There is a learning curve associated with optimal use of two-way interactive messaging units. Accordingly, the first training objective is to educate field supervisors in efficient technical use of the units in one half-day session designed for that purpose. This will be reinforced by a written manual that reviews subjects covered in the training. If additional hands-on training is required, additional sessions will be scheduled, so as to assure that all users of the equipment are proficient with it. Additional objectives of training include educating users in e-mail etiquette, concise writing style, and security of transmissions, as well as the need to save e-mail messages for offline retrieval so that hard-copy backups of the messages may be put into office files (Frings, 1999).

Training in the psychological features of e-mail messaging is an important objective. Users must not concentrate so much on the computer commands that they focus "on the process of sending the message while ignoring its impact on the receiver" (Sussman, Golden, & Beauclair, 1991, p. 70). Thus in add

Implementation of the training program should take place in hands-on training sessions conducted by hardware and/or software experts in the equipment. Equipment vendors may provide or recommend appropriate personnel for that purpose. Trainers should be completely familiar with the technical features of the electronic units and should be able to answer all questions associated with proper operation of the two-way pager equipment.

Evaluation of field supervisors' use of e-mail message management will be relatively simple as far as the technical use of the equipment is concerned. If users receive error messages on their units or experience problems with lost messages, then this is an indicator that additional training in the technical use of the equipment may be required.

Reinforcement of employees based on their use of the new communications system can also be tied to improvements in productivity or time management. While e-mail of itself may not reduce a field supervisor's workload, bringing the workload under more control could be attributed to the speed and efficiency of e-mail. If e-mail is found to have been responsible for decreasing the amount of paper on a field supervisor's desk or for increasing a supervisor's daily productivity, then any budget saving should be publicly recognized and the supervisor congratulated for optimal use of the technology. If e-mail enhances the supervisor's ability to manage staff personnel or decrease the time required to handle specific issues, the users of the technology should be congratulated for a job well done.

E-mail and related technology changes with some regularity, and with a good deal of speed. Management should be alert to evaluating the utility of the technology on an ongoing basis. Vendors and trainers are one information resource. It may also be