Mail RoomMail Room

Incoming MailIncoming Mail

nn Remove all mail markedRemove all mail marked --private/personal/confidentialprivate/personal/confidential

nn OpenOpen the remaining envelopesthe remaining envelopes

nn KeepKeep the envelopes for a few daysthe envelopes for a few days

nn Date stampDate stamp the papers from the envelopesthe papers from the envelopes

nn PhotocopyPhotocopy a document if it is to be seen by more thana document if it is to be seen by more thanone personone person

nn Check for enclosuresCheck for enclosures –– ‘‘EncEnc’’ indicated at theindicated at thefoot of the pagefoot of the page

nn Sort the mailSort the mail into bundles ready for delivery to theinto bundles ready for delivery to thevarious departments.various departments.

HOW DO WE DEAL WITHHOW DO WE DEAL WITHINCOMING MAIL?INCOMING MAIL?

More details on proceduresMore details on proceduresnn Private and confidential mail should be delivered to the personPrivate and confidential mail should be delivered to the person

named unopened;named unopened;nn Envelopes may be kept for a few days in case of queries egEnvelopes may be kept for a few days in case of queries eg

missing enclosures;missing enclosures;nn Missing enclosures should be noted in pencil at the bottom ofMissing enclosures should be noted in pencil at the bottom of

the letter; if the enclosure is a form of moneythe letter; if the enclosure is a form of money –– report to thereport to thesupervisor;supervisor;

nn Enter money enclosures in a Remittances Book;Enter money enclosures in a Remittances Book;nn Attach enclosures to letter;Attach enclosures to letter;nn Sort the mail according to who is to see itSort the mail according to who is to see it –– check if there is acheck if there is a

‘‘for the attention offor the attention of ……’……’ or a subject heading egor a subject heading eg ‘‘customercustomerorder No 245order No 245’’; read the letter if there is no indication who or; read the letter if there is no indication who orwhich department is to deal with itwhich department is to deal with it

Incoming mail areaIncoming mail area –– a typical layouta typical layout

photocopier

Mail roomtrolley – todeliver mail

shredder

Pigeonholes/trays – tosort mail

EquipmentEquipment

PhotocopierPhotocopier -- produces an exact copy of documentsproduces an exact copy of documentsthat need to be seen by more than onethat need to be seen by more than oneperson;person;

TrolleysTrolleys -- a trolley might be needed to takea trolley might be needed to takedocuments and parcels to variousdocuments and parcels to variousdepartments.departments.

Pigeon holesPigeon holes –– each member of staff has their owneach member of staff has their own

pigeon hole which is used to dpigeon hole which is used to deliver mail.eliver mail.

Other items of equipmentOther items of equipment

date stampdate stamp –– to stamp mail with theto stamp mail with thedate of arrivaldate of arrival

letter opener (can be a knife, mechanical orletter opener (can be a knife, mechanical orelectrical)electrical) –– to open mail safely withoutto open mail safely withoutdamaging contentsdamaging contents

staplerstapler –– to staple papers together, preventsto staple papers together, preventssingle documents becoming lost.single documents becoming lost.

Outgoing mailOutgoing mail

Using the correct procedures for dealing withUsing the correct procedures for dealing withoutgoing mail are important for theoutgoing mail are important for thefollowing reasons:following reasons:nn To make sure mail is sent to the correctTo make sure mail is sent to the correct

address;address;nn To make sure nothing is overlooked and toTo make sure nothing is overlooked and to

create a good impression of the organisation;create a good impression of the organisation;nn To ensure enclosures are sent with mailTo ensure enclosures are sent with mail

HOW DO WE DEAL WITHHOW DO WE DEAL WITHOUTGOING MAIL?OUTGOING MAIL?

