Email Handler

What does Email Handler mean?

An email handler is a software component or service that processes and manages incoming and outgoing email messages. It acts as an intermediary between email clients and mail servers, handling tasks such as receiving, filtering, storing, forwarding, and responding to emails automatically. Email handlers are essential for managing large volumes of email efficiently and securely.

Email handlers typically perform the following functions:

• Receiving emails: They receive incoming emails from a mail server and store them in a mailbox or database.
• Filtering emails: They filter emails based on predefined rules, such as sender, subject, keywords, or attachments, to sort or classify them.
• Storing emails: They store emails in a secure and organized manner, providing easy access and retrieval.
• Forwarding emails: They can forward emails to multiple recipients based on specified rules or conditions.
• Responding to emails: They can automatically generate and send responses to specific types of emails, such as out-of-office messages or Spam notifications.

Email handlers play a crucial role in email management by automating repetitive tasks, reducing spam, enhancing security, and improving communication efficiency.

Applications

1. Business Communication: Email handlers are widely used in business settings to manage large volumes of incoming and outgoing emails. They help businesses automate tasks, such as filtering out spam, organizing emails into specific folders, and responding to customer inquiries automatically.

2. Customer Service: Email handlers are used in customer service to manage and respond to customer inquiries, complaints, and feedback. They can automate responses to frequently asked questions, track customer interactions, and escalate urgent issues to relevant personnel.

3. Marketing and Sales: Email handlers are essential for Email Marketing campaigns. They can automate email sequences, segment audiences, track campaign performance, and monitor email opens and clicks.

4. Spam Filtering and Security: Email handlers include built-in spam filters that identify and block unwanted or malicious emails, protecting users from phishing attempts and viruses.

5. Compliance and Archiving: Email handlers support compliance regulations by securely archiving and retaining emails for specified periods and providing audit trails for regulatory purposes.

History

The concept of email handling emerged in the early days of email, when users needed a way to manage the growing volume of messages. The first email handlers were simple scripts or Command-line tools that helped users sort and filter emails.

In the mid-1980s, the Mail User Agent (MUA) emerged as a dedicated software Program that provided a graphical user interface (GUI) for email management. MUAs incorporated email handling capabilities, allowing users to organize emails into folders, filter messages, and compose and send emails.

As email usage exploded in the 1990s, email handlers evolved into more sophisticated tools. They began to offer features such as automatic email sorting, spam filtering, and email encryption. Web-based email services also emerged, providing users with access to their email from any device with an internet connection.

In the 2000s, email handlers became increasingly integrated with other productivity tools, such as calendars and contact managers. They also became more intelligent, using machine learning algorithms to identify and categorize emails, automate responses, and predict user behavior.

Today, email handlers are ubiquitous in both personal and professional settings, providing a wide range of features and capabilities to enhance email management and communication efficiency.