In fact, there might be a need for a mail room supervisor to sort the mail to each department. A simpler way would be to have separate e-mail addresses for each major department, such as media relations, product information, product support, and investor information. Autoresponders can send pre-printed information within seconds of receipt of the inquiry, so people are beginning to expect this kind of service. This kind of response works well for requests for product literature. However, since it is impossible for companies to provide answers to individual questions in seconds, companies can build brownie points by sending a message that acknowledges receipt of the initial inquiry and a promise to respond within a certain time frame, usually within 24 hours.
Employees have lives.
They will participate in online activities, like submitting questions and answers to newsgroups and mailing lists. If they identify themselves as working for your company either in their messages or in their signature files, then their views will reflect upon the company. This can present a dangerous situation for the company. These are all serious issues. For example, let's assume that your product manager for the seat belt division enters a discussion about a car manufacturer's performance and offers his views about the safety of the car.