What is the recommended solution for handling customer inquiries sent via free-form email?

The recommended solution for handling customer inquiries sent via free-form email is Email-to-Case. This approach allows organizations to automatically convert email inquiries from customers into cases within Salesforce, streamlining the process of managing and responding to customer requests.

When a customer sends an email, Email-to-Case captures the content, sender details, and any attachments, creating a case with all the necessary information. This automation not only saves time for support teams but also ensures that no customer inquiry is overlooked, as each email is systematically tracked and organized within the Salesforce system. Additionally, setup can be easily customized to meet specific organizational needs, such as routing cases to the appropriate queues or teams based on criteria like subject or keywords.

On-Demand Email-to-Case is also capable of performing similar functions but can have limitations related to email file size and the number of emails that can be processed within a specific timeframe. For organizations that handle a higher volume of emails, the traditional Email-to-Case might be more robust and reliable.

Utilizing Web-to-Case is optimal for inquiries made through web forms rather than free-form emails, and Customer Chatter groups are used primarily for internal collaboration rather than customer inquiry management. Hence, using Email-to-Case effectively addresses the challenges associated