Email delays caused by network problems happen when your internet connection or internal network isn't working smoothly, slowing down the sending or receiving of emails. This can be frustrating for any business, as email is a key communication tool. When emails take longer than usual to arrive, it can disrupt day-to-day operations, delay customer responses, and create uncertainty about whether important messages have been received.
Why this matters for UK SMEs
For small and medium-sized businesses in the UK, slow or unreliable email can impact productivity and customer trust. Delays might cause missed deadlines or slow decision-making. In sectors handling sensitive data, such as finance or healthcare, network issues that delay email could also raise compliance concerns under UK GDPR or the Data Protection Act 2018, especially if delays affect timely breach notifications or data handling. Moreover, network problems may signal underlying vulnerabilities that increase cyber risk, such as outdated equipment or misconfigured firewalls.
A typical scenario and how an IT partner helps
Consider a UK-based SME with around 50 staff, using cloud-based email and relying on a single broadband connection. They notice emails are taking over 30 minutes to send or receive during peak hours. Their IT provider investigates and finds the network is congested due to unmanaged devices and outdated router firmware. The provider updates the firmware, segments the network to prioritise business-critical traffic, and sets up monitoring to detect future issues early. This reduces email delays and improves overall network performance.
Practical checklist to address email delays
- Check your internet connection speed and stability: Run speed tests at different times and compare with your provider's advertised speeds.
- Ask your IT provider: How do they monitor network performance and email systems? Do they have alerts for delays or outages?
- Review your network hardware: Are routers and switches up to date with the latest firmware? Old devices can cause bottlenecks.
- Assess network traffic: Are non-essential devices or applications consuming excessive bandwidth during work hours?
- Confirm email server settings: Are your email servers or cloud services configured correctly to handle your volume of emails?
- Check security controls: Is multi-factor authentication (MFA) enabled to protect email accounts? Poor security can lead to compromised accounts causing delays.
- Ensure proper logging and backups: Are email logs and backups in place to help diagnose issues and recover lost messages if needed?
- Review your service level agreements (SLAs): Do they include guaranteed response times for network or email issues?
Next steps
If you're experiencing email delays, start with simple internal checks but also engage a trusted managed IT provider or IT advisor. They can perform a thorough network assessment, identify root causes, and implement solutions tailored to your business size and needs. Proactive network management not only reduces email delays but also strengthens your overall IT resilience and compliance readiness.