Important changes that affect franking machine users happen this year. Royal Mail is phasing out the older standard of franking (known as decertification) and a new barcode is being introduced for Special Delivery Guaranteed® and Royal Mail Signed For® mail. If you are affected by these changes, now is the time to act by making the switch to Mailmark®.
What are the changes and when do they happen?
There are two important changes affecting standard franking machine users. These are usually older machines, and they use ‘town and crown’ franking marks.
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A new Special Delivery Guaranteed® and Royal Mail Signed For® barcode
Special Delivery Guaranteed® and Royal Mail Signed For® is changing on 31st October 2022. Royal Mail is ending the use of coloured adhesive labels that senders currently attach to this mail. From 1 November, franking machine users will need to use a new meter indicia or shipping label on these mail items.
You can find out all about this change and what it means for you in our dedicated blog.
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Royal Mail franking machine decertification
From 1 January 2023, Royal Mail will no longer accept mail from standard franking machines. This change is known as decertification and it’s happening because Royal Mail’s products are moving to barcode technology.
Mailmark is the most up-to-date franking impression with a 2D blue barcode. This means it carries more information about the item being sent and also provides the most accurate and efficient way to process mail.
You can read about this change and what you may need to do in this blog on the subject.
How can Quadient help?
If you are still using an older franking machine and are impacted by these changes, now is the time to act. Speak to us at Quadient, we will spend time understanding your mailing requirements, such as the type and volume of mail that you send so that we can advise you on the right franking machine to meet your needs.
It’s never too soon to switch to Mailmark as franking in this way provides many business benefits. As soon as you make the switch you can enjoy:
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Savings on postage: Mailmark is the way to access the lowest available prices for Royal Mail franking products and services, for example, 1st and 2nd Class letters sent inland 17p cheaper, compared to buying stamps
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Speed and efficiency – save time preparing outgoing mail with Mailmark by simply and automatically selecting Royal Mail products and services. Upload credit as and when you need it to manage postal spend efficiently
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Boost your brand: add your company logo, slogan or message to the franking meter impression printed onto envelopes. This presents a professional image and helps raise brand awareness amongst your mail’s recipients
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Spend and usage tracking and reporting: ensure end-to-end complete management of outgoing mail with effective postage spend tracking and usage monitoring across the business.
Need more information?
The mailing and postage blogs on our website contain lots of information about franking mail, including the benefits of Mailmark.
You can also visit our dedicated page that answers your questions about decertification and our questions and answers on Royal Mail franking machine decertification.
Take a look at our Mailmark franking machine range. There’s plenty of information there on the many advanced features that can help your business get the most value from franked mail.
For everything else, and to discuss the next steps, do get in touch with us.
