Business Postage Meters: 3 Tips to Pinpoint the Perfect Mailing Machine

Business moves a rapid pace. The need for timely shipping of marketing materials, business correspondence, payments and merchandise is paramount to your success. For many companies, developing and maintaining efficiencies in their mail room operations is recognized as one of the critical core functions behind the scenes that keeps the wheels turning and delivers on the company’s reputation for responsiveness and efficiencies.

Automating systems with the implementation of postage meters is an effective way to increase workflow and accountability for all functions under this department’s mandate. Knowing how important this function is within your organization, the investment in postage meters is one that you want to undertake after careful consideration.

Not all postage meters and mailing machines are created equally. Each option must be considered for criteria beyond simply the list price. Assessing your company’s needs, there are three important capabilities to consider when selecting postage meters for your company.

1. Postage Meter Processing Speed

How much mail do you generate in a single day? Every hour? Whether you’re a multi-million dollar agency with dozens of departments, or small business that deals in volumes of mail where automation is key, knowing your needs now and the capacity you will need to operate at as you grow with your business is a key component.

Some postage meter systems are designed to manage up to 15,000 envelopes per hour, while other systems may be limited to 1,000. Which will fully meet your needs? Business automation doesn’t necessarily come in “one size fits all”.

2. Mail Management Software Integration

What separates most postage meters is their capacity for mail management. Managing your outgoing mail often requires more than simply applying postage. What capabilities your system has can influence other opportunities for efficiency and accountability. Does your mailing machine offer internet connection for tracking and confirmation of your package delivery?

Functions like eDelivery Confirmation and eCertified mail by manufacturers such as NeoPost allow greater functionality than ever before, even after the mail has left your location. Do you want to be able to track your postage use by department or by time period? Does your postage meter allow for savings off of retail postage rates?

3. Materials Handling

You need to recognize the dynamic function of your organization. Yes, it is simple to identify a solution that will address the majority of mail in sealed envelopes, but what about those occasions when your marketing department wants to reach out to preferred clientele with a postcard campaign? Look for a postage meter that gives you the flexibility to process letters, postcards and small packages.

The greatest efficiency of all is created by taking time to investigate your options and then spending once, with confidence. Not all postage meters on the market will fully meet your needs, so scrutinize your choices closely against a measurement of your own challenges and needs as a guideline.

When you invest in automation of any workflow function within your organization, take a two-tiered approach. What do we need now? What will we need in the future when growth occurs as we have planned?

For answers to these questions and one of the greatest selections of mailing machines and postage meter products, visit:

Walz Mailing & Mailing Systems
624 High Point Ln
East Peoria, IL 61611
877.971.1500
WalzEQ.com