An assistant may help with scheduling and enquiries while an agent is away from the desk. The challenge is to make that support practical without leaving account ownership and customer follow-up dependent on shared credentials.

Define the assistant’s responsibilities

List what the assistant needs to do: monitor a general enquiries address, arrange appointments, or prepare a reply for review. Distinguish those tasks from access to an agent’s entire mailbox. Agree on how urgent conversations are highlighted and when the agent should take over. A written division of responsibilities helps you choose the right configuration.

Choose the right shared address

For a team enquiries address, a Microsoft 365 shared mailbox may be appropriate. Individual access and sending permissions can be configured separately. Confirm licensing and the desired reply identity with an administrator. A shared inbox is not a replacement for clear handling rules, and it should not automatically become a place for every confidential transaction document.

Practice a day-away handover

Run through a fictional customer enquiry while the usual owner is unavailable. Check that the assistant can see the right message, use the correct address, and leave a clear next step. Review access when a team member changes roles or leaves. Keep brokerage-managed systems in the discussion so a local change does not conflict with wider responsibilities.

MAKE IT ACTIONABLE

Your next steps

  • Write down the support tasks and limits.
  • Choose the appropriate public enquiries address.
  • Test replies using fictional customer details.
  • Include brokerage and team ownership in the handover.

Official reference

Microsoft: About shared mailboxes

Technical guidance checked September 29, 2026. Product features and requirements can change. The business checklists above are practical suggestions from Cyber Bounds.

PUT THE NEXT STEP INTO PRACTICE

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