Businesses enjoy a range of benefits when they pay for postage using a franking machine instead of stamps. In a new blog series, we’ll examine three benefits of franking: efficiency, professionalism and, starting here, cost control.
Businesses work hard to control costs in all possible ways, including by negotiating loyalty discounts with suppliers. When they send post on a regular basis, businesses can attract similar best pricing rates by using a franking machine instead of stamps.
Of course, this has been difficult to do these past few months. Offices have been closed and businesses have had to manage their outbound mail without access to their usual equipment. Recognising this, Royal Mail offered franking customers the opportunity to purchase pre-paid envelopes from its online shop, with savings rebated to franking machine postage accounts, ready to go when the machines are used again.
Businesses are used to the value of franking so they will have welcomed the opportunity to maintain the savings. On an ongoing basis, franking helps businesses control their postage costs by:
- Providing access to postage discounts
Franking machine postage saves money when compared to stamps and Mailmark® customers make the biggest savings. In fact, the Royal Mail Mailmark® tariff offers discounts of up to nearly 34% compared to buying stamps.
- Paying the correct postage
A franking machine’s integrated weighing scale and rate wizard make calculating the right postage quick and easy to avoid overpaying.
- Avoiding postage errors
Franking machines are connected so that they can download the latest Royal Mail postal rates. That way, businesses stay up to date with the latest postage prices to avoid any pricing errors and potential penalties.
- Preventing unauthorised use
Access to the franking machine is controlled by PIN, thereby eliminating any unauthorised use and expenditure.
- Tracking postage expenses
Postage spend can be monitored, tracked and controlled through an online portal. Where spend occurs, it is clear to see by department or type of mail. That way, spend is transparent and it’s easy to see if company policy isn’t being followed on the service selected for each mailing type. With that information, any policy deviations can be quickly addressed to keep costs down.
- Minimising undelivered mail
If invoices are sent to an incorrect address, they will go unpaid; if marketing mailings don’t reach intended recipients, campaign spend is wasted. Franking machines can add a return address to the franking imprint so that undelivered mail makes its way back and mailing databases can be updated. That way, postage isn’t spent again on mailings sent to the wrong places and requests for payments and opportunities for new business will find their marks.
In our next blog in this series examining reasons to use a franking machine in 2020, we’ll consider efficiency benefits. In the meantime, you can get more information on Royal Mail’s franking services and Mailmark® from the Royal Mail website and discover how Quadient can help you streamline your outgoing mail management with a franking machine.
