There are a variety of mailing machines available on the market
that can help you save time--so you can spend it on more important
things, like growing your business.
Postage
Meters
Buying your own postage meter saves a small business time and
money. No more licking and sticking envelopes and stamps. With
today's electronic mailing machines, you don't even have to
stand in line at the post office to get your meter reset.
Electronic postage meters consist of a base through which
envelopes are guided for stamping, which can be rented, leased or
bought from a mailing equipment manufacturer; and a meter, which
must be leased from a mailing equipment manufacturer. The faster
and more automated the machine, and the more features it
incorporates, the more it costs to rent, lease or own.
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The primary difference between bases is how letters are fed
through the machines. The least costly models require you to feed
letters, one at a time, through a roller. More expensive models
offer semiautomatic or fully automated letter feeding. Options for
the base include stackers, which stack your mail, and sealers,
which automatically wet and seal each envelope as it passes through
the base.
Even the smallest office can benefit from a meter to determine
exact postage and print out a stamp, and a scale to weigh mail. The
USPS estimates accurate weighing can save customers up to 20
percent on mailings.
An efficient, automated mailing machine can also save hours of
time if you handle direct mail or large mailings. Mail that's
presorted and bar-coded bypasses many of the post office handling
steps and is delivered 24 hours sooner than mail lacking automated
preparation, according to the USPS. (And if you don't think a
day makes a difference, consider the results of a study by market
research firm The Gallup Organization and mailing equipment
manufacturer Pitney Bowes. Their study found that 11 percent of
executives surveyed at large and midsized companies said the net
income of their businesses would jump 5 percent if they received
payments one day sooner!)
The latest mailing systems are multifunctional, handling
everything from printing, folding, stapling, inserting, sealing,
labeling, weighing and stamping to sorting, stacking and putting on
a wrapper or binder. Many interact with a computer so you can track
exactly how, when and to whom orders are sent out. Some PC-based
systems can be programmed to simultaneously handle different sized
paper--checks, invoices, brochures--without stopping the machine to
reset the equipment.
The most popular mailing equipment combines meters with
electronic scales; other machines have additional capabilities such
as automatic feed and envelope-sealing functions. Speeds can vary
from 25 to 200 envelopes a minute.
Besides faster delivery time and the ease of resetting by
telephone or computer, metered mail machines offer other
benefits:
- Postal accounting: Tracking and controlling money spent
on direct mail, letters, parcel post, priority and express mail is
easier. Because there is one dispenser with precise postage,
accounting is streamlined and you know exactly how much postage
remains in the meter.
- Parcel post dating: If your third-class letters and
packages are metered, the stamp date requires the post office to
expedite those items on the date received, thereby providing better
service on less expensive classes of mail.
- Postmark ads: Postage meters not only print stamps on
your mail, they can print an advertising message, too. Postmark ads
can include your company logo and name, giving your company extra
advertising exposure.
Postal Scales
Besides postage meters, the second crucial piece of mailing
equipment most businesses need is a postal scale. Scales are sold
in 5-, 10-, 30-, 100- and 200-pound capacities and can be purchased
as stand-alone units or combined with a postage meter. A postal
scale ensures that you're not paying more than you need to for
your outgoing mail. What to look for when buying? Both electronic
and manual versions are available. Because manual scales require
you to read the postage amount, they increase the chance of human
error. Electronic scales are more expensive, but their digital
readouts reduce errors and ensure you get the most value from your
scale.
Depending on the type, size and weight of letters and packages
you'll be mailing, you may wish to look for a machine that lets
you compare rates between various carriers, such as the U.S. Postal
Service and Federal Express. You may also want a feature that
automatically converts a ZIP code to the proper zone for
calculating zone-dependent rates for carriers such as United Parcel
Service (UPS).
Consider ease of use, especially if a number of people will be
using the scale. Some models have easy-to-read keypads and user
prompts. Consider the size of the weighing platform and maximum
weight the machine can handle to make sure it can accommodate the
types of packages you'll be sending. For shipments that exceed
the scale's weighing capacity, look for a scale that will allow
you to manually enter the weight for rate calculation.
If you need your scale to interface with a postage meter,
you'll want to be sure the model you choose is compatible with
your metering equipment.
Questions to ask the dealer:
- What adjustments will need to be made to the scale if postage
rates change? What charges are involved?
- Does the scale offer alternative pricing options based on
various postal classifications?
- Does the scale have a password feature to help guard against
unauthorized uses?
- What are its size and weight limitations?
- How should the machine be maintained?
- What type of maintenance agreement is offered?
- Does the scale offer rates for foreign mailings?
- Does the scale offer rates for Federal Express and UPS?
