Many clients hire an assistant because their inbox is out of control. Hundreds of unread emails, missed invoices and forgotten replies cost them money and reputation. If you can bring order to an inbox and keep it there, you are solving a real and painful problem.
Agree the rules first
Before touching anything, agree with the client:
- Which emails you may answer yourself, such as booking requests or routine questions.
- Which emails you must flag for them, such as anything about money, contracts or complaints.
- Whether you write as yourself ("I am Amina, assistant to Mr Issahaku") or in the client's name. Writing as yourself is usually clearer and safer.
- How often you check: for example at the start, middle and end of your working day.
Sort into three groups
Each time you check, move every new email into one of three groups:
- Action: needs a reply or a task. Reply now if it takes under two minutes, otherwise add it to your task list.
- Waiting: you have replied and are waiting for someone else.
- Reference: no action, but worth keeping, such as receipts and confirmations.
Delete or archive what is left, such as promotions the client does not need. Archiving in Gmail removes the email from the inbox without deleting it, so it can still be found by searching.