Many of these data can be recorded automatically by adequately setting the server of the
counselling centre and then using them to compile statistics and useful comparisons for
improving efficiency and effectiveness of the information and guidance web service.
E-mail information and guidance
Counselling and guidance services often combine web pages that present general
information with more personalized services such as e-mail (telephone or chat).
Compared to information through web pages, e-mail has the advantage of answering
closer to client’s needs, leading to a reconsideration of the counselling concept and a
change in the way the process is carried by counsellors substituting or completing the rest
of counselling services. As regards client-counsellor interaction, it can be asynchronous
- with temporal gap – through e-mail, forums, mail, Internet, or synchronous – no
temporal gap-telephone, teleconference, or videoconference).
The British researcher Marcus Offer considers that the main exigencies of the e-mail
counselling process pose the following requirements on the counsellor:
Before opening e-mail:
- clearly setting the aims of e-mail use and informing clients thereof
(information request, counselling, contact enhancement, etc.); - clarifying situations and persons eligible for e-mail answers;
- informing clients on confidentiality limits;
- awareness of necessary time budget for e-mail guidance, which requires as
much time as face-to-face meetings or telephone conversations; - using an institutional e-mail address, to avoid the flood of spam, viruses, and
unprofessional aspects; - ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of the guidance process by
previously requesting clients to fill in a simple questionnaire in order to
clarify the problem and provide minimal data; - keeping and sorting e-mail correspondence for reference.
On opening e-mail:
- allotting sufficient time for answer (e-mail offers the necessary time to
answer request, consult with other practitioners and formulate a complete
answer); - allotting reasonable time to correctly and completely identify the client’s
needs, analyse the current situation, interests, how to satisfy these interests,
as well as risks, barriers, alternatives, etc.