Get All Access for $5/mo

Watch Out: This CRM App Just Got Very Personal Streak, a customer relationship management app that integrates with Gmail, unveiled a feature today that allows senders to see who has read an email, where they read it and what type of device they read it on.

By Laura Entis

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

guardianlv.com

Ever get an email, open it, and decide you'll deal with it later? Of course you have. Would you behave differently if the sender was notified that you had opened his email, but failed to respond?

This theoretical question may be a new reality. Earlier today, Streak – a customer relationship management app that integrates with Gmail – unveiled a free new feature that tracks when someone has read your email, what city they read it in and what kind of device they read it on.

"The basic idea is that when you send an email, you get notified immediately whenever somebody reads it," says Aleem Mawani, Streak's co-founder. "It also gives you historical context. You can go back to any email you've ever sent and see who read it, when, what time, where were they when they read it, what device they read it on."

Related: No, Gmail's Promotions Tab Didn't Just Kill Email Marketing

It's easy for Streak to track emails without the recipient even noticing. If you open a "tracked" email on an iPhone or iPad, Streak will automatically notify the sender that you've opened his or her message. If you open a "tracked" email on a computer, a discreet banner will pop up asking for your permission to display the attached images – but only if you haven't emailed the sender before. If you have emailed before, the sender will be notified automatically when you open the message, no permission necessary.

"When Gmail asks you [for permission], it's actually very subtle," Mawani says. "It's not a big in your face thing...it wouldn't tip someone off that this email is being tracked."

Mawani doesn't view this as intrusive, and he doesn't predict a backlash in part because it's already happening. Companies like Groupon track whether or not you open their emails all the time, he says. "It's not that we're doing something incredibly new, but what we are doing is making it a lot easier for an individual to do, and a lot easier for you to see the results."

Related: The Best and Worst Times to Send an Email (Infographic)

Since using the feature in his own inbox, Mawani says he's become more successful at crafting messages. "If you notice that some of your emails take a long time to respond to – whereas others get a quick response – you can start writing better emails."

Despite its obvious usefulness, this new iteration of email tracking feels uncomfortably personal. Might people resent the tracker for guilting them into answering emails they would have otherwise left unanswered?

"I don't predict it, but that's mainly because of the way I respond to emails is very short and succinct," Mawani says, although when pressed, he admits that perhaps not everyone is quite so efficient. "We'll have to see."

Related: How to Write Better Email Subject Lines

Laura Entis is a reporter for Fortune.com's Venture section.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

The Side Hustle He Started in His College Apartment Turned Into a $70,000-a-Month Income Stream — Then Earned Nearly $2 Million Last Year

Kyle Morrand and his college roommates loved playing retro video games — and the pastime would help launch his career.

Business News

New Southwest Airlines Major Investor Wants to Force Out CEO, Slams Company's 'Stubborn Unwillingness to Evolve'

Elliot Investment Management announced a $1.9 billion stake in the Dallas-based Southwest Airlines on Monday and is urging shareholders to vote for new leadership.

Science & Technology

Why We Shouldn't Fear AI in Education (and How to Use It Effectively)

Facing resistance to new technologies in the educational process is nothing new, and AI is no exception. Yet, this powerful tool is set to overcome these challenges and revolutionize education, preparing students and professionals for a future of unparalleled efficiency and personalized learning.

Business News

Elon Musk Threatens to Ban Employees from Using Apple Products, Says Will Lock Devices in 'Cages'

The Tesla founder sounded off on X following Apple's 2024 Worldwide Developer Conference on Monday.

Business News

Apple's AI Has a Catch — And It Could Help Boost Sales

Not every iPhone owner will get to use the new Apple Intelligence.

Business News

Y Combinator Helped Launch Reddit, Airbnb and Dropbox. Here's What I Learned From Its Free Startup School.

The famed startup accelerator offers a free course on building a business — and answers five pressing questions for founders.