Outgoing mailing procedures can be broken down into the following areas:

n 1 checking for mailable copy

n 2 enveloping procedure

n 3 postal procedure

n 4 delivery procedures

Outgoing mail proceduresOutgoing mail procedures

• letter has been signed;

• addresses agree (letter andenvelope);

• enclosures/remittances attachedand correct;

• proof-read - no errors.

check formailable copy

11

• letter has been signed;

• addresses agree (letter andenvelope);

• enclosures/remittances attachedand correct;

• proof-read - no errors.

check formailable copy

11

Outgoing mail procedures contOutgoing mail procedures cont’’dd

• insert carefully into envelopes

• fold contents (using as few folds aspossible)

• seal envelopes

envelopingprocedure

22

• insert carefully into envelopes

• fold contents (using as few folds aspossible)

• seal envelopes

envelopingprocedure

22

Outgoing mail procedures contOutgoing mail procedures cont’’dd

• sort and indicate on envelope theservice required – first or secondclass or parcel mail etc;

• indicate any mail which requiresspecial mail forms to be completed;

• Weight bulky items• Affix the correct stamp (or use a

franking machine to print thepostage rate;

• Record the value of stamps used ina Postages Book.

postalprocedure

33

• sort and indicate on envelope theservice required – first or secondclass or parcel mail etc;

• indicate any mail which requiresspecial mail forms to be completed;

• Weight bulky items• Affix the correct stamp (or use a

franking machine to print thepostage rate;

• Record the value of stamps used ina Postages Book.

postalprocedure

33

Outgoing mail procedures contOutgoing mail procedures cont’’dd

place in departmental tray ready tobe collected by mail room staff;

OR

take along to mail room at regularintervals or at a certain time.

deliveryprocedures

44

place in departmental tray ready tobe collected by mail room staff;

OR

take along to mail room at regularintervals or at a certain time.

deliveryprocedures

44

Folding and insertingmachine

Mail bags, post officeforms, etc

Scales – manual orelectronic

PC for email andprinting address labels

Franking machine

Outgoing mail areaOutgoing mail area –– a typical layouta typical layout

E MAIL AND FAXE MAIL AND FAXCOMPARISONCOMPARISON

SimilaritiesSimilarities

nn Both fax and email can be sent instantlyBoth fax and email can be sent instantlyanywhere in the world, 24 hours a day.anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day.

nn Both are low costBoth are low cost –– main charge ismain charge istransmission cost of using the phonetransmission cost of using the phonelink.link.

Advantages ofAdvantages of EMailEMail

nn Long files can beLong files can besent as attachmentssent as attachments

nn Files can be saved,Files can be saved,printed, deleted,printed, deleted,forwarded or repliedforwarded or repliedto.to.

nn Security can beSecurity can beimproved by sendingimproved by sendingemails usingemails usingencryption softwareencryption software

nn The same email canThe same email canbe sent to severalbe sent to severalpeople at the onepeople at the onetime.time.

Disadvantages of EmailDisadvantages of Email

nn Could be problemsCould be problemsgetting through togetting through tothe Internetthe Internet

nn Sender has to knowSender has to knowemail address ofemail address ofrecipientrecipient

nn It may take a whileIt may take a whilefor the recipient tofor the recipient toaccess their emailsaccess their emails

Advantages of FaxAdvantages of Fax

nn An exact copy of aAn exact copy of adocument can bedocument can besent from one faxsent from one faxmachine to another.machine to another.

nn Especially useful forEspecially useful forurgent orders, plansurgent orders, plansand drawings.and drawings.

nn Fax machines areFax machines arerelativelyrelativelyinexpensive to buy.inexpensive to buy.

Disadvantages of FaxDisadvantages of Fax

nn Sender needs toSender needs toknow Fax number ofknow Fax number ofrecipientrecipient

nn You may not know aYou may not know afax has beenfax has beenreceivedreceived

nn Fax machines willFax machines willonly accept A4only accept A4documents ordocuments orsmallersmaller

nn If quality of faxedIf quality of faxeddocument is poor it maydocument is poor it maybe difficult to readbe difficult to read

nn Need a dedicated phoneNeed a dedicated phoneline for fax machineline for fax machine

nn Faxed documents areFaxed documents arenot usually accepted asnot usually accepted aslegally bindinglegally bindingdocumentsdocuments