The advent of e-mail has changed how people do business, said Bruce Muszynski, director of the human resources consulting division for The H.S. Group.

"E-mail and voice mail are replacing conversations, and you can miss a lot without that personal interaction. You miss a person's body language or even the tone in which the person is speaking," he said.

Nationwide, more business is being done via e-mail. According to a recent Accountemps survey, 92 percent of managers said they use e-mail as a substitute for a face-to-face meeting. And after face-to-face meetings, 43 percent of executives said e-mail is the most effective way to communicate with workers.

"For busy managers, e-mail is the next best thing to meeting in person," said Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps, a nationwide staffing agency.

While e-mail might be fast and efficient, it's not always the best choice, said Tammy Miller, president of Virtualtech Web Site Design & Promotion in Appleton, Wis. Although she works on the computer all day, Miller usually picks up the phone to talk to a client.

"I do use the phone a lot, especially with new clients as we are getting to know them. The phone allows you to provide better personal contact and customer service," Miller said.

When it comes to longtime customers, Miller said she's more apt to use e-mail, especially if it's something routine or if she is just looking for information.

"I think the key is matching up the kind of communication with what you're trying to do," she said.

Sandy Wight, director of marketing services at Secura Insurance in Appleton, Wis., said managers need to be careful when using e-mail as their main form of communication.

At Secura, e-mail is used to convey information such as when meetings are being held or just a general businesswide announcement.

"We take care that if there is an issue that needs to be discussed that we do it person-to-person," Wight said. "A lot can be lost via e-mail."

Messmer concurs. He said if a topic involves a debate or requires reaching consensus, then it's best to arrange a meeting or a conference call, he said.

"For one-way communication or inquiries requiring little discussion, e-mail may be the most effective and timely vehicle," Messmer said.

Another problem with e-mail is that people get so much of it, they may miss an important message, Muszynski said.

"The key to a successful e-mail is something with a catchy and informative subject line, especially if you're sending it to someone who may not be familiar with you," he said. "There is so much spam out there, and sometimes people just do a mass delete if they come back and have hundreds of messages."

But despite its flaws, e-mail is a great communication tool, Wight said. For example, Secura has a broadcast e-mail system it uses to communicate with its agents. The person sending out the communication can select whom to contact with the information.