Letter-Folding
Machines
When you're preparing a promotional mailing, you may find
yourself dealing with hundreds or thousands of letters or
brochures. Folding letters yourself can be time-consuming; it's
also unnecessary, thanks to today's letter-folding
machines.
When buying a letter-folding machine, consider the volume the
machine is capable of processing. Low-end equipment processes a few
hundred pieces per hour; high-end equipment is capable of operating
at speeds of 1,500 to 7,000 sheets per hour. Also, consider the
types of fold the equipment can provide. Some of the possibilities
are c-fold (standard letter), z-fold (accordion fold), double fold,
single fold, right-angle fold and brochure fold.
Sheets are fed either through a friction feeder or a vacuum
feeder. Friction feeders have a rubber wheel that pulls the sheets
through; frequent use can cause this kind of feeder to wear out.
Friction feeders can also smudge a newly printed document. Vacuum
feeders, while sturdier and more effective for handling coated
papers, can be substantially more expensive and are only available
on high-volume letter-folding machines.
You may also want to buy a model that includes a batch counter
or a total counter. Batch counters keep the machine from folding
too many sheets together. Total counters tell you how many sheets
have already been folded. You'll find a memory setting useful
if you typically produce the same types of jobs on a regular basis.
The memory setting allows you to enter the instructions for
processing a particular type of job once, then call up that job
whenever you need to apply the same parameters.
You should also check to see how the equipment handles paper
jams. Better-designed machines can release rollers, giving you
easier access to the problematic areas. Finally, you may want to
consider a model with an inserter, which automatically inserts your
documents into envelopes.
Questions to ask the dealer:
- How many pieces can it process per hour?
- Does the machine offer friction or vacuum feed?
- What types of folds is the machine capable of?
- How many sheets can it fold at once?
- How effective is it at handling stapled sheets? (Many cannot
handle this automatically and will require hand feeding.)
- What counter features are available?
- What types and sizes of paper can it handle?
- How should the machine be maintained?
- What type of maintenance agreement is offered?
- Does it have an automatic feeder?
- Does it have a memory setting?
- How are paper jams handled?
Letter-Opening
Machines
Letter-opening machines can greatly speed up the opening of mail.
Some can process up to 600 envelopes per minute.
What to look for when buying? There are two types of letter
openers: chadders and slitters. Chadders open envelopes by cutting
one-eighth of an inch from the end. Slitters, while quite a bit
more expensive ($1,000 or more), cut through the top seam of the
envelope and reduce the risk of damaging the contents of the
envelope.
Most models can handle standard #10 envelopes. More expensive
models will accommodate different sizes and thicknesses of incoming
mail. An automated feeder will send your mail through the machine;
joggers will help settle the contents of the envelope so they
don't get cut; counters let you count the number of pieces
being processed.
Another feature you may find helpful is an automatic
date-and-time stamp to help you keep track of when mail arrives.
Because letter-openers are usually quite reliable, maintenance
contracts are usually not required.
Questions to ask the dealer:
- Does the opener use a chadder or a slitter?
- What sizes of envelopes can the machine handle?
- Does it have an automatic feeder? A jogger? A counter?
- Can incoming mail be time-and-date stamped?
Lease or Buy?
Mailing equipment can be rented, leased or purchased outright. You
may prefer to lease to conserve working capital, then upgrade
equipment as your business grows. Renting is the easiest method
because if you need to cut costs at any time, you simply hand the
equipment back and walk away. If you're leasing, you're
obligated to make all the payments specified in the lease. However,
leasing offers advantages, including lower rates than renting and
the ability to roll the lease over for upgraded equipment.
If a mailing equipment salesperson sells you on leased equipment
that ends up being too sophisticated for your needs, some suppliers
will purchase the competitor's lease and give you their own
equipment. When shopping around for equipment, ask if there are any
special promotions available before you sign.
Basic machines lease from about $25 to $35 per month, more
sophisticated machines for $60 and up. Anything more expensive than
that is usually best suited to large corporations. The average
lease is for five years and can include maintenance and free
postage refills; the average rental agreement is for one year.
Carefully read the contracts you're offered, and, if
renting, make sure there's no mention of the word
"lease." Also, always ask what options you have if you
need to get out of a lease.
Make sure the company is postal-certified with the USPS.
Salespeople should be knowledgeable about their industry and about
the latest USPS regulations and rates, and they should ask you
questions about your mailing process--how many boxes, how
frequently you ship--so the equipment they recommend fits both your
business and budget.
When shopping for mailing equipment, allow the salespeople
enough time to make their pitch. The right mailing equipment can
save you money, but only if you give the salesperson enough time to
analyze your needs.
Source: Start Your Own Business