is challenging with a myriad of messaging apps. While these apps have their place in our personal lives, when it comes to formal interactions with service providers and advisors, email still holds significant sway.

Q: How does Mailock integrate with existing email systems?

A: An interesting observation made today was regarding whether we provide new email addresses. The answer is no. People value their email addresses as much as their mobile numbers.

They're essential for staying connected. When developing our solution, it was crucial for us to integrate with existing email addresses, infrastructure, and systems without causing friction.

We don't replace your email system; we enhance its existing capabilities, adding a layer of security that's often missing in its native form.

Q: How do you see the future of email technology, especially with innovations like Mailock?

A: Fundamentally, email hasn't changed much since its inception. What has evolved is our ability to interact with email infrastructure, allowing us to add new functionalities. Mailock exemplifies this evolution.

In the coming months, we'll be introducing features like large file transfers and a greater variety of authentication methods. This ensures that only identified individuals can access email content.

While changing email's core might be challenging, technologies like Mailock will enhance the user experience and add functionalities missing in its native form.

Q: What role do you see for artificial intelligence in the context of email communication?

A: Artificial intelligence, a hot topic currently, certainly has a place in email communication. Systems are evolving to intelligently monitor outbound communications, ensuring emails aren't misdirected.

While such systems exist, they require a high degree of trust as they access all your data. We've designed our solution to avoid accessing email content. However, integrating such features might be on the horizon. Another intriguing prospect is using AI to categorise inbound emails, ensuring they reach the right recipients.

Given email's high volume, AI can make communication more efficient, speeding up associated processes.

Reviewed by

Sam Kendall, 12.06.24

Sabrina McClune, 12.06.24