Running a business is not an easy task; there are many details involved, including having all the right tools, software, and equipment to enable the employees to function properly. Over the years, the way we do business, however, has rapidly evolved to keep up with the fast-paced, technology-driven world that we currently live in. Businesses now depend on a plethora of gadgets that can drastically cut down on time and effort while saving money. Ranging from the more obvious devices, like laptops, scanners, and printers, to some less known office equipment like franking machines.
If you are like most people, you are probably unfamiliar with this device. Franking machines were invented back in 1884; they were manual devices with cranks and dyes that companies used to control the unreliable mailing payment methods back in the day. Frank machines have evolved over the years, and today, digital and companies can use them to pay for their postage needs in advance so they can extract the right stamp for each outgoing letter. If you are wondering why franking machines are important and why they’re essential to any business, read on to find that out.
Cost-Efficient
The emails have not completely replaced physical mail. Most companies have to rely on mail when corresponding with certain entities. Since postage costs can add up over time, big and small companies prefer to have their own franking machine to save up on needless expenses. It is inefficient to pay a courier to go back and forth to the post office to handle such a tedious task, especially for those companies that send tons of letters every day. It makes more sense to save the cost of these trips and manage this task in-house. Furthermore, post offices offer discounts to franking machine owners that can be collected through the business account that is created when first setting up the machine. Although the discounts are about a few cents per letter, still as any business owner would argue, a little bit of saving is always better than no saving at all.
Eliminates Mailing Errors
Confusing stamps is a very common mistake that mail senders usually make. It is easy to mix up when one is unaware of the different types of stamps and their uses. Using a franking machine, business owners in the UK and all over the world can save themselves such hassles and ensure an accurate and fast way of processing mail every time. To encourage businesses to handle their own letter franking, the Royal Mail in the UK, which is one of the world’s renowned postal service providers, recommends using the newest generation of franking machines known as the Mailmark. These machines guarantee even further accuracy by employing machine-readable 2D barcodes to frank the letters.
Makes the Mail Look More Professional
When companies add their own logo onto their outgoing mail, it gives an overall professional image. It is also a great way to customize advertising messages to suit different clients since the company has total control over letter franking. This is particularly important for small businesses that are still venturing their ways into the market and need to leave a good impression on their new and potential clients. Having their own franking machine is a good place to start to do just that.
Streamlines the Mailing Process
Businesses nowadays are very keen on streamlining different operations and processes. By investing in their own franking machine, companies can improve efficiency and eliminate costs and waste related to mail processing. Running airtight processes is what eventually contributes to the overall profitability of the business. Using franking machines will also help in optimizing the process of cost-allocation. By finding out the exact post-consumption of each department, costs can be correctly allocated; this will help with setting more accurate budgets for each department.
Facilitates Cost-Tracking
Since franking machines provide a prepaid service, businesses can easily track all of their post-related costs. This will facilitate the work of the accounting department. It also helps in cutting back on needless amounts of stamps that eventually go unused.
Makes Parcel Mailing Easier
Simply adding an integrated scale to a franking machine can allow businesses to determine the type of post needed as per the weight of each parcel. Mailing room personnel often complain about having to guess the parcel weight to correctly assign the right post. Franking machines will increase their productivity and save time for more important tasks.
Franking machines are one of those undermined devices that go unnoticed even though they provide a number of benefits for all kinds of businesses. Today, franking machines are constantly enhanced with more features to make them more relevant to the new business world. If you are a business owner yourself, you should definitely do your research and find a franking machine that best suits your needs.
